Is anyone here reluctant to speak out in their area?

[w8liftinglady]

I ask this as a resident of Texas - Joe barton/John Cornyn/Kaye Hutchison/Rick Perry-in a county that is 72% Republican.Now,you know I have never been afraid,but as I see the Teabaggers become more hostile,more aggressive-I wonder how others cope in red areas?

[Cant trust em]

1. I'm really lucky to be a democrat in San Francisco.

I can rant about capitalism all I want and I'd get applause.

[w8liftinglady]

2. I get applause,too...but it's behind closed doors

[Ross K]

3. Nah!

I've always been a pain in the ass!

[w8liftinglady]

4. LOL...good for you!

[napi21]

5. The teabaggers don't bother me, but the actions of the locals does!

I wouldnt put an Obama ticker on my car becasue I KNEW someone would key the car! I wouldn't put a Dem candidate's sign in my yard because I was/am afraid someone would retaliate.

Try living in Ga. other than the very few blue areas like Atlanta proper & Athens sometime and ou'll find out. People don't THINK! They are followrs and I'm positive FOX, Limpballs, and all those like them rate Georgia their paradise!

[w8liftinglady]

6. your town sounds just like mine..

[doc03]

7. I am about the last Democrat I know n/t

[w8liftinglady]

8. It's a little scary,depending on your neighbors

[branders seine]

9. Only at DU

[Cant trust em]

53. I was thinking that too, but I didn't want to say it for fear of being jumped on. nt

[w8liftinglady]

54. most of us who have been here awhile have had posts removed...don't take it personally...

[Cant trust em]

56. I was mostly kidding.

I've never had anything removed. I just know that certain fights aren't worth my time.

[branders seine]

10. Only at DU

[name not needed]

11. I don't even think my city has Republicans.

[haikugal]

15. It isn't safe to identify yourself

by putting signs in the yard and stickers on the car. I will wear a T-shirt with a message but I live in a small town and we have our own version of the religious freaks that will 'mark' you for attention, I view them as potential witch burners. I come from NorCal and I'm very aware of my surroundings here. We progressive and liberal folk find each other, it's all very subversive!

Redneck threats are real but I'm not afraid of them, if push comes to shove, I hit back.

[USArmyParatrooper]

12. Want to talk red areas?

I openly admit, and argue I'm for the repeal of DADT whenever the subject is brought up with my fellow troopers. Here's how I cope. The ones that get red faced, do nothing but repeat one-liner talking points and talk over you... don't even bother with them. I only talk to the ones who are willing to have a real conversation.

[w8liftinglady]

20. My dad was a conservative-old school career military-he would have talked-and came out against Bush

he saw the trend to leave the troops behind in favor of the money makers.It disgusted him...a veteran of 2 wars.

[Motown_Johnny]

13. not me.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Depends where in this county

near the coast it is deep purple, almost blue. But the further inland you go... you will find more and more red... as well as a few White Supremacist groups.

Hell a farmer that has a stand near Julian... has a Blood Flag on his property... a Nazi flag.

No, I'd not admit to being anything there. For that matter I would avoid opening my mouth... that accent reveals I am one of them undesirables. SO outside the tourist traps...

Oh and the blood flag used not to be there. It kind of appeared after a certain N... got elected to office, as the wife proudly proclaimed... I mean this is WHITE country. And sadly they have their right to their opinion, I have my right to not just not buy from them, but spread the word.

[w8liftinglady]

19. It's getting worse here...huge KKK subset as well

[panader0]

16. K&R

I know you are not. Rec'd for your relentless lttes.

[w8liftinglady]

21. now-you are too kind

:pals:

[rbrnmw]

17. I tread lightly here in SC

when somebody says something totally off the charts bat-shit crazy (a daily occurrence) I find an excuse to get the hell away from them.

[w8liftinglady]

18. I have to watch myself at work-

my first week there...in 2005,I received some hostile remarks regarding my anti-war and pro-veteran postings in the paper.I politely asked them which of their family members were in Iraq at the time.No answer-and they left me alone after that.

[Deb]

22. absolutely

and I had a difficult time finding anyone that would do petitions with me here because of the intimidation. There is some nasty filth this a'way thats hankering to do damage. I'm looking forward to GOTV calling from my own home and a few other things this fall that won't be posted here. ;-)

[w8liftinglady]

24. good for you!It's tough speaking out in our areas...

I'm proud of you..

[Jennicut]

23. If anyone needs a breather, come visit me in Connecticut. I will readily admit

I have no idea how you redstate Duers do it....living near a lot of idiots. There are some idiots here in the Northeast but a whole hell of a lot less then in Texas, for instance. I love you guys and give you incredible credit for being unabashed liberals where you live. Without you guys, the red states would be even worse. You guys are the ones that do the hard work, I have it easy.
I have never ever felt threatened, afraid, intimidated, etc. Ever. The teapartiers around here are ridiculed.

[w8liftinglady]

26. well-I was born in CT-so imagine my delight here

[Jennicut]

28. Oh wow. I couldn't do it. I give you so much credit. I love my state and

just could never leave but many people need to for jobs. The cost of living is higher here so it does make staying harder. But I would miss it. Of course, the traffic on I-95 IS horrendous. That would be one thing I wouldn't miss. We have a lot of congestion here. But the people for the most part are normal. And Ned Lamont might be our Governor soon.

[w8liftinglady]

32. ok...now i'm jealous-my dad met my mom when he was at Yale

..learning chinese courtesy of the U.S.A. my mom worked there as a secretary for Eugene O'Neill... http://www.eoneill.com/yale/eo_papers/introduction.htm

[Jennicut]

37. I love the Yale Campus area. I have taken my kids to the Yale Peabody Museum twice

and they have been awed by it.
I would never have been able to get into Yale though! I went to Central CT State University. I was not THAT smart. And your Mom worked for a famous playwright. My parents grew up in Connecticut too but neither went to college for more then two years. They were happy that I finished with a degree in psychology.

[w8liftinglady]

51. my grandparents were newly American-Italians..they worked their asses off..

[Jennicut]

57. Mine were too. Many Italians made their way over from Ellis Island to NYC and then to CT.

My other Italian family members live in Long Island.

[w8liftinglady]

59. hey,paisana!I'm a half-paisana

[TNLib]

25. I pretty much keep my mouth shut in East TN

I was pretty outspoken during Kerry/Bush and didn't really make any impact on my co-workers. Facts slide off them like Teflon. I pretty much have come to the conclusion that it's a cultural thing in the south east and they won't consider voting for anyone other than a white male southerner.
I got tired of banging my head up against a brick wall.

These days I really don't have the energy to get into it. Their party is no longer in power and they've become angry nasty and bitter that a black man is in office. Let's just say I where my head phones allot at the office.

[w8liftinglady]

27. I understand.Obama inspired a lot of hatred here.My hospital hired

three excellent doctors..who happen to be African-American,in the last three years.Some of my co-workers are about to explode...

[TheKentuckian]

29. I tone it down in the workplace only. Die with your boots on

[w8liftinglady]

30. hey-I'm with you..hence my 300 ltte that have been posted..

[seabeyond]

31. summer vacation. not a lot of interaction for me with others.

havent really talked to too many people for months.

the people i know, repugs, know how i feel. they generally, almost always keep mouth shut.

i will see in a month when kids start going back to school.

i got over my nerveness speaking out in red area about 2003.

old hat for me now.

my kids have been while in school. still cool there

[Pithlet]

33. It depends. Just normal run of the mill politics I'll sometimes keep to myself.

But if someone spouts off some particularly racist or prejudicial crap, I'll speak out if it's safe to do so.

[w8liftinglady]

34. i am the same way-i have to watch myself around patients,though

[Pithlet]

39. Well of course, that's understandable.

I get a thrill out of the look on their faces. Because it's almost always a case of they think I'm going to agree. Like the lady who was pointing at the woman in front of us in line who was using her EBT card, and thought I'd share in her derision. Surprise! :rofl: What fun.

[blogslut]

35. I live in the reddest district in the United States

Literally. Well, okay we're tied with a district in Alabama. You bet your ass I'm reluctant to speak out. These people have guns.

[w8liftinglady]

36. no shit-and they are getting more brazen..with support from our representatives

[blogslut]

38. I'm going to jinx this by bringing it up again, I just know it

But as I said in the Texas forum, shockingly, our US rep hasn't joined Michelle Bachmann's little tea caucus. I'm kind of chunked about that.

[seabeyond]

40. nu uh. i do. lol.

ok, maybe yours might be more. but i could believe three thousand votes for kerry. three friggin thousand. wtf????

[blogslut]

42. I said district

We may not live in the same town or county but we have the same US rep and live in the same congressional district. :hi:

[seabeyond]

43. lmao..... lol

ah ha. see, you just be smarter than me. i was wondering exactly what the district would entail. gotcha. i thought we were in same and the reddest.

ah

you educate me so well. wink

[blogslut]

45. Proof!

We're TX 13TH:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_Partisan_Voting_Index#Extremes

[seabeyond]

47. man, that is a hoot. thanks. hubby and i where just laughing about it

i always have to live in extreme

[seabeyond]

44. can you believe

i move from calif and reno to here. lol. the reddest

[flvegan]

41. Heh, no. Not reluctant in the least.

[PJPhreak]

46. Scared To Death Sometimes,

i live in a S.E.Kansas town of 113 people (111 of "Them) in a county of 7000.

What do we (They) do in this part of KS? Drill for Oil,Raise Cattle,Ride Quads and BIG 4x4 Trucks,Drink Beer at the Freeper Bar (Only Business in town besides the Farmers COOP),Shoot Shit,Watch Faux Noise (on every public TV including MickyD's) Talk about "That N----r in the White House",Agree with Flush Rimjob,Insane InHannity and Glen Blech,i could go on for an hour here.

I stay at home a lot,Hell I've lost a job here because I'm a "Libural Hippie Socilast Marxist Tye Dye wearin long hair.(My Supervisor was a "Deer in the Headlights Fundy,Flush Listenin,Repuke who thought he knew Everything about Everything) Needless to say I made them fire me (I was not gonna quit no matter how hard they made my day,and Oh did he try...I wanted that Unemployment!)

I still wear my Tye-Dye,Drive an Import car,and let them know without sayin anything that I REFUSE to think like that,or to be brainwashed like they are!

I Soooooooo much miss the coffee shops in places like Boulder,Santa Cruz,SanFran,Burlington Ect.

[w8liftinglady]

50. they all sound alike...they are brave in crowds...but cowards alone-we are the opposite

well...we're brave both ways

[Atticus]

48. I live in southern Illinois, where Alan Keyes overwhelmingly out-polled Barack Obama

in his Senatorial race.

People openly say that you can't be both a Democrat and a Christian. So, we left the church.

It is generally agreed that anyone who does not unblinkingly support any war anywhere is "unAmerican".

It is taken as gospel that only the lazy and incompetent join unions.

Homosexualiy and abortion are wrong because God himself said so in King James English!

I could go on, but you get the picture. I have had people follow me for blocks and then park behind me to comment on my "disgusting. liberal" bumper stickers. I usually laugh at them because that really pisses them off.

I attended our local Tea Party hate fest clearly outfitted as an Obama-supporting liberal. They sneered and glared and snorted in disgust and my wife and I just stood there and pitied them for their ignorance.

I should add that this is what "I" do. I don't necessarily recommend it for everyone. I am male and big enough to give most of the cowboys pause before they decide to play "stomp the socialist". Most of the time, just looking like you will stand up to them is enough to send them off muttering talking points to themselves.

Take care and good luck.

[pinboy3niner]

49. I'm in a red area of CA, with all GOP officials

But I don't hesitate to speak out--and even convinced one wingnut that Obama was born here and is a Christian, not a Muslim. (You'd think that would be less difficult than it is!)

I have Republican friends here with whom I can discuss politics. I also have Liberal friends who are surrounded by wingnuts at work and in their churches, and their contact with me is an important part of their support system. One recently sent me an 'I love you' message on FB because she found my postings there on gay rights and immigration issues so "sane".

My Republican friends respect me as I respect them, and respect my opinions as I respect theirs. We have some good discussions, and I persist in my fantasy that, one day, I'll turn them into Democrats. :)

[IDemo]

52. Idaho, and no

I've sported bumper stickers that have caused a few frowns, but I've never experienced any trouble. Of course, Boise is the purple part of the state.

[and-justice-for-all]

55. Fuck no...nt

[TBF]

58. It depends whom I'm talking to -

and I never speak in terms of parties, just labor v. non-labor. It is much easier to connect with folks on that level (I am in Brazoria County - home of Ron Paul).

[w8liftinglady]

60. They are very anti-union here...even thought we have UAW and railroad

[TBF]

61. Sure the owners are anti-union, as are the middle class who think they own

more than they actually do.

I talk to the people they ignore - the gardeners, babysitters, plumbers, etc... You'd be surprised how much "progressive" thinking you can find in Texas. Unfortunately the marketing by the Repubs have been effective, though, with many who would do better economically by supporting dems. The focus on non-economic issues is overwhelming in the suburbs.

[w8liftinglady]

63. I've actually had local teabaggers tell me they were without insurance-but favored less gov't.

"it's my own fault I don't have medical coverage..."

[TBF]

64. I haven't talked to many actual teabaggers (that I know of), but that doesn't surprise me

nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

65. I usually don't say anything...I'm in the shithole that is Barton's district.

They won't listen to facts. Racist and hateful East Texas. They still have huge fights here about selling alcohol in the convenience stores.


Right before the 2008 election I had a large Obama sign in my yard and the brainless wonder across the street came over said, "Whut's dat Obammy sign fur?" I kid you not. She apparently was unaware that there was a presidential campaign going on and a Presidential election coming up shortly. This was on Halloween, to be exact.

This county went wet (beer and wine for off-premises consumption) last Sept. Every time a community has a referendum about booze, there are commercials on TV about all the sin and EEEVVVILLLL that will magically come in with a bottle of beer. There may be one or two restaurants in the county seat ( pop. 8K) that may sell mixed drinks. The Babtists and other fundies have done their best to make this a no-fun zone.

They don't know me, I don't go to church or football or basketball games. So they gossip and make up shit.

The latest was after I painted my Gothic Revival bungalow a couple diff shades of blue, added crown molding with some odd colors on it, and tried to strip off 50 yrs. covering up what makes it a distinctive old house, and I heard second hand, "Buncha Mexicans musta moved in there".

:rofl: :rofl:


A woman that lives across the street from us told hubby, "MY FRIENDS wouldn't have painted THEIR house in THOSE colors". Well, this woman has a lot of room to talk about her associates -- she's married to a convicted sex offender (with a minor). !! There is a notice posted on the door, signed by a judge, stating that a convicted sex offender lives there and this is a notice to the community. His identical twin brother lives there too. He is also a convicted sex offender (with a minor)!!! All the other houses in town are drab and neutral.

We call them the "SOBs" -- Sex Offender Brothers.
:wtf:

These people are terrified of anything that isn't like them - boring conformist white folks.

Time to get that taco stand rollin' and that flea market jumping!!!

:rofl:

Oh, and the fence around my two acres must be completed soon, with an electronic gate to keep people out, because these idiots are nosy and have no sense of boundaries. They will wander up and bang on the door and waste my time, for instance, looking at my old car that they have no interest in buying, just to waste my time. This makes me mad.

[TBF]

66. LOL - I really shouldn't laugh because it is sad

but your descriptions are hysterical! Good luck with the fence to keep them out :)

[proteus_lives]

62. No.

[kctim]

67. Not reluctant at all

I say my piece when and where I want and have many good conversations. Town is mostly Democrats and Republicans though, very few liberals or tea-party types, so respect for different views is pretty common.