We live in a wonderful country,

[SheilaT]

with fifty wonderful states.

I'll repeat that: we live in a wonderful country with fifty wonderful states.

As it happens, there are some states I'm less than personally fond of, and would not choose to live there. But each and every one of those places have wonderful people, some of whom post here on DU.

It's beyond ignorant to trash an entire state, let alone an entire part of the country because of some of those who live there. Or what kind of weather they have. Really.

[Fumesucker]

1. K&R

[sheshe2]

2. K&R!

[loli phabay]

3. yup its a great country with great people.

[SheilaT]

4. Oops. How could I have forgotten that!

*Headsmack"

[jeff47]

5. So when a state gives us a big "fuck you" in our moment of need,

what do you think is the appropriate response?

[hfojvt]

6. a "state" no more does something

than the even smaller DU does something http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2521283

[jeff47]

7. Sure it does. We live in a democracy.

That means when a state's elected representatives do something, the state is doing something. The voters have a chance to correct those representatives every election.

The fact that a minority doesn't want to say "fuck you" doesn't change that "fuck you" was shouted. The voters had a chance to say "we didn't mean that", but did not.

[hfojvt]

8. that is just guilt by association

as if 50.0001% is equal to 100%. So that if 50.001% vote for something then the whole "state" voted for something.

So therefore the 4,839,958 Romney voters in California don't count, and neither do the 3,308,124 Obama voters in Texas. But the 199,239 Obama voters in Vermont do count and so do the 170,962 Romney voters in Wyoming.

[jeff47]

9. Yes it is. And that's what happens in a democracy.

You don't get what you deserve. You get what the majority votes for.

[CAG]

11. I didn't know my vote in a red state against the majority gave you a big

"f u". Care to generalize further?

[jeff47]

16. You're welcome to propose a new constitution with a direct democracy.

Since we have a representative democracy, you get what the majority votes for. No, it is not fair. But it is how representative democracy works.

[CAG]

19. Whatever dude, I'm sure your representatives voted for something I was against at

some point, so I guess I should just generalize like you

[jeff47]

23. I'm sure they did. And you should hold me responsible for their votes.

Even though I didn't vote for them.

[CAG]

27. "and you should hold me responsible for their votes"

that's lunacy, then everyone on the f'ing planet is my enemy because I'm sure each one of them disagrees with me about something. Has common sense gone away to some parallel universe somewhere??

[jeff47]

43. You're looking at this in far too absolutist terms.

I'm in upstate NY. My House Representative is a teabagger. I'm responsible for the bullshit he pulls in the house, because I'm one of the people who sent him to Washington. Even though I didn't vote for him.

I also sent Gillibrand and Shumer to Washington. I'm responsible for what they do too.

Being responsible for that teabagger doesn't make me a teabagger. It means I have to accept what bad he does do while he represents me. And in response, I'm going to keep working to get him out of office.

[hfojvt]

15. no, it is a little trickier than that

because there are Governors and Congresspeople and State Reps and State Senators and US Senators. A swing state like Iowa can have 1 dem and 1 republican in the US Senate and a Republican Governor and so can a blue state like California - have a Republican Governor for two terms while Kansas has a Democratic Governor and a red state like South Dakota had two Democratic Senators.

[jeff47]

17. And that isn't the situation here.

Oklahoma has a 100% Republican Congressional delegation, a Republican statehouse and a Republican governor.

Almost all of Oklahoma's congressional delegation voted to say "Fuck you" to those of us in the Northeast in the wake of Sandy.

We are going to help them now, of course. But Oklahomans should be aware that they voted to insult those helping them now.

[CAG]

22. I didn't know all of my red-state friends were one-issue voters

[jeff47]

28. Actions have consequences.

Majorities voted for representatives who say "fuck you" to people seeking disaster aid. And they keep voting for those representatives.

If that sentiment didn't represent their views, why would they keep voting for those representatives?

[hfojvt]

33. Maybe because of the 1 million dead babies

Who knows, that is a pretty important issue, supposedly for some people.

Maybe they voted for the lesser of two evils. They voted, like most voters, for somebody they didn't agree with 100% of the time.

Theoretically that COULD happen.

[jeff47]

44. It's been decades.

Surely it would be possible to find someone who would not say "fuck you" to FEMA requests.

[freshwest]

12. 'Kill them with kindness.' Not all people agree with their politicans, either.

We shouldn't burden ourselves with the hatred of others - it's theirs to carry, not ours.

[jeff47]

20. If that had worked any time in the last 2 decades, it might be a good plan.

But it has utterly failed.

[freshwest]

26. Not true, but feel free to regard the world as you please. EOM.

[jeff47]

29. Name a Republican who has lost his seat over voting against FEMA. (nt)

[freshwest]

30. I'm not into purity tests and will not condemn those who live in Oklahoma. Two of their reps voted

for Sandy relief and they are on the air today expressing their gratitude for FEMA and anything that President Obama will do.

I can't help your despair and if you want to carry a burden that I refuse to do for my own sake, that is your choice.

EOM.

[jeff47]

45. Actually, you're just using a different purity test

Your test requires not saying anything ill of the people who attack FEMA because they happen to need FEMA at this moment.

Fact is turning the other cheek has not worked.

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Did Sandy victims get their aid?

[jeff47]

18. Does that excuse saying "fuck you"?

The fact that others were not as evil somehow makes it OK?

[cherokeeprogressive]

21. It was a simple question...

[jeff47]

24. Yes, and the only way it would be relevant is if it excused the behavior. (nt)

[freshwest]

10. Very true! Support everyone, we never know when we'll need their help, too.

I hope no one has been negative over this latest event. So many good DUers have troubles.

Best wishes for Oklahoma and all those effected wherever from this rash of spring weather. We'll be there for you, we are united.

[CAG]

13. Great positive post! Very encouraging, uplifting, kind, compassionate, realistic,

heartening, motivated. You would think we would see more of this on a progressive site. Now lets see how many hateful, spiteful, sarcastic responses, which we would like to think the ugly people at the freepers site spew day after day, are spewed here by our "progressive" brothers and sisters.

[freshwest]

31. A lot of people think that's cool. It's a waste of time, IMO.

[Cleita]

25. My heart goes out to those good people who live in states

with snakes for Governors and legislators, who don't give a shit about the people who live in their state.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

34. Then the "good people" who live in states like Oklahoma

need to quit re-electing the "snakes" "that don't give a shit about them"!

[Cleita]

35. Many of them don't, but with the gerrymandering and other

election cheats going on that have been made legal, it puts those who didn't vote for them in the minority.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

39. Gerrymandering?!

Is "gerrymandering" the reason why the Democratic presidential candidate has failed to win a single Oklahoma county in the last three presidential elections? Is "gerrymandering" the reason why Mary Falin won a landslide victory in 2010? Is "gerrymandering" the reason why Tom Coburn and James Inhofe manage to get comfortably re-elected every six years?

I agree, the way legislative districts are drawn to prevent our party from winning seats in the US house, and various state legislatures. However, you can't use it as an all-purpose excuse for why Democrats fail to win office in certain locations. They fail to win because certain states and districts are, for the most part, populated by right wingers.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

36. Is this what you plan on doing all night?

Its pretty repulsive and says a lot about your character.

[SheilaT]

37. So all of those who voted for the Dems

deserve to be ignored, or denied aid?

I've lived in a red state and just hated it that my vote didn't count in the Presidential election, and hated it that too many in my state voted against their self-interest to elect a Republican Governor, Republican Senators and Representatives. But no one is ever elected with 100% of the vote. No one.

[Skittles]

32. I know several good Oklahoma folk

including my hairdresser; yes INDEED

[patrice]

38. K&R

[WheelWalker]

40. The Union. K&R

[eridani]

41. Everybody in OK is A-OK with me

Last edited Tue May 21, 2013, 02:27 AM - Edit history (1)

Except for that useless piece of human garbage Tom Coburn. He needs to be phoned and faxed to let him know that only a vicious amoral sociopath would ask for aid to his state to be offset by cutting aid for other states


Washington D.C.:
172 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5754
Fax: [phone]

Tulsa:
1800 South Baltimore
Suite 800
Tulsa, OK 74119
Main: 918-581-7651
Fax: [phone]

Oklahoma City:
100 North Broadway
Suite 1820
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Main: 405-231-4941
Fax: [phone]

[Cha]

42. Well put, Sheila

[cali]

46. it's got it's "wonderful" characteristics. Too bad they're outweighed by the FACT

that we are a militaristic war mongering nation and a country where in all 50 states the poor and middle class are fucked over repeatedly at the expense of the rich. We're a nation owned lock, stock and barrel by the corpocracy and one in which elections are more often than not corrupted by big money.

[CBGLuthier]

47. As an Oklahoman I appreciate your post

As a Duer, soon to be a former Duer I have had my eyes opened wide that some people are shit. Pure fucking shit who can not help their shit nature and when the opportunity arises they spread their shit far and wide without regard for real human beings because they are not real human beings.

They are shit.

But at least the good outweighs the shit.

[loli phabay]

48. some people really believe that their shit does not stink

They see everything through some warped prism that anyone who does not believe the same as them is somehow twisted or dumb. The fact is there are good and bad people in every group, every political bent, every region etc etc. They seem to see themselves as some holier than thou political being rather than just a human being at this time, and seem to believe the sight of young children being recovered is political rather than something that effects all. Having being involved in many child deaths it is the most traumatic experience for all involved from family, community and first responders and i pray all find some peace.

[RedEarth]

49. As an Oklahoman I also appreciate their post

and I agree with you 100% on everything you said including being a former duer......can't handle it anymore...the hatred, mean-spiritedness of so called progressives....makes me feel dirty to be associated with them.

One site that was just mentioned to me a few minutes ago is.... don't know what it's like, but it couldn't be worse.... http://www.democratsforprogress.com/forum/index.php