Chris Hedges; What's the Matter with Kansas?

[Lithos]

Okay, whose read it? Thoughts. I would ask how applicable, but I personally think it is dead on.

How to use this to help us get people to vote for themselves and not for the few?

L-

[ashling]

1. Hi Lithos!

Only read the article in Harper's. Right on the money.

BTW, good to see y'all in Austin last week.

[Lithos]

2. Good to see you and your daughter down there, too

I grew up there. My wife and I love Austin, hope to move down there in the next few years.

The South has probably some of the most active progressives in the nation. We have to work harder and speak louder for sure, but we much more numerous than people give us credit for.

Glad you didn't say anything about my screwing up the title of the post. Thomas Frank is the author.

Here is an except from the book:

http://www.ruralwomyn.net/kansas_quote.html

[wildeyed]

3. I have been on the library's waiting list for this book

since before Thanksgiving. But I guess that is a good sign, people are interested!

I will check back after I manage to actually read the book.

[Syrinx]

4. I just checked it from the library yesterday

Haven't started reading it yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

[leyton]

5. Just ordered it from Amazon today...

looks like a good read (whenever it arrives...)

[Hippo_Tron]

6. Read about 100 pages into it, it's partly applicable...

The key difference, and the author mentions this, between the "heartland" red states and the southern red states is the racism factor. Racist voters in Kansas and Nebraska are far and few. Racist voters in Mississippi and Alabama are numberous.

[RoyGBiv]

7. Question ...

With regard to the relative number of racist voters in the different areas, how does the author quantify this, or does he? Obviously I haven't read the book yet. I've emersed myself mostly in fiction since the election, but I suppose it is time to reverse that.

Anyway, the statement seems intuitively correct, but I wonder how this is measured and if the author actually tried to do so.

[Skittles]

8. I'd like to know this too

it's not like racism is tagged on the Census