'It's Almost Like a Secret Society': The Perils of Being Democrat in a Trump Town (Dubois)

[no_hypocrisy]

When Trump was elected the first time, I think everybody was excited for that change,” says Kulbacki, a longtime Republican and gun-rights supporter who says she’s been souring on Trump of late, mostly over the destabilizing actions he took during his second term and after losing two years ago. “He is just so out there now. He is way out there.”

“But it’s hard around here, too,” Kulbacki added. “Just because we don’t discuss it.”

When I first approached them, many of the Democrats in and around DuBois asked not to speak publicly because they anticipated backlash from neighbors. Some expressed genuine fear. But most ultimately let their guards down, noting that Trump’s persistent election conspiracies and the virus compelled them to feel more comfortable sharing what it’s been like to be a pale blue dot in an ocean of red.

Their stories often mirror one another: a feeling that they’re viewed as social outcasts; an acknowledgement—and in certain instances alarm—that they no longer understand the motivations of people who live around them; hyperpartisanship infecting everyday routines, spreading from home to home, and deepening the mistrust in town.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/03/04/pennsylvania-rural-democrats-trump-neighbors-00008915?fbclid=IwAR3se3fKg8dvYtNlsG1Zz95OnGvDj6zmKxODWTlOdvWh6hyQqZB_fRep_yg

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. I live this reality.

[gab13by13]

4. I live 10 miles from DuBois.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. One worse: my father grew up in Dubois (1923-1933)

and his personality profile matched the contemporary Trumpers. It's a bad combination of the demographics of the city and the region with their propensity to follow political Elmer Gantrys.

[gab13by13]

9. It wasn't always this bad,

Even in the 70's a Democratic Rep and a Republican Rep, rode in a car together at our Brockway (10 miles away) 4th Of July parade.

I was elected to 2 terms of Brockway borough council back in the 70's because I defended our watershed against being stripped for coal and fracked for gas.

Times are way worse since Trump.

I understand your point, there are very few minorities in the area.

[no_hypocrisy]

11. Let me tell you about minorities in Dubois.

When my father's family lived there, they were one of only five Jewish families.

In 1927, the KKK had a parade down West Long Avenue. My father thought it was great b/c it was a parade. He had no idea that the KKK would have beat up and maybe killed his father.

[PittBlue]

2. Many years ago I taught for one year in Ridgway,PA...

Last edited Fri Mar 4, 2022, 12:49 PM - Edit history (1)

It is close to Dubois in Elk County. I hated it and could not wait to get out of town. This article reminds me of Southwestern PA...same signs, same hateful rhetoric. We relocated to Norteast Ohio last year to be near family. Pockets of those horrible people here but not as open.

[twodogsbarking]

14. I think you can still buy a house in Ridgway for under $20,000.

[Lydiarose]

17. What about Southwestern PA?

The rural area south of Pittsburgh is moderately Republican, isn't it? It's not as bad as they're saying Dubois is, is it? Asking because thinking of moving to Washington County, PA.

[PittBlue]

18. I was born in Washington County and lived in Westmoreland County my entire life until recently

relocating to Northeast Ohio to be near family That whole area used to be blue but now Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene County are blood red. I am not sure about Washington County it may be a bit better than the other neighboring counties. Allegheny County is the only decent county because of Pittsburgh.
Washington is a lovely area but very rural...so I am sure lots of trumpers.

[gab13by13]

3. Yes, a long read but quite accurate,

I live 10 miles from DuBois, I shop in DuBois. During the pandemic there were store employees who didn't wear masks. I don't believe the area got to 50% vaccinations.

Short story; I was one of 2 or 3 people (Democrats) who posted on a local web site (chat) I posted religiously and was bashed religiously. I never, ever, personally attacked another poster, even though I was attacked, I followed the site rules.

It was 4 years ago, one day I was notified by the site owner that I had been banned from posting because I called Trump a Putin puppet.

I would lurk on the site once in a blue moon to see if anything changed. After a year went by I found out I could post again, so I did for a while. It just got to be too aggravating, the "debates" didn't use logical, critical thinking, so I stopped posting 2 years ago and have never gone back.

I live among them and regardless of what Mr. Noble claims about interacting with Trumpers, I find it impossible to carry on a sensible conversation so why go through the aggravation? These people are like zombies, I live among them, interact with them, play golf with them, but I have 1 rule when I interact with them, I am adamant, no talking about politics. I don't argue issues, I just keep repeating, no talking politics, and I get through the day.

I am not afraid of these people, I just refuse to interact politically with zombies. They will never vote Democratic.

[Chainfire]

6. If you wear your politics on your sleeve, where I live, and your sleeve isn't red

you will open yourself up to retaliation. We understand that, so we try to remain invisible.

[doc03]

7. That was a very good summery of what it is like to live in a Red area. I live in Ohio about 1 hour

west of Pittsburgh I know exactly what is like, I have one neighbor that is a Democrat. I had a Biden sign in my yard
before the election, I still get remarks about your man Biden did this or that. Up until the early 90s every
local office was held by a Democrat. Many times, Democrats ran unopposed by a Republican. The death of the Democratic party
here started with Clinton supporting NAFTA and the final blow was the Tea Party. Now the Democratic party is seen as the party
of blacks, Hispanics, gays, gun grabbers, baby killers and radical environmentalists. They aren't that polite though the "N" word
is used in everyday conversation along with every other slur for the "enemy". This morning I go for coffee, at the store in comes a guy
wearing one of those Russian winter military hats with the Soviet badge.. I am not friends with him but know he is a MAGAt he has the flag in his yard. What
can you say to someone like that? You can't have a civil conversation with them without them exploding. As of late I am considering buying an assault rifle. I am concerned we may be in an actual shooting civil war soon and I will be a target. It is like being a stranger
in a neighborhood you have lived in your whole life, you can't even talk to anyone for 30 seconds without them starting about politics.

[livetohike]

8. We retired to Jefferson County from southern CA in order to be

closer to our elderly, widowed Mom’s in Pgh. Talk about a culture shock! It’s not a stereotype. It’s all God and Guns here. I keep to myself, post my political signs (they get stolen) and count the days until we can leave. Not a happy existence, but there are trails to hike and rivers to canoe so it’s not all bad.

[gab13by13]

10. Huge home made wooden sign next to the road in DuBois,

back when Obama was president, "Where's your Birth Certificate?" Afeter president Obama produced both of his birth certificates the sign changed, "Where's The Real Birth Certificate." How does one debate that? Pointless.

[Karadeniz]

12. Trump's second term ????

[twodogsbarking]

13. The "thinking" is passed down from generation to generation.

If you don't buy into it there is something wrong with you.
I know DuBois, born and lived in the same county for 32 yrs.
Free thinking is considered lunacy or communism or yada .
Many similar towns in that part of the state. Their high points
were in the 1960s. Since then, decline in most every respect,
not just monetary.

[Ferrets are Cool]

15. What is SHAMEFUL is that WE live in America and have to live in fear because of

our politics. And yes, fear is the word. Fear for our property and our livelihoods.
And that doesn't even begin to scrape the surface of what a shitty country this is. At least I don't have to live in fear for being the "wrong color".

[Goonch]

16. ;-{)🖖‍