Posted on 07/28/2005 6:19:05 PM PDT by XEHRpa
As a political and journalistic experiment, I decided to see how people who live in primarily one-party areas would react when faced with a living, breathing member of the opposition. I appointed myself an ambassador to bridge the Red-Blue divide and ventured into each side's territory dressed in the T-shirt, campaign button, and tote bag of the other. (A baseball cap, I decided, pushed the ensemble one step over the line, making me look a raving nut about to start yelling obscenities.)
For four days, I wandered Republican areas in a Kerry-Edwards shirt and button and loitered in the heart of Democratic country in styles by Bush-Cheney '04. I treated each foray as a run-of-the-mill busy day—visiting malls, stores, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. I didn't try to provoke the opposition; I simply lived an active consumer's life while dressed in a great big Bush or Kerry T-shirt. I avoided any specifically political place, such as campaign headquarters, and any venue where politics would likely be discussed, such as churches or bookstores. The idea was not to see how people would deal with overt opposition but how the mere existence of a political opponent would be tolerated. And so, campaign logo on my chest, and no small amount of mortal terror in my heart, I sallied forth to see if political freedom would pass the T-shirt test in our two Americas, Red and Blue...
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.msn.com ...
I thought it interesting that he didn't sum up in the end by noting how well he was treated by the R's and how crappy by the D's. And if you look closely at the last line he's obviously very relieved not to have to be thought of as an evil R anymore.
Exactly! And yet, I sense there is hope for the poor guy.
Yeah, we are ALL a LOT tougher than they are.
Indeed. I get the impression he would have just liked to click his heels three times and find himself back in Berkeley, away from this nightmare.
There are still Kerry bumperstickers on mailboxes where I live. They still are saying "selected again!" From behind the lines, signing off - GOP_1900AD .... :-)
LOL!
during my travels through Blue America, I wonder: If I were truly a Bush supporter, how long would I be able to endure a life filled with epithets before I gave up on the shirt? Changing into a nonpartisan brown Gap polo, I breathe a sigh of relief that I will never have to find out.
We showed up on election day and made our voice heard.
But .. unfortunately, the idiot democrat didn't get the message that his own democrats were the most intolerant, rude, arrogant, foul mouthed people. Too bad.
> "Viva Bush!"
In blue California, I'd call that the exuberance of a martyr.
> unfortunately, the idiot democrat didn't get the message that his own democrats were the most intolerant, rude, arrogant, foul mouthed people.
Reminds me of the quote (Churchill?) about how most people have a brush with greatness. But usually, they just dust themselves off and go about their business as if nothing happened... (or something to that effect).
In this case, the author's light bulb was desperately trying to switch on, but apparently, the liberal circuit breaker popped before it could.
You're right .. it was stunning. The repubs didn't seem to be that upset about the Kerry shirt - but when he got to the other side .. they were brutal. Too bad there was no connection. Of course, it might come on later .. we can always hope .. once he starts telling his friends about his adventures - the light might suddenly come on.
Here in Massachusetts you see a lot of Kerry bumperstickers (and a fair number of Nader/LaDuke stickers), but not a lot of Bush ones.
Sometime after the election, though, I realized there are a lot of stealth Bush stickers on the roads here: all the yellow-ribbon "I support our troops" stickers.
Can you imagine what the Blue Californians would do if they saw a Club Gitmo shirt?
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