General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 5 Things Red State Liberals Want Blue State Liberals To Know [View all]A Little Weird
(1,754 posts)If I could actually answer that question then I would probably have a more lucrative job as a political consultant. I suspect a large part of the reason is the corporate media, who seems to want to control the conversation. A lot of the most rabid right-wingers I know in real life only get news from Fox. Fox has done a remarkable job of peddling propaganda and sowing mistrust of all other news sources.
I get the impression that the vast majority of voters from both parties are very disengaged and are not very aware of what's going on in Washington or in their own state capitols. This was as true of the people I knew when I lived in California as it is of the people I know in Kentucky. So I don't agree that the majority of people in red states are backward. Many just don't identify with either party and opt-out of the political process.
But I concede that there are many people that could be characterized as backward. And many of them are among the most vocal and the most politically active. They get especially hung up on the issues of abortion and gun control.
I can't pretend that racism doesn't play a part. Some of that is due to the segregated nature of many parts of the state. I grew up in a county that was about 99% white. In such an insular environment, people are not exposed to other races and take as truth what they see in the media. Even today, many minorities are portrayed in a less than positive light on TV and movies. It was even worse when I was a child. When I moved away to college and actually met real people, then it became obvious that people are just people - they became less "other" and more "real" if that makes any sense. A lot of people (especially poor people) never move all that far from where they grew up so they never get this perspective.
The republicans use this as part of their divide and conquer strategy - poor white people get pissed because they feel like they are working hard with nothing to show for it while poor minorities are getting tons of welfare from the government and not working at all. And those that don't get welfare are only advancing because of affirmative action. Of course, these perceptions don't match reality but again, that's because they are falling hook, line, and sinker for the crap that is spewed on Fox News and by right wing politicians.
I am going to stop before I write a book. I wish I had a better answer and a way to turn things around but I'm still searching.