Do you think the red states will ever be livable again?

[Doctor_J]

I am seeking employment, and I am wondering if I should even bother looking in GA, FL, TX, and other places where such a large lump of the population seems to view anyone who doesn't believe Limpballs dome sort of traitor. I am looking in Canada and Europe, of course, but beyond that, should I restrict my search to places that are not run by Limpballs?

Edited to more accurately reflect the situation.

[emulatorloo]

1. most states are purple, not red. your brush might be too broad

besides, don't we need more blue voters in red states?

[Doctor_J]

7. Well, I am looking at colleges to work at

so close to home the outlook should be fine, but I am wondering if the blue areas in red states are going to be coming under increasing pressure to worship Der Fuhrer. Their goal, like the 3rd Reich's, is to silence all dissent, so I wonder if such areas can remain that way for very long.

[emulatorloo]

17. check out state by state appoval ratings _ UTAH is the only real problemat

ic one at this point. Doubt Brigham Young is on your short list anyway!


STATE BY STATE:

http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2005/50StatePOTUS1005SortedbyState.htm

[one_true_leroy]

28. here's my take...

I live in Athens, GA, and work for UGA. We're definitely blue, here, with exception of the younger, Gen Y students. But don't let 'red' areas discourage you. I grew up in red, and I find most people are overwhelmingly apolitical. Period. Those vocally red are usually well-intentioned, if misguided or misinformed. Most are one issue people, voting according to church. More than any kind of politics, church is a guiding factor here.

Look, I was born and raised Southern. I often have to sigh and roll my eyes, or just change subjects (change can be a little tedious here) concerning politics. But I often feel blessed to live here. Just the land alone keeps me bound. You'll find, though, that the people are not nearly so easily pigeonholed as Northerners think they are. I've known every political stripe, even out in the sticks. You can find a lot more tolerance and acceptance than we're given credit for. I mean, for every Zell Miller, there's a Jimmy Carter. For Tom Delay, we got Steve Earle. I have been in red-neck bars off dirt roads in towns with no names, and have heard Bush called a MFer... and nobody got hurt. I've never been chased out for not being a 'w' man, and even now the tides are changing. I'm not saying we're all a happy hippy commune, but you're not going to run in to more problems here than you would anywhere else. Differences of opinions are usually politely tolerated.

There's always the 'other' element in these blue/red state discussions. I grew being told that big cities (especially the NE ones) were just dirty, savage wastelands of roving gangs and rampant depravity. That is certainly not true... I've come to appreciate the beautiful buildings and histories and vibrant communities of our large metros, and look forward to more visits and wanderings. Likewise, we 'down here' are not a bunch of inbred banjo-players looking to perform unspeakable acts on stray northerners. Being a regular in the backcountry, I've sometimes needed help from strangers (truck pulled from mud, directions to somewhere else, floor to sleep on, etc.) And I've never been treated with anything less than hospitality. I've been all over this state and NC, and have truly come to love the 'folk' and to appreciate them for being a great deal more diverse than they're given credit for. Along with just working class families making a living and raising their kids, you have funky folk artists in the middle of nowhere (RA Miller, e.g.), musicians, and just plain odd people (the man with a museum of hubcaps comes to mind). Look into Southern Lit (Faulkner, for starters) and music (Drive by Truckers, REM, etc, etc) and realize these aren't created in a vacuum.

I can only speak from my perspective.. an overeducated white guy who likes to get lost on dirt roads. But there has never been a time when I thought the sky might be bluer somewhere else.

[abluelady]

29. Check Out Individual Cities

For the most part college towns/cities tend to draw thinkers. Thinkers are not red so you should be okay.

[Cary]

2. Hey Sox fan!

Stay here.

[electropop]

3. I wouldn't move into any red states until the toxins are cleaned up.

Meaning the toxic stupidity, the toxic people, and most of all, the Toxic Texan.

[paparush]

4. I agree with the above post..

you should look for a county by county breakdown. Some counties will be completely red, some with be mostly blue. Seek ye the blue counties and live locally!

[tx_dem41]

5. I live in Texas..."hate and ignorance are the PREDOMINANT qualities...

of the citizens" here. Yeah, right. :eyes:

It appears you share the same bigotry and IRRATIONAL hatred that your imagined red-state citizens have.

[Cary]

6. Forgive us.

You are correct, of course. But we're as frustrated as you.

Keep up the good, important work. Despite our frustration we're behind you.

[tx_dem41]

9. Thanks, Cary...

I appreciate that.

[Doctor_J]

12. That is maybe too hyperbolic, but

if your state voted 60% for Resident Flight Suit, there's some sort of pathology that's infecting a substantial portion of your citizenry.

[tx_dem41]

15. But I live in a county (Dallas) that voted 49.5% for Kerry...

yet you think we're all ignorance and hatred. :eyes:

I only see one person displaying those qualities right now.

[Texasgal]

26. Kerry won Travis county ( Austin)

We are very BLUE here.

I have an idea, before you post such nonsense, do your HOMEWORK. There are alot of blue pockets in Texas.

And...honestly, if you have some IRRATIONAL disdain for Texas, we really don't want you here... really.

[klook]

8. They're livable now

Just look for the "blue dots" within the red states, or the "purple" communities where there is some political variety.

Maybe you wouldn't like living in Crawford, Texas, but you might like Austin. Sure, Georgia is a "Red" state, but Cynthia McKinney, Mike Malloy, and John Lewis are from here.

Look for the towns and neighborhoods where there's something progressive going on, and you might find that life in a "Red" state can actually be enjoyable.



See http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/

(edited to add URL)

[beam me up scottie]

10. As a transplanted Vermonter,

stay where you are.

The daily racial, gender and ethnic slurs wear me out.

If you speak up, you're an ignorant yank and an insufferable liberal.

I can't even put bumperstickers on my car or come out of the atheists' closet for fear of reprisal.

There are large blue areas in some red states, but in others, they are too few and far between.

If you can find a blue haven, go for it-but make sure before you move, you know where you're going.

[bunkerbuster1]

23. An example of the chilling effect of living in a Red State.

Couple of months ago I got a direct mailer from NARAL that included a nice blue bumper sticker that read (of course): "KEEP ABORTION LEGAL."

We've all seen the sticker, right? Seen the signs?

As I looked at the sticker, my heart sank. I knew I could never adorn my back bumper with such a declaration of support for women's reproductive rights. Not where I live.

They're absolutely batshit fucking crazy about the abortion issue. They believe that anyone supporting reproductive rights is a murderer, bound for hell, and if they don't necessarily advocate taking the lives of "murderers" themselves, they sure as hell don't have much of a problem with other people doing so.

I don't know if these people constitute an actual majority in my state, they might not. But they are not seriously opposed by anyone. Not yet, anyway.

That's something to consider if you're casting about for gigs in Red State America. There are lots of great things about life in the south--natural beauty, lots of cool progressive people in the usual places (urban centers, UU churches, Democratic county organizations), but the overall mindset is a challenge for a principled progressive.

Just the way it is. If you want to move, go for it. Make a difference.

[beam me up scottie]

25. I drive by bloody fetus billboards on my way to work every day-

on somebody's front LAWN.

Not a sign, not a poster, I'm talking a full size billboard.


I can never get used to hearing supposedly educated people using the word ni**er in polite conversation.

Not that some Vermonters aren't bigoted, most just realize it's not acceptable to use such slurs in public.


I'm going to work three jobs if I have to in order to save enough money to move back to Vermont.

[MyUncle]

11. There are good people and Republicans everywhere.

You can choose your friends and forums when you get there. I suggest the enviroment you want to live in and the economics first. You'll be fine where it's warm....

[MadHound]

13. Umm, check your map again

Most states are a shade of purple, including the blue ones. And as is amply demonstrated time and again, stupidity isn't limited to a handful of states. Besides, what good is it to have so called Dem leaders like Hillary when they kowtow to Bushco's wishes at every turn?

You're painting with too broad a brush friend, and really need to stop it. For isn't that something you blue state purists normally associate with us "red staters" Get off your high horse and live in the reality based world friend.

[LoKnLoD]

14. Just stay out of Utah

We're out numbered 3 to 1 here..and the 3.2 beer sucks.

[noahmijo]

16. I live in the bluest part of Arizona

As another poster said you'll find pukes everywhere and S. Arizona is no exception but ultimately it does seem like the pukes are in the minority-albeit not by much.

Only problem is this place has almost zero opportunity for employment.

Believe it or not Scottsdale, Arizona seems to be an up and coming place with opportunity and it seems to be sliding blue especially considering a gay mayor was elected in the past I believe.

[Bluzmann57]

18. This is a "Red State"

Iowa, that is. But this is a "Blue" part of the red state. But it doesn't matter, it's a good place to live and raise a family. Iowa City is very progressive if that is your only criteria for employment. Me, I have other criteria, but hey, we're all different and have different standards. Good luck in your search.

[hippiegranny]

19. As a rule, any large urban area will be

more progressive. I know there are exceptions - stay away from Salt Lake City, for instance. I live in Phoenix. Even though AZ is considered a red state, it is in the far flung burbs that you'll find the neocon-nutjobs. Phoenix is very progressive and most people are liberal.

[graywarrior]

20. You can have my townhouse rental in Sarasota

I'm headed back to Maine in April.

[marions ghost]

21. most likely you will be disappointed

Your question = thinly disguised promotion of the old red-blue polarization again...:boring:

If you can't even bother looking, better stay where you are. The South has enough close-minded people. Don't need any more.

[cynatnite]

22. Red stater here: neighbors are dems except one...

I live in E. TN which is a very red area, but most everyone I personally know, except for my rw family, either despises bush or are dems. These days people mostly hates bush.

There are those diehard bushbots with their SUV's plastered with ribbons and 'W' stickers, but they look really out of place here.

Pick a place you would like to live no matter the coloring of a map. That can be a factor, but it certainly shouldn't be the primary reason to where you are going to live, IMO.

[RebelOne]

24. I live in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

And there are more and more Democrats surfacing than I can remember as long as I have lived here. And I don't know too many people who listen to Rush.

[raysr]

27. Were they ever?