All progressives move out of the South.

[mick063]

Let the Fox News junkies have what their kind wanted 150 years ago.

Their own country.

No doubt they would secede again under such circumstance.

Let's sit back and watch them collectively devolve into 1750 Puritasim. Perhaps serfdom is truly desireable for those that can't lead themsleves. Perhaps they may even be easliy entertained by stoning a witch or two.

There is no compromise possible with such extremists.

Let them destroy their own parcel of the earth.

[Uncle Joe]

1. No thanks this is my home, if you wish to abandon your home feel free to do so. n/t

[Tx4obama]

2. Please stop the regional bashing bullshit.

Over 3.5 MILLION Texans voted for Obama in 2008.
We are not going anywhere.
Texas is more PURPLE now than red.
If anything should happen then MORE democrats should move to the South and help us kick the GOPers out

[AlinPA]

13. Good answer. It might be happening, slowly in some states.

[steve2470]

34. +1000 nt

[JNelson6563]

40. My thoughts too!

I say we need more liberals in the red states. Not less!

We owe our liberal brothers and sisters in all the red states all the support we can muster. They so deserve it!

Julie

[Jamastiene]

104. Thank you.

[nanabugg]

56. You are right. Occupy the south or Occupy the red states. No more GOP in Congress. Great idea! n

[DFW]

67. Good answer!

TX isn't going to get any better if the only Texans with brains move to Boston.

[99Forever]

89. No kidding..

.. the proliferation of these childish regional bash threads really needs to end. A couple of weeks ago there was some clown here that insulted EVERYONE in our district because bat crap crazy lady Bachmann won the seat here.Never mind that 49% of us didn't vote for her or that the district is a classic case of hard core gerrymandering. I've known really wonderful intelligent people and complete fools from virtually every state in the Union. Taking shots at people for where they happen to live, is just plain lame and is a game played by losers.

[barbtries]

93. very well put.

thank you.

[Terra Alta]

3. I'll stay put, thank you.

My ancestors have lived in the South for thousands of years(on my dad's side) I'm not about to leave now. Yes there are a lot of gun-toting, Bible-thumping rednecks here, but there are a few intelligent progressives around, too. And we're here to stay.

[virgogal]

4. What a strange idea.

[Hugabear]

5. Which state is Santorum from?

Thanks for playing.

[Terra Alta]

6. and Romney..

Sure, the South has it's share of idiot Repukes, but the North isn't immune to them, either.

[aaaaaa5a]

49. I believe Newt was born north of the Mason Dixon Line too. nt

[mick063]

8. Demographic analysts laugh in your general direction.

You really think you can change things down there?

Which brings me to the subject of Gerrymandering.

I take it you prefer your country size to be that of a typical county instead?

Where is your voice? Where is your clout?

How do you let it happen?

[Hugabear]

19. I'm in Alan Grayson's district, thank you very much

You know, only one of the more outspoken progressives we've had in awhile.

Now with all due respect, go fuck off.

See that 'alert' link? Go ahead and hit that to let the moderators know I said a mean, hurtful thing. You see, although South-bashing is perfectly ok here on DU, I'm not allowed to tell you to go fuck yourself.

[monmouth]

21. Lucky Me!!! I'm in Alan West's district, but the weather is great...n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

43. Demographic trends are against the GOP in the long-run in some places

Texas isn't growing at a prolific rate because of white people.

[Are_grits_groceries]

74. Gerrymandering isn't confined to the South.

It is used everywhere!

[spanone]

7. the wackos are nationwide.

[Tx4obama]

11. Palin 'Alaska', Bachmann 'Minnesota', Scott Walker 'Wisconsin', Brewer 'Arizona' ....

and the list goes on and on and on

[mick063]

12. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio

All go blue next cycle, They have buyer's remorse.

They all have the ability to "self correct".

[barbtries]

94. NC went blue in 2008

and will do it again this year because the 2010 republicans are tearing the place to shreds.

[Hugabear]

96. So did Florida - we also went blue in 2000

But we know what happened in the 2000 election

[barbtries]

98. yes, waaa

i wish i knew it wouldn't happen again. i think it won't happen again, because the numbers will be too overwhelming, but i don't know it won't happen again.
i don't even like to think about how different things would be. how many people would still be alive. sigh.

[GoCubsGo]

23. Joe Walsh 'Illinois',...

Steve King 'Iowa', Pete King 'New York', Darrell Issa 'California', and it goes on and on and on....

I am not a southerner, but I have lived in the South half of my life. I'm tired of the bashing, too. There are a lot more progressives down here than people realize.

[AverageJoe90]

62. Agreed. nt

[trof]

16. And one posted right here. OP.

[PassingFair]

63. Read it and weep. The wackos tend to congregate in the south and the west.

2008 voting map:

[greytdemocrat]

9. Stupid idea

But if it makes you happy...leave.

[mick063]

10. The cool thing is I don't have to leave.

I don't live there.

As for sweater vest, last I heard, he lost by 18 points in Penn.

We don't count chads in Washington State.

[Terra Alta]

18. You stay in WA State. I'll stay in the South.

We'll both be happy.

The South-bashing here gets old after a while..

[jberryhill]

28. But people wish you would leave DU

[TriMera]

88. Proof positive...

We have plenty of assholes in Washington State, too. I know, I live here and I watched the hearings on Marriage Equality.

[trof]

14. Sure thing. Right away. Packing now. Wait...what's 'Puritasim'?

Roll Tide.

How old are you?

[MadHound]

15. Stupid idea then, stupid idea now,

Why are you dealing in stupid ideas?

Another one who has no clue about history, or political science.

[Fawke Em]

17. No... it's my home and it's beautiful.

How 'bout the fundies move somewhere else?

[Terra Alta]

20. the fundies can move to Iran.

or maybe we'll all get lucky and they really will be raptured.

[Moondog]

22. Go away.

Take your southern bashing with you.

Don't come back.

[Cali_Democrat]

24. Dude....WTF?

[Dreamer Tatum]

25. No, more need to move in. nt

[Ruby the Liberal]

26. *plonk*

Into the trash.

[quinnox]

27. Not a bad idea

I can't imagine how any progressive could live in the south anyway. It would be like living as an alien in a strange and hostile land. The south should be regarded as fly over country for any progressives IMHO.

[trof]

32. "I can't imagine how any progressive could live in the south"?

Your imagination is very limited.
I 'imagine' your intellect is also.
We should all just give up and hit the road?
Fuck. That.

[cordelia]

41. + 1,000

[pecwae]

84. It's a great example

of the openmindedness and loving nature of some who think they're progressive or liberal.

[LanternWaste]

99. Your provincialism is noted, and given all the credibility it warrants...

Your provincialism is noted, and given all the credibility it warrants...

[Sherman A1]

29. And just who

left you in charge?

[trof]

33. Evidently the 'Hosts'.

Thread has been alerted.
'Jury' voted 5-1 to let 'er ride!

[Hugabear]

42. South-bashing is not only condoned, it's a sport on DU

Broad brushed attacks are prohibited...unless the target is the South.

[renie408]

45. It's the War of Northern Aggression all over again...

[bluestate10]

47. The war against subjecting human beings to futures less than animals had? nt

[renie408]

81. Literal much?

Since this topic is really pretty ridiculous and progressive Southerners are unlikely to leave the South just because the OP told us to, I was jesting. It's a JOKE.

No, please do not write the OUTRAGED "Oh, so you think slavery was a JOKE, huh?!?!?!" comment. Obviously I don't think slavery is a joke. I think this post is a joke. I think getting seriously worked up over the OP's comments isn't worth the effort.

[Sherman A1]

71. Explaining so much!

Thanks for the response

Now please pardon me for a moment

[taterguy]

30. Please define "South."

[11 Bravo]

31. No thanks. I was born in Virginia, and have lived much of my life here. If it's ok with you ...

I'll stick around. If it's not OK with you that's too fucking bad.

[mick063]

38. Very sensitive issue

As it should be. A lot of history behind it.

If Repukes can make up their own terms so can I.

Puritanism, Puratism, Puraschizm. Who gives a crap?

You get the "gist" of it.

Perhaps folks in those Red States need a kick in the butt.

What's going on down there?

I think they need to be challenged. Hold up their end.

[CTyankee]

35. I did, a very long time ago. I got out of Texas by going to a school in the Northeast

Carnegie Mellon) and from there I went to NYU and ended up marrying and living in New York. I loved it!

I lived in Northern Virginia for 9 years but escaped mercifully and came to Connecticut in 1985. I am in bliss ever since living in the People's Republic of New Haven!

I have nothing against the good people of the South who are appalled at what is going on in their states. CT has its own appalling issues and I don't minimize them. But I do feel that I have a real voice here and that I am heard and validated.

That may not be the case in many other U.S. states and that makes me sad. I don't wish any harm to anyone there. If anything, I wish they could be lifted out of that madness.

This is sad. Maybe inevitable. I don't know. I am more depressed than I have ever been about the state of our republic with what I am hearing out of the republicans.

If anything, we should all be pulling together. How sad that it is not the case...

[txwhitedove]

36. Hmm, makes me hungry for grits and some okra gumbo. Here's a song for you...

[hobbit709]

79. Love Ray Wylie Hubbard.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

37. ~

[rrneck]

61. Gah! Damn straight. Yankees dont know how to eat. nt

[lukkadairish]

39. I live in WV

....we are in the heart of Appalachia here and it can get ugly in tone....but that is true EVERYWHERE. How bout we all stay where we are and do the best we can on behalf of one another?

[renie408]

44. Slow down, Spanky. I say we give them Kansas.

I kinda like the South.

[bluestate10]

46. I would welcome southern progressives to my state if instate conservatives will move to the south.

Conservative idiots deserve one another. Let them rot in the hell that they create while smarter states move forward to bright futures.

[Texasgal]

48. MUwhahahaha!

This is sooo funny!

Du3. It never disapoints!

Oh please, please no alerting on this thread! This one needs to stand so everyone can see it!

[racaulk]

54. Oh, it was already alerted.

5 out of 6 jurors in this case thought that South bashing was just peachy keen.

Ain't the new jury system grand?

[blogslut]

50. No

No.

This is my home and I have every right to be here and believe what I believe.

Your condescension is insulting to the millions of southern liberals and progressives who fight enormous right-wing social pressure every day.

[mick063]

52. How about a "one for one" swap.

Similar to exchanging POW's in time of war.



Fight enormous right wing social pressure every day?

Why endure the pain? You can't win.

Move north or endure state mandated device insertion.

I mean really.....how much can you stand?

[blogslut]

55. Aren't you adorable!

As we say in "the south"...

Bless your heart.

[Texasgal]

57. And adorable idiot!!!

LOL!!!

I just love south bashers! They make me laugh!

[madinmaryland]

51. NO ONE SAVED ME ANY POPCORN!!

[csziggy]

53. No, I like where I live and plan to be here a very long time

Even if we wanted to give the tea party religious right their own country, why would we give up the resources to a country guaranteed to hate us? Why would we want that country full of hate right on our border?

There is no way in the world these morons would be satisfied with a country of their own. Look at how they've handled compromise from Democrats - they've pushed for more and more and more. They'd want their country, then ours, then the world. Our country created these monsters, we have to stop them.

[Canuckistanian]

58. Now, now....

This regional war has got to stop. It doesn't do anyone any good.

[obamanut2012]

59. I like it just fine right here, thank you very much

Gosh, a South-bashing thread. How unusual.

[racaulk]

60. Yay! No one has posted a South bashing thread in at least 14 minutes.

It appears we were overdue.

A huge flaw with the "logic" of your secession example:

Conservatives have liberal children, and vice versa. Barring some open ended mutual emigration policy between the two "countries," it would only be a matter of a generation or two before there are countless people living in a "country" where they are in a minority based on their political beliefs.

Which is exactly what we have in all fifty states now. So in the end, what good would secession do for anyone?

All of our states are purple. There are no "blue" states and no "red" states, and the more we perpetuate that myth the more we segregate ourselves from one another.

Instead of blasting those of us that choose to live in the South and blaming us for our government, why don't you help us to effect change and make things better? Having more Democrats in office improves things for ALL of us.

But no, that's too hard and takes actual work. I suppose its easier to sit behind a keyboard and stand in judgment of others and dictate what decisions they should make for their lives.

What a fucking stupid OP.

[Tx4obama]

68. You should win an award for quote of the day (at least in my opinion)

All of our states are purple. There are no "blue" states and no "red" states, and the more we perpetuate that myth the more we segregate ourselves from one another. -racaulk

[racaulk]

100. Thanks!

[Elwood P Dowd]

64. Now that the daily South bashing thread is out of the way, it's time for the daily Apple bashing

thread. I live in the South and use an Apple computer. The constant daily bashing of those two is one of the reasons I haven't been around here as much as in the past. DU needs a separate forum just for Apple haters and South haters.

[onenote]

65. I have a better idea. Why don't you and a bunch of your friends move to the south.

Heck, you don't seem to think its a big deal to pick up and leave where you live and work and relocate to a completely different part of the country without a guaranteed job, place to live, etc. so why don't you take the lead. I believe you indicated that you live in the state of Washington. Obama won your state by over 500,000 votes. He lost Georgia and Mississippi combined by around 400,000, so if you could convince a bunch of your neighbors to move en masse down south, you could overwhelm the fundies and turn those states blue. And then there's California -- Obama won California by over 3 million votes -- some voluntary redistribution of those voters would easily give us control of several more southern states.

So pack up and get moving!! Be a leader and show how easy it is.

[Jamastiene]

105. Great answer!

If it is so easy to do, then it would be much more to our mutual advantage if more progressives moved down here.

To the OP: After you!

[donheld]

66. Santorum is from the NORTH.

Just saying

[mick063]

69. Soooo sensitive

If there were not some truth to it, the responses wouldn't be filled with such moral indignation.

If the topic was so outlandish, feelings wouldn't be quite so hurt.

A typical looney suggestion would hardly get noticed and quickly flow into the third click of
-> next page.

No "other singled" out region would have produced such drama. No other regional population would have taken it so personal.

History is deep and it's influence still looms large.

Sometimes when drilling, the dentist hits a nerve. Time for some folks to get a root canal.

Only the truth stings this bad. Progressive cause will always be obstructed. The country will always be divided.

Modern politics have devolved a simple Senate majority into weakness. Filibuster rules the day. The quagmire will extend into the forseeable future.

[RZM]

70. Care to actually say anything in these repsonses

How about providing a clear, detailed justification of a progressive exodus from the south?

You're shit-stirring and you know it.

[Rex]

72. Yes lets talk about why you are so sensitive.

[cordelia]

76. The country may well always be divided.

Because of people just like you.

[pecwae]

77. Who's sensitive now, darlin?

I think somebody needs a big helping of heart and tummy warming grits. Only I'd be afraid they'd be ruined by someone putting sugar on them.

Stay just where you are, pumpkin, and keep on driving those wedges into a place you've only just begun to know. Bless your heart!

[Elric]

80. Na... I'll stay here

if one moved from the South they might wind up in a state with you in it. That seems worse than having mostly conservatives living around you.

[racaulk]

83. Who's sensitive now?

You know, mass exoduses of people based on their beliefs have been tried once or twice in human history.

It never turns out well.

[Hugabear]

85. That is such absolute bullshit and you know it.

Even IF everyone did exactly as you suggested - if ALL progressives moved out of the South - guess what, it wouldn't change a goddamned thing.

You'd still have a highly divided country. You'd still have filibusters in the Senate. You'd still have quagmire.

So instead of coming on here and throwing the entire South under the bus, how about offer realistic solutions? Because your solution is NOT realistic, and as I pointed out, it wouldn't change a damned thing.

[backwoodsbob]

73. check my new sigline

moving there in a few weeks...and hopefully i won't meet any people like...well...you

[Are_grits_groceries]

75. Did you use that sig line

because you are a Gamecock fan? If so, fair enough. If not, post something with just the state. you are now the enemy of half of SC in any sport except politics.
Clemson rules!

[dawg]

102. For heaven's sake, don't be a gamecock unless you have to be one.

At least being a Clemson fan would leave you with *some* dignity.

[backwoodsbob]

103. Clemson?

and miss the chance to pull for the greatest mind in college football?

[hobbit709]

78. Forget it. I'm not moving back to the frozen wastelands of the north where I grew up.

and where i grew up in Ohio is just as rabidly stupid republican as what you are claiming about the south.

[nadine_mn]

86. I live in the frozen tundra of MN and will never return to the South...

I lived in Louisiana for 2 years as a kid - dear lord roaches, mosquitoes, critters of all kinds, and holy crap the humidity!!

I love MN (still mosquitos unfortunately) and love cold weather.

But small minded bigots live in all parts of the country - just like Progressives live all over...kinda like those damn mosquitos.

[33Greeper]

82. Heck no!

We need more smart progressives in Alabma, for heaven's sake!

[Blue_Tires]

87. But I like it here?

[Rex]

90. Boring.

[Mr Dixon]

91. IMO

I have lived in VA for the Last 12 years, I guess you could call this the south; northern VA won Obama the State. I’m from California and I would never go back there to live, drive bye’s and police harassment I will pass. However I must state that I am none too keen on traveling any further south.

[barbtries]

92. it is way wrong to write off the south.

and there are plenty of knee jerk radical republicans in every other state.
i'm in NC and curious to know what inspired this OP. talk about a broad brush.
i am liberal, progressive, feminist, a democratic, a leftist. i am not moving any time soon and when i do, it will be to go home to CA, not because the south has been lost.

[Hugabear]

95. I think I know what inspired the OP

But I'm not allowed to say it...it would violate some DU rules

I'll just say that it's the same thing I usually think when I see someone with a very low post count posting a shit-stirring a thread.

[barbtries]

97. ok, so

there was nothing in the news today that would have added even a tiny bit of credibility to the OP?
i work all the time and don't always know what's going on at the moment

[just1voice]

101. While Virginia is technically D with 2 democratic senators...

I can still understand your point as I contemplate leaving Virginia often. The trouble is that repukes are everywhere. I was in D.C. yesterday and Faux News was on a TV in a waiting area I was in. I asked the receptionist "Why do so many places have this crap on?" She said "you can turn it off, it's ok with me". So I did.

What people in the South should really do rather than move is stop putting up with mentally challenged "conservative" bullshit wherever and whenever it arises. That means people need to hold individuals and larger groups of people accountable for their actions. Holding people accountable for their crimes is a big problem for all of America, not just the South.

[Jamastiene]

106. Uhm...

No. I don't think so.

[JoePhilly]

107. 187 posts, and trying to reignite the civil war ... hummmmm ....

I agree this post should stay ... but only so its stupidity can be enjoyed by a wider audience.

[mick063]

108. Civil War? I'm starting it?

There have been folks profiting off the notion long before I ever visited DU.

http://www.patriotfoodstorage.com/

Kinda creepy huh?

No one truly knows what the boundries are. In such an extreme, it certainly isn't North vs South. More like pockets of craziness everywhere.

Regardless, it is you that has escalated the conversation to war.

My responses were of a more benevolent and political nature.

Times are very dire indeed if a thread in DU can inspire a civil war.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

109. Sorry. Ain't buying it. I'm a native texan and have lived here my entire life.

A few facts:

I have never owned a pair of cowboy boots.

I have never owned a cowboy hat.

I have never owned a horse. I rode a horse for the first time back in 2004. In Idaho.

I have never owned a pickup truck.

I have never dipped snuff or used tobacco products.

I speak proper English.

I do not commit apostrophe abuse.

I refuse to listen to country music because it is whiny, nasal and negative.

We used to have season tickets to the symphony when I was in junior high. The chief conductor was a Frenchman named Andre Previn. I saw many famous musicians, including the cellist depicted in the movie "Hilary and Jackie".

We used to have season tickets to the opera when I was in high school. I saw many famous singers. I also had season tickets to the opera for three years in the 1990s and loved it.

I earned three degrees from Texas universities, including a doctorate in law.

I have studied classical music intensively since I was five years old, on two entirely different instruments. That was quite a few decades ago. I also enjoyed rock and roll in the 60s and 70s.

I saw several famous jazz artists in the 70s and 80s and 90s.

I have no interest in football or any other spectator sports. I don't really have any social outlets because my highest value is education; other peoples' highest value is ignorance and mediocrity and conformity.

I have no interest in megachurches or churches of any kind because they are busy crushing my self esteem. I won't let them do that.

I am a third-generation Democrat. My uncle was a Technocrat-socialist. My dad was a union organizer and refinery pipefitter as well as an attorney. He also voted for Norman Thomas in 1932. My grandmother was an extension service agent and loved Franklin D. Roosevelt because of all the good things he did to lift people out of deep poverty. The state Agricultural Extension Service was one of the agencies that helped. I personally knew Billie Carr, one of the founders of the Harris County Democrats, when I was a kid.

I have never voted for a Republican politician in my entire life.

I live in a county that went two to one for John McCain in 2008. I have a governor and two senators I did not vote for, and a Congresscritter who I did not vote for either. He is the one who apologized to British Petroleum for holding hearings.

Would you like to retract your statement????

[mick063]

110. No retraction.

But you do have impeccable credentials.

Have you written your representative about the Gerrymandering?

Do you live in the 22nd district?

From Wiki:

"Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay (pronounced /dəˈleɪ/; born April 8, 1947) is currently a convicted felon and is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party (GOP) House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in connection with a campaign finance investigation. He was convicted of money laundering in January 2011 and sentenced to three years in prison but is free on bail while appealing his conviction.

Tom DeLay began his career as a politician in 1978 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. In 1985, he became a born-again Christian. In 1988, after just a few years in the U.S. House, Tom DeLay was appointed Deputy Minority Whip. In 1994 he helped Newt Gingrich effect the Republican Revolution, which gave the Republicans the victory in the 1994 midterm election and swept Democrats from power in both houses of Congress, putting Republicans in control of the House of Representatives for the first time in forty years. In 1995, he was elected House Majority Whip.

With the Republicans in control of both chambers in Congress, Tom DeLay, along with Gingrich and conservative activist Grover Norquist, helped start the K Street Project, an effort to advance Republican ideals. Tom DeLay was elected House Majority Leader after the 2002 midterm elections. In the eyes of some Democrats, he was renowned for his enforcement of party discipline and retribution against those who did not support the legislative agenda of President George W. Bush. On policy issues, not just political strategy and tactics, DeLay was known as one of Capitol Hill's fiercest, staunchest conservatives during his years in Congress, earning very high marks from conservative interest groups (e.g., business, gun rights, pro-life) and very low marks from liberal ones (e.g., civil liberties, labor unions, environmental protection)."




And Carl Rove has the audacity to describe a Clint Eastwood advertisement as "Chicago style politics". If you are reading Carl, I'll tell ya right now it ain't nuthin like Texas politics. While I am at it, I recommend that Rick Perry adjust his diet to include more brain food.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

111. No I do not live there.