I'm in Kansas and Boy! Am I having FUN!

[Th1onein]

This place is FULL of Republicans! The first day I was here, a client WHISPERED to me that she was a liberal! Like it was something to be ashamed of! I am starting discussions left and right and winning and winning and winning! Most of these people have NO facts, just Republican talking points! And they aren't angry, either. Just kind of amazed at the info they're getting.

This is so much fun! I love these good, hardworking people, and I absolutely love engaging them, and informing them!

[niyad]

1. good for you!!! keep up the great work. my sympathies, however, for

being in kansas in the first place, much less in the summer.

[silverojo]

29. WTF? Kansas is a lovely place!

I was born there, and went back there recently, and it never fails to amaze me how clean it is. People really take care of their property, which is more than can be said for the small towns of other states. Plus, all those rolling hills with bright green prairie grass...I'd have moved back there, except that I have fibromyalgia and can't take the cold winters. :(

[New Government]

51. Damn Straight

I'd compare the Kansas City area - and a lot of Missouri - to anything, anywhere. Pretty, clean, good people......some speak of that which they haven't a clue!

[bertha katzenengel]

31. My mother was born in Kansas . . .

just by way of pointing out that your opinion as offered could be offensive. :hi:

[SoCalDem]

48. Me too.. Born at Smoky Hill AFB, Salina Kansas

but have not spent much time in my home state.. My mother's funeral a few years back ..and that's probably the last time I'll be back there..

[bertha katzenengel]

54. Hmm. Do you know if there's an army base near Topeka?

Her father was a sergeant.

[SoCalDem]

56. Forbes used to be there, but I think it's been closed

Fort Riley, and Olathe naval Air station may be the only bases left.. I think they even closed McConnell.. :shrug:..once they cleared out all those missile silos, there was no real need for all those bases..

[bertha katzenengel]

57. Thanks.

My mother's been gone nearly 34 years . . . no one left to ask now.

:hi:

[Scout1071]

61. Ft. Leavenworth or Ft. Riley.

Ft. Leavenworth is NW of KC and NE of Topeka.

Ft. Riley is about 100 miles West of Topeka. Home of "The Big Red One."

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. There are far worse places to be in July than Kansas

[MODemocrat]

60. My husband of 56 years was born and raised in Kansas

He was raised near Leavenworth out in the country near a town called Tonganoxie. We drove over there on Father's day as he wanted to show me all of his old stomping grounds. I was so impressed with the beauty in the whole area. Everyone's places looked as if they were scrubbed, and yes there are some lovely hills all the way out there. I could easily live in Kansas, if it wasn't such a Republican State. Its'
probably worse than Missouri, which is pretty bad.

People who think Kansas is just a flat prairie may have never been this far East.

[BushOut06]

If you want some real fun, drop by Fred Phelp's church

Seriously, I wonder what his reaction would be if a couple of people started picketing his church?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. He takes down license plate numbers and commences years of harrassment

You think no one has tried picketing him before? LOL

Phelps is dangerous. I would never in a million years encourage ANYONE to picket his church.

[hfojvt]

10. no problem

What's he gonna do, harrass Enterprise? And just how does he go from license plate to person anyway?

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. He has a family member who works for the DMV

He has been doing this for years. He also takes pictures. Trust me, he finds out who his counter protesters are.

[hfojvt]

22. wouldn't that person be violating some privacy laws?

and me with my picture in the KC Star. Not much hope for anonymity.

[bertha katzenengel]

32. Oh, hell -- do they care? The Phelpses are beyond scruples.

:grr:

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. You would think

But they have been harrassing their counter protesters in this fashion for years.

[Clark2008]

46. No. Your car registration is public record.

Now, in some states, such as my own (TN), you're notified by mail when someone pulls up your registration, but it's a public record. The state just informs you that someone has looked at it.

[BushOut06]

12. I wish lighting would strike his church

May lighting strike his church, and a sinkhole open up directly beneath him.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. That would sure solve a lot of problems.

LOL

[cboy4]

17. Oh please. He doesn't intimidate me. If I felt he was worth a milisecond

of my time, I'd happily picket with a group of people just to get him all irate.

[BushOut06]

39. So he's a lawyer, big deal

I'm sure he knows all sorts of legal tactics to harrass his opponents. I'm sure we have some very skilled lawyers on OUR side also, don't we? I would just love to see him pick on the wrong person someday. Someone who knows how to fight back, who won't roll over, and can take his ass to the cleaners.

[proud2BlibKansan]

45. Not anymore

He was disbarred.

[kestrel91316]

62. Easy way around that. You go there in a rental car.

[cornermouse]

28. I think it was about 20 years ago now

someone in the state house made him mad. If I remember correctly, shortly thereafter, he basically blocked her phone and possibly fax machine for a couple of hours every day. No one could get through to her and it would appear he got away with it.

[New Government]

53. self-delete (Mistake in thread discussion)

-

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Where in Kansas are you?

[Th1onein]

5. Wichita

It's gonna be at least partly blue when I get done with it. I've got a BIG mouth.

[longship]

9. I lived in Wichita for years.

I was heavily involved in party politics there--the Sedgwick County Democrats. They're always having shindigs going on, especially during election years. Amazingly, the Dems have quite a party in Kansas. You ought to look them up and see just how good they are.

[longship]

11. BTW, Isn't Kathleen Sebelius the cat's meow?

Governor Sebelius

She's turning moderate Republicans into Democrats right and left.
Gotta love her. BTW, she's gonna get reelected--easily!

[Quantess]

26. she looks like the cat's pajamas. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Good luck LOL

Wichita is VERY red. And pretty big too. You got your work cut out for you.

[longship]

27. Wichita is *not* very red.

I lived there in the 1990's. I was an officer in the county Democratic party. Wichita, the largest city in the state, is one of the three Dem strongholds in Kansas. There's a thriving Democratic presence there. Strong enough to bring Vice President Al Gore to town *twice* during the 90's. The county party has a permanent office and a permanent paid staff. They take their politics very, very serious in Sedgwick county. Look at the Kansas Governor's office throughout the 1980's until today. You'll see Democrats and a couple of moderate Republicans.

Sorry, but I've got to defend my former political brethren. Wichita is very purple, not red. They are a great county party.

[proud2BlibKansan]

42. That's great to hear!

Thanks for correcting me.

[madokie]

35. good for you

[greenbriar]

40. Wichita is mostly Blue. What are you here for? I signed up 18 new Dems

last month.


give us a break We are not all ignorant bush lovers

[Mabus]

49. draft Kucinich 2008 is located in Wichita

Almost everyone I know in Wichita is a member of the Democratic Party. We don't get down there very often these days. The last time I was there was for DemoFest which is a meeting of the state party. If you want to meet some other Dems in the area here's some Wichita contact information.

If you want to meet some progressives swing by the local Democratic Party offices at:
Sedgwick County Democratic Party
1064 N. Waco St.
Wichita, KS 67203

Phone: [phone]
http://www.sedgwickcountydemocrats.com/


The contact for the Draft Kucinich 2008 people (http://www.draftkucinich2008.com/contact.html) is:

Telephone:
[phone]

Postal address:
4910 E 27th St.
N. Wichita, KS 67220


By the way, if you're looking for some really good Mexian food get to South Hutchinson and try out The Anchor Inn. They used to have a Friday evening buffet that was the absolute best.

And welcome to Kansas. May your stay be as interesting as you are.
:hi:

[Admiral Loinpresser]

50. I was born and raised in Wichita,

but emigrated to Lawrence. It was pretty blue in the '60s when I was a kid, but got a lot redder because of Reagan, Rush & Newt, IMO. Now we are making a comeback thanks to excellent local, state and national leadership.

Local: Kelly Johnston, Sedgwick County chair, recruited candidates in all but one legislative district in Wichita. Previously we let a lot of races go uncontested.

State: Kathleen Sebelius (current governor, future Senator or higher?) is doing a great job and State Chair Larry Gates brought Howard Dean here as the first stop on his red state tour.

National: The good doctor has given us resources to upgrade our electronic infrastructure and we have four new regional coordinators, paid for on the DNC's dime. It means more contested races and more precinct captains, etc.

We WILL take back seats in the state legislature this year. The donkey is kicking ass!

[MuseRider]

4. Where?

I am in Topeka and I shout my liberalism loud and clear (you should see my bumperstickers) and people here are very angry. I just spent the 4th with a bunch of people talking as if they were DUers.

Kansas if full of wonderful people, some easily mislead but good people contrary to popular DU lore.

Welcome to Kansas! Wanna go harass Phelps?

[Th1onein]

6. I like to make friends, not enemies

We must all come together, if we are to defeat the corporatists. I don't waste my time with people like Phelps.

[MuseRider]

8. Good for you.

There is really no way to harass him anyway, he is the best at making lemonade out of lemons. Darn him anyway!

Wherever you are you go get them! If they are clueless and not angry then I am glad you are wherever you are, they need you.

Again welcome to my lovely state. I love it here.

[cboy4]

19. Good, good answer! Excellent.

;)

[hfojvt]

7. y'all come from Takes-us

and say that THIS place is full of Republicans? I just figured that this would be a step up the progressive scale.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. It is definitely less red here than in Texas.

[amitten]

20. Um...no.

Unless you're in KCMO.

[Fovea]

36. Or KCKS

We are the bluest part of Kansas that isn't in Lawrence, I believe.

[proud2BlibKansan]

47. Yes I am

but Kansas is far less red than Texas. We have a good number of progressives here and republicans who call themselves moderates (which means 'Democrats'). There have also been quite a few high profile republicans who have switched from republican to Dem party in the past 6 months. One was the head of the state republican party.

[Th1onein]

34. I come from Galveston County, Texas

Very blue area. Plus, I never get to go there because of my job.

I'm not comparing Kansas to Texas, anyway. Why should you? AND, I'm not putting Kansas down. It is great here and so are the people.

[dweller]

13. Go for it!

:kick: and R!


have fun greening the heartland.
:thumbsup:

dp

[lildreamer316]

21. ..and I love your post!

That is what true love for your country looks like. Keep it up; I wish you strength.

[rockymountaindem]

23. Don't laugh

We have to whisper about being liberals in Colorado Springs too. It's not funny.

[lonestarnot]

25. Fuckers!

[silverojo]

30. Way too many Fundie freaks in Co. Springs

I visited there one time, and yuk...did NOT wish to return. And it wasn't just because of the altitude sickness I got there, LOL.

[holboz]

37. Ooo - we were thinking of visiting Co Springs next month...

But if its Fundie land then maybe not. I live in Fundie-land in Benton Co. Arkansas and would like a change of scenery. I didn't know CO Springs was like that.

Poopie. :(

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

33. I don't whisper

I roar...screw them.

[lonestarnot]

24. I'm so glad there are people like you!

[wildeyed]

38. Good for you!

I live in NC. Not quite as red as KS, but much more conservative than where I grew up.

It is interesting to me how rural, religious conservatives are sometimes characterized on this site, like they are evil or something. Now I have met a few that I would characterize as really hateful, but the vast majority are as you describe, good people with really, really bad information. So I try to give them good information on the issues, and also a better understanding of what a Democrat really is.

[The Witch]

41. Can you tell us about some of your encounters?

Sonds like you're doing the Lord's work down there, excuse the phrase. Tell them what they have not known. i look forward to some stories of conversion :)

[Th1onein]

58. I don't have any "conversions" yet....but encounters....

Last night I took my manager out to eat and had a long discussion with the owner of the restaurant. This guy was totally uninformed. Of course, I informed him. I said, "OH! You like Bush? You must love them gas prices, too, huh?" He asked me if I wanted Hillary for president. (You can almost see the gleam in their eyes when they speak of her running for President, these Republicans. Oh, how they WISH we would run Hillary!)

I told him my choice was Gore and that was an eye-opener for him. I said, after all, in 2000 Gore had actually won. He made some smart ass remark about how, because of Florida, Gore had lost. I went into the whole Kathryn (sp?) Harris/co-campaign chair for Bush/Choicepoint disenfranchisement deal that happened in Florida/Supreme Court stopping the recount deal. Ended up saying that was pretty bad, taking votes away from the voters. He said, "Bad, or just smart?" I countered with asking how he would like it if the Dems did that when they take back power in 2006. Blink, blink....he had to go tend to his other customers all of a sudden.

I don't count this as a "win," by the way. A win is when you open their eyes as to how the corporations are really driving this boat, and fucking all of us, Repubs AND Dems. THEN you actually start true political discourse--not just partisan, polarized bantering.

[The Witch]

59. That's FANTASTIC.

You started the process. That's something.

[KansDem]

52. It has its moments...

Unfortunately, this isn't one of them.

[Generator]

55. Those flat states freak me out

No ocean, no mountains, does something weird to ya.

[Scout1071]

63. Yea, me too.

Oh wait....I'm a Kansas native. But I guess flat is relative.







Nothing like that big open prairie sky.....