Far More Than "Bitter": Message from a Small Town Pennsylvanian

I am one of the "bitter" people living in a small steel town in Pennsylvania. My father passed away from the silt that he swallowed for forty years. My husband is withering away from the same cancer-causing dust he swallowed for nearly forty years too. The bills are mounting and our income decreasing. The blood, sweat and tears were not counted when they sent our small town livelihood over seas.

No one stepped in to give affordable health care to my disappearing husband. No one took the time to look at the dying towns that surround us. Hillary Clinton went to her middle class supporters and glanced, as all before her did, at the For Sale signs from foreclosures, and the growing homeless population in Pennsylvania.

I watched her do an Irish dance as she pressed the flesh of what is left of our so-called middle class, who may soon to become the new poor. Where is our Governor, who I am very disappointed in? Somewhere dancing with Hillary and looking at the subtle segregation that has quietly existed in this state -- and no one tries to bring about change.

Barack Obama sees us, he sees the poverty dressed up in lambs clothing. All around, people have downsized their lives because they don't earn a decent living wage after having made three, four or more times as much in the factories and mills that are nearly gone -- but not forgotten.

Looking out from most windows in every small town, they can see the skeletal remains of their once flourishing hometown. There are many that have stood by graves, and in unemployment lines, and watched their schools close, and fought to keep their homes -- and lost.

"Bitter" is a good word, to describe some of what I feel -- but "mad as hell" are a few better words.

On another note, I have a son that is on his way to Iraq for his third or forth tour. I am not only mad but scared. Why am I frustrated with Washington politics? That is a question that everyone that voted for Bush twice should be ashamed to answer. They have only to look into the mirror and see the cause of our frustration.

I am also saddened to watch the campaign tactics, the bashing and bruising of one another -- and the media putting their own twist on everything. Each candidate has to be dead tired and frustrated with the millions of opinions they face -- favorable and unfavorable -- everyday on this trying trail to the White House.

If you want to twist someone's words, try twisting Bush's and run a clean campaign.

I'm a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and soon to be a great grandmother who wants a positive change for America. Within the past forty-odd years I have told my children and grandchildren they can be anything they want to be. They were raised in a generation where black people were told education would help you become anything you desire. Those words were just hope with limits. The day I cast my vote for Barack Obama, that hope will be a reality with absolutely no limits. Thank God that I am alive to see Dr. King's dream come to fruition, and still young enough to appreciate and share it.

Comments

[falcao]

Thank you, Mrs. Smithwick, for this great piece.

PS -- Pedro et al -- Shame on you. Tools.

[PhoenixtheUndying]

Live well and in peace.

[batgirlevi]

All my best to you and your brave son.

[busybeez]

God bless you Mrs. Smithwick. We are worrying about losing our home because of a layoff. And wondering how to keep our children from having to drop out of college because we don't have any money to help them out. My heart breaks for these young Americans having to do so many duties in Iraq. It is criminal in my mind. I pray for your son to be safely returned to you when Barack Obama becomes president. I am a white woman who grew up in the 1960s and I share your pride that we have such a fine African-American running for president. Obama knows our pain, saw it up close when he worked in the inner-city streets of Chicago, and I know he will work hard to turn things around for us.

[woodchips]

I agree with everything you say, an I too am frustrated with where things stand and where were seem to be headed. I too fear for my children's future. However, before we can call Dr. King's dream realized, we need to get beyond thinking of Barak Obama as a fine African-American candidate. Obama is simply the best PERSON to be our next president.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Ms Smithwick,
Thank you for your powerful heartfelt post. Our thoughts, hearts and prayers are with you. God bless you and yours.

[morgagni]

Thank you, Ms. Marylee. Everyday I pray my mom and dad don't get sick, because they don't have health care, even though my dad is a combat veteran. We don't have any nostalgia for the 90's--they didn't have health care then either. We believe sincerely in the Obama presidency and the change it will bring. God bless you and your family & let's keep working and praying!

[recless]

I grew up in central PA, so I can understand everything the writer said. Coal is a dying industry, despite pundits of “clean coal”. Steel is almost completely gone. Farming has turned mostly to industrial farming, as little farmland is owned and run under the old family model.

PA has had the stink of decay for a long time now. From Harrisburg up through Pottsville to Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, small towns are more and more filled with people who are earning poverty wages. It amazed me how fast people were falling into the “working poor” group when I still lived there. I left PA as part of the “youth flight” that was often talked about in the local news there during the late nineties. If PA taught me anything, it was that the correct attitude on jobs and careers is to be completely mercenary about them, because the corporations and governments are both wolves in similar sheep’s clothing. Neither could give a rat’s ass about people.

[LeeroyFDermit]

Obama is saying that those people in small town America cling to the Bill of Rights instead of government, and that they have antipathy toward any people who cling to government instead of the Bill of Rights.

Obama is right, but like any politician, he lacks the balls to directly say what he really thinks. What else can he do if he wants to get elected? Gosh darn it, even those oh-so-noble and enlightened people in San Francisco still kind of like the Bill of Rights.

Of course Obama is also way out of touch because he thinks Americans cling to the Bill of Rights because they no longer have faith that government will provide them with jobs – and all that is good. Obama intends to restore that faith.

http://www.LeeroyFDermit.com

[canaidienforobama]

I am a Canadien for Obama. Mr. Obama in my view is the only person who is willing to speak the TRUTH and we all know the truth hurts. Doesnt it ?. Think deeply my American friends, look closely at the past. Do not allow yourselves to be decieved by the veil of deception the Clintons put forward . A unwillingness to face the truth leads to attacks anger denial defecltion etc etc. Reverse the attack to avoid reality.

Well, the reality is the PURSUIT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM has turned into the Pursuit of the American Dream at THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS . Ordinary people like you and me as a matter of fact. The Clintons are part of this. They are well connected to Corporations and big influential money. Are you blind ?. Obama may be young and inexperienced in your view but he is not tainted.

K.P Asher thank you

[pedrothemigrant]

Boo hoo hoo the pain of the world is tough to bear and whack job libs love to feel sorry for themselves. There's a reason your relatives breathed that silt-they wanted to get away from you and your perpetual bitching, and so does your son, if he exists, he is the hero who volunteered to fight for a cause he may not agree with because of loyalty and duty to his country, you on the other hand enjoy using using him and other relatives as pawns to serve your twisted ideology. You can't help yourself so beg Obama to make the sun shine again. Your life sucks because of your choices, and that's what the mental disorder of liberalism refuses to realize.

[Osprey3]

Why are you so angry and hateful?

[BillyT]

I think Pedro sounds pretty bitter....that his candidate Hillary is losing!!

Yo Pedro the Migrant, get a clue: migrants don't get to vote.

And why are you here being a "migrant?" All the good jobs have gone to Mexico already courtesy of NAFTA (Bill's and Hillary's Baby).

[Heartlight3]

Wow! I think that may be the nastiest post I ever saw. You must be a very miserable person to have a reaction like that to this article.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

One day soon an event will happen to you that will cause the scales to fall from your eyes, heart and soul and your humanity to assert itself like a ton of bricks, allowing you to finally join in, experience and begin to understand the reality of our shared existence on this planet. Get ready...........no fear.......all you need is love.

[BuckarooBanzai]

That's one nasty post Pedro....

Still, I can't help wondering who the Smithwicks have voted for over the years. My guess is, like many working people, they chose the easy lies of the Republicans over the harder truths of the Democrats. Now they are paying a terrible price for that indulgence.

ps. Pedro..why do I have the feeling you don't speak Spanish and the only migrating you have done is from the Golf Channel to Fox News?

[rektruax]

Pedro certainly could have expressed himself better, I too doubt seriously he is who he claims, but you on the other hand "prettied-up" his thoughts nicely.

It's so strange getting older sometimes, because you want so honestly to cling to the ideas of youth, but are often forced to face those hard realities of choice. As more "heydays" come and go you get a better appreciation for their more fleeted quality. You tend to blame outside forces and sometimes that is so but at the end of the day, regardless of how much you have to work with, you're in charge of your life and your life alone. Thinking some politician (of any ilk) is going to do anything lasting is just a dream. Anyone my age who can vividly remember 30 years ago knows just how quickly those 30 years came and went. It's best (for me) to just appreciate the good and work toward more of those times, while understanding the bad times are nearly as necessary for without those there'd be nothing to compare the good with.

I wish Mrs. Smithwick all the best.

[UrbanRevolution]

You attitude is very interesting PEDRO. you're an immigrant and the FRIGGIN' reason you're allowed in this country today, is because African Americans and other unsung heroes gave up their lives for YOUR RIGHTS yesterday. How dare you condescend and assume to know the rope that this woman has towed. How dare you come to America and believe that because you're an immigrant that you've had as hard as African Americans when you have not! You were not raised by the ancestors of slaves with all that that entails. If you have no clue as to what I"m talking about - check out Tim Wise and others like him and maybe he can explain it to you in a way that feeble minds can understand.

Bukaroo - only about 2% of African Americans (if that)vote republican... ever -- so chances are she voted for Kerry and Gore.

[TMAN]

I want to sincerely thank you Ms. Smithwick for your heartfelt and uplifting piece. I say uplifting because your message brings great hope amidst the onslaught of cynisism and ugliness the Clinton disaster has unleashed. What is amazing is, I'm a fellow Pennsylvanian and as I travel the state and talk to folks they reiterate and reinforce your strongly felt sentiments. And they will act on the 22 and again in November. The real "elitists" have been exposed and will shortly be eliminated. Again, thank you so much.

[fairyduster]

Third or fourth tour in Iraq?

Google is your friend. ; )

[druidlady42]

Such a beautifully written, wrenching, and intelligent post! Thank you, Marylee!

I hope the trials facing your family will be lifted quickly, and that your son will stay safe on his tour in Iraq! I, like you, believe Obama offers the best hope to all of us for changing the "mission" and the "mindset" which has kept us far too long in Iraq!

Listen up, Gibson and Stephanopolis!

[conned]

Thank you for sharing your experience. As a PA resident, I know and feel your story. Many of my closest and immediate family had worked in the mines (I apologize if I am making the wrong assumption, but what you describe sounds familiar to me). My city saw its best day a long time ago. There are some very basic things that can be done to improve the immediate present and near future. You're right. There's only one person in this race that is suggesting it.

[magnitude]

For all the Marylees of Pennsylvania and the rest of middle America,

My heart goes out to you as i am a working and struggling parent too. I cannnot retire because I cannoafford to. I think I will work till I die to help pay for healthcare as a cancer survivor. Let us all hang in there for alittle while longer. We have hope because we may have a phenomenal leader called Obama, next year. Our struggles will be well worth if we can change the Washington status quo by using our votes wisely. Have hope, and yes we can!