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Old 06-07-2010, 12:10 PM
 
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
3,390 posts, read 4,928,877 times
Reputation: 2049

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Quote:
Originally Posted by californio sur View Post
What's right about taking the study of evolution out of public schools? Or requiring that President Obama prove he really is an American before the 2012 election?
What's right about a state that is driving itself into a mountain of debt, yet still increasing the social and political chains that have put California in the situation it's in? What is right about declaring every city a sanctuary for illegal aliens while they are a big part of the reason California is falling off a financial cliff?

 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:12 PM
 
Location: Pasadena
7,411 posts, read 10,315,618 times
Reputation: 1802
Quote:
Originally Posted by JSizzle225 View Post
Those are his opinions. I don't know how you'd back up what he claims. It's opinions.

These are my opinions. I have millions of reasons why California sucks, but unless HBO gives me a crappy show, I am not going to waste my time arguing about it. My list stands.
Did you not even watch the video as well as the other vids where Maher lays out his conclusions as to what makes a "stupid state"? Unless you can cite examples of what makes the states you identify as "stupid" than you are just being childish. Maher as well as other comedians are mocking these states for humor as well as showing the nation what kind of stupidity exists in America. Maybe you can work on your list and cite examples of "stupid" laws. But if you actually believe that Obama will need to prove that he was born in Hawaii [beyond his birth certificate] then you probably agree with that Arizona law and risk being considered "stupid."
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:17 PM
 
Location: In the heights
36,881 posts, read 38,781,820 times
Reputation: 20894
Quote:
Originally Posted by ric75 View Post
Says the guy whose state has no clue how to balance a check book. Funny how the folks who agree with Maher simply rehash the same old stereotypes they've been fed by left-leaning media sources. The tea party, while imperfect, is the most importnat movement this country has seen in a long while. As I've told many friends, we are going to get away from Democrats vs. Republicans and move toward Libertarians vs. Socialists.
California? You mean the state that's been paying for the plurality of federal services? The one that's given by far the most to the federal government for our collective good and for projects around the US? The state with what's by far the greatest gap between federal tax revenue and federal spending?

How interesting!

What are these liberal stereotypes, eh? And who are the tea partiers but citizens without the foresight to make any action or be aware at all until a crisis hits?
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:20 PM
 
Location: Pasadena
7,411 posts, read 10,315,618 times
Reputation: 1802
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzpost View Post
What's right about a state that is driving itself into a mountain of debt, yet still increasing the social and political chains that have put California in the situation it's in? What is right about declaring every city a sanctuary for illegal aliens while they are a big part of the reason California is falling off a financial cliff?
OK, I will give you credit for at least citing examples. And yes, it is stupid to spend money when there isn't any. But trying to help the poor and regulate polluting industry is not stupid. BTW California is one state among all states that is struggling with deficits. But Maher is concentrating on states that tend to legislate laws based on ridiculous religious principles or ignorance. It is much more humorous to make fun of things that are blatantly dumb than things that are merely a result of fiscal problems.
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:23 PM
 
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
8,865 posts, read 10,400,492 times
Reputation: 6670
Maher's bit is just getting some mileage out of the old "culture wars" we've been waging since Nixon labeled the "silent majority", the emergence of the Reagan Dems, and then with Rove & Limbaugh taking it to a new level wth "flyover country".

But there's this huge, unrecgnized "sub-culture" in this country, that mainly resides in places like Maher's talking about. For lack of a better name, let's call it "hillbilly culture" (aka "rednecks", "southern folk", etc.... and if there's a better name, somebody needs to come up with one). But Hillbilly culture has certain "values", just like Hispanics, Jews, Blacks, Asians, Italians or any other culture has theirs.

And though they may be "different" values than alot of "other" groups, they're strong values nevertheless. We need to figure out a way to acknowledge this, because otherwise it just keeps popping up in all these really "unflattering" (and adversarial) ways we talk about our differences.
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:24 PM
 
Location: At your mama's house
965 posts, read 1,873,714 times
Reputation: 1148
Like I said before, this is all a plan for the New World Order to divide and conquer. I think a race war is due to break out pretty soon given all what has been going on. One side is for the status quo and the elite, while the other side is made up of those who are kept in the dark by being dumbed down and undereducated. It's all one big festering sore.

Thank your friends of the Illuminati!

People better wake the hell up...
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:33 PM
 
Location: Pasadena
7,411 posts, read 10,315,618 times
Reputation: 1802
Quote:
Originally Posted by mateo45 View Post
Maher's bit is just getting some mileage out of the old "culture wars" we've been waging since Nixon labeled the "silent majority", the emergence of the Reagan Dems, and then with Rove & Limbaugh taking it to a new level wth "flyover country".

But there's this huge, unrecgnized "sub-culture" in this country, that mainly resides in places like Maher's talking about. For lack of a better name, let's call it "hillbilly culture" (aka "rednecks", "southern folk", etc.... and if there's a better name, somebody needs to come up with one). But Hillbilly culture has certain "values", just like Hispanics, Jews, Blacks, Asians, Italians or any other culture has theirs.

And though they may be "different" values than alot of "other" groups, they're strong values nevertheless. We need to figure out a way to acknowledge this, because otherwise it just keeps popping up in all these really "unflattering" (and adversarial) ways we talk about our differences.
What is valuable about not teaching science if it is contrary to someone's opinion of the Bible? Is there any value in discriminating against a person because they are sexually turned on to their own gender? Who can see value in someone who insists our president is a foreigner regardless to the contrary?
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:39 PM
 
Location: Willowbend/Houston
13,384 posts, read 25,583,506 times
Reputation: 10580
Quote:
Originally Posted by californio sur View Post
OK, I will give you credit for at least citing examples. And yes, it is stupid to spend money when there isn't any. But trying to help the poor and regulate polluting industry is not stupid. BTW California is one state among all states that is struggling with deficits. But Maher is concentrating on states that tend to legislate laws based on ridiculous religious principles or ignorance. It is much more humorous to make fun of things that are blatantly dumb than things that are merely a result of fiscal problems.
Every state has its problems. I dont know what makes one state more stupid than another. People have to pick their poison. Here is an exaggerated example of what I mean (key word "exaggerated"):

California: beautiful state with a tolerant (yet holier than thou) population. The state government is run by people who have no concept of what debt is and what is too many programs. They are the poster boy for fiscal irresponsibility. They still seem to have no clue what they dug themselves into.

Arizona: A state that isnt all that conservative, but has time and time again taken a big hard line against immigration (even if they say they are only talking about illegal, it spills over). With Arpaio, Brewer, and the state government, they have made racism ok. Other than immigration, they arent actually right-wing nuts, but if you look hispanic, think twice.

Texas: A state with a 2nd to none economy and a very bright future. However the state government is about as socially backward as it gets. They are the poster boy for trying to fuse religion and state. The people aren't crazy right-wing morons for the most part, the state government and the school board are. However with all this, Texas has a very pro-immigration (illegal or legal) policy.

Texas and California have so many immigrants that no Arizona immigration law could really make it there. They have to channel their conservativeness into other areas.
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:43 PM
 
Location: Houston
2,023 posts, read 4,166,599 times
Reputation: 467
I think people are taking taking Maher's list WAY too literally (not a surprise on C-D). This appears to be just a segment which Maher pokes fun at the culture of the religious right in certain states. Yeah, he could have mocked the budget crisis and electing the "Governator" in California, or the corruption scandals in Illinois, or even the political scandals in North and South Carolina, but that's not what Maher's comedic material focuses on. The whole segment is a hyperbole about the uber conservative religious right, and how stupid they make certain states look. At least, that's what I gathered from the video. Maybe someone who keeps up with Bill Maher's show a lot more then I do can correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Old 06-07-2010, 12:46 PM
 
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
8,865 posts, read 10,400,492 times
Reputation: 6670
Quote:
Originally Posted by californio sur View Post
What is valuable about not teaching science if it is contrary to someone's opinion of the Bible? Is there any value in discriminating against a person because they are sexually turned on to their own gender? Who can see value in someone who insists our president is a foreigner regardless to the contrary?
I don't disagree, and actually other cultures have some of their own less "attractive" values as well (the Mafia, Chinese triads, "fatherless" black children, Middle eastern attitudes re: women, etc.).

But just remaining at the level of name-calling is "unproductive", to say the least. And it's not "approval" to simply ask "why" somebody has these seemingly incomprehensible values, especially when we try to avoid those sorts of "negative value judgements" when talking about other cultures.
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