Could Ron Popeil sell socialism in Alabama?

[Syrinx]

That title deserves a long, detailed essay, but I'm just going to do a quick post, before going to sleep for about two hours. :)

Think about it. Alabama was one of the most Democratic states until the Civil Rights Movement. Then everything got screwed up by the insane racism.

In our earlier history, Alabama voters were in favor of doing more to help the poor. As long as they were white.

Hopefully, we are largely over over the era of racial hatred in the south.

If we had a great salesman (that's where Ron Popeil comes in), couldn't we revive the Progressive Movement, which I think even started in the South?

There's a lot of hurting people in the South, of several different colors. They should be be compelled to consider each other.

If we had a super-sharp, out-of-nowhere candidate that could charm audiences, and teach voters about the realities of democratic socialism, do you think there is a chance we could convert the state? At least move them a little left?

I know that's a lot of "IF."

[road2000]

1. Interesting question.

I think the people of Alabama could be swayed by a charismatic progressive candidate if they clearly understood why they'd be voting in their own economic interests. I also think, as you speculate, that racial hatred may be on its way out in the South. It's far more widespread, on an anecdotal basis, in Ohio or Indiana.

Bible-thumpers have used the South for years to create a "scaring ground" -- fear of godless socialism, legal abortion, gay rights, the loss of nebulous "freedoms." Perhaps if they were reminded that "love thy neighbor" is the portion of the creed that has been eliminated, they could be nudged somewhat to the left. However, I think it would have to take place in increments, with a series of populist/progressive candidates gaining lower office, then moving higher as they established trust. It would take a highly-focused, concerted and planned effort over a period of years.

[Syrinx]

4. I think you're right

I wish that Howard Dean would be elected again as head of the party. I think he was making inroads in the "red" states, even ones considered as "hopeless" as Alabama. Tim Kaine just isn't cutting it.

[bamacrat]

2. If Fox news is banned it might have more of a chance.

The lack of education mixed with shiny flamboyant headlines trap the uneducated into a moronic stupor. Racism in the South is gone in Alabama........when it comes to sports but there are still huge areas where black people just shouldn't go, for their own safety and I grew up in one of those areas. But I would like to point out that where there are alot of black people, Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa racism doesn't seem as bad as say Morgan and Cullman counties.

[Syrinx]

3. is it really that bad in Cullman?

I haven't been there in a long time. But they elected an African-American Democrat to the state house in 2008, even though both Cullman, and Cullman County, are less than 1% black.

[bamacrat]

5. Cullman is bad but east Morgan County is worse.

5th grade was my first year of football and we practice next to my school, and there were no toilets where the practice field was so we would just go into the woods to pee. One time me and a few of the guys went about 100 yards back into the woods and came into a big cleared circle about 100 ft across, it had a pile of ashes in the middle and a little shed to one side. I didn't know what it was, thought it might be a camp ground or something. Well a few years ago I was watching a documentary on the KKK and they were at a rally and the screen said Union Hill, Alabama. It was the clearing I had walked into as a child, right next to my elementary school. It was crazy because I recognized everything they showed it had not changed in the 13 years since I had been there.

Union Hill is 100% white, one time when I was in 6th grade a black family moved there and they had a daughter that was in 6th grade I was in 7th at the time. She was at the school for about a week probably less. I didn't know why she left so quickly at the time and didn't really think about it because I was 12 and wasn't around racism at home. I mean one of my best friends from Huntsville was a black guy I would hang out with during the summer. But, a couple years later I was talking to a friend of mine that was in her grade and I asked him if he remembered that girl. He said he did and asked my if I knew why she left. I had no idea and told me that the KKK showed up at her house and told her parents if they knew what was best for them they would leave. So they did. The Union Hill, Brindlee Mountain, Arab area are the worst I have seen. Of course now they probably don't care about black people as much since Arab has a huge Mexican population. They took r jobs, der der der, like in South Park.

[SteveM]

6. But wait! Order now and for $19.95, get the EVDebbs socialist pocket legislature...

AND 3 snag-less WestBank Cominterns and a Trotskyite Deep Diver!

[misanthrope]

7. The oft used political ad line, "Too liberal for Alabama?" is tantamount to...

..."Too Jewish for Hitler?"

[dmack]

8. this is somehting I've been thinking about a lot lately...

I've actually been kicking around a statement in my head as means of trying to figure out what angle this could take. This is what I have so far:

"I'd like to begin by emphasizing that supporting the Democrats does not make one a socialist. The Democrats are only slightly less reactionary than the Republicans. The leadership cadres of both parties come from the same group of power elite, and seek to further their own interests as such. I was born and raised here in Alabama, the "Heart of Dixie", and I'm not afraid of socialism. I've always heard people warning me about gays or abortionists or immigrants, but none of those people as a group have ever shipped out my family members' jobs or foreclosed on their homes. The ones who have are from the same class that in the past would have kept my ancestors, and many of yours, as dirt poor tenant farmers if they could have - all while stirring up racial anxiety to try to spook them into staying loyal to those who lived well off their want. These people bank on our division, they always have. If we each want to truly be freed of exploitation, we must all stand together. Our families, the day to day workers, are the ones who have built the might of America up around us. It is only fair that we all be allowed to partake of its bounty."

[ThoughtCriminal]

9. It's easy to sell socialism anywhere - even Alaska

Just don't call it that and design it to put money in their pockets. The Alaska Permanent Fund is probably one of the most socialist programs in the country, but nobody dares admit that (if you have any doubts, just make that assertion in the Alaska Forum).

In Alabama, we have another popular example: TVA