Just when you though we were done hearing about Hillary and Trump, the plot thickens. My bone to pick though is not with either one of them, but with the news reporters that covered Tuesdays rather shocking election. As the votes came in and states were declared, the term "uneducated rural voters" started to be mentioned more and more. According to these advisors, Clinton was defeated because of a larger population of uneducated rural voters that showed up to the polls. I was furious with this statement.
When I first heard this term, I thought of home, but mainly of my dad. My father graduated high school from a rural public school and attended college at Oklahoma State University but was sadly unable to finish his degree due to a death in the family. While he may not have had an Ivy League education he has more common sense and character than most people. He has worked his entire life on a cattle farm, raising three girls, and providing for his family always making ends meet. To somebody in a place such as New York or Los Angeles he would fall into the category of "uneducated rural voter."
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While people like my dad may not have college degrees, I have watched them make more educated, precise, calculated decisions than any Ivy League grad could. I have watched people from my rural community watch livestock and grain markets calculating the exact time of when to sell to maximize profits, or make a decisions that could cost them thousands in a split second. They may not have a piece of paper to prove it, but these people should not be sold short because of that.
While the skill set might not be the same, people in these communities should not be criticized or looked down upon. A college degree is a huge accomplishment is a person life, but that accomplishment does not mean you get to look down or criticize people who may not be as fortunate as you or choose a different path in life.
The amount of knowledge it takes to run a farm or raise livestock is unbelievable. This knowledge is not taught in a classroom but passed along from one generation to the next. There job is not an unimportant one by any means. The same people you are calling "uneducated" are the ones busting their back to ensure that you have a wholesome and safe food supply.
There is a lot to be learned from this election. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, being a prominent one. I think respect is a key value that comes up. Just because somebody comes from a different background doesn't mean you can judge them and think lesser of them.
