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For many conservative voters in rural Pennsylvania, the thought of Donald Trump losing on Nov. 3 is frightening because it could set off an unstoppable slide into socialism. Moreover, because rural areas are the nations last bastions of democratic freedoms that urban-dwellers and elites are all too eager to give up, a Trump loss would mean the end of the rural way of life.

Trump has stoked this fear of socialism on his countless visits to rural and small-town Pennsylvania. Its why signs declaring, God, Guns, Country, Trump and Trump, Because Freedom and S--t adorn so many front yards, and why some yards have literally become Trump shrines.

Most people who believe this election is about socialism arent crazy (this column isnt about fringe groups). Like everyone else, they see the norms being shattered and feel things slipping out of control. True, theyre heavily influenced by religion, talk radio and Fox News, which is more about being against Democrats (i.e. socialists) than being pro-Trump, as Brian Stelter has pointed out.

But in fact, rural concerns echo those of voters on the left who fear a second Trump term would begin a descent into fascism. Theres a common recognition that something is systemically wrong, although the fallback solutions for conservatives are individual, not government-driven.

The fear of socialism is illustrated by a message currently popular in the social media feeds of rural conservatives, although it actually dates back to the Reagan era and perhaps earlier. The false post attributes a quote predicting the creation of a socialist state in the U.S. to former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. It claims that Khrushchev said, in a 1959 speech to the United Nations, in which he also banged on the podium with his shoe, that the Soviet Union would defeat the U.S. by feeding Americans small doses of socialism until you will finally wake up and find you already have Communism.

Khrushchev didnt say this, although he did deliver a shoe-banging speech more than a year later, which many older people remember more for its theatrics than its substance. The social media post goes on to warn that socialism leads to communism, and it enumerates eight levels of control leading to the creation of a socialist state, which are evident in current politics. (This fear of socialism/communism hasnt translated into a suspicion of Russian influence because thats viewed as an anti-Trump lie.)

While the Khrushchev post has been debunked repeatedly over decades, its winning believers today because it dovetails with other apparent signs of socialism, which rural conservatives define as any form of government control over daily life (excepting certain social controls).

One particular manifestation looms large: Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs unprecedented pandemic orders regulating where people may go, in what numbers; what they must wear (masks); and what businesses and venues are permitted to function.

Who but people alert to socialism could imagine government telling us we cant earn a living, take care of our families or go where we please? Objectively, its hard to define those orders as anything but socialistic, despite their being defensible (huge problems require sweeping solutions).

As for the mask order, rural people resist it, in the first place, as a symbolic display of governments unconstitutional exercise of authority. But in addition, it goes against the rural inclination to carry on rather than wallowing in trouble. You cant overcome fate or Gods will; sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you cant stop bad things from happening to you.

Socialism also means the government taking your money and giving it to someone undeserving. This applies to health care as well as other forms of individual (not business) assistance, such as food, housing, and unemployment. As an example of this thinking, a recent NPR program brought together an older, rural Trump supporter in a western state and a young urban liberal to talk politics. The Trump supporter, citing socialism, asked the young man, in effect, Why do you believe the government should give you everything? Tellingly, the young man didnt quite know how to answer.

Nonetheless, no one in rural Pennsylvania is giving back their stimulus checks, unemployment, or pandemic loans. Instead, rural residents are complaining about the red tape and about Washington failing to agree on a new stimulus package. Yet, theyre also aware of, and irritated about, payments going to undeserving people, whether to buy yachts at one extreme, or just to stay home and do nothing when there are jobs available.

The truth is, in this economic, health and political crisis, the lines sometimes blur between the deserving and undeserving, between democracy and socialism or whos right and whos wrong. Rather than dismissing anyones view as crazy, or unthinkingly accepting party dogma or dark warnings, the way through is to listen and realize our own blindspots.

Becky Bennett lives in south-central Pennsylvania and is a freelance writer and editor. She was editor of the Public Opinion newspaper in Chambersburg for 18 years. Across the Divide examines rural perspectives on issues facing Pennsylvania and the nation.

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Across the Divide: For rural voters, this election is about stemming the tide of socialism | Becky Bennett - pennlive.com