Red State kids- a story to remind us all not to give up on people

[havocmom]

in ANY color state. Just a little something to remind us not to make blanket assumptions and disparaging remarks about people because we don't like how their state voted.

Some kids from a real tiny rural school donated the $$ they have been raising for their senior trip to a teacher who is ill with cancer. Ellen Degeneres got in touch with them and some other folks decided the kids should have a trip even if they didn't have the $$ for it now.

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/02/22/newsbutte/hjjejhhhjcehgj.txt

<snip> Seven of the eight Lima High School seniors who selflessly gave their ailing teacher the $5,000 they'd saved since eighth grade for a senior trip will be among the featured guests on the program.

<snip> When the renowned comedienne and Emmy Award-winning talk show hostess DeGeneres heard that some of seniors had never seen the ocean, she invited the eight students to come to California last month after interviewing them via satellite at their school.</userdefined>

The kids got to go to California, do the tourist thing, be on TV. The foul weather didn't bother them.

<snip> "You know, in Montana it seems like we never get any rain so it's been kind of cool to see it," Stosich said. "It's been crazy. You walk outside and in two minutes, you're soaked." This is the first of three trips the seniors have planned following an outpouring from people across country who'd read about their decision to give the money they'd saved to a teacher diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.

<snip> Since then, people from as far away as Florida have donated more than $11,000 to help pay for the seniors trip to Seaside, Ore. On top of that the eight were invited to travel to Salt Lake City on a separate weekend in March to shoot hoops with the Utah Jazz professional basketball team before watching their game. </userdefined>

Dr. Dean is 100% right to spend time and effort in Red States. Getting a populist message out there, listening, and learning about people whose lives are different from the urban can and will help us get the truth out there, get voters more aware and do a little coalition building of our own for future campaigns. It will help us a lot more than some of the bashing we have witnessed since November 2.

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. It's like a head start program for the red states. It's a nice story.

Good job, Ellen! And good job kids!

[goodboy]

2. We've got to 'kill 'em with kindness'...we'll always be the good guys then

[noahmijo]

3. Those of us in the red states have it the worst

What I wouldn't give to be back east right now amongst my fellow New Yorkers, hell I'd even rather hang out with Red Sox fans who at least hate Bush than the average yahoos out here I have to deal with in Az.

There are many of us in the "Red States" that have to see left and right the ignorance of neo cons and their high and mighty attitudes since their boy idiot won and we find little to no comfort being that we are largely outnumbered.

I mean just the other day my former boss has the gaw to tell me that I'm "too liberal" when we weren't even discussing politics! she just came up to me point blank "you're too liberal" I mean what kind of shit is that??? it took sooooo much not to just go "you know what ya fuckin yokel LIBERALS BUILT THIS COUNTRY! It wasn't the holier than thou motherrfuckers that built the railroads, it wasn't your hero robber barons that made the skyscrapers, and you know that measure to suppress Latinos and encourage racial profliing that you whole heartedly voted for here in Arizona, well you better not eat any veggies cause guess what who you think picks that food for you to stuff into your fucking yap eh??

The woman has a husband who is dying of cancer and that is the only reason I politely ignored her comments.

Anyways sorry for the rant but you get the idea, at least in the blue states it's not hard to find a bunch of people who you can sit around and rant with and you don't have to step outside to a slew of hateful stickers put on by perverts and drunks who say to your face while spitting that they are better than you especially because * "won"

[havocmom]

5. Yeah, I know the frustration. I am in Montana having moved here from AZ

The point is, we are guilty of the same sort of bigotry we claim to be fighting if we make knee-jerk, blanket statements, painting all people with the same red color brush. People are people, where ever you are. There are dimwits and enlightened ones all over the place. The task is to connect with the enlightened ones and help get a better view across to whole populations.

I have met some real asshole-narrow-minded-bigots from New York too. I choose not to assume everyone from there is the same.

Hey, hope you are managing OK with all the rain down there. Stay outta those gullies some of the roads go through on the east side. And no water skiing down Speedway! ;) And, for goodness sakes, broaden your circle of acquaintances! I know from personal experience that Tucson has a BIG bunch of liberals. You can find some people to relate to, but you will have to stop thinking there is no civilization beyond New York. Even the liberals in Tucson get tired of that narrow minded outlook.

[noahmijo]

8. Assholes exist everywhere no argument there however..

Nearly every liberal I've met out here so far is largely from the east coast mainly New York or New Jersey, I can count on one hand how many native born Arizonians I've met out here that are not wingnuts, and I have been around I worked the Kerry campaign out here and everything, and everybody working it with me either had an east coast accent of some sort or a British(!) one believe it or not.

Not one who wore a cowboy hat while spitting tobacco every 5 steps sorry to resport.

[havocmom]

13. Like I said, you gotta widen your circle! LOL

Cuz I knew more western liberals in Tucson than I knew in California! Get a copy of the Tucson Weekly and find some liberal stuff to do. It'll be fun to meet some westerners who will surprise you! That many people at McKale to see Michael Moore ought to be a tip to you ;)

[ohkay]

10. Hi.

:pals:

[noahmijo]

12. awww thanks

For the record I do have some dear friends that are Red Sox fans who are right outta Boston (one of them even grew up about a block from Fenway) and I'll tell you it's an honor to have spirited discussions about the rivalry because they truly love and know their team. So much nicer than the morons out here who claim to hate the Yanks because it's the cool thing to do and you ask them their favorite baseball team and you get "oh I hate baseball GO LAKERS!!"

[TomClash]

4. Amen to that

I like forward to the day when I look at a map of the United States and see a sea of populist blue.

[meegbear]

6. CHILDREN ON A LESBIAN SHOW?!?!?!

Where's the outrage 'Merica? First Spongebob, now this?

[havocmom]

7. From what I hear, she is quite popular with folks in that area.

Guess that means not all red state residents are maniac gay-bashing fundy control freaks, huh? ;) Guess we shouldn't judge all the people by what a few idiots in state legislatures try to foist off on us.

Maybe the time has come for us to lay down arms in the verbal war against rural populations and start seeing people as individuals?

Peace through building bridges across the cultural divides.

I love this story. It has so many facets and views, sorta like people.

[Historic NY]

9. One step at a time...state by state..........

it is uplifting news.

[lastliberalintexas]

11. While I applaud the kids,

I would also love it if people would look at the healthcare angle here. There is no reason that those kids should have ever had to donate their vacation money- that woman should have had access to the "best healthcare in the world" living here in the good old US of A. Universal healthcare anyone?

[havocmom]

14. Healthcare is one issue. Making a living while you are ill is another

problem. The money is a help even if your insurance pays for most of your care.

Yes, we need to provide better care, all over the nation. This is one of those bridges we can help build.