Op-Ed: ‘Heartlandia’ Deserves our Attention
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.02.17
America is a rich tapestry of diverse perspectives, yet, as we’ve seen in this past election season, many of our most patriotic voices feel they have been stifled, even ignored. Whether you are for, or against President Trump, his election reminds us that the people in the middle of this great nation have a voice that needs to be heard.
The Big City tendency to overlook, or even condescend small town and rural people (even if unintentional) has made America a less-inclusive place. The America of 2017 is a nation that, in many ways, doesn’t know itself. In the post-election tumult, we saw many of the country’s cultural elites scratching their heads and asking what they missed? It should be obvious – they missed the Heartland.
They missed the millions of Americans for whom faith is central to their lives. They missed the bravest among us who love this country enough to fight for it – and die for it. They missed the hunters and anglers who spend billions annually to conserve our public lands and wildlife. They missed those who still believe in traditional family values, even if that isn’t politically correct.
And they missed more than that . . . they missed a chance to make this country great together. A chance to understand different points of view, and open themselves up to ideas they haven’t even tried to understand.
CarbonTV’s “Heartlandia” series is not political. It’s real. The show was filmed long before the election results were tallied. It set out to showcase some of the talented people who call the Heartland home, and that’s what it does. But the show’s alignment with the sensibilities of the re-awakened American Middle is too strong to ignore. It is a sign of the times.
“Heartlandia” gives voice to an America muted in the mainstream. It gives dimension to the values at the foundation of an authentic American culture. Whether it’s a rapper discussing his passion for the Second Amendment, or a YouTube star connecting the world to agriculture from his farm in Kansas, or a country singer sharing the fact that staying in his small town was the secret to his success – all of these stories are the stories of the Heartland. Stories that deserve our attention. And as always, CarbonTV is committed to making sure they get it.
“Heartlandia” premieres on February 2nd on CarbonTV, rural America’s leading free streaming video platform.
