The joke is that the rural people are oppressing themselves.  &quot;Urban elites&quot; have long advocated for policies that would benefit the rural poor but the white rural poor are dead set against any policy that would also benefit black people.  <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nber.org&#x2F;papers&#x2F;w17234" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nber.org&#x2F;papers&#x2F;w17234</a> and <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-America&#x2F;dp&#x2F;080507774X" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-Amer...</a> for more on that.