The American Highlands

Several observers have noticed that Sen. Barack Obama has not done well in the Appalachian parts of primary states, and many predict that he will not do well in the May 13 West Virginia Democratic primary or the May 20 Kentucky primary. Huffington Post - Obama In Kentucky And West Virginia: Why Will He Lose?

The common wisdom is that these results, both past and future, are the result of racism. But this conclusion is a gross overly-simplified fiction based upon an unwarranted sense of moral superiority by those making the observations. Sheer ignorance plays a large part too, but that is excusable. American Highlanders are not easy to get close to, and that’s the way they like it.

In the TV mini-series Lonesome Dove, the Robert Duvall character stated, “I’m not one to give up on a garment just because its starting to show its age.”

If you want to understand American Highlanders, that statement is a good place to start.

The best test of quality is the test of time, and “this year’s fashion” is a worthless concept. Obama’s problem is not that he is black, it is that he is new and untested. If you want to understand American Highlanders, think Scottish. Think about the movies Braveheart, Kidnapped, or Rob Roy, and you will have a clue about the hill people.

American Highlanders have no problem with Sen. Barack Obama that twenty years will not solve.