I grew up in a small town in the country, and for the most part, I would say my childhood is pretty fortunate and great. When I started going to college I found a lot of my misconceptions about city obliterated and I, for the most part, am more open-minded about those who are from cities. However, since I have been going to school with a lot of people from cities and from larger towns I have experienced a lot of harsh opinions about my town and the way of life I was surrounded in growing up. I can say with certainty, however, that these accusations are for the most part wrong. Typically, people assume that we are a bunch of racist, bigoted, sexist, animal killing, inbred, drunks who don’t like progress and shoot guns and don’t care about individuals. Overall, they believe that people who live in the country who participate in this, are stupid. This is wrong, it is, hands down.

1.) Guns

Let's start with the easiest most controversial one, guns. A lot of people think the hunting lifestyle is, dated and it is time for us to move on. What they don’t realize however is that it is the sum of our culture. It is 100% a tradition. We enjoy it and it brings our community closer together. The whole thing about gun control isn’t because we don’t think guns are dangerous, it is because we don’t think controlling guns will solve any issues and it will only hurt the innocent law abiding gun owners. The idea that we love guns and it is our only piece of enjoyment and we are too scared about intruders is, although comical and funny, wrong. We grow up with guns and are taught to handle them respectfully and safely, and we are just as scared as you are of them getting into the wrong hands it's just we fear even more the idea of taking them from the right hands, or hands that rightfully earned them, that could prevent disaster

2.) Police Brutality

Next, police brutality. This is one that I have opened my mind to and I think I have found a reasonable explanation for this discord. So for the most part, crime and major problems don’t exist in the countries; therefore, there isn’t the opportunity for officers to act out. Where we are from we are taught to respect and cooperate with every authority and we do that for the most part. So when problems arise even if unfounded we cooperate.

3.) Racism

Onto racism. Racism exists, it does everywhere. However, the idea that it is somehow this hive-minded thing in the country is completely asinine. People are kind here, kind to everyone. We love our neighbors and will do anything to help someone in need. Often there are parties where everyone is invited. You have to remember, a lot of these issues we take a hands off view of, or we look at from our perspective, and from this perspective, we don’t see a problem. Therefore when someone brings up racism and calls us it, we deny it because where we are from, it doesn’t exist.

4.) Uneducated?

Lastly, we are not stupid because a huge portion of us don’t go to college. Newsflash, not going to college doesn’t mean you are uneducated. Where I am from, a large portion of us work in the trades and I can say from experience and from the experiences of my family and my community, you learn a lot more about work and life than any college degree can get you. The smartest people I know are farmers, carpenters, and plumbers. It is because we are taught to adapt and problem solve as the answer isn’t straightforward. That takes intelligence, a kind that is much more difficult than knowing facts.

I think the biggest issue is that we need to stop judging things by their extremes. I would never judge a Christian by thinking of Hitler, nor an atheist by thinking of Stalin. I judge people the way I judge myself and even better sometimes. People support people you don’t like because they see the good in individuals. For the most part people support Trump because he is against the accusations I previously described and he will do the most to help our community not because he is supposedly hateful. So the next time you go making accusations think about the people inside and their reasoning and you might find empathy takes you to a different conclusion.