Regarding Kansas. You'll like this!

[MontanaMama]

I’m currently on an annual wine tasting trip in Walla Walla, Washington with my cousin and two other women. Today, we were at a winery, chatting about the KS decision and that we were feeling hopeful for the first time in a long while. We were sitting at a table next to a young couple and their doggo who were clearly able to overhear our conversation. I locked eyes with the woman and she immediately looked away but then said “I heard you mention the Kansas vote on abortion. We’re from KS. My husband just finished his residency in Obstetrics in Spokane and we’re headed back to KS next month.” I said “I don’t know how you feel about choice but we’re toasting KS today” The young woman said that they were both life long Kansans and were thrilled with the decision. She said that her husband had just landed a job in a clinic on the KS-MO border and he would be welcoming patients in need of reproductive care including abortion to the practice he was joining. Then! The folks at the table on the other side of the young couple all raised their glasses and said “To Kansas!” We all did the same. It was a wonderful, organic moment.

I felt a little bit of hope and positivity when I least expected it.

To Kansas! To hope!

[ShazzieB]

1. Wow, what a cool story!

And what an amazing experience!

Thanks so much for sharing that with us. It's making my night!

[Tetrachloride]

2. Wow is right

[DFW]

3. That must have been rather encouraging

But "flyover country" often has lots of hidden gems, I'll bet. It's too vast not to.

[Demovictory9]

4. ..

[pnwmom]

5. What makes this story even better is that Walla Walla is in the red part of the state.

Not in liberal Seattle!

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Awww! What an encouraging story! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!

There really is hope on the horizon, often coming from the most unexpected places...

[sheshe2]

7. Good to know, MM

Hopeful for a new revolution!

[AllTooEasy]

8. I'll toast KS when they elect 2 Dem US Senators

KS hasn't elected a Dem to the US Senate since 1932 (George McGill). Hopefully, this victory will wake up enough KS Repuke and Independent voters, and other Repukes and Independants around the country.

[MontanaMama]

31. Baby steps.

We have to celebrate all the wins. ALL the wins.

[NJCher]

9. You do

Know how to vacation… and choose good fellow wine tasters!

What a nice story to sleep on.

[Duppers]

10. To Kansas ❗

Cheers!

[mwb970]

11. Most Americans are on our side.

Right-wing extremists remain a minority among the public, despite their increasing representation in our "democratic" government.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

12. What I want to know is

Why didn’t we know there was common ground here? We could have headed this nonsense off a long time ago.

[housecat]

28. Divide and conquer, and we've been falling for it

[MontanaMama]

32. We sure have.

Let’s absolutely celebrate every win. Every single one of them.

[napi21]

45. A long time ago that support wouldn't have been there. I think we're seeing it now because people

of all stripes were shocked that the SCOTUS ACTUALLY overturned Roe. I believe the majority of people never thought that would ever happen. I admit, I didn't. That's why all these unexpected voters are showing up on election day. Six months ago, they were still ignoring politics & just living their lives.

I wonder how many ballots are going to have something regarding abortion on in November? If there's enough of them, especially in red areas, we Dems just might be able to hold onto our majorities & maybe een expand it a bit.

[quakerboy]

46. I dont think so

a lot of people have been apathetic, believing the "theres no difference, all politics are dirty" and living comfortably believing that their basic rights were protected.

It took overturning roe to wake people up to the fact it really all can just go away, just that easy

[lark]

13. Thank you for sharing this bright little ray of sunshine.

We certainly don't get enough of that these days - good news I mean.

[msfiddlestix]

14. Great story, here's to reading a lot more similar stories from more red states tu n/t

[progressoid]

15. Walla Walla has a lot of good wines!

Was there a few years ago and that town has radically changed since I was there in the late 80's

[MontanaMama]

17. There's over 120 wineries in the area.

Some of them are exceptional.

[H2O Man]

16. Recommended.

[Sky Jewels]

18. I love Paul's reaction at 0:29

where he lifts his eyebrows and smiles.

[H2O Man]

19. Yep!

My son wanted me to go to see Paul in Syracuse last month. But I avoid crowds. He was impressed by how long Paul was on stage playing great music.

[Sky Jewels]

20. Not bad for an 80-year-old!

It's great he got to see him.

[grantcart]

36. Sir Paul started that tour in Spokane, a coincidental tie into the OP

I visited Walla Walla in 1962 and was struck how the old fashioned street we stayed at was exactly like "To Kill a Mockingbird"

I kept looking out for Boo Radley.

[H2O Man]

38. At my daughter

in Boston's job, her top supervisoe calls her "Scout." At first, my daughter didn't understand ..... she had never read the book. Now she has, and loves it. I will also say that at age 5, she wanted to marry Paul McCartney. This was based on the early Beatles videos I had, and she was eventually unhappily surprised to see film of him in his 50s. During a recent visit, she and I enjoyed watching the "Get Back" special. She said she again wants to marry Paul.

I don't believe in coincidence. I think everything is related, just not in the way that Alex Jones thinks. (grin)

[calimary]

40. I wanted to marry Paul, too.

Last edited Fri Aug 5, 2022, 08:04 PM - Edit history (1)

We paid close attention to the "Jane Asher Basher" campaign - because we were all jealous of his girlfriend at the time.

My three closest friends in grade school all liked different Beatles - so we referred to each other as Mrs. Lennon, Mrs. Starkey, Mrs. Harrison, and they referred to me as Mrs. McCartney.

I never got to marry him. But I did run my fingers through his hair once! TRUTH! With my left hand. That's STILL one of the accomplishments I will be proudest of, by the time I die.

[H2O Man]

44. Very nice!

In the 6th grade, we had to read our favorite poem in English class. Mine was one John wrote at age 17. That night, many parents called my house to complain. The next day, the English teacher approached me before class, and said, "You caused quite a stir yesterday. The school got a lot of phone calls." Then she gave me the pictures from inside the White Album. For the rest of the year, I wanted to marry her. (grin)

I remember being lucky the night of the phone calls. My aunt and uncle were visiting, so the men were drinking beer and talking politics. My mother took the calls, then asked me to show her and my aunt the poem. My aunt said, "Good for you. Always think for yourself."

[calimary]

48. Love this, H2O Man!

Love what your aunt told you, too!

[Aristus]

21. Something similarly encouraging happened at my barber's the other day.

I was in getting what little hair I have left trimmed nicely. My barber is a really cool guy about my age; a really smart barber who listens attentively to his customer's chit-chat and always responds appropriately. An older gentleman came in while I was about halfway done. I was talking about the challenges of clinical medicine these days. The first thing the older gentleman said was "What about abortion?"

I thought: "Oh shit! I'm in trouble now", and anticipating an uncomfortable moment or two.

I deflected the question off of me, and told him that at least in Kansas, the SCOTUS decision is getting some pushback.

"Just as it should", he responded. And we went on to have an encouraging discussion about medical privacy and individual choice. It was a relief that it didn't turn ugly. Washington is a blue state, but I live in a light-blue-light-pinkish small town. A number of very vocal Trumpsters live here. He wasn't one of them, thank God.

[erronis]

24. Nothing "light blue" about eastern Washington - at least in my experience

I've lived for a while in Spokane and know quite a few people in the right-most two-thirds of the state. Fortunately the majority population is along the Pacific coast. Eastern WA talks about joining their militant brothers in Idaho.

[Aristus]

27. I live in Puyallup, which is in Western Washington.

But there are always small-town clowns around who worship at the altar of the orange ass.

[MontanaMama]

33. I know there are more of us than there are of

them. That said, there are so many tRump humping supporters between where I live in western MT and this area of WA. My middle finger gets plenty of exercise on my 6 hour drive over here. The house sized flags are ridiculous.

[TomSlick]

22. I never thought I would say this - but -

Here's to Kansas.

[erronis]

23. Would have been different if you were at a beer hole (biergarten).

After living in Kansas for too many years I remember having nasty glances and words thrown at me since I like wine. "Beer is for the real Kansans."

Sort of like "Kansas State - where men are men and the sheep are scared."

Speaking of Walla-Walla - I used to pass through Yakima, Sunnyside, etc. Good hops-growing country - beer!

[liberalla]

25. Wow! That gave me chills! And tears too!

I'm also feeling hopeful!

[FakeNoose]

26. What a great story

Thanks for sharing this.

Kansas voters didn't just say "No" they said "OH Hell No, and F-U for asking!"

[Marthe48]

29. Our right to determine our health needs

is only a part of what we women have lost. The six unelected despots on the s.c. minimize women's humanity, women's worth, and women's ability. The despots are wrong.

We must prevail, and never cede equality and personal freedom. EVER.

[Onama Biden Man]

30. That's a great story!

Thanks for sharing it. It’s comforting to know that Missourians will be able to go to Kansas if they need an abortion instead of having to spend a lot of money going far away to another state. It feels like really dark times here in Missouri

[MontanaMama]

35. Oh dear. You are in MO?

I’m sure it feels very dark. I live in MT and our thug Governor, Gianforte, is just starting to float the idea of stripping reproductive rights away from Montana women. I am ready to be in the streets. We’ve got a deep red legislature…I am definitely afraid…but I, also hopeful.

[Onama Biden Man]

47. Yeah, we've lived in Missouri since 2003

The state used to be purple, but continuously shifted right wing since we moved here. Now the state legislature always has right wing extremist supermajorities, and holds the governorship. Even when we pass ballot measures, the state legislature has the power to simply override the will of the voters. Missouri was also the first state to ban abortion when Roe was overturned. The evangelicals have a death grip on our state politics.

[Stuart G]

34. K and R...Thanks for posting..

[2live is 2fly]

37. So Maybe, Just maybe all is not Lost

I mean if we can imagine a less-red Kansas, maybe there's hope for the rest of the country!

[Heather MC]

39. That's a beautiful story, I'm not surprised even Mississippi rejected a full on ban. some years ago

Exceptions for rape ancestor life of the mother.

Only these idiot republicans think that the country is with them boy it's gonna be fun watching them all cry about it when they realize they shot themselves in the foot.

I saw an interview today where Mitch mcconnell basically tried to blame the 9 Supreme Court Justice is saying they were unelected of people who made this decision.

As if he wasn't responsible for picking 3 of the justices that voted for this actually probably picked all of them hes been there long enough

[cilla4progress]

41. You just gave me goosebumps,

Mama!

[MontanaMama]

42. I had them myself!

I will take an ounce of hope wherever I can find it these days. Who knew it would be in a winery in Walla Walla sitting next to a couple from KS!

🤞🍷

[cilla4progress]

43. V. cool.