I wish some DUers

[ashling]

would get their ego out of their asses and actually support those of us out here in the country who are trying to make a difference.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=184&topic_id=3041#3044

this is about the burden being put upon rural areas by the economic policies being thrust down our throats.

[purduejake]

1. When I am not afraid to travel through rural areas...

or visit them as a gay American, perhaps I will be willing to help and take my ego out of my ass.

[TwilightZone]

5. I'll say what I said in the other thread....

There are plenty of gay people in rural America. I live in Nebraska - one of the reddest of the red states - are there are a TON of gay people here. And, none of the gay people I know are the least bit worried about living here. Nobody lives in fear.

I think, perhaps, that you need to expand your horizons. Your view of "rural areas" appears to be unduly influenced by unrealistic expectations.

[murielm99]

6. I live two miles south of a rural community of 2500.

We have a gay community. Maybe we have a gay community because they know people here are going to leave them alone.

My daughter is gay. People are starting to figure it out.

When my neighbor on the farm to the south of us was dying of AIDS, his church had a big fortieth birthday party for him.

A Lesbian couple in town are the election judges for my precinct. They have been together for forty years. They helped my son with his Eagle Scout project. They have introduced me to several of their friends in town. Some of their friends are people who have moved here because the town is tolerant.

However, most of my gay neighbors are people who have always lived here, or have family ties to the community. I think the philosophy is that if they are ours, we don't care about what they do in private.

Do some research about gay men who farm together. I know one couple here who farms. It is not that uncommon in rural America.

[Odin2005]

9. The idea that rural people are homophobes is overblown.

My high school math teacher is a lesbian, and nobody bothers her about it.

[xmas74]

8. don't be afraid to visit

If you ever make it to West Central Missouri-I will give you a tour.
We need strong gays and lesbians in rural areas to prove to everyone that they are the same as everyone else. By promoting this mentality, you are still promoting fear in small towns of "the unknown" (which is now more known, as people are feeling more free to come out).

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Well, that's not entirely accurate.

Here in Wa. State, rural areas were just as likely (if not more given that the more rural counties in Wa are heavily anti-tax/heavily republican) than urban areas to vote for the initiatives that have (ie, economic policies) that gutted our budgets.

[autorank]

3. I'm with you. We have a great urban-rural coalition in VA.

It was put together by Gov. Warner well before he ran for Governor. He want to Southwestern Virginia and met people, campaigned there, and invested some seed money in new businesses. When he became Governor, he continued the good efforts and, even absent a thriving economy, had the state invest and encouraged outsiders to invest in rural Virginia. He got enough of their votes to get elected.

The first thing Democrats have to do is show up in the rural areas, almost all of which are trending Republican. The second is to make our case. I don't think we even advertise rurally. I have no concept why Kerry didn't take some of his war chest and blanked rural areas with RADIO advertising, which is very cheap. Just hammer our message over and over. We also need a candidate who connects with rural America. Warner is no country boy, he's a high tech entrepreneur from Northern VA, capitol of the internet. But he went there and made the case.

Excellent point. This should be on General Discussion so it will get some traffic. Worthy topic.

On edit: why don't you repost it on GD. I did some posts there on Red-Blue crap saying it should stop and the discussion was lively and productive.

[ashling]

4. I posted in forum on Rural Issues

I get so sick of DUers in Blue states bashing rural/Southern/red state, etc. rather than working to form consensus and win back these areas. Whe is more morally culpable, the liar, or the one who bought into the lie. These people have - for whateverreason - bought into a lie that is damaging to us all. We need to educate them and win them back, not just call them idiots.

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." (Damn! I ish I had said that!)

BTW, my daughter just left this afternoon on her way back to Va. She is starting her second semester at Sweetbriar College in Amherst.

[Qanisqineq]

7. I agree with you completely

I currently do not live in a rural area, but I grew up on a farm outside a tiny town in North Dakota. Having lived and worked in big cities since leaving ND, I know one thing: those in big cities that think they are so much smarter than rural people are completely uneducated about one thing in particular -- people in rural areas.
I've met and worked with highly intelligent (possessing PhD's), liberal people on the east coast that truly believe the most ridiculous things about rural areas.

I didn't grow up with a bunch of bible-bangers that only vote republican because of so-called "Christian values". My parents and my extended family are all democrats. In fact, my grandma is always surprised (and makes a note of telling everyone) when she finds out someone in their town is a republican. Most of them have just bought into all the Republican lies. Then there are also those big farmers that make tons of money that are just greedy repukes.

[Odin2005]

10. It's sickening.

People from the big cities treat us like we are some kind of uncultured barbarians that need to be civilized.

My growing up in a rural area is why I like nature and why I am going to collegeto get a Biology degree. I think the problem with people that live in urban areas is that they don't really understand what nature is, they arn't getting how our ecosystems are getting fucked up except on the news. They are stuck in thier urban jungle, only leaving it taking major highways where there is not much nature to be seen.

[Lithos]

11. It's a matter of being unable to identify with rural issues

And vice-versa.

What would you say is the most important thing that should be recognized by urban dwellers?

L-

[aztc]

12. Life in the soil

In the city it is not so obvious, but the life in the soil is very much the difference, IMHO.

Those big farmers depend on vast quantities of fossil fuel both to fuel the massive air conditioned tractors and to make the synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that wash down the Mississippi to create the dead zone in the Gulf.

How about if we just require every family to have and maintain a compost pile?

[Lithos]

13. How large?

I know of at least 5 families that have a compost pile for their own yard cuttings and organic waste. But I know what you mean. People take the food chain for granted and don't realize what exactly the corporations are doing.

L-

[aztc]

14. That is exactly right

You have 5 very good friends!

[Lithos]

15. Two are good friends

The others are people I know thru them.

L-