This has been building for a few months and for better or worse, I’m getting it off my chest. The frequent lumping of all Texans as clueless Red Staters would seem to me to be counterproductive to helping Texas progressives with our voices. The comments and diaries here range from Texas as having a primary export of Stupid (FPer) to untimely satire gleefully cheering West Nile on Red Staters. I don’t mind good satire, it is fine, but what is the message from the comments? F*** off and die, because you live in a red state? We wouldn’t be on Dkos if we weren’t like minded. There are many, many good people in red states who vote exactly as advocated on this site. The people who don’t vote like us are (for the most part) not reading any of this. So who is the target audience for the jokes, are people in comfortable blue majorities actually laughing? Bully much?
If you’re not totally pissed off, hop over the orange eye of Satan. Perhaps I can make a point.
Aggregate rhetoric of this nature is a turn off. Sure Texas has issues, that’s exactly why I come to this site for good progressive discussion and ideas to combat my surroundings. But let me rant a few snarky, rhetorical questions(none of which I believe).
Would it be right for me to lambaste any state’s population or any demographic that fails to achieve a majority when voting for progressive ideals? Should I say things like Blue Staters have no idea what it is to fight in a surrounding wingnut majority and they are therefore amateurs. Should I suggest that Texas forcibly import intelligent progressive voters to solve our stupid problem? Should we abandon a 50 state strategy once advocated by a brilliant progressive? Should I concede that my home state sucks and I’m stupid for living here? Should I not vote at all in Texas (electing Paul Sandler over Ted Cruz seems insurmountable)? Should I explain to my kids that they waste their vote and should move to a blue state where they can feel like winners?
No.
There is joy in shutting down wingnuts because I’m appropriately armed with facts. There is joy in fighting for the re-election of President Obama and the election of good progressives. There is joy of going to the polls with my kids and casting a progressive vote that I believe will help move my state and country. I’m sure this joy is shared widely here. It’s communal.
This site is a community, proudly advocating progressive ideas for all. I love coming here.
I’m done. Is my skin too thin among friends?