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Many of us are from middle America and have moved to Chicago or the coasts for personal opportunity.
As we have moved middle America has lost a large part of its "indigenous" Left. It has become older, more conservative, and (often strangely) open to arguments from the white South.
Those of us who are over 50 remember the effort we invested after the 60s to learn about the Labor and working class struggles of America, including middle American cities and towns. Those eras seem very distant today.
I am reminded of this as I hear the resentment from my former classmates from the Midwest toward those who "abandoned" it; in additional how overcrowded NYC is with people who will never feel completely welcome here. The young people moving from the midwest to NYC today will not find the same opportunities we found 20 or 30 years ago.
There are ecological arguments against sprawl and in favor of city living, but there is no reason these cities should only include the largest metropolises such as NYC, DC, and SF/Oakland.
At least on a personal level, should we begin making choices in favor of moving back or staying in middle America, where we have the choice?
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