At what point does political name calling become bigotry?

[ag_dude]

If you haven’t seen it, you haven’t been paying attention.

Any time something happens in the south, regardless of what it is, the comments come out mocking the entire region.

Christians? They must be mocked.

Have a Texan accent? You must be a George Bush supporting climate change denier.

Do people not see how they are falling into the same bigoted and intolerant ways that they pretend they’re better than when they mock entire regions and religions?

[Speck Tater]

1. Regsitered Republican? Must be mocked.

In truth I know quite a few registered Republicans who are moderate conservatives and genuinely nice and caring people. But it is our sworn duty here to demonize all who who disagree with us. "If you're not with us, you're against us."

Hate and intolerance are things that have to be taught. Welcome to the very classroom where our brand is taught.

[gratuitous]

2. Some prejudices are more equal than others

And it's as true here as anywhere else, despite the pomo sensibilities affected by any number of folks.

[emilyg]

3. Good question. Rec.

[HopeHoops]

4. I think "poopie head" qualifies and I have no problems being called a bigot for using it.

Rmoney is a poopie head. So there.

Besides, Bush acquired a "Texan accent" for political purposes. It helps him hide his drunken state with slurred words and missing word endings (which are legitimately part of the "Texan accent" for non-drunk Texans). Note: Poppy Bush had no such accent. As Burt Reynolds said in the "special features" section of the "Smokey and the Bandit" DVD (paraphrased), you can give a CB to someone from Maine and all of a sudden they've got a southern accent.

As for the south, the GOP needs the "Bible Belt" votes to even be in the game. I don't believe for a second that any of them really bother with the Bible or anything in it - they just know how to push the buttons. I'm in PA now and you had better not mess with gun rights here. This is a hunting state and guns are sacred (and I own guns for the record). I lived in NH for ten years. Gun fire (nearby) was so common that I stopped noticing it. I never heard a gunshot when I lived in MD.

I've been to TX, CA, KY, IL, IN, WI, MI, OH, PA, CT, RI, NY, NH, VT, VA, WV, NC, SC, FL, Montreal and Toronto. They've all got their "stereotypes" and most of them are actually true. That's not a bad thing, just regional differences. Hell, PA alone has more regional differences than I can count. You can tell if someone's from the Pittsburgh or Erie area based on whether they say "Yuns" or "Yins" (both translate to "Y'all&quot .

There's a difference between pointing out the "stereotypes" as a regional thing and "mocking" them. I live in south-central PA and still refer to it as "Pennsyltucky" because, well, it is. That isn't mocking it, just observation.

[Bake]

5. Hey now! Watch it!! I live in Ken-tucky!

Bake

[HopeHoops]

7. Owensboro is one of my favorite places, but they do roll up the sidewalks at 10:00.

Subway's pretty much the only thing open after 10 and Applebee's doesn't sell beer on Sunday. Only the Holiday Inn restaurant does (with a meal). You can tell when you hit the Indiana border because there are beer/wine/liquor shops lining the street.

[Bake]

8. I spent a year in Owensboro after law school.

Some nice folks there, but not my favorite place in KY. Hell, there's not even an interstate close by! To get anywhere else, you have to take a toll-roll (or one of our Parkways, as we call them) and drive through the middle of nowhere for hours. I got a speeding ticket on one of those Parkways. GRRRRRRR!!!

Come to Louisville! It's great! The island of sanity (sort of) in the midst of teabaggery!



Bake

[HopeHoops]

9. I took the "middle of nowhere" route if I was flying out of Evansville. Otherwise, Owensboro.

There was a great 24 hour pool hall just down the street from the Messenger-Inquirer building (where I was working nights). It started serving beer at 6 a.m. - about the time I got off most of the time. I did a few 36 hour shifts there. Computer geeks don't need no stinkin' sleep, mon. Then I'd go drink beer and shoot pool.

[ag_dude]

10. I don't think baby Bush even had it during the governor run.

[ellisonz]

6. It's cool to hate.

Especially if you hate the right groups!