Respectful Politics Thread (Let's Just See)

[dwayne1115]

I think an uber-conservative lady friend of mine who lives in Minnesota would probably disagree entirely with what this article has to say about "Yankeedom," or at the very least, her portion of that "culture." To hear her tell it, Minnesota is essentially "a dumb liberal state full of selfish jerks."

Meanwhile . . . I can kind of see how my state of Tennessee sort of fits into what this article says about "Greater Appalachia," though Dwayne may disagree somewhat. Having grown up in suburban, urban, and rural areas of East Tennessee all my life, I've seen for myself this sense of "warrior ethic" and "commitment to personal sovereignty and individual liberty," mostly from the more populated areas within the city limits and what have you. As for being suspicious of outsiders, aristocrats, and "Yankees," I kind of see that coming more from people in the more rural areas.

I can agree with you there. Folks in Tennessee have a lot of pride about their state, and their beliefs especially those in the backwoods and farm lands.

 

[dwayne1115]

I mean, there is truth in it, but that's the central conflict. Painting with such a wide brush is why progressives lost the last election. That and Russia.

I want to disagree with you there. Love him or hate him Trump knew what he was doing when he ran. He knew that both Democrats and Republicans wanted change, and wanted someone who would not play into the political game. From the day he announced that he would run he started striking nerves that some people wanted to hear. Immigration, poverty, and the fight on terrorism, just to name a few. When he did that he stood out and people thought that we finally had someone who was not always going to be so PC and get things done. So to me that's why he won the election,

 

[jvcarroll]

Here's an interesting take on regional racism that most people wouldn't expect.

 

[jvcarroll]

I want to disagree with you there. Love him or hate him Trump knew what he was doing when he ran. He knew that both Democrats and Republicans wanted change, and wanted someone who would not play into the political game. From the day he announced that he would run he started striking nerves that some people wanted to hear. Immigration, poverty, and the fight on terrorism, just to name a few. When he did that he stood out and people thought that we finally had someone who was not always going to be so PC and get things done. So to me that's why he won the election,

That's not quite right. Trump blamed white poverty on immigration and otherness. He also promised that he was an outsider that would drain the swamp. All he does now is play inside politics with his own swamp. He's all the swamp and none of the experience. Basically, he said what he needed to say to get elected. I can't wait until both parties catch up with the American people and find real candidates with real agendas that favor the citizens. I'd really like to see debates with real republicans rather than Trumpists and real democrats rather than whatever the mess we have now.

 

[D'Snowth]

Here's an interesting take on regional racism that most people wouldn't expect.

I'm just going to say it . . . I've no doubts that the south is full of racism . . . but a lot of southerns either don't see it that way, or they simply don't care.

Take the Confederate flag, for example: I know @dwayne1115 will attest to this, but most southerns who fly or display a Confederate flag don't even do it because they think it's a symbol of racism, or the oppression of blacks, or anything like that . . . to them, it's a symbol of history and of the so-called "Southern Pride" that we're so famous for. Even many of the liberals and progressives down here would argue that as well, like history buffs and what have you . . . and heck, I once saw a black man driving around with a Confederate decal on his car, no foolin'. Southerns are very prideful people - they love to show that pride off, and for some, that means waving that very controversial flag around.

Now, with that said, I will also add that something has been increasing down here in the south like you wouldn't believe . . . and you know what that is? Interracial couples. There almost won't be a day that goes by down here in everyday life where you won't see at least one black man and one white woman engaging in some P.D.A., not to mention you'll sometimes see a white woman in a grocery store with a buggy bearing at least one little kid with brownish skin and "kinky" hair. Even my own niece has dated a couple of black boys, and she lives waaay out in rural country where you'd think the people would frown upon such a thing, but the thing of it is, interracial couples are really increasing down here. And hardly anybody bats an eye at it, except for maybe really old fuddy-duddies who see it as going against the balance of nature . . . like my dad: he hates interracial couples. Then again, my dad also hates gay people (sorry, Jamie).

 

[CensoredAlso]

Love him or hate him Trump knew what he was doing when he ran.

The way I see it, Obama was viewed as not understanding or appreciating American exceptionalism. And to a certain extent, he invited this image onto himself. Trump succeeded in coming across as the exact opposite. Whether it was true or not, he succeeded in that.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Southerns are very prideful people - they love to show that pride off

That's actually something I envy them for. That kind of pride is simply not as hip elsewhere in the country, and I think that's a shame.

And here's something no one ever wants to admit. This country was founded on rebellion. So the Civil War wasn't really all that surprising when you look back, because the country already had that strain of rebellion in it. It's a shame it had to be about something like slavery. But then again, there are issues even today that get mistaken for "freedom."

Now, with that said, I will also add that something has been increasing down here in the south like you wouldn't believe . . . and you know what that is? Interracial couples.

I have never been to the South, so you'll have to forgive me a dumb question. Do black and white people, like, hang out a lot together? Because, frankly, that doesn't happen very much in my experiences in the Northeast. There is a lot of what seems to be self imposed segregation. Now I myself have had several close African American friends over the years. But that doesn't seem to be the norm, again, in my experience. I went to college in the Northeast, at a very liberal university, and it was extremely unusual for different types of people to be seen together. I am perhaps reminded of an old Doonesbury comic strip when Mike Doonesbury wonders why the black students sit by themselves and they basically tell him they don't want to be part of anyone's black experience, lol.

 

[D'Snowth]

This country was founded on rebellion.

I always remember that moment from THE ODD COUPLE where Felix is starting up a rent strike against the new, incompetent building super:

SUPER: You're a troublemaker, Unger!
FELIX: An darned proud of it! This country was founded by trouble makers!

I have never been to the South, so you'll have to forgive me a dumb question. Do black and white people, like, hang out a lot together? Because, frankly, that doesn't happen very much in my experiences in the Northeast. There is a lot of what seems to be self imposed segregation. Now I myself have had several close African American friends over the years. But that doesn't seem to be the norm, again, in my experience. I went to college in the Northeast, at a very liberal university, and it was extremely unusual for different types of people to be seen together. It's difficult to discern at least from my standpoint where exactly that comes from.

I won't lie, at least from my perspective, there is still quite a bit of that down here too . . . in my very town, you're more likely to see whites and blacks intermingling in the urban areas in the outskirts of town (my neighborhood is one of them), but there's still many areas that are either mostly white, or mostly black, and even some smaller areas that are mostly Hispanic. The downtown area, while diverse in a way, still sees mostly young, hipster, Millennial whites, while the more out into the suburbs you go, you see more middle-aged and older whites. I've also seen my share of both gentrification, and reverse-gentrification: some areas that were previously mostly black have been seeing an increase in whites (mostly Millennials, hipsters, or trailer trash), while some areas that were previously mostly white have been seeing an increase in blacks (usually either not-quite-ghetto urbanians, or not-quite-middle class working class).

At the same time, however, the hate groups like White Supremacy, KKK, and the Aryan Brotherhood are still going very, very strong down here, and in fact, one of these groups actually has a strong presence in my very town.

So, I mean, it's not perfect, but at the same time, it's not like we're blatantly segregated down here either. I mean if I'm shopping in a store in a mostly black area, I don't get hassled or anything, nor do I see that happening to any other white people I happen to see; likewise, I don't see anything like that happening to black people in mostly white areas either. I will say this though: panhandlers are more likely to approach white people than they are black people.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I always remember that moment from THE ODD COUPLE where Felix is starting up a rent strike against the new, incompetent building super:

SUPER: You're a troublemaker, Unger!
FELIX: An darned proud of it! This country was founded by trouble makers!

Lol, exactly.

I won't lie, at least from my perspective, there is still quite a bit of that down here too . . . in my very town, you're more likely to see whites and blacks intermingling in the urban areas in the outskirts of town (my neighborhood is one of them), but there's still many areas that are either mostly white, or mostly black, and even some smaller areas that are mostly Hispanic. The downtown area, while diverse in a way, still sees mostly young, hipster, Millennial whites, while the more out into the suburbs you go, you see more middle-aged and older whites. I've also seen my share of both gentrification, and reverse-gentrification: some areas that were previously mostly black have been seeing an increase in whites (mostly Millennials, hipsters, or trailer trash), while some areas that were previously mostly white have been seeing an increase in blacks (usually either not-quite-ghetto urbanians, or not-quite-middle class working class).

OK, so, doesn't sound different from my own experiences actually.

At the same time, however, the hate groups like White Supremacy, KKK, and the Aryan Brotherhood are still going very, very strong down here, and in fact, one of these groups actually has a strong presence in my very town.

I'm sorry you have to deal with that, that must be awful.

panhandlers are more likely to approach white people than they are black people.

Lol, I wouldn't call that privilege!

 

[CensoredAlso]

So, um, yeah, if TBS doesn't fire Samantha Bee, this country has officially lost any and all integrity. Period.

And I will officially NEVER VOTE DEMOCRAT AGAIN.

Samantha Bee, TBS apologize after profane insult aimed at Ivanka Trump
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life...-trump-profane-remark-full-frontal/658904002/