For thirty or forty years, that section of the white American population that is not rich, not awfully well educated, and not liberal has been held in contempt by its opposites, affluent and well educated white liberals.  This includes those young people who, though too young at the moment, have reasonable aspirations to become affluent and well educated white liberals at some future date.  In sum, the plain folks have been looked on with disdain by the nation’s actual and would-be sociocultural elites. The elites have told the plain folks, “You people are racists, sexists, homophobes, xenophobes, and Islamophobes, and just the other day you became – who can be surprised? – transphobes.  You are ignorant and prone to violence.  You know nothing about science, above all evolutionary biology and climate science.  You have learned none of the lessons history has to teach.  You have a virtually criminal love of guns.  Your...(Read Full Post)