53 pages • 1 hour read
Tom Schaller, Paul WaldmanWhite Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 6-7Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 6 Summary: “Conditional Patriots”
In Chapter 6, the authors discuss the radical and violent tendencies of a splinter group in Kansas known as “the Crusaders” and the broader implications of such movements on American democracy. The chapter opens with a depiction of Patrick Stein, the Crusaders’ unofficial leader, who expresses extreme anti-Muslim sentiments and plots to kill Somali immigrants in Garden City, Kansas. This small town, part of the “Meat Triangle” known for its meatpacking industry, is home to many immigrants who take on dangerous, low-paying jobs that natural-born Americans often avoid. Stein and his group, inspired by Trump’s campaign rhetoric, particularly his anti-Muslim stance, see themselves as “sovereign citizens” and believe in a conspiracy that the US government has been secretly replaced by a shadow government.
The sovereign citizen movement, as described by the authors, is based on conspiracy theories claiming that the American government set up by the founding fathers was secretly replaced with a shadow government based on admiralty law. This movement, which includes groups like the Three Percenters, fosters a deep mistrust of the government and promotes violent resistance. By the summer of 2016, Stein and his three accomplices, one of whom was a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant, planned a terrorist bombing targeting Somali immigrants. The FBI foiled their plan, leading to their arrest and long prison sentences.
The authors broaden the discussion to explore how similar extremist plots often go unnoticed because law enforcement successfully intervenes. Despite this, the threat from violent white supremacists, militia groups, and Christian nationalists remains significant. The authors argue that conservative rural white Americans, who often express strong patriotic sentiments, pose a unique threat to democracy because their patriotism is conditional—they support democracy as long as it serves their interests. This conditional patriotism manifests in four interconnected threats: xenophobia, detachment from reality, undemocratic tendencies, and the justification of violence.
The authors provide detailed empirical evidence showing that conservative rural white Americans are more likely to harbor xenophobic attitudes, believe in conspiracy theories like QAnon (a far-right American political conspiracy theory), support restrictions on ballot access, and justify the use of violence for political ends. These attitudes are not just abstract beliefs but translate into real-world actions, as seen in the plot by the Crusaders.
The authors illustrate the first threat, xenophobia, by discussing the intense animosity conservative rural white Americans have toward racial and religious minorities and immigrants. They are more likely than any other demographic to reject cultural diversity and support policies that restrict the rights of out-groups. The authors highlight the high levels of racial resentment and place-based animosities among conservative rural white people, which contribute significantly to the urban-rural political divide.
The authors illustrate the second threat, detachment from reality, through the widespread belief in conspiracy theories among conservative rural white Americans. They are more likely to believe in the “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was stolen and subscribe to QAnon conspiracies. This detachment from reality has fatal consequences, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic when conservative rural white people were more likely to dismiss the pandemic as a hoax and refuse lifesaving vaccines.
The third threat, undemocratic tendencies, is evident in rural white Americans’ support for restricting ballot access and their lower levels of support for democratic principles like free speech and the separation of church and state. The authors discuss the rise of radical groups like the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters, who advocate for violent revolution to achieve their aims. He also highlights the disturbing trend of “constitutional sheriffs” who claim they have authority above state and national laws, leading to dangerous and undemocratic behaviors.
The authors highlight the fourth threat, justification of violence, through the willingness of conservative rural white Americans to justify the use of violence to achieve political ends. This was starkly illustrated by the January 6 US Capitol insurrection of 2021, where many participants were rural white people who believed in Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election. The authors conclude the chapter by emphasizing that these interconnected threats pose a danger to American democracy. They argue that these threats need to be addressed to preserve the country’s democratic institutions and principles.
Chapter 7 Summary: “Race and Rurality”
In Chapter 7, Schaller and Waldman explore the intertwined dynamics of race and rural life in America, focusing on the often-overlooked experiences of rural minorities. The chapter begins with the story of Mondale Robinson, a Black activist who returned to his hometown of Enfield, North Carolina, to run for mayor. Enfield, the state’s poorest city, is a majority-Black rural community where Robinson’s progressive platform of self-empowerment and racial equity resonated with voters, leading to his election with 76% of the vote.
The authors next highlight how the media and political discourse frequently emphasize the “economic anxieties” of rural white voters, while largely ignoring the struggles of rural minorities. This neglect stems from a combination of racism, ideological biases, and the political marginalization of rural minority populations whose votes rarely influence local or statewide elections.
The chapter then looks at the demographics of rural America, noting that while it remains predominantly white, the minority share is growing. This diversification, they argue, is crucial for the economic vitality of many struggling rural communities. For instance, Latino immigrants have revitalized towns through their labor and consumer activities. Examples include Alabama’s poultry farms, sustained by Latino laborers, and Utica, New York, which experienced economic growth after welcoming refugees from Vietnam, Burma, and other countries.
Despite these contributions, rural minorities face severe economic hardships exacerbated by systemic racism and inadequate resources. Poverty rates among rural African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans are significantly higher than those of their white counterparts. Educational disparities are also pronounced, with rural minority schools often underfunded and segregated. The graduation rate for rural minorities is below the national average and significantly lower than that of rural white people. Additionally, healthcare access and outcomes are starkly unequal, with rural minorities reporting higher rates of chronic illnesses and lower life expectancies.
The authors introduce the concept of “misrecognition,” as explored by sociologist Emily Walton, to describe how rural minorities are often seen as outsiders, even in their own communities. This phenomenon leads to subtle and overt forms of marginalization, causing many minorities to view their rural residence as a temporary survival strategy rather than a place to thrive.
The chapter also discusses the rise of minority-owned businesses in rural areas. While there has been some growth in minority entrepreneurship, the number of businesses owned by African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans remains disproportionately low. Legislative efforts, such as the Reaching America’s Rural Minority Businesses bill, aim to stimulate small-business development among rural minorities, but the authors show progress has been slow. Schaller and Waldman argue that for a true rural revival, the unique experiences and needs of rural minorities must be acknowledged and addressed. This includes recognizing their economic contributions, addressing systemic barriers, and fostering inclusive policies. They emphasize that the media’s focus on rural white grievances perpetuates an incomplete and simplistic narrative of rural America, ignoring the significant presence and struggles of rural minorities.
The authors also touch on the economic and social benefits of increasing diversity in rural areas in this chapter. They highlight cases where immigrant populations have revitalized declining rural towns, bringing new life and economic stability. This diversification, they argue, offers opportunities for rural communities to embrace a more inclusive society, preparing future generations for an increasingly diverse nation.
Chapters 6-7 Analysis
Chapters 6 and 7 highlight the violent tendencies within certain rural groups and the intertwined dynamics of race and rural life in America, highlighting the significant implications for democracy and the theme of The Rise of Anti-Democratic Tendencies and Political Violence.
In Chapter 6, the authors reveal how the radical tendencies of groups like “the Crusaders” reflect broader anti-democratic trends. Patrick Stein’s extreme anti-Muslim sentiments and the group’s planned attack on Somali immigrants in Garden City, Kansas, underscore the violent potential of xenophobia. Stein’s declaration, “There’s only one good kind of Muslim, and that’s a dead motherfucker, straight up” (151), exemplifies the lethal animosity fueling such radical movements. While Schaller and Waldman discuss increasingly polarized political sentiments in the preceding chapters, here they focus their attention on anti-democratic behavior and the incitement of political violence.
This radicalism reflects a wider phenomenon among rural white Americans, who exhibit a conditional patriotism. This concept highlights how their support for democratic values wanes when those values conflict with their interests. The authors argue that conservative rural white people’s xenophobic attitudes, detachment from reality, and justification of violence pose significant threats to democracy. For instance, their belief in conspiracy theories, such as the QAnon theory believed by 49% of rural Americans, showcases a detachment from reality that undermines democratic discourse. Whereas previous chapters highlighted The Disenfranchisement of Rural White Voters in a less violent context, the authors mark a discernable shift in this section, arguing that political disenfranchisement has violent implications for the country, especially for marginalized communities including immigrants.
Further, the willingness to justify violence, evident in the January 6 insurrection, where rural white people were prominent participants, illustrates what the authors label a dangerous trend. “Rural Whites are more likely than other Americans to excuse or legitimize the domestic terrorist attacks of January 6, 2021” (162), the authors note, linking this to the broader rise of anti-democratic tendencies. By exploring these intersecting threats, the authors further explore The Rise of Political Violence and Anti-Democratic Behavior in contemporary politics.
In Chapter 7, Schaller and Waldman shift focus to the experiences of rural minorities, emphasizing how their struggles are often overlooked in favor of rural white grievances. The story of Mondale Robinson, a Black activist who became mayor of Enfield, North Carolina, illustrates the potential for political change in rural minority communities despite significant obstacles. Robinson’s success, achieved through a progressive platform of self-empowerment and racial equity, challenges the narrative that rural America is monolithically white and conservative. Schaller and Waldman’s work has received critique due to its perceived methodological flaws and contentious portrayal of rural voters, which many believe oversimplifies a complex and diverse demographic by portraying them as overwhelmingly white and conservative. However, here, the authors make a notable deviation in presenting Robinson and the experience of rural minorities as a case study.
The authors critique the media’s neglect of rural minorities, pointing out, “The sad truth is that the media too often treat racial minorities as negligible if not invisible members of the U.S. rural experience” (204). This neglect reinforces the disenfranchisement of rural minority voters and overlooks their vital contributions to community revitalization. The increasing diversity in rural areas, driven by Latino immigrants revitalizing towns and other immigrant communities, highlights the economic and social benefits of embracing diversity.
Despite these contributions, rural minorities face systemic economic hardships and inadequate resources. The disparities in education and healthcare are stark, with rural minority schools often underfunded and segregated, with rural white students graduating high school at rates higher than the national average and minorities falling below both their white rural counterparts and the national average. Through this concrete, data-driven example, the authors underscore the systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality among rural residents.
Employing the concept of “misrecognition” further elucidates the marginalization of rural minorities the authors show. This phenomenon, where minorities are seen as outsiders even in their own communities, leads to a sense of alienation and undermines efforts for inclusive growth. The authors argue that addressing the unique challenges faced by rural minorities is essential for a true rural revival. This includes recognizing their economic contributions and fostering policies that address systemic inequities.
The chapters collectively emphasize the interconnected threats to democracy posed by radical rural groups and the systemic neglect of rural minorities. By highlighting the radical beliefs and actions of groups such as the Crusaders and QAnon, the authors highlight how The Disenfranchisement of Rural White Voters leads to The Rise of Anti-Democratic Tendencies and Political Violence—a dangerous threat not only to American democracy but also to the safety of racial, religious, and ethnic minorities. By highlighting these dynamics, Schaller and Waldman underscore the need for a more inclusive and equitable environment in rural America, challenging the simplistic narrative that often dominates political discourse and flattens the rural experience into a monolith.
