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Apparently people that don't live in WV and KY don't understand much about the places here.... I am proud to say that I live in West Virginia! Dianne Sawyer must not have done much research! Yes, there are drugs, and there are kids that need homes, and that have parents on welfare... Isn't it like that everywhere??? But, there are many, many more that have parents that work hard everyday to provide for them. I am one of those! My husband and I both work and have what we need and what our children need and WANT! No we might not get to dress up and go on TV and get paid to throw off on people that are less fortunate than we are. Having said that, they couldn't pay me enough money to do that!!!! I hope she understands how many people she is hurting by doing that interview! Yes, there are drug addicts, EVERYWHERE in the US! Not just in KY, and WV. I wouldn't live in NY if they bought me a house and handed me the keys! I bet she can't leave her house without locking the doors! I do everyday.. I am thankful for the neighborhood that i live in.... Here is an interesting website to checkout... It is from a teacher in KY.... He did his research! YouTube - The Hidden America Uncovered
Some of the most decent people I have ever met come from the mountains of Appalachia - kind hearted, loyal, God fearing, hard working, industrious and smart.
What a strange interview. Must have been looking for ratings....
I watched the show today about the Dental problems and the Mountain Dew. I can't say I was surprised at all about what I saw on this show. America has had for many years now its own brand of a 3rd World Society. People can think what they want, but I have felt for years America and many americans do not take much interest in their own people or a society to be really proud of.
I watched it last night with my wife, my heart really went out to the children. I wanted to hug every one of them. The one thing that I noticed form a skeptical p.o.v. was the fact that they had subtitles whenever "Sean" the highschool football star spoke; it was so condescending and elitist I was fuming. I know that they did it to play up the "Apalachian hick" aspect, but his accent wasn't thick at all. Not to mention the fact that ABC would never, ever in a million years have subtitles if they went into the inner city and interviewed a thuggish black dude from the hood. Again, with the pc double standard. Other then that it was a pretty good piece.
It looks to me like they've got plenty of money for alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. They have the money, they just don't want to spend it on food for their kids.
I didn't watch the ABC show, but I do remember the "American hollow" special on HBO which sounds similar. I don't know about poverty in WV as I have never been there, but you can bet they dug around and found the absolute worst cases they could find.
I was in the army with some guys that were from that area. I remmebr a movie called No time for sargeants starring andy Griffith. it was alot like that if you ever watched. The politcs of poverty tends to greae the squeeky wheel that votes.
But ask them to give you a stat about white men or women. They don't know any
That could be simply because lawmakers and the pc (politically correct) groups don't focus on Whites living in poverty. Their focus always goes to minorities. Don't ya know all us white folks are filthy rich? Yeah, sure.
I think part of it is that when whites see a show like that, they see the drug use, the dropping out of school, the alcohol and drug use and neglect of the children and don't believe that all whites are persecuted or some kind of victim class. When whites see people choosing to live irresponsibly, they don't identify all that closely with them.
A lot of the people in that show weren't doing all that bad. The miners for example working hard, earning $60,000 a year. The new father working with his future father-in-law who felt responsible to his new family, his baby -- he didn't look so bad. Many of the people smiled and didn't have atrocious teeth, and giving your kids nothing but soft drinks isn't what you do because you have no money -- brand name soft drinks cost plenty. Just like the cigarettes they all were smoking cost plenty and of course the drugs and alcohol some of them were using cost plenty.
I think whites look at this kind of thing differently. They see people living like that but don't believe that skin color or race is the cause of all their problems. Life style choices can make you poor. The family of the football player really let him down. It seems like they preferred to spend their money on booze and drugs than helping their kids out by buying used books to have in the home, or helping him with food. It's sad what some of those people they showed were doing to their kids, but others seemed to be trying harder.
I think part of it is that when whites see a show like that, they see the drug use, the dropping out of school, the alcohol and drug use and neglect of the children and don't believe that all whites are persecuted or some kind of victim class. When whites see people choosing to live irresponsibly, they don't identify all that closely with them.
A lot of the people in that show weren't doing all that bad. The miners for example working hard, earning $60,000 a year. The new father working with his future father-in-law who felt responsible to his new family, his baby -- he didn't look so bad. Many of the people smiled and didn't have atrocious teeth, and giving your kids nothing but soft drinks isn't what you do because you have no money -- brand name soft drinks cost plenty. Just like the cigarettes they all were smoking cost plenty and of course the drugs and alcohol some of them were using cost plenty.
I think whites look at this kind of thing differently. They see people living like that but don't believe that skin color or race is the cause of all their problems. Life style choices can make you poor. The family of the football player really let him down. It seems like they preferred to spend their money on booze and drugs than helping their kids out by buying used books to have in the home, or helping him with food. It's sad what some of those people they showed were doing to their kids, but others seemed to be trying harder.
I think part of it is that when whites see a show like that, they see the drug use, the dropping out of school, the alcohol and drug use and neglect of the children and don't believe that all whites are persecuted or some kind of victim class. When whites see people choosing to live irresponsibly, they don't identify all that closely with them.
Actually this goes on all over America, not just in Appalachia. Take a look at any inner city; problems such as this in all races. I have worked in the social service sectors for the homeless, mentally ill and substance abuse. I don't identify with the problems of any race but am very aware of them. It's sad that people do live like this and some by choice due to their addictions, etc.
I've been to many southern states and the mountain people (some of them distant relatives) were down-to-earth, great people who were trying really hard. It is about time though that focus is put on the problems "within" the U.S.
Hey all! Having been born in WV and a frequent visitor growing up, I love the state.
The poverty and abject 'stupiditiy' is frightening.
These people don't leave home. They don't know anyone else. They don't have a different example. It's not stupid, it's life. We see it with inner city cultures, gang bangers, even the poor here in Oklahoma.
The times we visit, you'd think royalty had arrived! My mother was fourth generation in a hollow of relatives. They're all still there, some have never left. Although I have a cousin who went to Virginia and the Grand Canyon (yes, she's in her late 40s!). Day in, day out, they do their life. Work, clean, visit, cook, farm. Every day.
So when someone says "Ewww who would put Mt. Dew in a baby bottle?" it's because that's how it's done.
BUT - my whole point is this:
My husband and I are moving to PA - one of the things I'd like to do is get up into the mountains and see about helping. I loved the dentist who took his own money and is out there trying to fix the dental problems and educate the people.
I'd love to start a once-a-month visiting thing with nutritionists, counselors, sex-ed, etc. Do a big fair-type thing with booths of information, maybe a traveling RV! I'd personally LOVE to bring the arts to these people (drawing, painting, photography).
<if you've ever been to Tamarac in Beckley, you'll know that WV is capable of creating some great artists!>
I'm personally tired of sitting and commenting on stuff - it's time I got out there and did something about it. So that's my plan.
Most of what i saw wasn't shocking. Single mothers, not to many husbands but alot of boyfriends, high school dropouts, crime ridden, drug users, majority of the residents were on welfare was to be expected. For example I heard a man say selling drugs is the only way alot of people. Think they can make money in order to have a good life. You can find a man in the hood or barrios who think the same thing. That selling drugs is the only way to make it out. A couple things I did find shocking though was. The mountain dew mouth. Kids drinking mountain dew since they were a little baby. Who puts mountain dew in baby bottles? When the doctor from India said people are poorer in this part of the world than were he grew up in India. Especially since America is the richest country on earth. I also found shocking that oxycottin goes for $120 dollars on the street. That's crazy for a simple painkiller. Also the incest thing was disgusting.
What were your thoughts and opinions on the show?
Do you think it will shed more light on rural poverty. Since in america everytime we bring up on the poor. Its always focused on large cities. Even though most poor americans live in small towns and not large urban cities.
I did see it and I don't know what the difference is between rural Appalachia and the inner cities except the national media isn't located there. So, when Diane Sawyer does a special on it, it seems shocking to people because the national media never covers it. Urban America is all that counts because that's where they are. Maybe her next special could be on suburbia, another place the national news media never visits.
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Talk is fine...
