&gt; The joke is that the rural people are oppressing themselves.<p>That&#x27;s a bit smug[0].<p>&gt;&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.<p>Certainly these urban elites could enact these beneficial policies for their (largely black) urban poor in their own cities without the interference of the white rural poor.  How well is that working out?<p>[0]<a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.vox.com&#x2F;2016&#x2F;4&#x2F;21&#x2F;11451378&#x2F;smug-american-liberalism" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.vox.com&#x2F;2016&#x2F;4&#x2F;21&#x2F;11451378&#x2F;smug-american-liberali...</a>