Ah, yes, those red state rednecks and their COVID-19 death rates barely better than backwaters like... (checks notes)... Belgium (2,180 deaths/1,000,000 people)

Ah, yes, those red state rednecks and their COVID-19 death rates barely better than backwaters like... (checks notes)... Belgium (2,180 deaths/1,000,000 people). Sorry for the sarcasm, but I don't know how better to express my frustration at this kind of stereotyping. Americans and the world should be in this together, rather than making this another divisive culture war political shibboleth. Indeed, I submit the hypothesis that this disdain makes it more likely that rural America will distrust you when you try to tell them what's in their best interest.