I've now written three responses to various things today on roughly the same topic, so I figured it was time to elevate it a bit, because the disease is apparently widespread, particularly in the wake of the election.
I realize people are annoyed with the red states. But this "Jesusland" garbage isn't going to help anything. One of the reasons why the South distrusts Democrats and liberals is because of the snarky, smirking, condescending comments too many of us make about "rednecks," southern accents, the Bible belt, and all of that.
Here's what I say -- if you really believe these stereotypes, and worse yet, if you publicly expound on them, get out of national politics. Work locally. Nationally, you're doing more harm than good.
First, the disclaimers. I really like the people here at DKos. And I really want the country to move in both an economically and socially liberal direction. Paul Wellstone most closely represents my political leanings of any major politician in the past 10 years. I voted for Kerry without a moment's hesitation (though with a small amount of nose-holding.) So I'm not some freeper creeping in here to cause trouble.
Now.
I also happen to consider myself at least partially a redneck. I follow the NFL closely, enjoy NC pulled pork barbecue, and get a deep fried moon pie every year at the state fair. Every day, I work with, ride the bus with, and pass on the street thousands of hard working people who want to live moral lives and care about other people. Many of them are struggling to make ends meet, are suffering from problems of environmental justice, and yet will go out of their way to help people.
It is not a political imperative to work for these people and to try to earn their support. If, as Democrats, we believe in helping the working men and women of this country who need someone to fight for them, it is a moral imperative to do so.
Southerners don't have some litmus test about only voting for other Southerners. (okay, I'm sure a few do, but the vast majority don't.) North Carolina and Virginia went against Clinton and Gore because of the tobacco issue. It was the morally correct stance but the politically unfortunate one. When it comse to Kerry, though, how do you expect Southerners to vote for a man who says the South isn't important, whose personal demeanor screams a sort of condecension, and whose personal holdings project the very spitting image of wealthy Northern privilege? These were the weaknesses which had me pleading for anyone but Kerry in the primaries. Kerry lost the entire south not because we're a bunch of hayseeds. Kerry lost the south because for all his strengths, he did a terrible job of selling himself. (The Vietnam thing was emblematic. Sure, he's a war hero, but to a southerner, it was exceptionally tacky for HIM to talk about it. If he'd kept quiet about it, and let Edwards tell the story, it would have played far, far better.)
This isn't the first time I've ranted about this, and it probably won't be the last. 51% of people who voted voted for Bush. If you call all those people backwards, stupid idiots, then you've basically declared defeat for all Democrats for the forseeable future.
You're being a bunch of condescending snobs. Stop it.