What Is The Worst Town In Nebraska? (Laurel: organic, bars)

[mattpoulsen]

I won't disagree with you that the GOP is a mess. And I hate the direction it has been taken by the likes of Rush Limbaugh.

However, the fact that others view Nebraska as a bunch of racist grumpy farmers is quite honestly not our problem. The ignorance of those in place such as CA, Oregon, or Massachusetts is their problem...not mine. They are no more correct to assume Nebraska is filled full of racist farmers as I am correct to assume that California is filled full of a bunch of lazy poorly educated hippies.

I have been all over the country and the world. I will also soon be finishing my 3rd graduate degree. My general world view, including politics, has been developed due to my individual thought. I didn't simply get imprinted with my parents ideology. I don't think there is any correlation between education and political affiliation. For every uneducated redneck you come up with to condemn the GOP I could come up with a 3rd generation welfare recipient who is an ardent democrat.

My point is BOTH parties are a wreck. They lost sincerity a very long time ago and are no longer about positions and principles. Case in point, in regard to the economy, the Obama administration essentially just carried out many of the works already begun or put in place by Bush. Yet, the 10% of extreme republicans will tell you Obama is destroying our economy. Meanwhile, all the democrats railing against Bush because of the Iraq and Afghanistan war have essentially disappeared on that issue. Apparently, when they are at risk of not being able to have their iphones and twitter, because of a sagging economy, the lives of U.S. soldiers are no longer important to them.

The only principle each party abides by is that they must adamantly oppose the other party, no matter what the actual stance is.

Now, my point with Republicans is that I believe you are completely off base with your summary of them. Republicans generally are republican because they believe in small government, a strong military and individual responsibility. Of course, there are the zealous who then try to inject their religious morality into the equation, but I think they are actually the minority. But the ugly side of the republican party is what is stressed by the TV media. In the same way, the ugly side of the democratic party is stressed by the nuts on talk radia (e.g., Limbaugh, Beck and etc.)

On the issue of racism, the fact that someone is racist and republican is incidental. Nothing about republican principles makes someone more likely to be racist. I think the important metric is age...not political affiliation.

Anyway, I would just advise trying to get to know republicans and understanding why they are republican. I think most feel they don't fit either party but the current republican party, hijacked by Limbaugh and his minions, is the closest they can get. I for one am a republican because I'm libertarian and that isn't a ideology that fits well within the democratic party. I think if you get to know republicans in Nebraska (excluding the bigoted rednecks) you'll come to find that their believe system comes from a very natural and healthy place. They aren't republican because they hate people not like themselves. They are republican because they want the government out of their lives, they support the military in a very strong way, and they would rather do it themselves. It has a very independent feel to it. I would also add that I think you'll find that Nebraska, as a whole, isn't quite as republican as you think. After all, we were a "purple" state in 2008.

[MICHAEL J]

Nitemarehippy... You feel sorry for the first bigoted redneck to offend you??? You'll do well to drop the attitude and the chip on your shoulder. You don't plan to rock the boat, but then go on to say, if I can proselytize politically maybe I can change a few minds. What's that all about? Take some advise from an ol' redneck that's been around for many decades. Keep your religion, politics and ethnic background to yourself and you'll get along just fine. Most rednecks don't care. Treat folks with respect and you will, most likely get treated with respect.

[Nitemarehippy]

Well thought out defense.

I seem to detect the same argument that was given about the World's opinion of the United States. The negative view our country has around the world, in my opinion, is very important. And it's the same for the state I was born in. Our state has too much to offer to be labeled as "backwater". And for this reason, many of these small towns are blowing away like a tumbleweed.

Furthermore, the labeling of a object effects it on different levels. If you tell a child he's stupid over and over again, he will think he's stupid. If you tell an entire state they are a "bunch of hicks", they laugh it off at first, but then adopt the view as their own over time. Not everyone, mind you, but it happens.

And for your information, California and Oregon are in fact filled with a "bunch of lazy poorly educated hippies". I can attest to this. Every state has it's under educated, working poor. It does not mean they are not good people, the same for the similar, yet diametrical opposed, social groups in Nebraska.

The following chart is derived from the 2004 Census Report On Educational Attainment.

RED STATES: Total Number Over 25 – 97,180,000
Total Number H/S Grads – 80,801,000
Total Percentage H/S Grads – 83.145%
Total Number College Grads – 24,229,000
Total Percentage College Grads – 24.932%

BLUE STATES
Total Number Over 25 – 91,201,000
Total Number H/S Grads – 78,345,000
Total Percentage H/S Grads – 85.903%
Total Number College Grads – 27,522,000
Total Percentage College Grads – 30.177%

Full link here http://tinyurl.com/n47af3


I don't really think statistics mean too much, but this is where I get my assumption about education and political affiliation. I realize that it's only a 5% difference, but I have read similar articles on the same subject that seem to point to the same outcome You are right about the age metric for racism. I am sure there is a correlation between education and if a person is racist, but it would be hard to quantify.

I can not agree with you on "why" people choose a political affiliation. A very small amount of people choose to be republican because of the reasons you listed. I would guess 80% of people just cling to one party platform or the other due to impulse and what the majority of their friends think. I seem to have a more pessimistic view on the human condition as whole. Everything I have said is the same for the majority of people that vote democrat.

Why do minorities vote democrat? Why does the GOP struggle to bring color into the fold?

And blah blah blah... I don't hate Republicans. I'm half Mexican, but half German too. I grew up in Fremont. I can see both sides, it's just my opinion. As my racist grandfather would say "opinions are like *******s, everybody has one".

To get back to the topic of the thread.

I've always hated Arlington.

[mattpoulsen]

Well, I won't get too far into it at this point. I think we see each other's point.

However, I will take issue with your statistical analysis. Besides there being a very small difference in terms of % of college degrees, those numbers aren't broken down on the basis of party affiliation. The fact of the matter is that even in a very blue or red state the majority generally would, at a max, only represent 65% of the voting population. My point is that those numbers don't necessarily break down along party lines. I'm sure there are relevant statistics somewhere, and I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if different stats made your point, but the ones you posted don't bring it home.

I would also mention that we can't do a whole lot to change people's opinion of Nebraska. The truth is Omaha is a pretty liberal place and Nebraska does have much much more to it than just "racist rednecks." Its not really our fault that most people in CA couldn't even point to Nebraska on a map. I would also add that I have chosen to live in Omaha because it is different than CA, Florida, and the like. I think some of the fiscal conservative that is practiced in Omaha and the rest of Nebraska is something that the rest of the country wishes they would have been practicing the last 10 years.

The bottom line is Nebraska and Omaha is not filled with racist rednecks. If others in other states believe otherwise then I'm not sure what we're supposed to do about.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Nitemarehippy

I'm in the process of buying a home in Laurel, Nebraska. I happen to come upon this thread and I could not stop reading. Thank you for making me waste four hours of my life. I laughed. I cried. I was angry for a while. Eh..

I guess I decided to post on the end of this overblown, off topic thread because I'm moving back to the Mid-West exactly for the type of viewpoints expressed herein. I grew up in Fremont, NE and joined the Air Force two weeks after graduation. I knew I needed to get out.

Eleven years later I find myself stagnate and in need of something I can't quite explain. Even though I am a disabled vet. I'm so liberal you would be shocked at some of MY viewpoints. I currently live in Eugene, Oregon a bastion of left wing view points and vegan food. I like it here, but I'm almost sick of all the like minded people around me. I can never get in a decent debate because everyone agrees with me. I'm tired of the west coast too, but it has less to do with my need to relocate.

I stand 6'2 230lbs and I'm half Mexican. I was a military cop for 5 years. I'm moving to Laurel (if everything works out). I await the day someone tells me I'm not welcome in this town. If I hear the common uneducated slogan of the right, "If you're not with us, you're against us", I will pull out my medals and pictures of my time in Saudi Arabia. If I hear, "you don't know what your talking about", I will pull out my degrees from a major accredited college. After all this I will ask "what about you?".

I don't plan to go into this tiny farming community to rock the boat, but embrace the good parts of the town and try to enjoy the peace and quiet.
But, honestly I feel sorry for the first bigoted redneck to offend me or treat me as less of a member of their town. This usually happens behind my back, as people that are racist are usually too afraid to say it to my face.

So in closing...I'm moving there to be one more liberal in a sea of Republicans. Every vote counts, and if I can proselytize politically maybe I can change a few minds or at least let them know that all liberals are not what they think...errr what Rush Limbaugh thinks.

You're going to be miserable in Laurel, Nebraska. And the other people living in Laurel are going to be miserable having you there.

I'd strongly suggest your rent a house. Don't buy one.

[Nitemarehippy]

I keep to myself and don't ask anything from anyone. How am I going to be miserable or make anyone else miserable? An educated disabled vet would not be welcome? I sure ass hell would defend myself if someone tried to run me out of town. Have you read some of the stories in this thread? It makes me sick. I will agree my initial post seems confrontational but it was more of a reply to this whole thread. The story of the family being chased out of town because they looked too Mexican makes my blood boil. I had to go through a lot of discrimination due to my last name growing up. It was always very subtle and not near the discrimination African Americans get in Nebraska, but it was there. I've now been gone for 12 plus years. I don't deserve to be proud in who I am and what my experienced world view has taught me?

Trust me, I'll be fine.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Nitemarehippy

I keep to myself and don't ask anything from anyone. How am I going to be miserable or make anyone else miserable? An educated disabled vet would not be welcome? I sure ass hell would defend myself if someone tried to run me out of town. Have you read some of the stories in this thread? It makes me sick. I will agree my initial post seems confrontational but it was more of a reply to this whole thread. The story of the family being chased out of town because they looked too Mexican makes my blood boil. I had to go through a lot of discrimination due to my last name growing up. It was always very subtle and not near the discrimination African Americans get in Nebraska, but it was there. I've now been gone for 12 plus years. I don't deserve to be proud in who I am and what my experienced world view has taught me?

Trust me, I'll be fine.

Like I said, rent. Don't buy.

You seem to be going there looking for a fight, or to prove something. That makes no sense whatever to me. But I'd bet that you'll be miserable.

[Nitemarehippy]

Thanks. I'll take that into consideration.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Nitemarehippy

Thanks. I'll take that into consideration.

Well, I hope I'm wrong.

But you're talking about all these "bigoted rednecks" and saying "I'm moving there to be one more liberal in a sea of Republicans."

Everything you're saying indicates that you think you're all that, and that you're moving to Laurel to make sure everybody knows it. That's not a good combination.

[Nitemarehippy]

Why do you quote my entire post everytime?

I also think the term "all that" is no longer in the popular lexicon.

And, yes I'm hoping to make it a little more purple.