I'm tired of feeling like a minority....

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

yeah this is going to get a bit whiny, so check out of this thread if you think you won't like it.

I've been a liberal and a Democrat all my life. I live in Texas. The only other places I've lived have been Georgia and Alabama. Imagine.

Until 2000, I mostly kept my mouth shut and didn't say much about how I felt, especially in mixed company. And if I ever found someone else who felt like me, it was completely by accident and we learned to speak quietly and in code to each other when others were around.

After 2000, I decided fuck that. I'm getting too old and things are getting too screwy to be quiet anyfuckingmore.

So I revealed myself to be a big ol' liberal to everyone I know. I was already married to one, I knew that. And my two best friends are big liberals. Beyond that, I didn't know, but I started letting other people know what I was about.

When I heard racist comments I spoke up.

When I was at dinner parties and some puffed up Pharisee would go on about the sanctity of marriage and how "gross" homosexuality was, the calm conversation soon turned into a heated debate. Even when the hosts were Democrats themselves, they often weren't "out" about it and they would mollycoddle the bigoted republican "friends."

I've had my beliefs questioned, insulted. I've been told I can't possibly be a real Christian, because I read about Buddhism and because I believe a woman should have reproductive rights. I've had my car keyed because of my bumper stickers, I lost five bumper stickers and two signs and had one sign defaced by a neighbor I've helped many times.

I was asked by a "friend" today how it felt to be a loser. Then he laughed. I told him to go to hell.

Schools around here seem to be "literacy optional." I am choked with nationalism and jingoism. Fear, ignorance, and hatred are lethal combinations and they surround me.

What must it be like to live somewhere where no one bats an eye at someone like me?

[alittlelark]

1. It is wonderful. I live in the SF Bay Area

We went about 70% for Kerry. I am able to commiserate w/neighbors, co-workers and friends. With Stanford and Berkley as cornerstones, we are a progressive group (too highlt ed-u cated I guess)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

3. I can't imagine just openly speaking about being upset about the

election.

Edit: Without the very real chance of getting into an argument with someone over it.

[oldtime dfl_er]

2. Can't you move blue?

We want people like you!!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

4. It's expensive

and we'd have to find jobs. Not the best economy to be doing that in.

And the jobs Mr. and I have here are exceptionally good. I mean, it's not ALL bad here, but you do reach a point where you either get even MORE vocal or get out.

Dunno.....believe me, if we hit the lottery, we'd be outta here so fast....

[libbygurl]

5. Can't say I know the answer to...

"What must it be like to live somewhere where no one bats an eye at someone like me?"

I'm in the same situation as you are, living in a predominantly red state (but 43% went for JK, a hopeful sign), a state that once upon a time was heavily blue. I know only a couple of close friends who aren't Republicans, and we have to talk quietly when in public. I work with a whole bunch of Republicans who, other than their Bush-supporting, nasty anti-Kerry, fundamentalist religious beliefs, are genuinely wonderful people to work with. (Which makes me even more frustrated about the whole situation!) We rarely, if ever, talk politics. I usually keep my thoughts to myself politics-wise, unless I'm in the company of likeminded individuals. For the sake of harmony in the workplace, I don't even bother bringing up any political talk with my work colleagues.

I congratulate you, my dear Moonbeam_Starlight, for your courage in finally "coming out". Wow, it's pretty stifling, isn't it, to feel like an oppressed minority! The having to talk in code, in whispers, and only with sympathetic friends--holy smoke! Shades of, uhm, Soviet Russia? Red China? Is this still the land of "democracy" and "free speech"???

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

8. Yep

you should have seen it when I was a student at Texas A&M University, one of the most conservative universities in the nation, and the home of the George H.W. Bush presidential library.

Talk about speaking in code. When I was in Aggies Against Bonfire, we had to meet secretly. We had to change our meeting place every week, for fear of being found out.

The year we finally protested (we thought bonfire was extremely dangerous as it was being done and sure enough, in 1999, it collapsed, killing several students) another Aggie grabbed my sign (a guy), spit on me, then proceeded to beat me with it.

Yeah, fun days. Just made me more of a liberal, though!

[libbygurl]

13. By golly, that sounds like you really had to go underground,

like some secret illegal society! In the good ol' USA! That is terrible! I've yet to suffer a similar fate with my colleagues, but they're all professionals in the medical field, and generally behave professionally. All the best to you! Just know that DU is always here for people like you and me, like a lifeline for sanity!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Buy a parka and some warm boots and move to Minnesota.

Every winter I've been tempted to move south. Starting about this time of year, I think about the snow that's coming and the below-zero cold and scraping the ice off my windshield and wondering if the car will start and puttying up my windows and all that stuff, and how much it's gonna suck until about the middle of April. But not this time. Just today I was thinking about how nice it is to live in a blue state, and in a neighborhood where almost every house had a Kerry/Edwards sign on the lawn. Here, despite the national election, we picked up 13 seats in the state legislature. I don't feel like a pariah here; if you're a liberal you have a lot of company. Just get on I-35 and keep driving... you'll be glad you did. But bring warm clothes.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

7. We've actually considered Minnesota

and Oregon, Washingon and Philadelphia.

We'd love to live in St. Paul. And I'm in love with Garrison Keillor's book "Homegrown Democrat."

It's just a matter of money and jobs.

I have a feeling a lot of Minnesotans will be fantasizing about the south a lot less this winter!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Unemployment in MN is actually fairly low, relatively speaking.

Major industries are health care, transportation, computers, tourism. St. Paul is a nice old river town, and it's full of Democrats. I met Garrison Keillor once, years ago, and he's very tall and very shy. Minnesota really is like he says it is.

[Dookus]

9. come to santa cruz...

In all honesty, I have not met a single Bush supporter here. We were second only to San Francisco county in our support for Kerry this year.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

14. God would I love to....

What part of California?

You guys have the gropenator....any chance you'll get rid of him soon? (Not that I have ANY room to talk about governors...)

[Dookus]

17. Central coast

at the very top of Monterey Bay. About 70 miles or so south of San Francisco, and only 20 miles or so from San Jose.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

20. Oh my......

that sounds absolutely gorgeous.

You are solely responsible for the fact that I am going to hit Half-Price Books tomorrow to find some travel books on your area.

[sundog]

16. Santa Cruz rocks

I want to move there some day

[Dookus]

22. Indeed it do...

c'mon over, or down, or up, or whichever direction works.

But bring money... it's 'spensive here.

[Sabriel]

11. Madison, too

Do I ever miss living there! It's like a little haven. An expensive little haven....

[Sabriel]

12. Madison, too

Do I ever miss living there! It's like a little haven. An expensive little haven....

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

15. Madison, WI?

Never checked it out.....maybe I will. We need to get together a five year plan. Regardless of who wins in 2008, we want out of here.

[Sabriel]

19. It's really very liberal, especially the near-west side

The near-east is, too, and a little more bohemian. Housing prices can be nasty, though. And taxes are yikes!

[sundog]

18. Hey Moonbeam

I'm in Southern NM & today I got a REPENT flyer on my car with a bunch of bible quotes... at my place of business.

Mind you this was not a customer. Someone came on to my lot & put that there. :puke:

The whole town knows I'm a lib & know I'm queer too.

This is the shit I have to deal with. You are not alone.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

21. Don'tcha love it?

sarcasm off

Repent of what? Being yourself? Being a human? Repent of calling them on their bullshit?

Never. Pharisees.

Sorry and you know I feel bad bitching because I'm NOT gay so it's not like I've gotten HALF the shit my gay friends have.

But whatever they have to deal out to my gay friends, I'm standing right there with them. They will not stand alone.