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you are not that slow to the table. happ said that it doesn't get more american than NY, so I posted a picture of chinatown. you can't find the humor in that? good god. somebody get karfar a xanax and coke.
LOL I actually have Chinese ancestry but I get the gist with your thing
Well, I'm from Los Angeles and live in San Francisco and my favorite bar in the entire city, blocks from where I live, has a large amount of country music on the jukebox. Quite a few other bars do as well, in both cities.
And my relatives in the Midwest is voting for Obama (and no, they're not in Chicago), just like I am and my L.A., O.C. and Bay Area relatives are voting for him.
I think there is far more made out of the cultural divide and politics in this country than actually exists. There are more "bluenecks" than one thinks, and likewise there are Republicans with stereotypically liberal taste in culture. Even in this incredibly divided America there are still things we have in common, and things that defy stereotypes.
As for those who think all country music is conservative, I guess they've never heard of Steve Earle, Alejandro Escovedo, the Dixie Chicks, or for that matter Willie Nelson or the late Johnny Cash.
Its good that the divisions aren't as always clear as in the media but there's usually some truth to stereotypes. Stereotypes usually don't arise out of nothing. When I think country I think more along the lines of the modern industry like Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, etc. Especially now that Carrie won American Idol and Kellie was a finalist, it just reflects they are very talented and well loved by large numbers of fans.
The original question was whether or not the "liberal elites" turn up their nose at country music and NASCAR, not whether they are more "American" or even whether or not they are good forms of entertainment. I happen to dislike both of them as entertainment. When it comes to sports, I'm a Red Sox and Patriots fan, and when it comes to music, I like alternative and classic rock.
The issue is the general "culture war" between many, typified by folks in places like NYC and SF, who think that anyone who isn't like them and doesn't think like them is a rube. You can see it here on these forums (sic..fora) daily. People constantly act as if the epitome of living is urban living in a northeastern or west coast city. According to some of these people, anyone else is just living in a "McMansion" suburb or a trailer park wasteland (who are automatically Republican which is an evil thing in itself), spending their days listening to country music and watching NASCAR, figuring out new ways to discriminate against gays, blacks, and other minorities.
It's stereotyping at its worst, and doesn't really show off those ideals about "diversity". What happened to that theory that all of us and our different experiences is great for mankind?
Thanks for getting this back on topic. I'm noticed this a lot myself. Also I think the terms "flyover country" or "east coast vs. west coast" thing is just plain arrogant as if the rest of the country didn't matter at all. I've heard people say country music is for "white trash" and "hicks" even though they're completely ignorant about contemporary country and its increasingly suburban themes nor about the richness of country lyrics and the amazing talent that comes out of Nashville.
The terrorists are winning, one falafel ball at a time!
I love Southern-style food the best, it has more richness and soul than anything to come out of the blandness of New England. The only thing good out of New England is clam chowder and that's it. Having said that, I do like Chinese food because of my family background, and I also have a thing for Mexican and Italian food. I consider myself educated about other cultures but it bugs me when people think its weird for me to like country music and to have an increasing interest in NASCAR.
NASCAR is a very fast paced, exciting sport and the crashes are always fun to watch. I don't watch sports too much, but when I do find the time, NASCAR is my second favorite after basketball.
There's actually a lot of snobbery in the urban Northeast. I went to a university with a lot of out of state kids from New York and Jersey and I'm spending a year back home before grad school in an area of Maryland that epitomizes Blue America. Oh I've gotten hell and strange reactions for so many things.....not just liking country music and NASCAR....but even liking some pop music and.
- liking Applebees and Red Lobster
- listing Vince FLynn, Tom Clancy and Tim LaHaye as my favorite authors
- liking IHOP, Popeyes, and Bojangles
- saying I prefer to live in a suburb or a small town over an urban area
- being a conservative Republican, including not supporting abortion or illegal immigration
We do not have a lot of working class, blue collar Democrats around here except for blacks and Hispanics.
Is the urban coastal liberal elite out of touch with the real America?
What is "real America". The most diverse cities that have the best economies are places like NY, LA, Chicago, SF, those are the places that make this country work, Bumble****, Nebraska is a small slice of poverty, one race and one religion, far from "real america'.
This is the kind of arrogance I'm talkin about
If you people hate country stuff so much, why do you buy up all those land in Colorado to build mountain cabins or build golf courses in the Poconos or vacation in the Outer Banks or Hilton Head? And when you go to these places, you look down on the locals, don't you?
The "real America" is the land of ordinary, hardworking, honest folks that make up the fabric of this great nation. Its a place where different races and cultures are tolerated but people still share common values. The real America is found in the small towns and suburbs of honest, God fearing, people who work for a living (instead of getting rich by taking advantage of and preying on others like lawyers, investment bankers, and stockbrokers and insurance people.) Where people raise strong families and look out for their own...their families, their friends and communities. Where people aren't afraid to show their pride in their country and support the military. And yes, I sincerely believe a farmer, rancher, plumber, electrician, fisherman, small town diner owner, firefighter, police officer or Chinese deliveryman (given he is LEGAL), is a better reflection of the real America than a greedy lawyer, stockbroker, banker, or fashion designer. The latter is the demographic that gets Obama his votes, and Kerry's votes before. The Democrats don't care about white blue collar workers or small town folks at all anymore, not with Hillary defeated. (not that I liked her, I've alwasy been Republican). These people sit in their ivory towers, in their urban lofts high above some exclusive French coffeeshop or designer boutique, thumb their noses at middle America and think they have all the answers.
I think the urban liberal yuppie scene is in its own bubble, completely out of touch with America. They may be very close with London and Paris and Tokyo but small towns an hour away would be completely foreign to them.
While we're on the music topic too....this song really represents what I consider the "real America".
"SMALL TOWN GIRL" by KELLIE PICKLER
I grew up where I could see the stars
Drinkin sweet tea from a Mason jar
Dogwood trees like leaves through the pine
People on the porch watchin fireflies
And drivin 'round the wal-mart on a Friday night
I'm just a small town girl
And that's all I'll ever be
I'm just a small town girl
Hey, that's alright with me
there is no doubt about it that america is experiencing a culture war....but I think summing it up with country music lovers vs. big city folks is a little bit naive and frankly pandering to the us vs. them situation. Nobody hates you because you listen to country music or like to watch car races... To base your vote on whether you feel like someone or some group of people are looking down on you all the time is a bit childish and ridiculous. Sometimes the truth hurts and isn't an easy pill for people to swallow and that goes for everyone no matter what you believe. But just don't make quick easy justifications to keep voting republican.... Because don't fool yourself.. Those back slappin good ole boys are playin their games too.. and just because they make you feel good about your country music and guns and nascar... doesn't mean they aren't slappin you on the back and stickin it to ya at the same time... They all went to yale and harvard too... keep your culture.. be proud of it.. just don't be a pawn...
There is a strong "flyover country" disdain by the "bicoastals" who seem to think anything between the coasts is inhabited by cousin humping inbred yokels who sit around all day watching Hee Haw.
Im in NJ now and though I like the guy, our office clerk bemoaned the baseball playoffs last year when it initially looked like Denver vs Cleveland. He said something to the effect of "I cant believe there is not going to be a real city in the World Series this year. I wont have anyone to cheer for. When Boston pulled it out, HE CHEERED FOR BOSTON, and he is a Yankee fan! Just because Boston "was a real city"
American is the melting pot. Our differences make us what we are. It's the intolerance for difference that is tearing us apart.
I have absolutely no tolerance for such gibberish.
Quote:
The only "true" Americans are native Indians..
They migrated here from asia.
Quote:
the rest of us came here from somewhere else.
I don't know about you, but I was born in America.
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