Reading an article about natives in the American South, I used to get angry, frustrated, rage.
The people of "To Kill A Mockingbird" who would convict an obviously innocent Black man because it was unacceptable to accept a white man had raped his step daughter, but a Black man would be expected to rape a White Woman. But I figured, that is the Old South.
Now, in a no nonsense, just the facts style Eyal Press, an Israeli, a stranger in a strange land, slogs through that bizarre state of Alabama, interviewing white and Black women who are dying of cervical cancer, one of the few cancers no human being needs to even acquire, much less die from. A single vaccine against the HPV virus can prevent most of it and a Pap smear detect it early enough to cure, but the women of Alabama get neither and so they die agonizing deaths in higher numbers than in Biafra.
Along the way Mr. Press listens to the good folks of Alabama tell him why they reject the idea of extending Medicaid, of embracing Obamacare, two moves which could pay for themselves, if only the state of Alabama and its people would accept them.
He describes a man who hobbles about with an amputation, a portable oxygen tank in tow, who rejects extending medical care to the whole population: [he] "complained that people on welfare with 'ten and twelve kids' were abusing the system.
Another claimed that 'illegal motherfuckers' received all the benefits and that ordinary Americans were subsidizing them."
Press talks to an Alabama academic-yes, there is such a thing--who published a book "Dying of Whiteness" in which he quotes a white man: "No way I want my tax dollars paying for Mexicans or welfare queens...Ain't no way I would ever support Obamacare or sign up for it. I would rather die."
In fact, he was dying of liver failure.
This is not exclusively a White attribute. A Black pastor reported one of his congregants in South Carolina told him he would not vote for Bernie Sanders because, "I earned my Medicare. Now you want to give it away for free to just anyone."
How many bitter residents have I spoken with in Haverhill and Methuen Massachusetts, who describe the $600 they had to spend on their insulin when their Hispanic neighbor, on Mass Health, gets his insulin for free?
I've asked a number of these resentful citizen who they are angry at, about this and they always say, "The government, of course. They give him the insulin for free!"
And then I ask: But why are you not angry that they don't give you your insulin for free? Would it bother you if he got free insulin if you got free insulin?
I find myself staring into blinking, uncomprehending eyes.
Americans, apparently, are not Danes.
The people of "To Kill A Mockingbird" who would convict an obviously innocent Black man because it was unacceptable to accept a white man had raped his step daughter, but a Black man would be expected to rape a White Woman. But I figured, that is the Old South.
Now, in a no nonsense, just the facts style Eyal Press, an Israeli, a stranger in a strange land, slogs through that bizarre state of Alabama, interviewing white and Black women who are dying of cervical cancer, one of the few cancers no human being needs to even acquire, much less die from. A single vaccine against the HPV virus can prevent most of it and a Pap smear detect it early enough to cure, but the women of Alabama get neither and so they die agonizing deaths in higher numbers than in Biafra.
Along the way Mr. Press listens to the good folks of Alabama tell him why they reject the idea of extending Medicaid, of embracing Obamacare, two moves which could pay for themselves, if only the state of Alabama and its people would accept them.
He describes a man who hobbles about with an amputation, a portable oxygen tank in tow, who rejects extending medical care to the whole population: [he] "complained that people on welfare with 'ten and twelve kids' were abusing the system.
Another claimed that 'illegal motherfuckers' received all the benefits and that ordinary Americans were subsidizing them."
Press talks to an Alabama academic-yes, there is such a thing--who published a book "Dying of Whiteness" in which he quotes a white man: "No way I want my tax dollars paying for Mexicans or welfare queens...Ain't no way I would ever support Obamacare or sign up for it. I would rather die."
In fact, he was dying of liver failure.
This is not exclusively a White attribute. A Black pastor reported one of his congregants in South Carolina told him he would not vote for Bernie Sanders because, "I earned my Medicare. Now you want to give it away for free to just anyone."
How many bitter residents have I spoken with in Haverhill and Methuen Massachusetts, who describe the $600 they had to spend on their insulin when their Hispanic neighbor, on Mass Health, gets his insulin for free?
I've asked a number of these resentful citizen who they are angry at, about this and they always say, "The government, of course. They give him the insulin for free!"
And then I ask: But why are you not angry that they don't give you your insulin for free? Would it bother you if he got free insulin if you got free insulin?
I find myself staring into blinking, uncomprehending eyes.
Americans, apparently, are not Danes.
Mad Dog,
ReplyDeleteI've never understood that either-why one less fortunate person would resent the assistance another less fortunate person receives. The only ones who benefit from this hatred and resentment are the remarkably fortunate powers that be. Divide and conquer-with the disturbing truth being it doesn't seem to take a lot of effort to produce the divide.
Maud
Maud,
ReplyDeleteThe best explanation I've ever heard was that story I think I've shared with you about the farmer whose son mentioned his black neighbor had plowed his fields even better than the farmer, using a new mule. The farmer then shot the new mule. The son asked the farmer why he had done that and the farmer replied, "If I ain't better than some nigger, then what am I?"
Pecking order. You may not be much, but you are better than the Black guy or the Hispanic because you are White.