An Alienated Rural Democrat's plea from 2004 [View all]

[virginia mountainman]

This is a repost, of my very first post here on DU, way back right after the 2004 election, at the time I trying my level best to impart a bit is wisdom into my party..in the end, I failed... Although, for many years it looked like we Democrats as a whole were starting to learn and become consistent on Civil Liberties, heck I remember when Hillary, in her primary against Obama, ran as a pro-gun candidate. But for the past several years, it seems that much regression has taken place in the guilded up reaches of our party's leadership. And it shows in the election results. The fears I had back in 2004 are about to come true. The Repukes are NOW ONLY ONE, state legislature away from being able to change the constitution at freakin' will, with the Democrats not even being invited to the party... WELL DONE....

The election results where not much of a surprise to me, I work and travel extensively in "blue collar" circles, the widespread fury was present, and obvious to anyone who cared to look, It was not just the guns but to people who were getting repeatedly ignored on a national level, who was struggling just to pay bills, getting hit with fines because they could not afford health insurance, the idea of gun bans (and YES, she talked about them) was simply a non-starter.

The warnings were there for all to see...Record breaking gun sales, month after month, year after year.... But if you stay in the gilded, and shining cities, behind 24/7 armed security you won't see that.

Many of us down here pointed out the obvious, but we were ignored.. We pointed out, REPEATEDLY the effect gun control was having on national and state elections, and we were derided and called names.... Well guess what...

We have been effectively shut out, and marginalized as a party, we only fully control the houses and governorship of California, Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon and Rhode Island, the Repukes control all houses and governorships about 25 states

A full third of our Congressional seats are held by reps from just three states. Massachusetts, New York, and California..

Yea, I seem to recall much jubilation around when many of the pro-gun blue dog's were "wrote off" and lost their seats, the theme of the time was "good riddance" ...But hey, party purity is important.... Even if it means losing the seat to a Repuke.

Thanks to DU User Benezra for reminding me of this old post. It has only been slightly altered mainly for formatting, please excuse my much less polished style from "way back when"

Alienated Rural Democrat
"virginia mountainman," Democratic Underground​

I have been lurking here for quite sometime, and I would like for some of yall to meet an alienated rural Democrat.

First a little background about me..

My family has STRONG Democratic roots, Both my parents were union organizers in some textile mills in southwest Virginia back in the 1970s I was the Democratic poster child in parades back in the 70s, we was also featured on the nightly news for a period of time, with my mother's work with bringing the union into town, (ultimately unsuccessful) My mother was also a delegate, from the state of Virginia, for Mondale, at the democratic convention 

My wife's family has just as strong roots. Her father has just retired from the coalmines. Her grandfather has served in local government on the democratic ticket for many years, and is also a union man.

My alienation began around 1993, when gun control started being a loudly contested issue. My WHOLE FAMILY owns guns, we ALL where raised around them.

Guns where NOT an issue, everyone had them. I was raised in a small house, my fathers long guns where stored in a rack over the headboard of my bed, his handguns where kept in his bed-side bureau and yes, he kept a .45 1911 pistol, loaded, in the open, on top of his dresser, no big deal, it was ALWAYS THERE, right beside his tie-tack box.

It was ready to defend everything my father held dear in his life at a moments notice.

To us kids, it was nothing special, they was ALWAYS their, very much like the butcher knives in the kitchen, they are both deadly, but they both are just "their".

Nothing special about them

Now I know some of you are thinking my father was a gun nut he was NOT, I dont ever remember him buying any guns, he did not shoot them often, maybe a box of shells a year, right before hunting season. All the guns he had, he had BEFORE he had me.

I had uncles and cousins that traded in guns allot. It is a hobby to them and they are law abiding folks, each and everyone. They enjoy the hobby of collecting and shooting as do I

I remember, me and my (then hardcore democratic uncle) was watching the news about the Brady bill, he got very silent about it, but was still supportive to the Democrats. Then the AW ban came, I remember seeing Feinstein on the news, holding up a semi auto AK up saying that ONLY CRIMINALS would have one. (Between all of us, we had 4 of those rifles) in the next election my uncles and cousins went republican, I did too

I PROUDLY voted for Bill Clinton over Bush SR, he took my vote and betrayed me and my family.

We saw the party that we supported faithfully for generations literally turn on us overnight it seemed. Gun Control was all over the news and if you disagreed, you were outside the mainstream or a gun nut

Some will say we are just bigots, religious zealots, and simpletons and we dont matter.

But the truth is I could not careless about gay marriage, I am supportive of abortion rights, I detest what is happened in Iraq, I BELIEVE IN ALL OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

And I am an outcast from the democrats, because I believe in the 2nd amendment

It is about MORE than guns, it is about personal responsibility, I was taught at a VERY EARLY age, that it is MY number 1 responsibility to protect myself and family from "folks that have bad intentions" Guns are the BEST means of that, the police are ONLY CALLED AFTER there is a crime committed, if you cannot defend yourself effectively, or rely on OTHERS to protect your family, you have FAILED as a parent/husband.

All these gun control laws effect is how effectively I can protect my wife and kids, or my wife protecting herself and kids when I am not here, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE!!


Let me point out the damage that gun control has done to the democrats; my family has swung to the right. All my uncles and cousins proudly sport Bush 2004 and "W" stickers on their cars. My father-in-law does not vote anymore, he cannot vote for the gun banners but he cant bring himself to vote for the republicans neither. ONLY MY WIFE'S GRANDFATHER STILL OPENLY SUPPORTS DEMOCRATS. My wife has swung to the right, she is STILL gloating about the election.

My parents no longer vote/supports democrats neither.

See the gun issue is about much more than guns to my family. My family would be willing to support the democratic agenda (some may be too far gone now) but I think most would. The Democrats lost us with all the Hillbilly and redneck, and gun nut talk

It's not the 90 million U.S. gun owners or their guns that are the problem. It's the criminals, and the 20,000 gun laws have never deterred them.

Lines like Mr. and Miss America turn them ALL IN don't help you at all in these parts. 

And stop talking about hunters the INSTANT folks here, hear that, they KNOW that you're a gun banner

Kerry canned goose hunt was a joke; his 100% voting record against gun right was NOT a joke.

I have read post after post about how the NRA is a shill for the Republicans, they ARE NOT, they DO Support TRULY Pro-Gun democrats, like my congress critter, Rep Boucher (D) VA 9th district.(and YES I do vote for him proudly)

And the talk of NRA money, PLEAZZZZ, it is the 4 million members that vote religiously that give the NRA its power


I made this post (MY first) because I WANT to see the Democrats come back, I am truly scared that soon if the party don't learn, they will find themselves completely out of power. The Republicans being in complete control scares the crap out of me. I am new to forums so pardon if I have broken any un-written rules, PLEASE give me a candidate I can support whole-heartedly.

POSTSCRIPT Grandpa passed away, my teenage daughter was excited to support Bernie, and was so disgusted with that whole fiasco, she refused to support Hillary in any way... Democrats in my area are now practically extinct, there is NO effective local leadership anymore. Seems like all they want to talk about is bathrooms and cakes for some reason.

Thanks for writing us off.....A very bitter, and disgusted Democrat that has been abandoned by my own party.. We didn't leave the party, it left us...