Wow- Update on local views of Palin (Small town NC)

[Mother Of Four]

I'm what you call a "Hub" for information. Because I'm non practicing, and many of my friends still do- they call me when they want me to spread news on something, to vent or to just catch up. They know that since I'm here 99 percent of the time, I'm reliable when they want a central place for info.

I'm a grocery store talking, dog walking, phone/internet hooked mom.

The teen pregnancy thing has backfired big time, and this is before the US mag has hit the shelves. Women who were thrilled about Palin being picked are now more than a little leery, and many are outright angry at McCain for picking her now. Teen pregnancy here is huge, and it's a real issue with parents because they view it as an emotional and financial burden- instead of a fundie "Joy" that they are going to be grandparents.

"If she can't control her child, how can she help control the country?" is the biggest one I've been hearing from women. The more conservative people that I'm around look at the P and VP as people who should be better than "the common man"

Redneck men, are saying "Sorry, she's hot as sh-t but (spit) I ain't putting no woman in the Whitehouse." many times followed up with "Specially one that's still all pissy and stuff monthly."

Both genders have mentioned that she'll be hitting "Men-Oh-Paws" when they take office, and they wouldn't want someone who gets "ill" at the drop of a hat anywhere near the button. Even as VP.

Yes, it's all sexist. I hate that, but this is what they are looking at.

I really thought she was going to play better here, funny thing is they aren't looking at the ISSUES at all. They are looking at her personal life only. (People just LOVE a good gossip around here) The men are just now starting to talk about the firings (This is from my husband) and they are ticked. "Nothin like havin to worry about some whoa-man takin yer pay because you made her mad durin her monthly."

I hear the sexist things and it makes me want to vomit, McCain choosing Palin is going to set women back decades. I may not have supported HRC but she did something incredible. She made it possible for our DAUGHTERS to dream of that office instead of just our sons. That is a gift I can never repay.

Just a small update from small town NC. Disclaimer: This is just my area- not sure what other area's reactions are like. My area tends to be an "all boys club."

[tekisui]

1. Teen preganancy is NEVER seen as a positive where I am from.

I have helped a teenage mother, it is not easy. And, 6 years out, it is still not easy for the mother or the child.

It really doesn't still well with anyone I know.

[WinkyDink]

2. "I'm non practicing, and many of my friends still do" = means?

[Mother Of Four]

6. I'm an EMT-I

Working was costing more than it was bringing in, and it was very hard on my kids. Non-practicing means I'm still certified and legal to give medical attention, but I'm not out in the field (on the ambulance) at this time.

[baldguy]

3. S'truth. If he wanted a woman, the GOP has several dozen better candidates available,

[Tesha]

18. The problem is that most of the "good" GOP women fail one or more of the ideological litmus tests.

Example: Christy Todd Whitman: Probably not pro-life, anti-woman enough.

Snowe, Collins? From Commie New England, not anti-woman enough.

Kay Bailey Hutchison was probably the best bet, but she doesn't have
the "Hot Librarian Mom!" factor that drew McCain in.

Tesha

[renie408]

4. I am slightly south of you

and so far, I haven't heard a lot that supports her. The only concrete thing I got was an email from a two time Bush supporter who said that she thought that choosing Palin was a 'big goof' on McCain's part. She also felt that given Palin's total outlook on life that her husband would have an undue influence on her and she didn't have a particularly favorable opinion of him. The teen pregnancy thing wasn't mentioned. I have only had a chance to talk to a couple of other people about it, but they are avid Republicans and the feeling I got was of strong reservations about Palin. They were rather close-mouthed about her.

[marylanddem]

5. Thanks for the info - we don't get these insights from TV

so your perspectives are welcome.

[barack the house]

7. This is why I always said our party is the path to powerful women they just need to take-->

Hillary's lead. "If you hear the dogs barking keep going, if you WANT at taste of freedom keep going...
we're americans and we're not big on quittign." Hillary for 2016 uncontested.

[enough]

8. Great post, and you are so right about Hillary.

[Douglas Carpenter]

9. there is no way that this is anything but a negative among conservative people - no matter what

anyone says.

It's not fair. It is sexist and there is a classist side to the whole thing as well.

I certainly don't approve of terms or even concepts like "trailer trash" of "poor white trash". No human being is trash.

But there is no denying that these revelations and talk about Gov.Palin trying to get fired from the Alaskan State Police her allegedly wife and child abusing former brother-in-law - and any other talk of this sort - only reinforces a very negative cultural stereotype, especially among small town conservative people.

There is a lot of "blaming the victims" in this kind of thinking. Still it is the complete opposite image of the wholesome and happy family that would appeal to the demographic the GOP is trying to reach.

[Lochloosa]

10. "pissy and stuff monthly"

:rofl:

[davepc]

11. I cant wrap my brain around the idea that people who think like this will vote for a black man

Hopefully they sit at home on Election day.

[nxylas]

12. I don't think they'd ever vote for a Dem, period

Therefore, anything that discourages them from voting at all is a good thing.

[renie408]

13. Of course they won't vote for a black man. But now they have nothing

to fire them up to vote for an old white guy and a woman, either. The thing about NC is that almost nobody there is from there any more. NC has a huge amount of transplants who have come to work in the Triangle area around Raleigh/Durham and in the banking center of Charlotte. Mecklenburg County, where Charlotte is, and Wake County (Raleigh) tend to be democratic. Those two counties make up a large percentage of the population of the state. So, I would imagine it wouldn't take too many of 'them' staying home for 'us' to take the state. I think it is a big mistake for the GOP to think they have NC sewn up. Also, Elizabeth Dole is getting hammered here, Bev Perdue is running a great campaign for governor and MoveOn has been running a lot of anti-GOP ads here (I am actually in SC, but only about 20 miles south of Charlotte). I don't think it would take much for NC to be in play. Sadly, SC is solidly GOP even though my own district is represented by John Spratt (D).

[Mother Of Four]

15. In the larger city areas there are a huge amount of transplants-

My husband is from here, I'm one of the said transplants. When we moved here, the first town we moved to was a little under 600 people. The one we live in now is about 4500, so we have alot of farmers-factory workers-day care providers etc. The smaller towns tend to have a lot of home grown tarheels, and they are NOT shy about opinions.

I love it and hate it at the same time. I love the fact that if you need help at all the entire community will band together and aid you, hate the fact that it's still self segregated and sexist.

Love the fact that people take life slow, hate the fact that they drive like maniacs LOL

Love the fact that people still do things like bake sales, hate the fact that I can't eat said products unless I want to be big as a house :cry:

It's interesting, because I grew up in Alaska (Anchorage- Rabbit Creek then to Bayshore) and it's a whole different world down here.

[renie408]

17. I was born in Charleston, SC, raised in Atlanta, Ga and now live

in Fort Mill, SC. I love the southeast. There is so much more here than intolerance, ignorance and bigotry.

The thing that kills me is that if the southeast is such an awful place to live, why is it the ONLY place in the country to maintain positive growth in the current economy?

[Mother Of Four]

20. It's not an awful place to live-

Every place has it's good and bad points. I'm glad you still have economy growth in your area, here people are being hit really hard.

Like I said, I love it and hate it. But I've been that way everwhere I've been. I've lived in the midwest for almost 5 years, and on the east coast for 2.5 (Hubby was military- retired now)

There's no perfect place, but I tell you- when it starts to cool down and I'm sitting on my back porch drinking a hot cup of coffee with some of the friends I've made here, the rain coming down lightly I wonder how I ever lived without it.

[cali]

14. ugh. glad I don't live where you do.

I live in a very rural environment- but it's VT.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mother Of Four]

19. Hey-

:hug: I can tell by your post you're offended and I hope my OP didn't set it off.


Pssst- Don't knock the pig-pickin's! I've learned to love those, OMG the food is fantastic! People playing horseshoes, drinking homemade lemonade and sweet tea! Not to mention the pineapple cake (swoon).

They'll have them here as community fund raisers sometimes- 5 dollars for a plate thats more like a platter.

[cali]

22. try NOT using the n word in your deranged little paranoid and sick rants, dear.

Of course, I never said any of the things YOU imply that I said. I found the conversations that the OP recounted repugnant, and yes, the politics here are a hell of a lot more liberal than in the south. that's just a fact. live with it.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. There are many different groups of social conservatives and

that is where the repukes continue to make their mistake this election cycle. They have put out this image that "all" religious and social conservatives and evangelicals come from the freaky Dobson school. There are many different Christian-based religious groups around the country, some of whom forbid the type of social interaction (including forbidding dancing, drinking, etc) of teens that Dobson's group seems to be embracing.

There is that group who is supporting Obama called http://jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com/">"James Dobson Doesn't Speak for Me", which includes evangelicals and others who don't subscribe to that non-ordained psychologist's propaganda.

[kaygore]

23. I'm visiting NC at the moment--my brother's home in Morehead City

My brother is a Marine who served in Iraq. Had been for the war before he left to serve in Iraq and came back saying that it was wrong that we ever went there.

However, when I mentioned what poor judgment McCain showed selecting Palin, my brother said that he did not want to discuss politics; however, Palin has more experience than Obama.

I asked him to support that statement and he began spouting the Republican talking points.

To his credit, my brother does NOT watch or listen to Fox News. He does listen to NPR to and from work in Jacksonville, NC--about a 35 minute drive each way.

Also, Morehead City does not have a daily newspaper and the one that they do have does not carry national or international news--just local stuff like high school scores and what teachers have been arrested for making meth. So, I am not sure where my brother gets his talking points except at work and on the golf course with his Marine buddies.

Nevertheless, we can not be too smug. The Republican talking points are getting through to their base--to the ones who can not stomach voting for a Democrat or, even worse, a Black man.

Interestingly, my brother mentioned that he really likes Joe Biden. I am not sure where that came from as Biden has a liberal
voting record unless his buddies see that as a way of putting down Obama.

The one Obama-leaning person I have met here clears after deductions, etc., $450,000 a year and pays $53,000 in taxes and is concerned that under Obama her family's taxes may increase. So, taxes seem to be an issue at least with that one person.

Just a word of caution.