Hometown

[Comrade B]

As I post here, I recognize that there are some definite differences between some of my views and the majority of posters.
I am absolutely not a nationalist, however when it comes to the people I want to help, it usually ends up with the people I grew up around.
I am from a moderately poor rural community, industry is focused on tourism and things made to be sent out of town, when I see rich people with California license plates on their big SUVs driving through the nice part of town, going about tasting wine and then driving their drunk asses around town, endangering the people here, I get furious. When elderly people move here from cities into the old people's homes and then refuse to vote for school funding and entertainment for locals below the age of 60 I feel like smashing something. When I see a local business close down and a starbucks open on that street, maps made for tourists with zigzagging patters avoiding the poor streets, police busting locals for small crimes when they enter the tourist zone, townies getting treated like hooligans, I can only feel rage and anger against those rich mother fuckers from outside comming in and raping my town of its self identity.

We live for those outside of my town. If you live in this town and don't have a college education you have 3 main options for work, 1. Work at Sykes, a local company which does communication stuff for banks and so forth, the kind of jobs that the stereotypes have Indian workers doing. 2. Work in the state penitentary, built here because rich mother fuckers didn't want a big scary building full of dangerous people near their homes, so they stuck it near those "hicks", or 3. Doing manual labor in a winery, working for those who bleed the town of everything else inside it.
There is a 4th occupation, field work, however it is mostly dominated by migrant workers. I have no problem with these migrant workers in town, because they are a part of the community. They deserve the jobs as much as anyone else who lives here, even if the majority of them do not live here year round.


I am often uneasy about my feelings, being that I see resemblances in it to nationalism. Does anyone see a more educated way, or socially concious way to think about this issue?

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

This sounds like a time for a Freak Power Uprising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_of_Aspen).

I can understand your frustration. There's not a lot I can suggest that would avoid the potential of jailtime though.

Other than getting the fuck out of their first chance, but I don' know your situation.

[Sprocket Hole]

Doesn't sound like nationalism at all to me. Your angry about rich fucks ruining your town, and you have every right to. Your not hating them for their ethnicity, or where they came from it seems, so it can't be nationalism. They seem to be of a higher class than most of your town, and are coming in, contributing nothing, and robbing you dry (metaphorically speaking)..

[Catbus]

The only similarity between your views and nationalism is that both you, and a theoretical nationalist are upset about people entering where you both live. That being said, I see a huge difference between being pissed about rich, upper class people ruining a town and immigrants coming to a coutry looking for better opportunities. As Sprocket Hole said, you're not basing your views off of ethnicity, but rather the actual consequences that said rich people are creating for the people in your town.

[jake williams]

The fact that you care more about the migrants than the rich Californians alone makes it clear it isn't nationalism. Your feelings are totally rational. People are coming to your community and harming it. You shouldn't like that.

[Sarah Palin]

This sounds like a time for a Freak Power Uprising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_of_Aspen).



I second that, and I move that we all start freak power uprisings in our towns. Seriously.

[Decolonize The Left]

As I post here, I recognize that there are some definite differences between some of my views and the majority of posters.
I am absolutely not a nationalist, however when it comes to the people I want to help, it usually ends up with the people I grew up around.
I am from a moderately poor rural community, industry is focused on tourism and things made to be sent out of town, when I see rich people with California license plates on their big SUVs driving through the nice part of town, going about tasting wine and then driving their drunk asses around town, endangering the people here, I get furious. When elderly people move here from cities into the old people's homes and then refuse to vote for school funding and entertainment for locals below the age of 60 I feel like smashing something. When I see a local business close down and a starbucks open on that street, maps made for tourists with zigzagging patters avoiding the poor streets, police busting locals for small crimes when they enter the tourist zone, townies getting treated like hooligans, I can only feel rage and anger against those rich mother fuckers from outside comming in and raping my town of its self identity.

We live for those outside of my town. If you live in this town and don't have a college education you have 3 main options for work, 1. Work at Sykes, a local company which does communication stuff for banks and so forth, the kind of jobs that the stereotypes have Indian workers doing. 2. Work in the state penitentary, built here because rich mother fuckers didn't want a big scary building full of dangerous people near their homes, so they stuck it near those "hicks", or 3. Doing manual labor in a winery, working for those who bleed the town of everything else inside it.
There is a 4th occupation, field work, however it is mostly dominated by migrant workers. I have no problem with these migrant workers in town, because they are a part of the community. They deserve the jobs as much as anyone else who lives here, even if the majority of them do not live here year round.


I am often uneasy about my feelings, being that I see resemblances in it to nationalism. Does anyone see a more educated way, or socially concious way to think about this issue?

In the first place, your feelings have nothing to do with nationalism what-so-ever. In the second place, you are experiencing a class conscious reaction to the workings of capitalism and ignorance. It is a difficult position to hold. I suggest the following:
1) You find some form of relaxation which is creative and productive. Make music, write, draw, paint, run, whatever... do something. This will reduce your stress level and channel your feelings through a creative medium that will provide you with substance and allow you to sort out your anger in a positive manner.
2) Seek like-minded people. Go to the most progressive location in town and listen, watch, and learn. Who's thinking like you? Where do they hang out? With patience, you may develop something of a community.

If you cannot do the following, and you do not feel bound to this place, prepare to leave. If there is nothing for you there except pain and anger, go somewhere else. Save your money, plan ahead, and catch a train.. you'll feel better once you set foot on the road.

- August