A Hidden America

This article appeared by Riley Crabtree an opinion writer for the Columbus Dispatch.©

 I’m from Appalachia. JD Vance isn’t. He got our story wrong.

Like JD Vance, I am from the great state of Ohio.

I knew about the first-term U.S. senator long before Donald Trump announced him as his running mate.

Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” piqued my interest when I first saw it featured in a bookstore’s local author section. 10 Key Takeaways From J.D. Vance’s Memoir-Turned-Film ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ (msn.com)

I have a natural affinity for so-called hillbillies.

Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance highlighted his Appalachian roots in his speech at the Republican National Convention. Though his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” is credited with launching his political career, it has faced significant criticism for demonizing the region’s 26 million residents.

Critics argue that Vance’s narrative unfairly generalizes the entire region, overlooks systemic issues, and perpetuates a classist and dehumanizing view that enables ongoing exploitation of Appalachia’s resources.  

 I’m from one of the 32 counties that make up Ohio’s portion of Appalachia.

I grew up in a small town near the borders of West Virginia and Kentucky.

The memoir was supposed to be about life in Appalachia and the struggles the region faces, but Vance’s family didn’t reside in Appalachia – they lived in Middletown, a place with over 50,000 people less than 45 minutes from Cincinnati.

Appalachia is in no need of political charlatans and their elegies | Watch (msn.com)

Ohio has 32 counties in the Appalachian Regional Commission, mostly along the Ohio River and the hill counties of Southeast Ohio.© Profile by Ohio Department of Development Office of Research

Jackson, Ohio, the largest city near my hometown, has a population of a little more than 6,200 people.

Vance’s family hadn’t lived in Kentucky since right after World War II. He spent time in Kentucky during holidays and over summers.

JD Vance didn’t depict the Appalachians I know

When I read the memoir, I was aghast at the depiction of my community.

Vance painted Appalachia as a place to escape. While there are moments of admiration, he insinuated Appalachians were stubborn folks with no value and no real culture, fueled by drugs, self-pity and lack of motivation to work hard.

Vance’s portrayal of my part of America was personal – not universal.

If we learned one thing from the RNC, it’s that the GOP is no longer conservative

Substance abuse, poverty and a wide range of problems have afflicted the region for years, since most industries in the area have faded – like coal mining or timber harvesting. When these industries left the region, they also left the communities behind to fend for themselves.

One main message to interpret from the memoir was Vance’s own way to success: Join the military, find a way to go to Yale and then you’ll end up a millionaire.

He makes it seem so achievable. Unfortunately, for the vast majority – nearly everyone, that is – of Appalachians, achieving even a career that can provide for your family is difficult.

My grandparents worked in factory after factory as plants closed. My parents couldn’t afford to get the college education they craved.    After reading “Hillbilly Elegy,” I believe Vance would say that they didn’t work hard enough – that they didn’t want it enough, but I know better.

Real Appalachians want upward mobility

Nobody invests in the area.

Vance, for his small part, ran a startup fund to help business leaders in the region.

These communities need investment and are willing to put in the work, but they don’t have opportunities for upward mobility. Many students in the region, like myself, are first-generation college students whose parents couldn’t even afford to set aside money to help fund their college expenses.

It’s Vance: Trump’s VP pick makes it clear unity isn’t the goal of the Republican Party

Many families want job training, social programs, recreational facilities, improved educational resources and steady employment, and most importantly, we want industries to see the potential and the thriving culture that exists in the region. Children and families are being left out of a conversation Vance can start, given his political and Silicon Valley ties.

There is potential for growth in the region, but we need cooperation from employers, politicians and those with a platform to uplift the area.

Readers of “Hillbilly Elegy” have heard Vance’s message: I escaped Appalachia.

Because of Appalachia, I have lived a wonderful life with supportive parents, grandparents and a tight-knit family.

I have found memories with my papaw playing the banjo and in the “holler,” of bluegrass music and my mamaw’s slight southern drawl.

As I prepare to enter my career, I appreciate the support of the Appalachia I know and love. It’s quite different from Vance’s image of the region. 

 * Riley Crabtree is an opinion writer for the Columbus Dispatch, where this column originally appeared. 

The first-generation college student was raised near Jackson, Ohio, and attends Miami University.

Hidden America: Children of the Mountains – Intro to the Full Special from 2009 – YouTube

Certainly in 2009: Diane Sawyer, a renowned journalist, reported on the lives of children living in poverty in the Appalachian Mountains echoes what JD Vance said about Appalachia.

In her special report titled “A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains,” she highlighted the challenges faced by families in this region.

Here are some key points:

Appalachian People (03:12)

FREE PREVIEW

The Appalachians are home to descendants of pioneers, America’s legendary fighters who display rugged, traditional virtues. Many have been left behind; they are the poorest in the nation and face a myriad of social problems. Diane Sawyer orients viewers to the upcoming program.

Pride of Appalachia (03:02)

Meet high school football star Shawn Grim who sleeps in a truck, having moved out to escape infighting and other problems in the hollow where his family lives.Grim says he drinks a beer a day to “flush out my kidneys.” He works at Burger King and has a girlfriend from the right side of the tracks–to her father’s great dismay.

Grim’s Resillience (02:55)

Grim’s family burn tires to recycle metal trim for money and digs coal illegally from highway embankments. His mother keeps pain pills in a safe. We hear his drunk father droning. Grim plays offense and defense on the football team, through an injury. His coach talks about Grim’s resilience.

Courtney (01:57)

In Calf Creek, KY, kids are baptized in a creek. Courtney says her mother used to be hooked on drugs; they now live in a house with twelve people, three generations.

Beating Addiction (03:29)

A mother, part of the Appalachian painkiller addiction epidemic, frequently abandoned her kids. Now sober, she eight miles to GED classes. The grandmother and rock of the family finds strength in church.

War on Poverty and Appalachia (02:01)

LBJ declared his War on Poverty from Inez, KY. Bobby Kennedy toured here in 1968. Today there are two Appalachias–some regions are like the rest of America; others still struggle greatly.

Pain Pill Addiction (01:35)

Pharmaceutical companies dump pain drugs in Appalachia. Drug dealing is a major business in the region.

Daughter of Appalachian Addict (03:00)

Six-year-old Erica was interviewed five years ago about her mother, jailed for DUI. Now 11, Erica’s mother is still on drugs; Erica takes long walks to get away from her mother; she struggles in school.

Helping the Sick (01:11)

Many heroes reach out to isolated Appalachian populations. A woman transports the sick from the hills to her clinic. She guards her pain pills with a gun.

Tooth Decay (02:10)

Central Appalachia leads the country in toothlessness, as many are addicted to Mountain Dew as an antidepressant. A dentist has turned his truck into a moving clinic to provide care.

Mines of Appalachia (02:25)

We go down in a mine to see what working there is like. An 18-year-old wanted to be an army engineer but had to go embrace a life in the mines because his girlfriend had a baby.

Danger in Mines (02:25)

We move into the heart of a Kentucky mine to see what it would be like to try to escape in an emergency. Workers are reluctant to talk about dangers with mine officials looking on. Black lung disease is a problem.

Mine Owner (02:09)

A mine owner says he has openings, but applicants have drug and alcohol problems. He has contributed generously to the Appalachian region and built a huge house to signify commitment to staying.

Football Future (01:13)

Shawn Grim is the first person in his family with a high school diploma and has a football scholarship from Pikeville College.

Incest in Appalachia (01:52)

We learn that a young man and his 15-year-old half-sister have had sex.The girl’s father is furious; the mother shares her own experience of being molested. Sawyer interviews the distressed girl.

Giving Up Hope (02:00)

Shawn, college football player from the Appalachians, drops out after eight weeks, having been hindered by his economic disadvantages.

Appalachians Blamed for their Problems (01:26)

Asked why they don’t just leave, Appalachians say they love the mountains and people. People talk about the lack of educational opportunities kids have there.

Continuing to Struggle in Appalachia (02:37)

We learn what has happened to some of the people we have met. Some have fulfilled modest aspirations, others continue to hope despite difficulties.

Update on Appalachia (05:08)

Viewers have contributed to help a struggling people featured in the 20/20 program. After the report on epidemic soda addiction, Pepsi has contributed money to dental health in the region.

What Appalachia Needs (02:04)

Summary: Kentucky’s governor and others talk about how federal stimulus money is going to provide needed infrastructure in the Appalachians, and about the industries that can provide new jobs.

1. Appalachian Poverty: Isolated pockets in Central Appalachia have three times the national poverty rate. Families struggle with limited resources, lack of opportunities, and harsh living conditions.
2. Prescription Drug Abuse: The region grapples with an epidemic of prescription drug abuse. The abuse rate is twice that of major cities like New York or Miami.
3. Shortest Life Span: Residents face health disparities, including the shortest life span in the nation. Factors like inadequate healthcare contribute to this grim reality.
4. Four Children’s Stories:
   • Shawn Grim (18): An Appalachian high school football star determined to be the first in his family to graduate from high school and attend college.
   • Courtney (12): Living with 11 relatives in Inez, Kentucky, Courtney’s mother, Angel, walks 16 miles roundtrip to attend GED classes, hoping for a better life for her daughters.
   • Erica (11): Erica aims to save her mother, Mona, from addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol. They live in Cumberland, Kentucky.
   • Mona: Mona’s life is ravaged by struggles and despair, reflecting the challenges faced by many families in the region.

Diane Sawyer’s reporting sheds light on the resilience and determination of these children and their families. If you’d like more information, you can watch the special report on ABC News1. 

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•10y ago

Having grown up in the back woods Appalachia the only way out in get a good education or join the military. Watching this was like watching a replay of my childhood. Now that the rest of America ( meaning those with money) has discovered the beauty and quiet if the Southern Highlands I can honestly say it has not gotten better but worse.

Why you ask?

Because when outsiders move in they do not bring any meaningful jobs in.

We are nothing but a service industry society and you only get that around cities like Asheville. Otherwise, it is a bunch of dirt-poor fuckers struggling with various addictions punctuated buy enclaves of rich pricks who don’t give two flying fucks about the locals as long as their view does not get mess with, and they can get cheap labor at the restaurant or shop.

But what really gets me is these same people who do not want to give back to the community in any meaningful way are the very one writing editorials in the newspaper complaining about all the backward inbred fucks that live in the area. Additionally, I can honestly say that after all my travels and seeing what shitholes inner-city living can be and third world armpits that living in the backwoods in Appalachia sucks just as bad if not worse than those places.