Cling to your guns.
Obama made two mistakes. He told the truth, but he told it badly. And, people were not ready for the truth, especially in the context in which it was told. So, Obama had to backtrack, fudge things a bit, then deal with the immediate backlash from saying the following about Pennsylvanians:
"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them," he said. "And it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations," he added.What is so wrong with what he said? It's an accurate observation, in my opinion, of what is happening in once-industrial and/or rural America.
Why did people make a stink about Obama's words? What he said wasn't so far off to what is and has been happening in rural/post-industrial American towns and cities. It's always surprising when low-income or rural Americans side with Republicans. The GOP generally are the ones who cut funding for the programs that keep these individuals fed, housed, and cared for. But the GOP is viewed as the party willing to protect these people's morals, ethics, and simple pleasures in life. As long as the GOP keeps up that image, it doesn't matter what its members say. It doesn't even matter that they don't even keep their word or that they continue to gloss over the real problems in America. Obama wasn't afraid to identify what the real problems in America are. His sympathy is/was genuine; it was expressed without trying to hide his true intentions, he's made his intentions quite clear. And sure, some could say it wasn't exactly sympathy he was showing—most people classified his comments as being elitist and full of pure snobbery. It didn't help that he said that particular comment to a room full of donors at a fancy fundraiser.
But, Obama's words did touch home with many people. I believe he stated the obvious; however politicians these days don't seem to be so quick to do that—probably for PR reasons... So, many Americans were shocked at what he said. How dare he pretend he understands them! I wish people would have just listened to what he said, dissected it and processed it for themselves. Then they wouldn't have been so outraged. Even so, Obama did make a slight blunder. And it's the same mistake we are all currently making in this country. We are pitting a war against each other—us versus them, thanks to the past 8 years of the Bush administration. In this country, there is the right, and there is the left. There are generalizations made on both sides. Obama used one of these generalizations to his fault. But how could he have helped it?
I believe what really pissed people off was the fact that Obama pointed to a group of hard-up individuals and excluded himself from the mix. I don't blame him. He isn't dealing with the frustrations those Americans are currently facing. But, again, his statement was very much an "us versus them" kind of speech.
What Obama said has relevance to more people than just Pennsylvanians, and there is no shame in that. We all have our reasons for clinging to "guns," be it the actual killing mechanisms or something a little less cold and tangible—more metaphorical. These types of things provide us with comfort during times of angst and frustration. The class of people Obama over generalized cling to their types of "guns" because it's about pride, freedom, and faith. It's about filling a void that once was supplied with purpose and meaning or even filling a void that they didn't have the ability to fill themselves. If they don't have anything else, at least they have God and at least they have a Gun and by golly no one is going to take that away. At least that's how the generalization goes.
Somehow God is a concept and guns are objects that they have that we anti-war, pro-choice, yuppie, left-leaning, pretty boys and girls don't have, nor do we understand. And to make matters worse, we are seen as the assholes whom want to take their God and guns away. God and guns have become the generalized differentiators between "them" and "us." But, we all know this isn't true—the differentiator part, that is. God and guns are constants in a lot of people's lives. And, most people (on both sides) do understand why there are those out there who find solace in faith, freedom, and pride.
The issue is that for the past eight years, people have had to take sides. And feelings of sympathy and commiseration are considered to be signs of weakness, signs of siding with the enemy. Even more so, making the effort to try and understand one another is viewed with distrust and disdain.
We are encouraged to maintain this polarization by our peers, the media, entertainment, the government, and by ourselves via self-justification. But, what really is driving us is intangible fear. Fear of the Other. We are wrought with it. So, I think a lot of this blind "clinging" is mostly built on irrational fear. This is the main reason why guns and religion are so instrumental in people's lives and thus, people's voting habits. Fear of the unknown, fear of the unexpected, fear of being alone, fear of being left behind, fear of enduring the worst with no one to help or even care. Fear of TERROR! So, when this fear is manifested in a terrorist attack, economic hardships, job loss, sickness, or death—when it is reluctantly met, people look out and they look within. Whichever item a person comes into contact with first, this is his/her savior. And so, not wanting to be empty of purpose once more, fearing that vacuum of defeat and downfall, which sucks all hope and promise from one's heart and mind, a person will refuse to let go of that one thing or things that keep him/her from falling into the abyss after that last dream goes tumbling out of reach.
This, I think is what Obama meant to say when he made the comment about Pennsylvanians. However, he shouldn't have turned it into an "us versus them" kind of statement.
What Obama was describing isn't anything new for people—his commentary was a mere example of human reaction to intensive, straining stimuli and the means in which we cope. Most of us have been at the verge of breakdown. Maybe not as extreme and poetic as I have described, but most of us have known loss, grief, despair, misfortune, and frustration. And, most of us have been afraid of what is to happen next. And, most of us have found purpose and meaning again either internally or in an external force. And, most of us are unrelenting once we find peace again, because we don't want it to go away. And, consequently, we bitterly despise any perpetrator whom could possibly compromise that.
We all have been to the bottom and back. And, something helped us along the way. And, there are things in this world that we had feared, did fear, and will continue to fear, even if that gun in our hands or that God in our hearts are ever so present and real. So, see? We are not so different, you and me. Because, you know what? I have been afraid, too! I have had dreams sucked into the dark cavity of life's asshole, never to come out again. And I have bounced back with new dreams and new hopes guided by something inspiring. But despite all that, I continue to be worried. I continue to fear the future. What am I clinging to now? Hope. Maybe a fool's hope, but it's still hope. I am clinging to hope for a new and better future, starting... tomorrow.
So, cling to your guns, for whatever reasons you might have! I have no issue with that. Cling to God! Fantastic, do what you must. I will cling to the last hope that I have that this country will get back on its feet. That we will vote in a new president who isn't afraid to speak the truth, no matter how difficult the truth may be. I'll tell you this much, if Obama is NOT elected today, then I will be clutching my gun to my chest all the way up to Canada. You betcha.