I don't post a lot about politics. There are a lot of reasons for that. I want to talk about one of the ones you probably wouldn't expect tonight.
I don't post much about politics because I teach at a rural university, and my classes are about 70-80% cis men, from deep in rural poverty, almost all of them the first in their families to go to college. And because I teach English and I'm approachable, over the years they've talked to me about why they vote how they vote.
And yeah. They're almost all Trump voters. Their whole families too. While I absolutely do not agree with them, I've come to understand how they got to where they are--and it's why I never, *ever* bitch about Trump voters, just the asshole himself and his cronies.
It started in 2016. I had one guy who wore a MAGA cap to class every day. In mid-October, he came to class way early one day, and I found myself alone in the room with him. I couldn't help myself. I asked him, "I don't see anyone else wearing merch for any candidate, but you're wearing the cap every day. I'm just curious: what made you like Trump so much?"
He gave me a huge grin before replying.
"Oh, I hate that guy. He's a giant asshole."
Yeah. I was surprised too. But he continued, "I'm here because my whole family pulled together to send me to school. I don't just mean my mom and dad either. My grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins--everyone. They all worked together to get me here. That's why I work so hard. None of them are ever getting out of the Upper Peninsula."
He paused for a minute.
"There used to be a plant up there. Everyone used to work at it. We made those big cranes they make skyscrapers with. But then in the late 80s or early 90s, they closed the plant, moved it to China or Vietnam or something. Everyone got told they'd get retrained and have better jobs. So, they did the retraining, but the jobs never came. Ever since, everything up there's been falling apart, and now nobody can get out. It's too expensive, and nobody wants our land."
Again, a pause.
"Trump's an asshole, but he's gonna smash everything in Washington he can. That's *why* we're voting for him. Same thing as throwing a brick through the family room window of the rich guy in town."