Bless your heart, Bette Midler.
Yesterday, you tweeted, “What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out.”
When I read that, I just shook my head and muttered, “Bless your heart, Bette Midler.” I felt sorry for you, because you obviously never kayaked the Greenbrier River. You never watched the sun rise over Dolly Sods. You never heard Bill Withers belt out, “Lean On Me” at church on Sunday morning. You never experienced the hospitality of a West Virginian who would literally give you the shirt off their back and the food on their plate if you came through town needing help.
I’m a lifelong West Virginian, and we’ve heard the jokes our whole lives. Jokes about dental care, substance abuse, and statehood. One time this country boy checked into a hotel in the big city. I presented my driver’s license for proof of identity. The clerk said, “Oh, you’re from the western part of Virginia?”
“No ma’am, I’m from West Virginia.” She replied, “I didn’t know it was a separate state.”
“Yes ma’am,” I replied, “We’ve been the keepers of God’s country since 1863.”
Contrary to your short-sighted tweet, we hold a long history of substantive contribution to American democracy that has helped move the country forward
West Virginia is the home of Katherine Johnson, who was such a brilliant mathematician that her colleagues at NASA trusted her more than their advanced computers.
West Virginia is the home of Woody Williams, who is America’s oldest living Medal of Honor recipient.
West Virginia is the home of James Rumsey, the inventor of the steamboat.
West Virginia is the home of Booker T. Washington, who was born into slavery and yet became one of the leading American intellectuals of the 19th century.
West Virginia is the home of Chuck Yeager, who was the first human being to break the sound barrier.
West Virginia is the home of Pearl S. Buck, who remains one of America’s greatest authors.
Despite this rich history, do we struggle? Yes. One quarter of our children live in poverty. Our overdose rate is the highest in the nation. Our greatest export is our high school students–they graduate and leave. As a pastor and state senator, these are the issues I spend every day working to overcome alongside my fellow mountaineers.
Honestly, we could use your help rather than your judgment. You’re a wealthy, well-known professional. Condée Nast recently named West Virginia one of the best travel destinations for 2022. And that’s what I want to invite you to do, Ms. Midler. Come visit West Virginia.
When Anthony Bourdain, God rest his soul, visited us in 2018, he said, “Here, in the heart of every belief system I’ve mocked or fought against, I was welcomed with open arms by everybody.” As a fellow New Yorker, I think you will find the same thing. We will welcome you with open arms.
Apology accepted. Yet the nation remains divided. Along partisan, cultural, and geographic lines, as this incident exposed. What can we do about it? Here me out.
Rural America is often criticized for being out of touch with the modern world. I think the modern world is out of touch with the real America.
The real America is a land of contrasts–big and small, rich and poor, black and white, young and old, city and country. Most people spend time in both worlds, and most of us see the value in both worlds. The truth is that we need each other. America is not America without the country and the city. The country pastor and the city actress. Me and you, Ms. Midler.
So bless your heart. Seriously. I wish you all the best and God’s blessings this holiday season. Let’s you and I do our part to heal this deep divide in America today. Come on down to West Virginia and see why it’s called “Almost Heaven.” We’ll save you a seat at our table.
Senator Stephen Baldwin (D-Greenbrier) is pastor of Ronceverte Presbyterian Church and WV Senate Minority Leader. Reach him at stephen.baldwin@wvsenate.org or on social media @BaldwinForWV.