Posted on 11/16/2005 5:35:26 PM PST by WinOne4TheGipper
One can't help but laugh at this DUmmie, who gets so close to the truth about his party, but unfortunately spread4s myths about the South in the process... ........................................................
Sapphocrat (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-16-05 07:29 PM Original message Need feedback on different approach to winning back the South In a recent thread on how to reach Southern voters (which didn't get locked! gasp!), there was an almost off-the-cuff remark (sorry, poster, I can't remember who wrote it) that finally struck a nerve with me -- in a good way. I'll never claim I understand Southerners (or even Midwesterners) -- I'm just one of those native Californians spoiled rotten by the luxury of growing up in the most liberal area west of the Rockies.
The point that hit me was: You can't tell Southerners to do anything. Initially, I thought, yeah, but that applies to just about everyone... until I realized that I myself have been willing to hold my nose and vote for Democratic candidates I really didn't like. So maybe there is something to the idea that some folks are more stubborn than I am when it comes to being told what to do...
Another poster took the idea further and wrote that s/he knows folks who, if you try to tell them what to do, will vote Repuke just out of spite. I'm not so sure how fair a remark that is, but again, what do I really understand about Southerners? I don't -- which is why I pay a lot of attention to all the "Southern" threads, especially those started by Southerners.
It was the "spite" post that really hit me. I can't imagine voting for a Repuke just because I was sick of the Dems telling me I must vote Dem. But I guess some people will cut off their noses to spite their faces.
So far, we've been trying to convince potential swing voters (generally socially conservative / low-income / rural voters) that the whole "God, guns, and gays" tack of the RW is bullshit. How do you make them understand that by voting for Repukes, they're really voting against their own best interests?
I don't think we can. Or, if we can, nobody's found the right approach yet. We know that, say, the economically-disadvantaged are getting a royal screwing from *Co. -- but we haven't found a way to make them understand it... or even admit they understand it.
IOW, what we're doing isn't working.
I let all this sink into my brain for a while. What I kept coming back to was this: If there was any truth to the "spite" post, I thought, maybe there's a way to use it to our advantage.
And suddenly, I was struck by an idea for reaching Southerners. Not all Southerners, of course (no broad brush from me!), but those who are stilled pissed off about the Civil War, who don't see anything wrong with flying the Confederate flag...
So I did what I do best these days -- I created a batch of bumper stickers in my Cafepress shop. Big deal, you say. But this time, I did something a lot different: I prefaced the section of stickers with an entire essay on the subject, explaining the problem as I see it, and the thinking behind these stickers.
I'd like feedback -- especially from Southern DUers. Am I out to lunch on this thing, or do you think I have the seed of a good idea here?
The thing is, nothing we (Democrats) have done so far to win back a region that should be ours has worked. And maybe appealing to the "Johnny Rebs" won't convince any hardcore, church-going, homo-hating Repug voter to flip their vote for the right reasons -- but even a vote for all the wrong reasons is still a vote for us.
Here's my essay (stickers are at the end):
http://www.cafepress.com/lavenderliberal/982394
I took it to mean 1865...
Ever notice how each and every idea they have is dumber and more deranged than the last one.
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Lee all learned at least one thing. The stock most southerners come from doesn't care one whit about status. It's about respect, if Southerners don't respect you then telling them to do something will be ignored. If you insult them you are taking your life into your own hands. If they respect you, they will walk straight into the valley of death beside you unquestioning and unflinching.
They should read up on the leadership and lifestyles of men like Andrew Jackson if they want to get the South to vote for them.
I don't mind posting this, most national level democrats are totally incapable of following it.
"I took it to mean 1865..."
True, but 1965 works just as well, don't you think?
Nathan
Do they really think Southerners are that stupid? That guy who made those bumper sticker is so clueless it takes my breath away.
The condescenion from those people are unbelievable.
This is appallingly stupid. They believe that time has not moved on since 1865? Earth to Planet Liberal - this isn't going to work, gobshite.
Regards, Ivan
Of course it's appallingly stupid as saphocrat is a california lesbian who has absolutely no concept of the South. What a nimwit she is!
Sure some southern individuals are racist, but I believe they are in the minority.
The majority of southerners want to get along with all their neighbors and don't care much about color.
My favorite such quote from a dumocrat was Howard Dean's: "I want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags on their pickup trucks." Priceless.
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