CSPAN, Southern Callers and Liberals

[Q]

- "Bleeding heart Democrats". "Whacky Liberals". "I'm sick and tired of 'these people' bashing our president."

- I watch CSPAN (early) every morning as I begin the day's work. While there is a wide variety of Americans calling in to offer their opinion...I've noticed one common theme from Southern callers: they hate liberals with a passion. Not just 'dislike'...but a real, seething hatred.

- I wouldn't have mentioned this if it happened occasionally. But I've made note of literally dozens of these anti-liberal rants in just the last few weeks. Being that I've only visited the South a couple times in the past...I'm at a loss for this type of attitude towards liberals and Democrats in general.

- How do Southern DUers feel about this? Does CSPAN's 'us versus them' Washington Journal call-in program act like a magnet for extreme points of view? Or is this attitude about liberals and Democrats common in the South? I'd sincerely like to know. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer in this regard.

[onebigbadwulf]

1. These people bashing our president?

Where does a southerner like that find liberals "bashing our president"?

Other than here, IE America, and KGO AM 810...I have NO access to bush bashing liberals... AND IM IN CALIFORNIA.

Is this guy just fighting the demons in his head or is there a mainstream media outlet openly 'bashing our president' that I somehow overlooked?

[Q]

3. I added a few quotes...

...from CSPAN callers...but the rhetoric gets much more heated.

- I'm trying to understand why many CSPAN callers from the South have such an awful opinion of liberals and Democrats. Is this a widespread attitude? Is it just the view of extremists?

[maha]

11. Years and years of propaganda

... going back to the days of the Civil Rights movement. Southern right-wing politicians have pandered to the fears and prejudices of southerners to the point that liberals are now the boogeyman.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Note to the wise:

EVERYONE who isn't a member of the right Country club, rotary club, OR the Right protestant church or the right private school, is a mooching Liberal.

[asjr]

19. cspan

I think you have nailed it. Those people are mainly Repubs. It is a mindset of I want mine, to hell with the others. Big government to them is anathema. It has come down to the haves and have nots. Why on earth a Repub doesn't want to help his fellow man is beyond me. The government is supposed to be for all of us, rich and poor.

[tom_paine]

45. Fighting demons in his head purposefully placed there

I've said it before and I will keep on saying it:

Goebels v2.0 is terrifying more efficient than Goebbels v1.0, designed by the Bushevisk to subdue a nation with a 225 year tradition of Liberty.

The Party-Loyal Right-Wing Sub-Media makes Goebbels look like a kid with a megaphone.

"Adolf builds a bonfire, Rush Limbaugh plays with it..."

[Guaranteed]

2. I do believe Mike Malloy said "Buy a gun."

Yeah, it looks like it's going to come down to a civil war.

[Q]

4. I'm not so sure about a 'civil war'...

...but I'd like a bit of insight from DUers from the South. It's disturbing to hear so many express hatred of people they don't even know. Is this a cultural thing? Or is this just a reflection of the more extreme opinions finding a voice on CSPAN?

[ablbodyed]

5. It's a combintion of that and....

the wide-spread conservative christianity in the south. Those sheeple are very defensive about their beliefs (for good reason) and since many liberals view organized religion armed with a shaker of salt, this gives the southerners even more reason to HATE: their fondest beliefs are challenged.

[Q]

6. So you're saying it's based in Religion?

- As I see it...Liberals and Democrats have never prevented anyone from practicing their religion. We believe in the separation of church and state. Is there confusion about this issue?

[JHB]

9. Well, when beliefs are of the "all good things come from...

...the grace of God, all bad things are of the Devil" variety, it means a good government has to be a Godly government, and never having been a persecuted religious minority in living memory, adds up to a certain disagreement with the principle of church/state separation.

[Q]

13. But liberals have no objection to anyone practicing their faith...

...the problem comes about with the mixing of religion and politics. This country was founded by those escaping from the 'motherland' of the church/state.

- And I have no objection to a 'Godly' man or woman as president. The danger to Democracy and representative government is when they USE religion to control the people and escape accountability.

- But is it really a matter of religion? I don't know of any religion that teaches people to hate like this.

[BeFree]

27. Confusion?

That's funny, Q. "Is there confusion about this issue?" You must have work as a writer on many a canned sitcom, right? LOL

[Guaranteed]

15. I just think that, in general, the US is becoming more and more polarized

in that with the evolution of the media, people have become more "tuned in," emotionally attached, and reactionary. The political views of Americans are becoming more extreme.

[surfermaw]

7. Bush needs bashing

I am a moderate democrat, from a southern state, and I bash Bush all the time, he is the worst president of my life time, I was born just as Roosevelt came to be, and missed the three terrible,s, Harding , Coolidge and Hoover.

When a man lies to get into war,and kill americas best assets, then I would think most of the nation would bash him comming 2004. While Blue Collar southern boys are killed daily, in order for Bush to pay his contributors..Mr.Bush the select is our taking more contributions. I would much rather pay his campaign cost, and then have a president who works for the nation, instead of as an example Halliburton, & the likes of Enron.

[Q]

8. The objection to 'Bush bashing' is expected....

...but that's not really my question. Why do CSPAN callers from the South seem to hate liberals and Democrats so much? It's not just a difference of opinion. The hatred is glaringly obvious.

- What have we done to 'deserve' such hatred? I just don't understand it.

[surfermaw]

14. Bashing Liberals and Democrats

Much of the bashing of Liberals, comes from the religious right, they go to church on Sunday and listen to R/R ..baptist ministers...Some are leaving the church because the religious right has taken over..In one instance I remember one minister who put down every member who voted for Clinton...REpublican party got a hold of the lower educated Baptist who in many instances split off and formed a church called the independent baptist churches, some of their pastors have little education and actually beleive the gook they are putting out...republicans have gun control, confederate flag, abortion and religious right, so into the beleif of some southerners, that I think it is one of the most dangerous things goin on in america today, I doubt that many of them even know what the democrat party has brought them...Another few years of Bush and they might wake up,sort of like after the three republicans Harding, Coolidge and Hoover, then it took about 3 generations of southerners dying off to get another RIGHT WING republican elected again.

[Liberator_Rev]

36. Our generation was lucky to know GREAT Democrats like FDR

Welcome to DU SurferMaw. This is the first post of your's I've noticed. Hope that there'll be many MORE. Are you familiar with our http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/Democrats pages?

[supernova]

10. Self-selected subset

Q, even if you do watch C-SPAN, you're listening to the self-selected group of southerners who call in to talk shows.

Most Southerners (liberal or conservative) get up and go to work or school in the morning. Whatever their beliefs, they don't have time whine on TV about them.

It's not really accurate to say that all of the South whines about liberals simply on the basis of who calls into C-SPAN.

[Q]

16. I know a couple people...

...in the South through business. Although we're 'friendly' with each other and have civil conversations...we know better than to talk politics. They've expressed in the past their dislike of everything liberal or democratic.

- So it's not JUST the CSPAN callers. My conclusion can only be that many in the South have this same attitude. My friends and business associates have had the same types of experiences.

[supernova]

20. Well, I don't discuss politics in the office

on general principle. It's irrelevant.

Again, you're generalizing your experiences to be the norm. Not so. In my experience I find a mix of liberal and conservative folks. In fact, the reactionary people who call into C-SPAN are a rarity for me. Are you going to say my experience is somehow less valid than yours?

Yes, there is a certain subset (and subset here doesn't mean "small") of angry, vocal southerners. Liberals here aren't angry enough...yet.

[onecitizen]

18. You're right supernova...........

most of the people don't even know C-Span exists, much less ever waste their time calling into the show. Too busy trying to earn a living and raise a family.

[Q]

21. It's not just CSPAN callers...

...this attitude seems to be prevalent in the South. I realize I'm generalizing...but everyone I know shares this opinion about Southern politics.

- It's no coincidence...since the South is quickly replacing Democratic governers with Republican counterparts. Will this trend continue until the South is completely dominated by the GOP?

- There is a definite trend here that's difficult to ignore.

[bearfartinthewoods]

23. and that subset is reacting to the subset of liberals who call into CSPAN

if you notice, the calls often start out with "i have to respond to the caller you had on". the liberals they "know" are the ones they hear on CSPAN.

[GOPisEvil]

17. To deny that the majority of southerners are conservative is folly.

However, I've noticed a few things about the conservatives in general. First; they tend to be loud and speak in buzzwords. Second, their efforts at public "discourse" are often coordinated for maximum effect.

[ronatchig]

31. As a southern Dem

It is my opinion that the vast majority in the south are apolitical.This I believe is due to a generational policy of political exclusion. In my area the local offices are held by a small clique of business types whose main interest is in having a malleable subservient work force. Many in this area (rural NC) who would benefit the most from progressive politics are not registered to vote. In fairness however up until the liberalization of registration rules under Clinton , one was required to visit the courthouse and swear an oath to uphold the Constitution of N.Carolina. The crux of what I want to say is that the average Joe here is dependent on the scraps that the ruling elite tosses their way.

The fact is however that here Republican party looks just like the old Democratic party before the exodus of the dixiecrats under Nixon.
Until this underclass is motivated to rise up against the sons and daughters of the slave-owners, we will continue to see the political landscape dominated by the "gentry class".

My time in matters political is taken almost exclusively in a one man registration drive to convince people that voting is empowerment. And to tell the truth I could use some help here. My goal has been helped by the tragedy that Nafta has caused in this area, i even get through to people who have voted republican and have been sold out by the likes of Ballinger, Hayes,and Merrick.

Let me end this disjointed rambling by saying that with well placed issue ads, the GOP could be in real trouble around here. My dream ad would be one of the national unions starting up a campaign to extol the benefits of unionization in terms of wages and benefits. Also a determined and well financed campaign to register those who many here deride as ignorant southern trash. Until the average millhand, storeclerk,and other blue collar types are empowered at their workplace and at the polls, the overlords have the advantage to the detriment of us all.

[Kamika]

22. They're really not that bad

Im from Texas fyi :p

Anyway these guys might dislike liberals but its not like it sounds.. they just say those things because theyre protected by anonymity.. They (like most southerners) are quite nice even to liberals in real :)

[Bronco69]

24. I live in Texas too

and the first question that was asked to me when I moved here was "have you found a church yet?" When I said that I wasn't really interested in finding a church the person looked at me like I was some kind of wierdo. I think a lot of people here are just buying into the propaganda that they hear and see on radio and television. All in all the people in Texas are the kindest, nicest people in the world, I just think the media is brainwashing them.

[Kamika]

25. so..

Did you find one yet?

[Bronco69]

26. Actually I did!

Cathedral of Hope. The world's largest gay and lesbian church with over 4000 members. I'm not a member of the church, but I enjoy going from time to time.

[mmonk]

28. Southern liberals and moderates aren't calling in

The same with nationally syndicated conservative talk shows. Liberals and moderates don't tend to call in.

[supernova]

29. Thank you

agreed, mmonk.

[BeFree]

30. Could be...

That since the South is rapidly filling with unhappy Northeners -- many of whom are also unhappy conservatives -- the reaction you are hearing comes not from true Southerners.

Then again.... maybe it's the IDEA that some Liberals HAVE expressed a desire in the past to take away their Guns, remove their God, and force gays down their throats. Hell, if I thought that, I'd be pissed at Liberals too.

Methinks it's a little of both.

[Q]

32. My take on this issue...

...from hearing the comments on CSPAN and my personal and business relationship with Southerners is that there is an ingrained prejudice or bigotry against liberals and Democrats.

- Listen to the debates on the senate and house floors and you hear the same thing from the likes of Lott and Santorium.

- I believe boards like DU help to bridge the gap between these ideologies. We need to do more to inform the 'Southern States' about the true intentions and motivations of the majority of Democrats.

[Lindsey]

33. I was born and raised in Texas

and I STRONGLY believe that it is DEFINITELY the religious element that is the driving force. I have several childhood friends who I stay loosely connected with who are born again Christians. They honestly believe (without a question in their minds) that anyone who isn't a Christian (and who doesn't agree with the Christian stand on gays, abortion,etc.) is a sinner and doomed to hell! They have NEVER known anything different. I wrote a paper in college (after I moved out here to southern Calif.) about Plato's allegory of the cave. It's an incredible essay (from "The Republic")regarding individuals who only know what they know and are unable or unwilling to venture out of the only mindset they've ever had.

[Lars39]

34. I believe the attitude towards liberals is the result of rush and preachin

I once had an entire sermon directed to me because I didn't toe the conservative line. Very small church(80 members,tops), and a very small-minded fundy preacher. His views were strictly in line with the mothership, though; I could have just as easily heard the same sermon in a 2000 member church(southern bapt.)

[sinkingfeeling]

35. I also believe it comes from the fundamental churches.....

I'm a native of Ohio, but have spent almost half of my life in the South (NC, FL, TX, and now AR). I also was asked by all my neighbors if I had found a church right after they had said, 'Welcome'. I work for the leading state university and the young man in the office next to me is the typical native Arkansasan, even though he's working on his masters degree. He attended the local schools, spends about 3 evenings a week in 'church activities', never misses Sunday services unless he's traveling and then plays tapes of those 'hell and brimstone' sermons in his office. His TV News station is Fox; the political cartoons he has on his wall all lean to the 'right'; he distrusts the 'tax and spend' Democrats.

I believe that without the continuous repetition from the churches, seeking to ban outside knowledge, that the Republicans would have less success demonizing liberal thoughts.

[Catherine Vincent]

37. The more they complain about us bashing their precious president

...the louder we'll bash. Too fvcking bad. Ha! Btw, I hate their southern asses just as much. Tit for tat.

[Liberator_Rev]

38. The answer is show them that Christ was a LIBERAL !

The Democratic Party ought to carpetbomb the South with the message that Christ was a Liberal, with all the proof provided at :

http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/Christlike


See why we say followers of Christ (as opposed to 'Christians')
belong in the Liberal ranks of the Democratic Party.

[Liberator_Rev]

39. and he didn't waste a single breath on condemning . . .

gays or abortion , which we address at http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org

[QC]

40. The GOP has relentless propagandized certain groups/places for 30 years.

Among those is the South, where fundamentalist churches have become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Republican Party and talk radio is everywhere.

In those same 30 years, Democrats have done little to fight back. Accordingly, most people hear nonstop Republican propaganda and very little, if anything, to counter it.

The question is, how do we package our positions for those who do not read The Nation? Answer that and we can start fighting back.

[Blue_Roses]

41. I just had this conversation with someone at

my child's preschool regarding this very topic.
I was born and raised in Louisiana and my parents had us in church (southern baptist) everytime the door was open, however, they were Democrats. My mother was more conservative, but what I found different with my dad was that while he was conservative with how he raised us, he was liberal in his thinking for others and how they lived (took my gay cousin under his wing when his OWN dad disowned him). The mindset for most of the south (and I think I can speak for Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas since I have lived in these states) is extremely christian conservative and anyone who doesn't follow the rules of the bible is going to hell. Of course not everyone in the south thinks that, but the christian right is so powerful that it overshadows anyone who might have a different opinion. Alot of people don't buy into it but are afraid to speak against it. The christian right quickly puts them in their place (so to speak).

I have an extremely conservative right-winging sister and brother-in-law (who is a southern baptist minister) and we go round and round about this constantly. My dad used to say that she lives in a glass bubble cause that's where she can feel safe. They are EXTREMELY fearful of change and anything that "rocks the status quo." We just had a huge fight in April where I addressed her "pharisaic" attitude and she didn't speak to me until just recently. You just cannot talk sense with people like her and believe me, there are many with that mindset.

So to answer your question in a nutshell--it boils down to FEAR--fear of change, fear of the unknown, just plain fear. Which seems to work well for bush and it's no wonder he is using it.

[qanda]

42. The trend I notice is that they never have anything of substance to say.

It's always very general. "I think the President is doing a great job and I agree with him 100%". It actually makes me very sad to hear that type of blind faith and trust in anyone except God.

I don't think the policies of any Republican administration favor anybody who is poor, but those callers seem to just go along with it anyway. I guess it goes back to the fact that the Republicans play on their moral sensibilities to the point of manipulation and control.

[Blue_Roses]

43. here are some links

that help may help with the mindset of southern baptist. Alot of it just so ridiculous that it would be hilarious if it wasn't so true. This isn't the same southern baptist church I knew when I was growing up. It has become more of a political movement now. They hide behind the cloak of their "ministry" which is really bigotry.

http://www.sbc.net/
http://www.founders.org/sbc.html

[sangh0]

44. IMO, it goes deeper than just religion

There is a long tradition of fearing and hating a centralized power in American history. People prize their liberty and have a huge interest in protecting it. Americans are very proud and protective of their liberties and are well-versed in the history of other peoples and nation becoming oppressive after the rise of a strong centralized power.

The South, in particular, feels this more strongly than the rest of the nation. Reconstruction and the activist agenda of liberals in the 60's and 70's (particularly civil rights) has made many people feel that liberals want to strengthen the Federal govt in order that it enforce the liberals agenda, the way the Feds forced Southerners to integrate. This raises the spectre of an oppresive central govt.

IMO, this fear, combined with the misportrayal of liberals as being more concerned with identity politics (meaning everyone but white, middle-class christian males) explains a lot of the rhetoric emanating from the right-wing. It happens all over the country, but due to it's history, the South is particularly susceptible to having their fear manipulated

[Capn Sunshine]

46. You're missing something

the zeal and dedication to sit on hold and wait to be heard and the TIME available to do so is not available to most people, let alone most democrats. Callers tend to be skewed to the wingnuts due to their availability; I submit to you most good democrats in the south are at work or "just don't have time for this foolishness".

[LoneStarLiberal]

47. It's A Southern Conservative Thing But Not A Southern Thing

In my experiences, conservatives down here tend to be a little more obnoxious, a little less worried about the details (evidence, science, etc.), and more inflexible than their ilk in other parts of the United States.

What previous posters have written about the dynamics of call-in shows during the work week are true; many of the same dynamics hold true through the weekend shows as well. Shows like Washington Journal usually only attract wingnut callers from both ends of the ideological spectrum and very few people in between.

There is definitely a "Southern thing" but it is important to distinguish the "Southern thing" from the "Southern conservative thing." Southern conservatives are Klan-loving, God (as in the white intolerant Protestant version)-fearing, minority-hating, poor-exploiting chickenhawking evil wastes of humanity who should all be sterilized and have their children rescued. They are literally that bad. We should rescue their innocent children from them in the same sense that you would rescue a dog from a home where it is abused.

EDIT: And there is the carpetbagger factor, too. We've seen this in Texas over the last twenty years. Conservative scum from the West, upper Midwest, and Northeast all make their way down to the rapidly expanding suburbs of Houston, Austin, and Dallas. This new generation of carpetbaggers have played a pivotal role in ruining the Lone Star State with their crass commercialism and political and social bigotry. Carpetbaggers suck.