I don't want to leave the South... I want to change it

[Syrinx]

And by that, I don't think the South, today, is any more racist than the country at large, except for the extent that it's politics are dominated by the 'Pugs.

People are always saying "Move out of the South." But what good would that do? That would mean that the dark forces would simply strengthen their hold on the region. What we need is for nice, progressive folks to move into the South. And provide the difference in our already hotly contested races.

In my state of Alabama, Riley beat the Democrat, Siegeleman, with barely 50% of the vote. A few hundred liberals, progressives or Democrats could have provided the difference.

Hear what I'm saying?

[Bhaisahab]

1. I hear you and I think that's a refreshing approach.

good luck! i'm behind any non-violent idea that changes the world for the better.

[Syrinx]

12. thank you professor pot!

:thumbsup:

[rumguy]

2. If Riley barely beat the Dem

it sounds like there are already a lot of Democrats in the south.

[Syrinx]

7. Check this out

I admit I put this together, but it's true. Riley just barely won, and that was with some Florida-style counting. If we could get a little help, we would not be as hopeless as a lot of people seem to think.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=state&state=AL

[rumguy]

8. The Dems control the state legislature

That's interesting, and quite surprising...

Sweet.

[Tsiyu]

3. I Used To Say The Same Thing

And some areas are changing faster than others. Many Southern cities are the fastest growing regions of the country. When folks from other areas move in there is also an influx of fresh ideas. Some are rejected. many stick.

The overriding theme to remember is "pride." Not to generalize, but from my observations, Southern people want to feel a sense of pride, and are sensitive to attacks on their pride. What the Bush administration has done to their schools, their military and their NG, not to mention their jobs and their fuel costs, is starting to sting even the formerly stauch repukes.

But remember too that this is the "Bible Belt" not to be confused with the "Bubba Belt" - an entirely different socio-economic distinction - and many folks vote strongly against the pro-choice or pro-homosexual candidate. No matter what.

Good Luck!
:toast:

[CaTeacher]

4. Most of the Southerners

I know are Democrats--but they are more conservative than the Republicans are here in California. I don't understand them.

New England is wacked too--the repugs there are liberal enough that they would be Democrats if they lived anywhere else.

There are definitely differences in political orientation depending on where a person is.

I applaud your effort to liberalize the South!!!

[Swamp Rat]

16. Which Republicans in California are you talking about?

The few that I have met talked like Nazis. As for Democrats in "the South," that's a large, diverse demographic - some are more conservative than others. There are lots of folks in New Orleans that are just as liberal as San Franciscans. Yes, there are quite a few KKK types in rural Louisiana, who tend to be repub or libertarian, but the same goes for Southern Illinois, and Northern California (where Reagan ruled the day).

I applaud the effort to liberalize ANY region on the continent.

[physioex]

5. Consider the longer term approach...

Start with the children. Learn to be more tolerant and become aware of other cultures. In my opinion there are very few muti-culturally aware, hard core conservatives....

[Swamp Rat]

24. Right! I agree. That's why I think stereotyping is ineffective.

In New Orleans, we, by accident and on purpose, are very "multi-culturally aware." Due to our history as a port city, and committed desegregation in the 60s and 70s, we have a laissez faire attitude, which has bred tolerance. We need to spread this around as much as possible... and starting with the children is a proven strategy.

[quaoar]

6. I couldn't vote for Siegelman

I voted for Riley. And I'm not the only liberal/progressive who did.

Wasn't easy, though. Siegelman was too much of a disapointment on education. He lost the lottery vote and then he just gave up. Riley tried to boost property taxes for schools and was gunned down by his own party. Grover Norquist vowed to make an example out of him and did.

The danger now is that Roy Moore may challenge Riley for the Republican nomination. God help us all if Moore gets elected.

I think one of the keys to changing the South is an aggressive campaign of recruiting progressive candidates for public office. I'd like to see Charles Barkley run for governor (no, he's not a Republican). I spent several hours talking to him one night about a year ago. He's quite sharp.

[Syrinx]

11. I've been pleasantly surprised by Riley, he isn't as bad as I thought

But if you voted for Riley, I'm sorry, you're a Republican.

[quaoar]

17. Sorry, I don't accept that

I won't vote for someone simply because he says he is a Democrat. Siegelman always had the stench of corruption about him, as evidenced by his recent indictment. And I will not vote for a corrupt official. Could never vote for Edwin Edwards when I lived in Louisiana.

I've known a number of very fine Republicans. My sister-in-law is a GOP county commissioner and I served a charity board with the chairman of the state GOP, who is quite a decent guy (though I wouldn't vote for him).

[Syrinx]

18. I accept that Siegleman isn't pure

But I like his policies a lotmore than than any repuke.

[Elwood P Dowd]

13. I've met Sir Charles

Saw him play while he was at Auburn. He is smart AND funny as hell.

When he played at Auburn, he must have weighed 280. The football coach, Pat Dye, use to stay on his ass all the time. It finally sunk in when Charles went to the NBA. Dye was on Charles for not taking care of his academics, eating like a pig, and not utilizing his amazing talents. That man had some talent. The only athlete I've seen better in person was Bo Jackson.

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. I've lived in Alabama for 57 years

except for a couple in Washington, D.C. when I was drafted.

Siegeleman has too much baggage. In fact, many of the Democrats in this state are just as corrupt as the repukes.

The difference on the national scene is the freaking Baptist religious nut cases. If you could ship them off to Mississippi, then Kerry might just win this state. These religious nuts seem to breed like rabbits down here. Back in the 80s you could go to an Auburn or Alabama football game, pour yourself a drink, light up a joint, and not be bothered. Now, if you so much as utter the words "fuck you ref", the people setting around you will call the cops.

However, I have changed a few friends. You just have to keep plugging. There are newspapers in this state giving Bushit holy hell. The Anniston Star and Opelika-Auburn News have run several articles lambasting this idiot.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. Look how much it's already changed!

It will keep changing no matter what, but helping is certainly a good idea.

I remember Jim Crow very well -- the separate water fountains, separate waiting rooms, separate restrooms, separate schools. The days when black people would not have dared try to get service in a restaurant patronized by white people.

The South has changed a lot alright.

[JackDragna]

14. You're being awfully nice.

I live in the South as well. After living up north, I can unfortunately say all the stereotypes are pretty much true. Southerners are more racist, more apt to religious mania and far more judgemental and violent. I'm pleased, however, that you're staying to help fix things. We need all the good people we can get.

[Swamp Rat]

19. WRONG! Not to be rude, but this stereotype does us NO good.

"Southerners are more racist, more apt to religious mania and far more judgemental and violent." - that's pure, unadulterated bigotry on your part.

[DavidFL]

22. Respectfully, I disagree a bit...

I'm from up north, too, living in Central Florida right now and let me tell you, it's been a culture shock. This only applies to Florida though because I've never spent any time in the other Southern states so I can't say what they're like. In any event, I've had to deal with people here feeling it's ok to say things that people up north would know enough to keep to themselves. For example, I was out with a friend this weekend and stopped to get gas. We were paying for the gas and this white guy in line asked me if I was a 'spic' or something. I said no, if you must know I'm mostly Italian but it's better than being all cracker. Good thing the friend with me is 6'2" tall and 200 lbs. when I said that, too. I was with the same friend, too, when we were just walking down the street and some white kid shouts out from a car to me, hey homie, shouldn't you be holding up a convenience store or doing a drive by right now? That time I was speechless because I was shocked that someone would think it's ok to talk to another person like that and say it in public. After that incident, my friend told me that's Florida, now here's your honorary membership to the NAACP (my friend is Black, by the way). I won't even get into all the times I've had thirtysomething white people start talking to me in Ebonics trying to be "cool."

More than that, I've temped with some law firms down here and seen corruption and incompetence, with both lawyers and the judiciary, at a level which would never be tolerated up north. People would be out in the streets demanding for heads to roll if judges in some northern states tried pulling some of the things they do here.

And I do agree with the other posters who have said many Southern Democrats are a lot more conservative than some Republicans are up north to the extent that I've noticed many Florida Democrats are on the Right on many issues.

Another thing I've noticed is far too many people here are obsessed with wealth and material things and what you have materially than people where I'm from are. And what's more sad is many of them think nothing of working two minimum wage jobs to buy the crap the TV tells them to instead of demanding better jobs and wages from their government, politicians and their employers.

All this is not to say I think everyone in Florida is evil; I have met some nice, decent and humane people while being here. And finding a restaurant nearby that sells cannolis and tiramisu flown down from Mulberry Street is almost like finding the Holy Grail. Although, I'll probably go back up north the first chance I get.

[Swamp Rat]

23. OK, so you responded to obvious racism with a racist remark as well.

Are you surprised they yelled at you from their car? I understand your anger (I might have done the same), but you egged them on. By the way, where are you from? When I lived in New Hampshire, I traveled around New England and I saw plenty of racism, especially in Boston. North America has become so diverse I don't think these generalizations are helpful anymore, if they ever were.

[DavidFL]

25. No, please read my post again. Those were two separate incidents.

The first at the gas station was when I was asked if I was a 'spic' and then replied with the cracker comment. The shouting out of the car was a separate incident from that and was not provoked by me at all.

Yes, there is racism and bigotry in the North. I don't deny that and my post doesn't say the North is colorblind paradise. But most people who think like that know enough to keep those kind of comments to themselves and not announce them publicly like I've encountered here in Florida. Although, there's something to be said for Florida with the overt racists and bigots in that you know automatically who you're dealing with and up North it's the closet racists and bigots you have watch out for. I'm from NYC by the way.

[Swamp Rat]

26. OK. Sorry I misread your anecdotes.

"But most people who think like that know enough to keep those kind of comments to themselves and not announce them publicly like I've encountered here in Florida." EXACTLY! That's why I say that there is just as much bigotry in the North as the South. Maybe folks down here are just more honest about their hatred?

I suppose you went through culture shock moving from NYC to FL. Hey, if you get sick of Florida, you are welcome to come here. We like New Yorkers here in New Orleans! (my dad's from Manhattan). We even talk kinda like we're from Brooklyn... except not so many "YOes."

[DavidFL]

27. Ok. Here's a question I always wanted to know about New Orleans...

and The 'nolia. Sort of tangential to this thread, but up in NY, N.O. has somewhat of a reputation as being unsafe and dangerous city. How's that for irony? I applied to, and was offered, a scholarship to grad school in N.O. (it was a free application so I thought what the hell) and when I told people I know about it, many said why would you want to move there? You'll get mugged and murdered! I just laughed it off at the time and I didn't end up going because I was given a better financial aid package at a school in NY, but help us Northerners understand what the story on N.O. is.

[Swamp Rat]

28. It's a dangerous city... for outsiders. You MUST know the neighborhoods

like the back of your hand, since the rich and poor live side by side... except for the uber-rich. Tourists can be easy prey, but you have to look at it like a numbers game. If you come for Mardi Gras, you will be one in 3 million, as the city triples in size. Plus, most of the violence happens in poor neighborhoods, rarely affecting tourists... Though, I'm not going to tell you it is like Lichtenstein, or the Alps, it's not so dangerous that you shouldn't come. The food and music are too good to pass up. I suggest you come after Mardi Gras for Jazz Fest, unless you've never been to Carnival.

Laissez les bons temps roule!

[alittlelark]

15. They are Dem's at home - because they know what works

but they are Repug's nationally, because they wanna feel TOUGH. That way, they get the benifits of Dem governance locally, and on a national level (well that doesn't really effect us much).

Lived in Montgomery for 2 years - staggered, while father was in the Air War College.
A more messed up place than any in my AF brat history and beyond.

Please do not move out of the south. You speak the language - you can do great things.

[Syrinx]

20. thanks

I think. :)

[alittlelark]

21. For real... I met quite a few awesome people in AL

but, unfortunately I met a MUCH larger proportion of the uncool.

Guess who I shared my weed with?:smoke: