Posted on 11/07/2004 12:06:10 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
To the Editor:
Reading "A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America" (news article, Nov. 4) left me feeling an unexpected kinship with the people of New York.
I live in rural Maine, as culturally and aesthetically distant from Midtown Manhattan as I can be. I go weeks without hearing a foreign language, or even an accent; no one would mistakenly call my corner of the world "cosmopolitan."
But I, and a majority of Mainers, share New Yorkers' feelings of disbelief over President Bush's re-election. It is inconceivable to us that millions of Americans would trivialize or deny outright the social, spiritual, international, economic and environmental disasters this president has wrought. And to send him back to Washington because they agree with his "morals" is nothing short of immoral.
We hear you, New York. We feel your pain.
Lisa Wesel Bowdoinham, Me., Nov. 4, 2004
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To the Editor:
As a Wisconsin resident, I, too, am bewildered by our "red" America. I woke up on Wednesday morning afraid for this country and for our future. New York is not alone in its confusion, hurt and shock over the result of the presidential election. New York does not have a monopoly on the progressive, informed and socially conscious politics in this country.
Almost 56 million people voted their hopes and dreams in this election and voted for John Kerry for president. These people live all over this country - many in the Northeast, but also many in the Midwest, the West and the South.
There is a great divide in this country, and the red and blue on the map are in many respects geographical. But New York is not alone. Washington, D.C., is not alone. Madison, Wis., is not alone. We can still realize a progressive vision for this country if we work together.
Alyssa Luckey Madison, Wis., Nov. 4, 2004
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To the Editor:
On behalf of 2,827,556 Texans and the majority of Travis County, Tex., voters who supported John Kerry, we share your amazement at the outcome of the election. New Yorkers, please remember that there are people in the red states who are not all Bible-thumping, redneck conservatives whose worldview ends at their backyard fence line.
But I have to confess, I did say a prayer when President Bush was re-elected: God help us.
Tish Brandt Austin, Tex., Nov. 4, 2004
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To the Editor:
Reading "A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America," I quickly related to the sense of bewilderment and alienation many New Yorkers feel in the wake of President Bush's victory.
I, along with tens of millions of other voters, felt the same way when our fellow Americans chose Bill Clinton as president not once, but twice.
John Wiley Jr. Midlothian, Va., Nov. 4, 2004
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To the Editor:
I'm proud that New York rejected the Bush message that seduced most Americans. America's prosperity has always been tied to its middle class. President Bush's policies exacerbate a polarized economic class structure. Many fear that in four years, most of us will be a lot worse off, and Mr. Bush just doesn't seem to care.
Henry Riger Little Neck, N.Y., Nov. 5, 2004
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To the Editor:
"A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America" exemplifies why much of the rest of the country looks with disdain upon New Yorkers. It's not because we're liberal, but because we're arrogant.
Yes, John Kerry got 82 percent in Manhattan, but he also got 90 percent in the District of Columbia, 81 percent in Philadelphia and, in the heart of red country, 81 percent in St. Louis and 77 percent in New Orleans.
In other words, much to many New Yorkers' surprise, New York is not the center of enlightened politics in this country. It's an urban thing, not a New York thing.
Chris Dana New York, Nov. 4, 2004
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To the Editor:
Disconsolate New Yorkers describe the rest of us as "obtuse," "shortsighted" and "redneck." Now that's what I call "honoring diversity and having compassion for people with different lifestyles"!
Mary M. Lewis Cornwall, N.Y., Nov. 4, 2004
Thank you, Mary M. Lewis of Cornwall, NY. Thank you!
Bump!
The underlying theme:
"We are more enlightened than those uncouth red-state people because we appreciate the french, admire cutting-and-running as national defense policy, and favor taxing everyone to pay for our favorite social programs.
If you do not agree with that you are simply uncultered, close-minded rubes. And intolerant, too."
That's their take.
And the leave with nothing.
Thanks for posting this - - excellent schaedenfreude fix for the evening!
I think these first few letter-writers ought to grab a shotgun and head for ground zero, lol.
Not neccessarily- it's a pinholed ballot thing. It just so happens it's more efficient and easier to get away from it in urban areas where you often can't find a single genuine GOP or independent election official at a polling place.
Why does Bruce Springsteen look so ugly when he's singing?
Woody Guthrie penned a tune about it.
After 9/11 how anyone in New York could vote democRat just shows the depth of their ignorance and the amount of destruction liberalism can have on a society.
He`s not singing, he`s saying "VOTE FOR KERRY! WAAAAAH!!!!!"
To the Editor:
"A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America" exemplifies why much of the rest of the country looks with disdain upon New Yorkers. It's not because we're liberal, but because we're arrogant.
Yes, John Kerry got 82 percent in Manhattan, but he also got 90 percent in the District of Columbia, 81 percent in Philadelphia and, in the heart of red country, 81 percent in St. Louis and 77 percent in New Orleans.
In other words, much to many New Yorkers' surprise, New York is not the center of enlightened politics in this country. It's an urban thing, not a New York thing.
Chris Dana New York, Nov. 4, 2004
ahhh... the irony.
An offended non-New York urbanite castigates New York urbanites for arrogance. Then, he (?) goes on to blithely state that ALL of those who voted Kerry are "enlightened" - by direct implication stating that ALL who voted Bush are unenlightened, or (by semantic inference) possessed of a Medieval mindset.
*cough*
And who, again, is arrogant?
Oh, the irony.
I live in New York City and voted for the good guys.So did many of my closest compatriots.Do not allow the Dems to claim they have a monopoly on intelligence as the majority of New Yorkers who voted for Kerry were the uninformed sheep.
"Hopes and dreams"? How utterly pathetic! What a tiny and stifling universe Kerry voters must inhabit!
People wear their President Bush pride with thanks.
Kerry people are nothing to write home about in their defeat.
Dear New York,
BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA
59,000,000+ people could see through the lies of the Democrats. Look at the map and there is more red, look at it county by county and you will be even more distraught.
It is not New York and your allies in hate and lies that are the center of culture. It is the Heart of America that understands what this country should be.
The media and Hollywood was trying to help you but naw baby naw.
59,000,000+ people voted their hopes and dreams also, but there hope is for America not what can my government "give" me. Their dream is that their children will grow up safe from outside forces.
We in the red seem to get it. Sadly you in the blue do not. Never will.
And one other thing if you are the center of culture why is it that the technology you should be better at, the Internet so full of red people?
Freepers and Bloggers took down the media in less time than Dan Rather can give us one of his "Mississippi swamp" etc sayings.
Too bad New York that the Heart of America still had a Heart to care about the people who were murdered in your City. You seem to have already forgotten them. Maybe your daily life is too full of running around the city finding the best pizza, java, chinese food, Broadway play.....
I guess we here in the Heart of the US just don't have full enough lives and have spare time to remember.
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