The Islamic studies chairman at American University in Washington undertook a study to see “how well this country upholds its ideals in a post-September 11 world.”
As part of that study, Hailey Woldt traveled to Alabama and dressed in “traditional black abaya.” Her “experience was a pleasant one.” And it was unexpected. As Allahpundit put it, “They went looking for prejudice — and darned if they didn’t find it.”
This led Shannon Love to observe:
What Woldt discovered was not the prejudices of the small-town southern white American but instead the prejudices and stereotypes of contemporary leftist academia. Woldt expected to find prejudice not because she had already seen it but because her education indoctrinated her to expect it in others. This little incident opens a window on the insular, elitist and bigoted world of leftist in contemporary academia.
(H/t Instapundit.)
Why is it that the supposedly most broad-minded Americans have the most narrow view of their fellow citizens?
Dan, this type of “bubblehead” thinking reminds me of an academician in Manhattan who had this wonderful epigram after the 1972 Nixon landslide (49 of 50 states and almost 430 electoral votes):
“I don’t see how he won; nobody I know voted for him.”
Enough said.
Regards,
Peter H.
Paradoxically, the stereotype of leftist elites as being judgmental, bigoted, prejudiced, and contemptuous of middle America is validated by Hailey Woldt, and also by Stephen Fowler.
I live in a neighboring town to Arab, Alabama, where this study took place. I’ve been living here since I was a baby and have very rarely (I can only think of 2 incidents, which were just inappropriate comments, certainly nothing violent or threatening) encountered prejudice of other cultures or groups. But I very often encounter accusations of southern bigotry and racism, exclusively by liberals. I’ve been personally accused of being racist, ignorant, homophobic, etc based solely on my religious and political preferences. The irony is overwhelming.
Thank you so much for posting this. It’s kind of sad that I’m so happy to now have “evidence” of what, to me, is so obvious – southerners are genuinely friendly, tolerant people. I love this site, by the way – it’s refreshing to read well-spoken, considerate advocacy for gay marriage (although I’m personally not in favor) instead of misguided attacks on those who are opposed.
Oh, I see. The US is hit with a vile, unthinkable terrorist attack by Muslims in the name of Allah, but it’s us Americans that need to be studied to ensure that we’re behaving ourselves in a post-9/11 world. How about a study on what the world’s “moderate” Muslims are up to in a post-9/11 world? Oh, now I remember. Doing that will get you hauled before a Canadian “human rights” commission or charged with a criminal offense in the Netherlands.
Help! Filtered again!
I can live anywhere I want. Currently, I’m living in Central Nebraska. I could be living in Manhattan–but why? What would I be doing different there from here? I do my job. I go to movies. I go to bookstores. I search the Web. I eat. I sleep. Why would doing this in Manhattan make me happier? Why would it have more prestige? Are people smarter there? More attractive? Not if the people I see on Cash Cab are any indication. Regardless of where you live, you live most of your life in about a 2-mile radius. You have the same cable, movies, books, and food as everyone else. And the culture available in Omaha is great–why does it need a New York stamp to be valid?
Ashpenaz, your logic is pretty much the same as the thinking that prompted me to move to Nevada from Long Island 5 1/2 years ago. I like the climate, the geography and the recreational opportunities here better than I did in New York. When I moved, I also liked the fact that Nevada was a “red state” with a libertarian streak. Unfortunately, in the last election, the state turned “blue,” a trend that I don’t foresee changing anytime soon. Nevada has been overrun by transplanted Californians who have brought their cultural and political attitudes with them, and it hasn’t been an improvement. Another problem I’ve noticed is that many of the native Nevadans who consider themselves educated and sophisticated these days aspire to be like coastal liberals; far too few recognize the good things the state already had going for it.
Isn’t it a mortifying disgrace that these so-called “intellectuals” are so deluded and drunk on their own elitism that they are genuinely bewildered when it turns out that all of their bigoted assumptions about their own countrymen are ignorant stereotypes? These fools have never questioned the characterization of Southerners (and pretty much anyone who doesn’t live in NY, LA or SFO) as hateful, inbred, racist, homophobic savages prone to violent, homicidal outbursts against anyone that is different from themselves.
Yet, it’s these are the same f-ing idiots who claim that the jihadists mean us no harm, want to live in peace, and are “just like us, with families and children.” What happened to these people that they are only capable of seeing hatred and evil in their own fellow citizens?
I live up in the Liberal Northeast, where most Libbies believe that the South hasn’t evolved since the 1840s. I had a pair of friends who are very liberal and decided to adopt a dog from a rescue group in Mississippi. They were so on the fence about heading down there because they were convinced that they’d be lynched by the KKK the moment they crossed the state’s border… and they’re white!
To make a long story short, my pals came back with a lovely new (actually, old) golden retriever, and a new perspective. According to them, they went down there expecting to get drawn and quartered by right-wing rednecks. Turns out that they were met with nothing but hospitable hosts and friendly locals all the way from Mississippi to West Virginia. One hotel went out of their way to accommodate their dog. From what they say, people didn’t start being rude to them until they crossed over to the New Jersey border.
To this day, they talk about how they had the Southerners all wrong and how they’re embarrassed by how misinformed they were.
Remarkably, a lot of their liberal friends dismiss their experience to mere luck.
This whole incident shows just how “bubbled” the academic left is in terms of its own worldview. They think the world revolves around them and that any other thought outside of either Manhattan, LA or the Beltway is just “wrong.”
Reminds me of the quote from a liberal academic after Nixon’s 49-state landslide in 1972, who said: “I don’t see how he won; after all, I don’t know a single person who voted for him.”
What conceit. Yet so typical for the academic left.
Regards,
Peter H.
“who claim that the jihadists mean us no harm, ”
Find ONE instance where someone from the left has claimed that the Islamic fanatics mean us no harm. It’s “f-ing idiots” like you who refuse to distinguish between them and those who don’t think like them. Then the right turns around and falsely claims that liberals/the left hate all Christians. Hypocrisy, clean your own house before attacking others. I totally agree that many on the left are unwilling to admit that threat that the fanatics truly represents, but if folks on here are any indication, the right also refuses to acknowledge the threat from fanatics claiming to be Christian. The issue is fanaticism, not the specific religion, ethnic group, sexual orientation or political beliefs. When that reality finally becomes clear to all those who live to attack the “other side” we might get somewhere.
“I live up in the Liberal Northeast, where most Libbies believe that the South hasn’t evolved since the 1840s.”
And of course there are no stereotypes believed in the south about those of us in the northeast. Never mind in the south, you seem to suffer from an extreme case of it yourself.
The insane and false superiority that so many on both sides have towards the other are exactly why we are locked in ridiculous battles that have nothing to do with the good of the country. It’s good that the people who were challenged had to rethink their bias. Instead of b*tching and throwing ridiculous generalization perhaps is would be good if you tried challenging some of your own.
filtered. Doesn’t really matter I suppose since not a word would be understood anyway.
I just found a clip on YouTube from the same group, Journey Into America, that everyone needs to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_c0p6jfjz4&feature=related
Their project is supposed to be about bigotry against Muslims in contemporary American society. But in the video, they just interview Mormons at a Prop 8 rally in Salt Lake City to demonstrate how hateful and bigoted they are. Of course, for this clip, they have completely dropped the whole “Muslims are persecuted in the US” angle because they might have to acknowledge that Muslims are opposed to homosexuality in general, not to mention gay marriage. It’s apparently not relevant to address the issue of whether Muslims in America supported Prop 8 or not. That might conflict with all of the conclusions they reached before they started their “research.” These people are a joke–too obtuse to see that they are subjecting Mormons to their own “acceptable” kind of bigotry.
I wonder why he hasn’t tried the reverse. How about these college students dressing as Orthodox Jews, Christian Nuns, or a gay couple and trying to wander around in Cairo, Mecca, or Tehran? Or visiting even US and Europe mosques? Why not? Fair is fair, right?
#9 – Wow, ADD finally got a clue. Too bad it took a spam filter for him to realize it.
Regards,
Peter H.
I’ve lived on both coasts, north and south, and I have to say the most gracious, tolerant, welcoming people are in the deep south and southeast. I’ve met kind, warm people all over but overall, the south is the most accepting. CA was very integrated with the exception of blacks. The most racist people I’ve met were in the northeast- it was a real shock to me at the time. The one exception was NYC- I was delighted to find how friendly New Yorkers were but then again, I’m pretty friendly and try to smile at everyone I make eye contact with so maybe it’s just contagious.
Maybe the south is more accepting because we’ve been integrated so much longer and there’s more population balance between the races or maybe we’re just super cool. Regardless, the anti-south mentality and the recent trend (again) of bashing the south as racist, religious zealots is really tired. I think people who criticize this way are projecting their own views onto others.
Our education system is our single greatest threat. Not Islamists, not globalism, not illegal immigrants, not Democrats, not small town prejudices, but small minds. Two books I recommend: The Closing of the American Mind by Bloom and Tenured Radicals by Kimball.
Demonizations of Southern whites is necessary for liberals because it’s the only politically correct way to explain how the most heavily black section of the US could also happen to be the poorest.
That said, I wouldn’t be so quick to go and say that Southern whites are angels. I live in New England and have heard multiple friends tell me that travelers from here to the South can expect to be treated less hospitably than fellow Southerners outside of the main tourist attractions. I don’t know if it works the other way around because virtually no Southerners ever come to New England to vacation.
So–maybe now you understand why I feel more comfortable as a gay man in Central Nebraska than I would in NY or LA. There, I would be persecuted by the gay community for my conservatism. Here, I can relax and be accepted for the totality of who I am.
I wish I could live in Central Nebraska. 🙁
#19 – I’m glad I don’t.
God Bless Texas!
Regards,
Peter H.
I’m an Independent. My brother is openly gay. I have no problem with him being who he is. I grew up Mormon. I’m not one now, won’t be, can’t keep my mind set the way most of them do. I didn’t say all of them.
I applaud hearing all sides and making up my own mind who I agree with, whether it is left, right, or center.
Muslims are humans, too. I’ve directly asked a guy in my Eastern Civ History class why they hate us, and they don’t. They don’t like our gov. lording over their people. No one likes a bully. I could understand that.
I have lived on the West Coast, East, and South. There’s good and bad apples in every bunch. The South is no more or less worse than Oregon, which has Skinheads aplenty recruiting their band of haters. Oregon history has its shameful past, too.
#20: “Muslims are humans, too. I’ve directly asked a guy in my Eastern Civ History class why they hate us, and they don’t. They don’t like our gov. lording over their people. No one likes a bully. I could understand that.”
Sounds like you’re learning a lot in that Eastern Civ History class, JMM. Next time though, you might want to ask a follow-up question or two. For example, where and how is the US government “lording over” his people? I would be really interested to know what his definition of “lording over” is. Because as we all know, there is nothing more intolerable to Arab Muslims than being “lorded over” by the US, what with those democratic elections, a constitution compatible with their culture, and the right to benefit from the sale of their own country’s natural resources. I’m sure Iraqis are terribly nostalgic for the “no one likes a bully” era of mass murder/graves, rape rooms, honor killings and hopeless abject poverty and starvation. Did he happen to mention how that whole “kill all infidels” stuff factors into this? Oh yeah, “religion of peace” and all that. Well, okay then. I guess that pretty much covers everything. You’re going to ace the final exam.
#12 Peter, by saying you wouldn’t understand I mean that y’all are so lost in your own hateful bigotry that you can’t see that those you condemn on the left are a mirror image of yourselves. Easier to slam the other side, not so easy to see your own issues. All you fanatics are going to destroy the world for the rest of us.