Georgia Senator Zell Miller writes in his book "
A National Party No More"
Once upon a time, the most successful Democratic leader of them all, FDR, looked south and said, "I see one third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished." Today our national Democratic leaders look south and say, "I see one third of a nation and it can go to hell."
Why do the rest of us have to put up with this bull**** from conservative Southerners?
I see one third of a nation which takes in more from every federal tax dollar than they send to Washington -- all dollars from those liberal states they malign. I see one third of a nation which was in large measure brought up to first world standards by the generosity and good will of the New Deal.
If we can vote for Southern-born Presidential candidates, I want to know why they can't vote for Northeastern Presidential candidates.
The South is notably absent from the computer revolution. (Sure, they can assemble machines, but where's the innovation?) Fact is, high tech companies congregate in areas where diversity and individuality are valued. Which means the racist, homophobic and Christian fundamentalist areas of the South benefit from innovations of people who would never live in their intolerant society.
The 9/11 terrorists attacked the Northeast, yet somehow Southerners claim the sole right to respond in our name. When we think of high-profile terrorist targets, how few are in those red states which dominate the dialog about how to deal with terrorism?
I know there are plenty of great Southerners, who share many of my values. But they don't seem to be running the place. If Senator Miller's conservative Southern states tried secession today, who would be better off? Which states would keep billions of dollars which Washington siphons off to the South? What states would do the research that results in new medical technologies? Which states would the rest of the world want to be friends with? Which states would have the best educational systems?
I see one-third of a nation attempting to impose it's narrow-minded agenda on everyone else. I see one-third of a nation attempting to dismantle those programs which FDR created; never mind helping those who come after them, as those before helped the South. I see some very arrogant people who have very little compassion and a lot of hatred.
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