1/
I grew up in the Midwest. I was taught that we heartlanders were kinder, gentler, more straightforward than the brusque East Coast urbanites. I’ve been in the NYC area for 16 yrs now, & I recently spent a week back in MO. I can say that perception is the opposite of reality. 2/
Here in NYC & northern NJ, I’m surrounded by “COEXIST” bumper stickers & “hate has no home here” lawn signs. In MO you’re accosted by messages of anger & militance. Even generally patriotic, ostensibly non-partisan symbols are smothered in war imagery xenophobia.