PLEASE forgive me

[Brian_Expat]

I was raised in the Northeast. Boston is my home away from home.

According to Republicans, that means that based simply on geography, I'm "unAmerican" and "too liberal."

And according to people here on DU, that means that I (and my city) are "amoral." Because nothing could be worse than being perceived as being from amoral Boston and being run from amoral Boston (or San Francisco or New York)!

Yes, those of us who hail from places on the coast should get NO representation whatsoever. Our opinions and ideas shouldn't matter. The fact that we're successful and have the lowest divorce rate in Massachusetts -- despite the "marriage destruction" of gay marriages? Doesn't matter, we should just surrender ground to Oklahoma twice-divorced demagogues on the matter.

We pay the taxes, we make the money, we have the most successful families and the best schools and the best health care. Yet we get no representation AT ALL in federal policy and it's perfectly OK to demonize Massachusetts or San Francisco or New York or New Jersey.

Tom DeLay can describe Massachusetts as "communist." Dick Armey can say that the Democrats shouldn't have their convention in Boston because "it's not part of the United States." Nancy Pelosi can be blasted as a "San Francisco Democrat."

But if ANY Democrat brings up the racist past of any southern or Midwestern state, it's a crime against diversity itself! If any Democrat derided Tom DeLay as an "East Bumfuck Republican," the media would be all over talking about elitism in the Democratic Party.

Well, it's time to give all the smug red-state yahoos (of both parties) a wake up call.

I'm not going to apologize for the region of the country I hail from. Nor am I going to accept your slurs anymore against the great blue state cities. And if I see any more rhetoric here or elsewhere talking about how "awful" it is to have our party be perceived as a party that has a large constituency in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, LA or other places, I will PUKE ALL OVER your holier-than-thou thrice-divorced SUV-driving unsustainably consuming asses.

Deal?

[mike_c]

1. hear hear!

EXCELLENT rant!

[MatrixEscape]

2. Bravo! TELL IT! n./t

[janx]

3. Bri, where have you been?!

We have a DFA group here. Check it out!

[Brian_Expat]

5. Will do, darlin'

It's good to see you! I've been hanging out in the GLBT thread as of late, flirting. ;) (Even Deaniacs deserve a break, right?)

[acmavm]

4. Oh, whatever. Start barfing. I haven't seen a whole lot of bashing of

your 'blue' state cities. I live in Nebraska, I know what bashing is about. And this place deserves it. But I guess that if you live in a 'blue' state city, you're better than everyone else.

You know the one thing that really is nuts about you guys? You talk about how you 'support' everything. Well, I'm a dem in Nebraska and last time I looked at my paycheck stub, I was losing a lot of money out of it as well. Before I even saw the check. Just like you. You're not supporting me. I'm helping to support this country as well, just like you.

And a good Sunday morning to you too.

[charlie]

11. If you're wondering where this comes from

The thread starter's (the guy below, not this thread) been blathering this kind of rot about Boston et al since the election:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2785956&mesg_id=2785956

[Brian_Expat]

12. A fine exhibit of what I'm talking about, thanks for the link

As if Denver, Indianapolis or Atlanta are so much more "moral" than Boston or San Francisco. . . whaddevah. :)

[acmavm]

20. Well, it that's the example, I really don't understand this thread. The

first poster says something about the 'blue' city states and then it turns into the usual and never-ending argument about RELIGION and whether or not believers/non-believers have the moral high ground.

That's bullshit. The insults and intolerance here lately has been absolutely amazing. And it's coming from all directions. And just because someone says something about about a couple 'blue' cities and then throws in the religion issue, everyone takes a side and insults everyone else. But the 'I'm gonna puke on' remark was childish and inane.

No wonder dems can't get their act together. Between being sold out by our leadership and the nastiness between dems who don't think EXACTLY like others would like them to, we'll never overcome our parties problems.

That whole post went from one person's criticism of 'blue' cities and some very questionable accusations of how they are causing problems for democrats to an entire indictment on everyone's religious beliefs (or lack of). And it sure doesn't make this thread-starters remarks justified.

[charlie]

25. I don't know if it's *the* example

You'll have to take that up with Brian. That Perky guy's been getting on my nerves the past few weeks and I happened to remember that thread.

And yeah, I agree, we've been way over the top lately with battle royales over mostly inconsequential piffle.

[Kingshakabobo]

16. Nebraska is a welfare state

Your state receives $1.19 in federal funds for every dollar it pays out. Nebraska is a welfare state.

When your state gets off the government tit and starts paying its own way your local legislatures will have to increase your state income taxes, your property taxes and your sales taxes. When that happens, tell us how self sufficient you are.

[acmavm]

23. I'll tell you how self-sufficient I am. I work for a living, pay my taxes,

and don't get one damn dime from anyone, especially not you.

So far no one's given me a break on having to pay my taxes. In fact, Nebraska has one of the highest property tax levels in this country. We are taxed on EVERYTHING. Our taxes for using the streets in this state are unbelievable. Taxes on gas are sky-high. We pay state and city sales taxes on everything, including services.

A lot of this may stay in the state, but to say that we are sucking on the 'tit' of blue states is rather arrogant.

Insult my tired ass when you start paying MY bills and MY taxes and then I'll kneel down at your holy altar of 'you owe me because I live in a blue state'.

[Kingshakabobo]

28. Think your local taxes and fees are too high now?

LOL. It's simple math. YOUR STATE RECEIVES 120% MORE FEDERAL FUNDS BACK THAN IT PAYS OUT! This subsidizes your lifestyle. I'm sorry but it is true. Without that money YOU would have to ante up.

It's time that the red state "lift your self up by the bootstrap self sufficient small government wanting Massachusetts bashing" hypocrites get shown the light.

Want smaller government and less federal taxes? Well stretch your little short alligator arms in your pockets and start paying for your own roads, bridges, schools, hospitals etc.

BTW, When I say "you and your" I am refering to the "red states". I don't care to make this personal with you since I don't know you but there is a lot of hypocracy in this country regarding "the re-distribution of wealth" the repugs like to rant about.

[acmavm]

24. I'll tell you how self-sufficient I am. I work for a living, pay my taxes,

and don't get one damn dime from anyone, especially not you.

So far no one's given me a break on having to pay my taxes. In fact, Nebraska has one of the highest property tax levels in this country. We are taxed on EVERYTHING. Our taxes for using the streets in this state are unbelievable. Taxes on gas are sky-high. We pay state and city sales taxes on everything, including services.

A lot of this may stay in the state, but to say that we are sucking on the 'tit' of blue states is rather arrogant.

Insult my tired ass when you start paying MY bills and MY taxes and then I'll kneel down at your holy altar of 'you owe me because I live in a blue state'.

[noamnety]

6. We should respond harshly

Delay and Armey should be called out as bigots, as should anyone else making similar statements.

[jmm]

7. It's all about pandering to demographics now.

I guess those of us who are from Massachusetts are suppose to hide under a rock or something.

[LDS Jock]

8. you didn't get the memo?

all of you tax and spend Massachusetts liberals are suppose to only pay taxes, but not actually want your voices heard.

[Brian_Expat]

10. Except that our demographics in Massachusetts are BETTER

Our families are more successful. We have the lowest divorce rate -- heterosexual AND homosexual -- in the country.

We make more money. We are better educated with better schools.

We have a health care system that's one of the best in the country, with coverage for everyone who needs it.

We have much lower infant mortality rates.

We have teachers who earn a living wage.

We have some of the most successful economic growth policies in the country.

THOSE are our demographics and I'm damn proud of them. I'll proudly put those demographics up, cheeck to jowl, with ANY of the Republican red states.

[jmm]

15. Oh I agree and I don't care if Tom Delay thinks

we're a bunch of Commies. He's the same guy who claimed there were so many minorities volunteering to go to Vietnam that there was no room in the army for him. Needless to say I don't hold his opinion in high regards. What does get to me though is when he can make his comment or Dick Armey can say Boston isn't part of the US and you don't hear anybody in the Democratic party calling them on it. Let either of them say it about a city that isn't Boston or San Francisco and you'd see most of the Democratic party jumping in front of every TV camera and radio mic condemning them.

[salinen]

9. I'm not sure anymore

can I make fun of Utah or not?

[Career Prole]

13. That statement doesn't call for forgiveness.

It calls for a high five!
:yourock:

[MuseRider]

14. People are bashing you?

Really? I guess I missed it. Why? Makes no sense to me to bash any Democrat from anywhere for the region they live in but then I am in Kansas and a bit defensive myself.

[Horushawk]

17. Deal! I agree!

I'm am so sick of geographical bias. I'm from Texas and I do not take offense at what you are saying.:toast:

[Pepperbelly]

18. what bug flew up your ass? nt

[mtnsnake]

19. If only our Democratic leaders were as vocal about it as you

are, but they're not. We need some outspoken new leadership with as much balls as brains, instead of the pansy little pushovers we've got now.

[DebinTx]

21. Just politely remind those who denigrate your state

the accomplishments of your state (as you did in your post) vs a totally red state such as Texas, where the death penalty is the highest in the country, where funding of the educational system is based upon robbing rich districts to pay for poor districts and the republican controlled legislature is content to let ride, where teachers earnings are 43 in the country, where children (160,000 this year alone) were kicked out of the low-cost state assisted health plan, where gays are openly spied on inside their own bedrooms, where redistricting was done out of synch with the census count at a cost to taxpayers in the millions because some half-wit republican decided that his party was entitled to more congressional seats just because he said so.... I could go on but I get more and more depressed about my bleeding red home.

[yewberry]

22. Another reason for this rant:

I don't know if most people across the country know this, but for months before the "election," the George & Dick show were doing a real number on my state. They traveled around the country, mocked me, my neighbors, and my state. Called me unamerican. Said that we don't share American values. Every time they said the name of my state, they looked like they were saying a swear word. And all of this before cheering, laughing crowds of "real Americans."

I don't share the vitriol against red-staters here, but please understand that some of us are still struggling with the fact that we are the one state that everybody loves to hate.

[jdots]

26. I am from Boston too and have felt a hate because of it

Called a damn yankee everywhere in the country i have visited or lived.Everybody wants to be part of a team,world team ,country team,state team on down to familly team.This world seems to hate itself and form street gangs,
I am sorry too,the street gang is still everywhere and since humans have come up with technology they have to live with,we better start living with it.In my little life time street gangs have gone from fists to machine guns.The first phone i remember had no dial,you picked it up and a person asked who you wanted to talk too,(unbelievable you say ) WE HAVEN'T grown up since they split the atom,if anything we have rejected our techno advances with dumbing down as a hiding place for a simple life we all seem to want.America seems to be the most confused because we have been the leaders in some forms of technology,we have become more devided as we have become more connected.I don't see politicians dealing with that fact,they seem to be gang leaders in a world that is in electronic real time.So lets just go out and beat up the other street gang,whats thier cell number we can call them and find out a good time for the rumble.

[datasuspect]

27. i'm surprised no one has called you a bigot yet

or asked you to provide "sources" or web links for what you are saying.

bravo for the post.

[Brian_Expat]

29. Is it fair if I call myself one? Just to get it started? ;) n/t

[wovenpaint]

30. WE hosted the tea party

that got this all going. EOM

[bloom]

31. "My state is better than your state"

My dog is better than your dog... neener neener neener




Sorry - but that is what you sound like.

You may be right :shrug: but then you don't even live there do you? :wtf:

[Brian_Expat]

32. They started it

with their constant crap about how awful my state is. . . when my state IS better.

you don't even live there do you

Doesn't matter -- according to them, since I'm from there, I'm evil. I have had people interrupt me in mid-sentence to say "that's just Massachusetts elitist liberal bullshit."

They'd be enraged if someone interrupted them and said "that's just Alabama white-trash neocon bullshit."

[Sterling]

33. It's because the south will rise again.

Just ask southerners. They have been scheming since Appomattox. They have dragged their feet on progress every step of the way and they are planning their revenge.