The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

I work in a therapeutic residential environment. I specialise in taking care of children who come from families like this. Everyday is a battle to try and undo the behaviours that they learned from the people they grew up around.

Drugs and gang culture is the norm. They act impulsively as soon as there's a gut feeling. There is very little planning for the future if any at all ever. No consequence training. No boundary setting. The word "no" is a signal to begin arguing or to throw a tantrum. They tend to be self serving and inconsiderate. I deal with laziness, they're always expecting to be served by others. They put up a fuss when it's their turn to help out in even the smallest way. Also, families like this typically distrust professional institutions run by educated people.

They wonder why their lives are the way they are and they can't figure it out. "It must be the Devil in us" one of them says. Change can only happen when people are willing to look at their own selves critically. Life is all about the choices that we make.

These guys have a looooong way to go.

I waited a while before seeing this film because I thought it might be exactly what it was. A documentation of the sort of people I grew up around in central Missouri. While many people who have not grown up in such areas may believe that the Whites are not a significant part of the population, unfortunately many rural communities especially Southern rural areas of America produce tons of folks like the Whites.

Even those who break away from this sort of dysfunctional rural white trash lifestyle often merely become Bible thumping, intolerant leaders in the community who still do not know or understand history, art or the value of education.

It is the extremely poor schools, glorification of anti-intellectualism and Fundamentalist Christianity that produce these people generation after generation. It is these types of folks that build the base of small town American Republicans. It is not surprising that statements made by Michele Bachmann could easily sound like things said by any of the Whites. It is no accident that Hank Williams Jr said the ignorant stuff he did about playing golf with Obama and that his son is hanging out with the White family.

You can see similar homes of VERY similar people in central Missouri http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avq3-lBgyzs or my longer version at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTKWqKTGwTg

This is why I STRONGLY advocate a lot more funding of rural schools especially in the Midwest and the South. The increased funding should also include a great deal of Federal oversight of the schools and long term counseling to help the next few generations climb out of this ignorant and intolerant lifestyle of destruction.

...and marijuana.

With the Dancing Outlaw 1 and 2, White Lightnin', and an episode of Roseanne, our beloved Jesco has been the main White focus; but not anymore. Jesco is still on-hand, guffawing, tapping and being just a good ole boy, but we now get a glimpse of the bigger picture. The whole dang White family tree.

In The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, you're introduced to a whole bunch of Whites. And in the beginning you may be slightly confused with who's who and what's what. But eventually, you get the swing of things as the film turns and basically places it's attention on the female side of the Whites; The trio of the Biggest (Mamie), the Meanest (Sue Bob) and the Baddest (Kirk), and I can't forget Mousie, or the gentle Bertie Mae.

Of course going into this film you're expecting the craziness and entertainment that the family is known for delivering, and that's all well and good. But really, it wouldn't have been enough for this doc to succeed. What had me nodding in approval after the film had concluded was the layer of emotion the movie delivered. Jesco has spoken in the past about the misfortunes of the White family, but it's not until now do you really grasp it. Unless you've gone through similar things yourself.

The White Family is undoubtedly questionable and intimidating with their life-styles. At the same time they live a very predictable life-style that unfortunately seems to repeat itself. Lots of sadness, violence and drug abuse revolve around this family, and they mask a lot of their sadness by rolling with the flow, and living up to their legendary name. And it kinda makes me think this streak that they're going on, may come to a sad and depressing halt. Then again, they're quite obviously tough, crafty and without a doubt survivors. I just hope they can learn to embrace their rebel ways, while slowing down on the drugs. One White made it out, and it seems Kirk is on the way.

I caught this late last night on Showtime or IFC, and was mesmerized by the ignorance of the characters and the utter disregard they displayed for common sense. I mean I could not take my eyes off of the train-wreck-of-a-clan. They possess no ability to think things through. They are ultimately grown children who don't understand the consequences of their actions. I was in awe of their shear stupidity, and even more fascinated with the women of this clan. Shocking, disturbing, and infuriating when you realize that the tax-payers are supporting them.

All in all, I think it was good film-making. I definitely learned something, and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in "rarely seen cultures" within America. Or to anyone who just wants to feel better about themselves.

I first scanned by this movie while staying at a hotel. At first while channel flipping I thought it was a bad episode of cops. Only after further viewing did I realize it was much much worse.... and better.

Although the documentary format leaves something to be desired, the subjects fill the time with their crazy lifestyles. No real way to describe the documentary.

One strange phenomenon is that the young kids are much smarter than the adults. The adults have fried their brains on drugs for so many years that some of them can barely talk.

Check it out.

"They took her baby. Prolly cause they found drugs in it."