Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

IrishEyes

(3,275 posts)
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 02:07 AM Apr 2013

What is it like to live in a red state?

I have always lived in very blue states. I have never lived in a red state or even a swing state. I'm thinking of moving to a red state. A couple of the graduate schools with the program I want are in red states.

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
What is it like to live in a red state? (Original Post) IrishEyes Apr 2013 OP
Good if you're in a city. Hell if you're in the country. Manifestor_of_Light Apr 2013 #1
The cities are ok, but stay away from the rural areas. LeftofObama Apr 2013 #2
Choose a blue section of a red state--like Chapel Hill in NC mnhtnbb Apr 2013 #3
Agreed, since the republicans took over they are already going patricia92243 Apr 2013 #6
I moved into the bluest district of OKC avebury Apr 2013 #4
Most people I run into are conservative, right-winger Republicans. Many people assume you're raccoon Apr 2013 #5
Upstate New York isn't bad. In_The_Wind Apr 2013 #7
Think of it as going overseas and living in a different culture for a while. Moondog Apr 2013 #8
this is a reasonable and mature answer (sorry if that might be an insult in the lounge, heh) Kali Apr 2013 #12
Why thank you. This is probably the first time anyone has Moondog Apr 2013 #20
yeah I probably would have took it as an insult myself Kali Apr 2013 #21
Well, I did bite my tongue for a moment. Heh. Moondog Apr 2013 #22
No state is exclusively red or blue Major Nikon Apr 2013 #9
Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2013 #10
I'm in the red part of a blue state Loryn Apr 2013 #11
Central Indiana here ... Myrina Apr 2013 #13
Aw, come on --Indy isn't *that* bad! Brigid Apr 2013 #29
I lived in Oklahoma for 7.5 years... a la izquierda Apr 2013 #14
depends on the state datasuspect Apr 2013 #15
"i've never found that level of hospitality up north." Tuesday Afternoon Apr 2013 #32
I went Jamaal510 Apr 2013 #16
Bearable to OK if politics doesn't come up Populist_Prole Apr 2013 #17
I live in a red, red county of the red state of Georgia. RebelOne Apr 2013 #18
Horrible alarimer Apr 2013 #19
Wonderful. Ptah Apr 2013 #23
My experience with RWers is you get to throw Jesus back in their faces a lot. Bucky Apr 2013 #24
it is like moving to a black and white 1950s TV sitcom rurallib Apr 2013 #25
it wouldn't be too bad at a university d_r Apr 2013 #26
I love Alaska and Alaskans Blue_In_AK Apr 2013 #27
If you will be in grad school it won't matter where you are. aikoaiko Apr 2013 #28
kinda like this? AsahinaKimi Apr 2013 #30
lol Tuesday Afternoon Apr 2013 #33
Well, as my 107 year old grandmother said... triguy46 Apr 2013 #31
 

Manifestor_of_Light

(21,046 posts)
1. Good if you're in a city. Hell if you're in the country.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 02:09 AM
Apr 2013

Native Texan here, lifelong resident.
Third generation Democrat, father was a Norman Thomas-voting labor organizer.

There are conservatives in the cities but you can usually avoid them if you try.

LeftofObama

(4,243 posts)
2. The cities are ok, but stay away from the rural areas.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 05:08 AM
Apr 2013

Find a liberal area of the city to stay in and hunker down there. Occasional day trips outside of the liberal pocket are ok, but if you value your sanity you will run back home as fast as you can.

mnhtnbb

(31,322 posts)
3. Choose a blue section of a red state--like Chapel Hill in NC
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 06:54 AM
Apr 2013

and don't venture far outside the area.

If you can stay focused on your immediate life--and area--it will
be ok.

We've been in NC for almost 13 years now. It's been wonderful.
Prior to that I lived in NE, MO, and CA.

However, the Tea Party takeover of the State Legislature and
Governor's office has me very concerned. It looks like a lot
of damage is going to be done--and whether it can be stopped
in the next election remains to be seen. I am worried in a way
I wasn't before the election of 2012.

patricia92243

(12,590 posts)
6. Agreed, since the republicans took over they are already going
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 08:13 AM
Apr 2013

into action. It is scary to see how fast they are moving.

For right now, the cities in NC are still fairly liberal. I live in the mountains and it is beautiful with mild winter.

avebury

(10,946 posts)
4. I moved into the bluest district of OKC
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 07:30 AM
Apr 2013

and after redistricting I have a red State senator - sigh!

If you are going to live in a red state it is important to make friends with like minded people in order to have a support group.

This state has gone so far over to the red side that it really doesn't matter if I vote on any state or local elections. Any democrat that has actually made it to the state legislature finds himself or herself pretty marginalized.

raccoon

(31,092 posts)
5. Most people I run into are conservative, right-winger Republicans. Many people assume you're
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 07:51 AM
Apr 2013

the same way until you let them know otherwise.

In groups--not necessarily political groups, some people ASSUME that everyone has that philosophy, because most people in the area do.

Most people go to church and they may be horrified to find out that you're atheist of Unitarian.

Oh, and in my state, anyway, it's hot as hell.



Moondog

(4,833 posts)
8. Think of it as going overseas and living in a different culture for a while.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 09:12 AM
Apr 2013

Then it is simply a case of it being what you make of it.

Kali

(54,990 posts)
12. this is a reasonable and mature answer (sorry if that might be an insult in the lounge, heh)
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 02:55 PM
Apr 2013

most people are more than their politics, and most people have good in them

living some place where most of the people differ significantly than oneself can be a challenge, but it offers the chance to hone communication skills, and maybe even the chance to be an example that engenders change in thought for some.

having said that, I hid out for most of the second term of boosh, just couldn't face them some days.

Moondog

(4,833 posts)
20. Why thank you. This is probably the first time anyone has
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 06:45 PM
Apr 2013

ever even suggested that I had a reasonable and mature moment.

I must be losing my edge . . . .

Kali

(54,990 posts)
21. yeah I probably would have took it as an insult myself
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 06:52 PM
Apr 2013



somebody called me diplomatic the other day hahahhahahahha

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
9. No state is exclusively red or blue
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 09:31 AM
Apr 2013

You have wingnut enclaves in California.

Even in Texas, most of the cities are blue. It's not that hard to find areas that suit your politics unless you want to live well away from any urban centers, and you'll face that problem to one degree or another in almost every state.

The biggest problem with living in a red state is not the people you're surrounded by, it's the dipshit mentality of the elected and appointed officials and the voting electorate. If you want a union job, they are harder to find. If you want to sue a corporation, good luck. If you don't want your kids to be beaten by school officials, you may have to shop around. On and on it goes.

Response to IrishEyes (Original post)

Loryn

(941 posts)
11. I'm in the red part of a blue state
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 10:54 AM
Apr 2013

It's very uncomfortable. Rural area, but I'm getting used to it. Not as scary as when I first moved here 4 years ago.
You can find like minded people, but I don't think it's a good idea to advertise it.

Myrina

(12,296 posts)
13. Central Indiana here ...
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 03:04 PM
Apr 2013

... and its groan-worthy. Nearly everything in the news is sports-focused, but nothing noting that the pro-teams are robbing the city blind. The fandom is so stupid they don't realize they're being soaked, they just want the WIN BABY! Other news stories are heavily laden with religious overtones, and there is pretty much no serious questioning of the Teabilly Governor Pence & his cronies.

Folks I work with, I mostly avoid because they're predominantly pro-gun, pro-death penalty, pro-prayer in school and anti-anything that makes sense.

You'd swear that rather than being a city of 1M, Indianapolis is an oversized town of about 50k, stuck in 1956.

a la izquierda

(11,784 posts)
14. I lived in Oklahoma for 7.5 years...
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 04:07 PM
Apr 2013

after growing up in blue states. It was fun, there are great people everywhere and assholes everywhere. Yeah, the politics sucked...but it was cheap, had great weather, and who doesn't love watching weather people go bananas about tornados? And besides, you don't get bombarded with political ads for a year like you do in swing states (I currently live in a swing state and will thankfully move before the next election season).

 

datasuspect

(26,591 posts)
15. depends on the state
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 04:24 PM
Apr 2013

i hit the skids in sw louisiana once.

hung around a beer joint for awhile, found some people having a party after the joint closed. they let me come with. they fed me, let me wash up, gave me some food to take with me. a place to sleep off the hangover.

they actually thought i should stick around and help them work and they'd trade me a place to stay and food to eat.

but they were doing sheet metal work and i was flying kites.

that always reminds me of the part in the CCR song where they say:

If you come down to the river
Bet you gonna find some people who live
You don't have to worry 'cause if you got no money
People on the river are happy to give

i've never found that level of hospitality up north.

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
16. I went
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 04:57 PM
Apr 2013

to some red parts of CA such as around Bakersfield and Orange County, and I kept having people stare at me.

Populist_Prole

(5,364 posts)
17. Bearable to OK if politics doesn't come up
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 05:00 PM
Apr 2013

I've found many conservatives assumed I was one of them due to my appearance and my non-political tastes and interests. That might be a good thing too because in a way it's eye opening for conservatives too in that they may realize ( if not accede and admit publicly ) that liberals aren't the monolithic typecast creatures they've been brainwashed to believe they were. I notice a lot of common ground, but old habits die hard.

As others have said, it's much less of a factor in a large metro area but I interact with people from more rural parts of the state very often as well. Their is some rural snobbery, and occasionally even outright scorn for cities and their denizens.

The ones that irritate the piss out of me, are the neo-rednecks. They were center-right-ish but since President Obama was elected they've assumed a deliberately hard-right/hard white stance out of purely spite or defiance. Some of them are friends of mine, and it's straining my friendships with them.

RebelOne

(30,947 posts)
18. I live in a red, red county of the red state of Georgia.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 05:23 PM
Apr 2013

But it isn't too bad except for local elections because there are no Democrats on the ballot, so I do not even bother to vote.

alarimer

(16,245 posts)
19. Horrible
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 05:28 PM
Apr 2013

I hate North Carolina and regret moving here. I will not be here long. It makes me miss Texas, believe it or not!

Bucky

(53,805 posts)
24. My experience with RWers is you get to throw Jesus back in their faces a lot.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 06:59 PM
Apr 2013

On occasion, that old socialist hippie even makes 'em think.

rurallib

(62,346 posts)
25. it is like moving to a black and white 1950s TV sitcom
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 07:06 PM
Apr 2013

I live in a truly purple area in Iowa. It is not too far to very,very blue Iowa City or very red rural areas.
I usually remind myself that I will probably need to explain references I make because most red areas only watch FOX or listen to Rush, so they are a few years behind.

d_r

(6,907 posts)
26. it wouldn't be too bad at a university
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 08:10 PM
Apr 2013

the university life at some are more conservative than others, but it will be OK in an academic island. Just don't go around acting like your better than everyone else because your from a blue state and you'd be fine on a campus.

Blue_In_AK

(46,436 posts)
27. I love Alaska and Alaskans
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 03:12 AM
Apr 2013

but can't stand most of our politicians. They're all bought and paid for by ConocoPhillips, BP and Exxon.

aikoaiko

(34,127 posts)
28. If you will be in grad school it won't matter where you are.
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 03:40 AM
Apr 2013

If you're working on your PhD you'll be in your discipline's building, the library and your bedroom.

I went to school in NH and all you know is those places, your faculty and fellow students.

triguy46

(6,028 posts)
31. Well, as my 107 year old grandmother said...
Wed Apr 10, 2013, 08:28 PM
Apr 2013

Life is what you make it. I live in the reddest of reds, but ignore it as best I can. It does have benefits, a pic of my "yard.":

<a href=".html" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt=" photo 100_0250.jpg"/></a>

Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»What is it like to live i...