A Better Response to the Comments to the Previous Post Should Follow But

But, but, but. But, let me just say that I am so-o-o-o tired of various people I know labeling me as a member of some kind of "liberal elite." I'm tired of it because, first, it's not even close to being the case. Neither of my parents went to a four-year college (full disclosure: my dad has some credits from a community college earned on the GI Bill, and my mom has a degree from beauty college). I have three younger sisters, none of whom have college degrees (and I'm not sure whether the one sister who attended community college for a brief period actually earned credits). If you ever do genealogical research on my family, the occupation of almost every ancestor is "farmer," and in out-of-the-way places like northern Michigan. My paternal grandfather (for whom I'm named) was a truck driver. That's an "ordinary people" job.

I know that it's assumed around here that I can't identify with "ordinary people" because I have advanced degrees, etc., but the rest of my family--with whom, I think it is safe to say, I can identify--are "ordinary people." They face the problems like making ends meet, health insurance, and so on.

Even in my present circumstances, I'm not "elite." Nothing is handed to me on a silver platter, people, trust me. And I know that people with whom I interact look down on both my undergraduate degree--Eastern Michigan!--and law school degree--although Case is looking up, try interacting with Harvard and Yale grads as much as I do, and you would know what I mean.

I think that the "liberal elitist crap" should just get retired. Maybe it's an effective electoral strategy, but when employed against people one calls friends, it's really insulting. I can't imagine that it scores points around this hizzie, either. It's just bullshit.