A Time to Remember, a Time to Forget

2021

In many of the lesser-seen areas of outstate Minneasota--home to roughly 1.5 million people--a level of economic decay has set in. Some communities are suffering new pains from the pandemic-accelerated recession, while others have long since seen their main streets abandoned. There are jarring differences in values between and within these communities, with a wide spectrum of views about the source of social malaise. One commonality, however, is people's impression that they've been abandoned by the political class, as well as a visceral sense of fear over the possibility of coming political violence.

Detailing the physical backdrop against which people live, A Time to Remember, A Time to Forget offers a journey through these regions in the lead-up to the 2020 general election--a time of deepening poverty, prejudice, polarization, and environmental plunder.

The images shown here were made between September and October, 2020 during a 1,000-mile road trip around the state.

“You see a lot of anger nowadays, a lot of division. Families hating other family members because of their beliefs. You can’t talk politics to anyone because everybody is right and nobody is wrong. This has just been a horrible year, collectively. It’s almost been a lonely year. A very lonely year. So, you know, you go inward. And this is a good place to be that way, because you can escape to the cabin, get away.”⁣

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- Chad. Virginia, MN

“I feel like the pandemic is all the US government’s doing. It’s real, but they killing off people. They think the world would be a better place with less people. I’ve been knowing how they are all my life. That’s why I won’t vote for anybody. Because they’re all killers and murderers. It’s going on every day. Violence is going on every day. They’re using us to get ahead to the top, and then they’re gonna rule us out and get rid of us. Once they get everything built, once it’s all successful, they don’t need us anymore.“

- Curtis. Hibbing, MN

“Our future really depends on how the election goes. You know, if there’s cheating or mail fraud or stuffing the ballot box kind of thing. I’m hoping we’ll turn around and our country will get back to its roots. Which is independence, where everyone is created equal by god, and we don’t have the right to take the life of another human being.”

- Connie. Duluth, MN

“Back in 2012, I was reluctant to consider retiring after thirty years in law enforcement, although my wife was of the opinion that it was time. Given the social and civil unrest that’s prevalent today, I’ve come to appreciate her point of view. The unrest—specifically as it pertains to the loss in faith and trust in the law enforcement community—disturbs me deeply. So does a move toward the type of socialism promoted by Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. To be frank, that scares that heck out of me.”

- Tom. Virginia, MN

“Gun sales are through the roof. Ammo too. It’s a lot of first-time handgun buyers. Lot of people have come in saying they just got their permits. Before any election, guns sales jump a little, people get nervous and whatnot. But this is definitely more. It's the craziest me or my dad have ever seen it.”

- Joe. Virginia, MN

"I have a whole lot of family and friends of color, and it’s hard up here, because there’s a lot of racism. Working in a bar—it’s a struggle for me. People say stupid shit, yelling about rioters burning stuff. And it’s like, no, there’s a reason why this stuff is happening, and people don’t understand that up here. Not everyone knows my family is mixed. They think that because I can be foul-mouthed and I say what I think that it’s all fine, but when it comes to social issues, I’m on the left.”

- Chanel. Virginia, MN

“For the general, I’m leaning more toward the Republican, Trump. Why? I think he’s a fighter and tries to get the best for the country. You know who I like better, though? Pence. I think he would make a wonderful president. I don’t like Biden; I think he’s a crook. As for Bernie, I love him. He’s a good ol’ boy. In the last election, I wrote him in. Of course, Trump won, but I like Bernie Sanders better than Trump. I even like him better than Pence. I wish he were still running.”

- Clarence. Virginia, MN

“There are a lot of Trumpsters around here, and you can’t talk to them. They won’t hear any of it. I pray to god that he doesn’t get back, though. What makes it so sad is he’s no president. I bet he doesn’t even read the constitution. He’s nuts. He’s no Republican either. He’s just using them to get in. It was when everything happened down in Charlottesville, when that girl got killed, that Biden said enough, no more, I’m running. And I was glad to hear it. Because he’s one heck of a guy."

- Roger Satter. Norcross, MN

“The Earth is reacting to our berserk behavior. We’ve taken whatever we can from her for profit for too long. Our current political and economic systems are diverting our attention from where it should be. They bog up a lot of people’s thoughts. I’m embarrassed to be an American, because we’re so uneducated and unaware of what’s going on in the world. It’s what, 30,000 people a day that die because of starvation? Lack of water or housing or access to medical care? We are better than that.”

- Thressa. Bemidji, MN

“I’m 67 years old and healthy. I was tested [for COVID] already at the VA in Fargo. Negative. So I feel good about that. Then I heard about a second stimulus check, and I’ve even heard about a third one already. My phone keeps me informed. I plan on voting when I get to Arkansas. I’m homeless, see, but I can still vote. I don’t know who will win the election, but I’m thinking I’ll go with Trump. Joe [Biden] has tax fraud written all over him. Sure does. I read all about it in an article on my phone.”

- Ray. Moorhead, MN

"2020 has been a very strange year. The one thing I’ve noticed is the stress levels that people are going through. Everyone's anxious. Even the smallest things are triggering people into complete anger. I imagine it’s a combination of everything going on—the politics, the pandemic, the lack of work. Mom and pop shops are struggling, yet the big-box stores seem to be doing just great. The stock market looks like it’s doing phenomenal—I don’t know how. Looking down the road, I think history will remember us as tough, as resilient. That we’re decent even though we’re going through all these issues. We’re good folks, and we’re going to watch out for each other, ultimately. We're going to make it through this.”

- Robert. Hibbing, MN