It's easy being Liberal in a blue state. Takes real courage to be a Liberal in a deep red state.

[Yavin4]

Takes courage, diligence, and toughness when you're surrounded by fundies 24/7. We owe it to those Liberals fighting ignorance, sexism, racism, homophobia, etc. to treat them with respect and dignity.

No Dem campaign should ignore them or overlook them, esp. ones where building a political revolution is the cornerstone of its appeal.

--On Edit--
I salute Liberals and DUers who live in deep red states. You have my utmost respect.

[PeaceNikki]

1. Very well said

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I admire the fortitude of red state liberals.

I live in a liberal precinct in a liberal city, Minneapolis, and I'm pretty much surrounded by Bernie supporters. I've run into some wingnuts here and there (especially where I used to work), but it would be awfully hard to deal with them every day without becoming constantly furious and/or despairing. Bravo to all of you - keep up the good work.

[Bagsgroove]

3. Thank you

Try being a liberal, jazz loving, agnostic, openly gay man with a Bernie sticker on his car living just down the street from Jerry Falwell's university. My neighbors can't decide what they dislike most about me hehe.

[SidDithers]

4. This is a very good post...

and a welcome contrast to all the "red state" "ignore 'em" argle bargle that's being posted around here.



Sid

[MuseRider]

5. Thank you.

Slowly but surely we are making progress in Kansas. It is going to take a very long time to get out of the hole we are in here.

[napi21]

6. Boy is THAT THE TRUTH! I live in Ga. In this AM paper, an article about early voting.

They released the number of Dems v/s Pubs who voted early. I posted earlier that the count was 5,334 Pubs and 988 Dems. I KNEW all my neighbors were Pubs, but I honestly didn't think the majority was THAT BIG! I'm constantly couching my words because I really don't want to FIGHT with all the neighbors, but talk about a long slog!

[BreakfastClub]

21. I live in GA too and I feel your pain. nt

[redstateblues]

7. I live in TN-

The idea that I should have no say in picking a nominee angers me.

[RobertEarl]

8. Tell it, brother

I have lost a lot of 'friends' because I street campaigned for Obama in this deep south state.

I wonder what it would be like to live in a deep blue state. Nirvana?

[napi21]

19. I was born in Pa. and only moved to the south when I was 43, so a good part of y life was in a blue

State. My experience is that Dems aren't the ANGRY BUNCH like the Pubs in the south are. Sure there would be some heated conversations, but I don't know ANYONE who actually lost a friendship over politics.

[DrDan]

9. well said - from Florida

[tammywammy]

10. Good post

tammywammy, from Texas

[Peacetrain]

11. Amen to that!! I live in the Steve King district

in Iowa.. and its tough.. to be honest with you.. all the liberals in my area are supportive of each other no matter who they support.. we keep our eyes on the prize nice post

[obamanut2012]

12. Yes, indeed it does

It helps when you live in a blue area of a red state, but even then, it's hard. It can literally be courageous to be publicly liberal.

[LWolf]

13. I've lived in "blue" states my whole life.

And I've lived in the red strongholds of those blue states my whole voting life.

I know what it's like to be surrounded by fundies 24/7. And yes, I like to be treated with respect and dignity, thanks.

I'm glad my candidate is building that revolution, and is not overlooking people in red states.

HOUSTON — In a raucous swing Sunday through a state long starved for Democratic presidential attention, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied thousands of people with a progressive clarion call that urged his adopted party not to neglect deeply Republican Texas.

"One of the problems that exists in American politics today, in my view, is that the Democratic Party has conceded half of the states in the country at the national level, and that's wrong," Sanders, a Vermont Independent running as a Democrat, said during a rally at a downtown Dallas hotel.

Several hours later at a similar event in Houston, he sharpened his advice for Democrats, saying the "simple truth is that you cannot be a national political party which claims to represent working families and low-income people and turn your back on some of the poorest states in America."

"If we are serious about change in America, we can't just do it in blue states," he declared earlier in Dallas, emphasizing the need for a "50-state strategy" that leaves no voter in the dark.

http://www.texastribune.org/2015/07/19/sanders-rallies-thousands-tough-talk-democrats/

[IDemo]

14. I'm a Liberal in a neon red state

I have been here for 45 years, and I'm ready for a change. Especially after this year's Statehouse shit kickers have done everything possible to outdo themselves in making sure Idaho retains its jaw-droppingly wretched reputation, I'd love to move to a bright blue state or even out of the country. The money and other factors won't allow it, unfortunately.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. States are not all born blue, they are made and maintained Democratic by the efforts of the people

who live there. States which are reliably Democratic now were not always that way. And it's not really all that easy, and all States have the potential to go the other way, given enough time.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

16. Hmmm... It's like you've been reading my posts

That's something I've heard before, but it's been a long time. Good to hear it again. Thanks

[madamesilverspurs]

17. I'd had my van for only a couple of months

when it got keyed -- length of the car, both sides -- in objection to my Obama and other dems bumper stickers.

So I made a new sticker and added it on each side. It's purple, with white numbers reading "62%". Our newspaper reported that Republicans "dominate" with 38% of registered voters; that means that 62% are NOT Republican. The new sticker has generated many parking lot conversations.

The stickers are getting refreshed soon. And they'll be joined by big ones for the eventual Democratic nominee. The ******** who keyed my car got momentary satisfaction from that vandalism. I get repeated satisfaction from those conversations, sometimes whispered, that "it's good to know I'm not alone".

I may reside in a red county, but I live in a blue state of mind.

[quickesst]

18. I was born in Arkansas...

..... a liberal Democrat and make no bones about who I am. I'm a die-hard Razorback football fan, and I wouldn't live anywhere else but the south. That's because there's a side that no one but a southerner could know and love. Suffice it to say, I gave up a long time ago trying to explain it. Even with all the rednecks, it doesn't take any courage at all for me to live here. That's all I got to say about that.

[calguy]

20. I moved to Arkansas 10 yrs ago from California

Love it here. Most of the people are as nice as they come. But politically, as a group, they seem to be dumber than a sack of rocks. I take pride when I vote, knowing that when results are I'll be on the losing side of everything on the ballot

[quickesst]

23. I agree with that

The majority is lost politically which makes us the underdogs year in and year out, but over those years I have seen a change in attitude. Others may not see it because they are observing it from a distance, and it's a pretty slow and painful process. I have seen it progress in attitude from my father in law, to my son, and down to my grandson and granddaughter. We will evolve. I doubt I'll be around to see it come to fruition, but like those with a religious persuasion, I have faith.

[PowerToThePeople]

22. I give big props to those 25% or so of Democratic South Caroliners

[quickesst]

24. And the other 75% of Democratic voters in South Carolina...

.... gain so much more than applause from one anonymous internet poster.