This is a very important conversation: it's about Vance, but it's also about the right-wing/populist movement whose future he now represents. The left wants to call it MAGA or Trumpism, but it's clearly bigger than Trump, and bigger than America, too.
I wrote Vance's piece knowing that many of you would not like it. To me, the fact that my politics don't necessarily match all of yours is a feature, not a bug, of Untold Truths. I'm committed to factual and accurate reporting, but I'd like to think this is a place where people can argue and debate outside of their own echo chambers, and hear voices they don't necessarily agree with.
We need more places like this. I hope we can keep talking.
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(Not an echo chamber. Just truthful reporting and a place for discussion. Hope it's worth 20 cents a day.)
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The email is below. I have some somewhat pointed criticisms, and that's fine. I've reproduced it unedited, just a couple of minor edits and a cut for length, and I won't editorialize or attempt to respond to it. This is your space to talk, not mine:
Hi Alex,
I'm not sure what you, as a free subscriber, want to hear from me (I'm retired on a fixed income, so I can't afford subscription fees), but I felt the need to respond to your views on Mr. Vance.
Mr. Vance never said that the ideals of our country don't matter, he said that the people of our country matter too, and the politicians in Washington have not served our people well at all. He is speaking to people you may not understand or relate to, and his message may not resonate with you or may even disturb you.
Intellectually you can understand that the US has a poor working class, but you don't live among them, you don't know their struggles. The lower middle class is currently in the same position as the working poor due to inflation.
Ideals don't put food on the table or a roof over their children's heads. Ideals and freedom are important, to everyone, but without financial solvency and stability, those ideals don't mean much. Moreover, the ruling class is slowly eroding these freedoms and ideals, turning freedom to practice religion into freedom of religion.
Sure you can practice your religion, but keep it all private and hidden, or you'll be in trouble. Never pray in public, or violate the ears of those who do not want to hear. So effectively, that right has already been lost, inch by inch. Freedom of speech is also being eroded as the government seeks to block views they disagree with. And freedom of assembly is gone, permits are required for almost all forms of protest. These ideals have slowly been lost, so no one really notices or opposes them.
So you praise the ideals, and I agree they are excellent, but meaningless when the government itself has effectively taken all power back to the people to exercise those rights. And “lesser” people are often mocked and denigrated by their own government. Those who can't fight back, the poor working class and the lower middle class.
This was the point of Mr. Vance. He said it in a way that you may not understand, not having come and lived with that reality. But those of us who grew up or currently live in these circumstances understood what Mr. Vance and I agreed on every word…
I had not seen the speech of Mr. Vance, but after reading your post, I took the time to find it and look at it. I was very impressed with him and I hope he will be our next vice president. In my opinion, he understands exactly what is wrong with our country, and he will do everything possible to restore our country in every way, to restore our rights, to improve the lives of our people, and to defend our sovereignty.
I suggest you ask yourself a question: Who do you think will stand up for the ideals you hold dear: Kamala Harris or JD Vance? Who would defend your right to speak freely and who would see you silenced if you disagreed with them? Ideals are important, but protecting them is even more important. Biden/Harris silenced you, so now if VP Harris talks about ideals and says they are important and she will protect them, can you really believe her? I can't and I don't.
Just a thought, if you are interested in hearing about a free subscriber.
Hello,
K
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English 