Deep South Blues.

[marano]

I live in deep south Alabama. I know, quit laughing... it's not funny. People here mostly Republicans, vote their religious beliefs. At no time since our country came into existence has there been such a non-seperation of church and state. I know that Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson and their Moral Majority and Christian Coalition had much banning with the Republican party had much to do with this and it has just gotten worse and worse.

These same people who praise Roy Moore for his fight to keep the Ten Commandments in a Government building are the same people who will vote for George W. Bush because he believes that homosexual's should not be allowed to marry, and women should not be allowed to have abortions. I am not very religious but I never remember in any of my limited church eperiences or readings of scripture where God ask anyone on earth to be his cheerleader. I think in that Ten Commandments he actually states " Thou shalt not Judge". So I do not get the conviction that these people have to vote for a person who believes as they do because they are sure he will impose their will on these "sinners". If they followed their own stated beliefs that Gods word is law, then they would know that this is judging other people. God forbids them to do this. If God does not think homosexuals should get married or women should have abortions he will surely deal with this at the appropriate time.

I am not sure if there are any studies that will back up my thinking but I believe that if you look at the RED states you will find that they are also the least educated, poorest, and most religious states in the Union.

I saw a speech by Bill Moyer on free speech television the other day in which he brought out some of these same points and then some. He stated that there is a class war going on in this country that started during the Nixon administration. I believe this. Education has been assaulted so as to keep people ignorant. The press that used to be free has been bought in another battle in this war by the rich to get thier message and only their message to the already ignorant, and large numbers of the ignorant have been used by their religious beliefs to support the rich, the class that is way ahead in this war to keep the power going in thier direction.

Question is? How do we stop it?

[acmavm]

1. Spaying and neutering.

.

[childslibrarian]

2. Move to Australia

After the last month watching the media I really do not see how this can be stopped if we can't stop it in November...
The Democrats need money to get out the message.

[Ripley]

3. You're not alone neighbor!

I see you're a Jets fan....Jags here. Isn't living in a state with no NFL team a drag?

Good post, no easy answers.

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[AnnInLa]

4. I agree absolutely with your observations/opionions, being

from Louisiana. What to do about it? Other than voting Dem and staying informed, and teaching our children about TRUE freedom and TRUE democracy, I don't know. It may be up to future generations to think about revolution, ala the Russians, or the French...

[vetwife]

5. It says Judge not lest ye be judged

And its not in the ten commandments but living in a red state myself I know the pressure from the right. Which is wrong. Falwell supports the Moonies and Pat Robinson owns Diamond Mines and if these people are christin I am the Queen of England. I feel my faith has been hijacked and Bush is more like Archie Bunker on his bible than Billy Graham, which is another deceiver. Am I judging? Nope I am judging fruit which is allowed. ye shall know them by the fruits they bear and they appear rotten to the core.

[MsTryska]

6. not only the least educated, poorest and

most religious, but also the fattest.



~your neighbor just down the road in georgia.

[trof]

7. Welcome to a fellow Alabamian.

How do we stop it?
Educate people however you can.
Write letters to editors.
Join and participate in your local Democratic organization.
If there isn't one, start one.
We did down here in south Baldwin County (Foley) in March. We have over 60 members now.
And never, never, never give up.
:hi:

[marano]

8. Hey trof

I am in North Baldwin, so you definately know what I mean.

[trof]

12. Howdy neighbor.

There us a North Baldwin Democrat group. If you don't know about it I'll try and get contact info and pm you.

[RubyDuby in GA]

9. In all honesty,

when you figure it out, let your neighbors to the right know.

I have often said that the voting preference will correspond to a person's level of education. These dumb rednecks don't know any better and have no desire to learn otherwise. I honestly believe the bumpersticker "Vote Republican - It's Easier than Thinking" was made for these people.

It's just so disheartening. Why can't these people see that they are destroying their children's futures???

Georgia is my home. I love it here. I can't see myself living anywhere else, but I really don't know how much longer I can stay here and fight the good fight.

[marano]

10. You nailed my feelings.

I run into it every where I go. I sometimes think me and my Father and my wife are surrounded by an oppososing army.

[The Flaming Red Head]

14. You'll see more W bumperstickers outside a typical southern country club

than outside the welfare office. Go look. Us uneducated (under-educated) southern folks might be the dems best bet.

[merh]

11. Mississippi reporting in -- only thing I can do is keep trying ...

I used to wonder what life was like in the '60's here, if anyone became involved. I was a kid and I don't recall anything about peace rallies and the like.

Now, living this nightmare, I kind of figured that Mississippian's tried to get tickets for Woodstock in 1973. I figure that by the year 2010 the folks here will figure out that we are in trouble.

I'm doing my personal crusades of informing folks. I have been encouraged by the bumper stickers and signs.

[bleedingheart]

13. Because Ignorance is Bliss... Thinking is just too hard and painful

I see it here in PA as well...

If people actually thought about their lives and how they are getting screwed they would not vote for Republicans...

If you think about it...the schmo who works for minimum wage at Wal-Mart can either 1. think that he is being taken advantage of and then have to deal with the fact he might have to fight for his rights or 2. swallow the pablum the right wing feeds him in church that things will get better if he believes in Jesus and if he votes right....

Number 1. takes a person of courge... number 2. ...that is the lazy way out...but then again...humans are kinda lazy.

What I find kind of funny is that my immigrant grandfather was smarter than people today...he actually was blacklisted by mines because of his union activities...he and his six kids lived in a tent...but for all his hard work their lives got better.