I chose "Hostage" because here in Seattle if I express my hard-right views through personal experiences such as the one I describe above, I will become ostracized and perhaps even attacked. There is a liberal mafia here (and yes I mean mafia), a strong world socialist presence (actually communist) and an iron grip by unions over local politics. Seattle can'teven field a GOP candidate for anything. McDermott is rep for my district. Hence, my views are held hostage.
Some say I should be reaganesque and let loose of my views. But the liberals here are like Nazis (no exaggeration). Expressing conservative or right-wing views incurs a heavy cost. So I work behind the scenes.
I don't seek controversy, it finds me. And when it finds me, you would never know of my objections openly. You would find me whispering them in some cafe or place where no one can hear me speak. The INS incident happened in 1993. I was naive then, I am more politically savvy now.
I hear you (no pun intended). I used to live in Snohomish. You could speak up there.
I think the Seattle area has changed since I left (1987) because I did not find it as liberal as you all describe now. Of course I lived in Snohomish and my husband worked in Everett. Also, I lived there only 5 years, so perhaps that was not long enough to find out.
People do hold some strange views there, however. I used to think it was because the boom/bust economies that have plagued Washington State since its founding. Everybody feels like they are one paycheck to unemployment.