Is Wisconsin really THAT conservative? (Milwaukee, Madison: 2010, college, live in)

[geekduo]

Obviously this guy came back from his visit pretty upset with how he was treated. Then you add insult to injury on this board. No wonder people think there are too many rednecks in this state. You don't even know him and you are bashing him. Here's a thought. Try to be a the teeniest bit open minded and not so judgemental. Jeez!

[slamont61]

Off the top of my head, people are more likely to accept Gays than other races.. But hey there are butt heads everywhere. Cities don't restrict thier boaders from them.

It is SAD when ever any one is made to feel insulted or uncomfortable due to who and what they are. I think this person was just hanging with the wrong people.

[secret places]

Originally Posted by geekduo

I'm sorry about your friends experience. We don't all feel that way. There is a healthy gay community in Madison and Milwaukee. I'm not sure about the other cities. We do have our share of rednecks though. Especially in the smaller towns and more rural areas. But, that does not mean that they are in the majority by any means. We also have many progressive, open minded people as well. I have a gay family member living in Madison and I've never heard of her having any big issues. She's certainly welcome in my home anytime.

Dear Geekduo - so people who stand up for their rights at town hall mtgs and people who mistreat gays are all REDNECKS!?!? Thanks for clarifying. Who is rude and obnoxious, certainly not people like me, a WI redneck. Fact is-WI is EXTREMELY and to a fault Democratic. Are we anti-gay or homophobic...definitely not. The majority of WI is full of good-hearted Midwesterners. So I encourage sister's best friend to visit again. I'll even take him to a town hall meeting!!

[geekduo]

Originally Posted by secret places

Dear Geekduo - so people who stand up for their rights at town hall mtgs and people who mistreat gays are all REDNECKS!?!? Thanks for clarifying. Who is rude and obnoxious, certainly not people like me, a WI redneck. Fact is-WI is EXTREMELY and to a fault Democratic. Are we anti-gay or homophobic...definitely not. The majority of WI is full of good-hearted Midwesterners. So I encourage sister's best friend to visit again. I'll even take him to a town hall meeting!!

Obviously, you didn't read very well. I am in the belief that most of us in this state are accepting and welcoming to gay people. We do have our share of rednecks, i.e. close-minded country bumpkins that don't like change or people who are "different" than themselves. Wisconsin is not alone in this, you can find closed-minded people everywhere. As for the town hall meeting reference, I have no idea what you are talking about, nothing has been said in this forum regarding town hall meetings.

[todd00]

how would anyone even know this person was gay, did he have a gay pride t shirt on? when you meet someone, most dont say, hi..im tom and im gay. i could care less, treat me with respect and i will do the same back, i dont need to know everything about your personal life. if ya meet someone new while they are visiting, why would that come up, anymore than my preference for women of color. im not going to hate you because you dont believe in interracial marriage, i dont expect everyone to believe just as i do. some pple can create an issue by their own actions too. im not saying that happened in this case, but it does happen, its a kind of a chip on the shoulder attitude. if i saw someone giving us what i thought was the eye, should i assume everyone in the state is an redneck racist that hates interracial couples? no, it would be stupid to generalize based on a limited number of experiences.

what does irritate me are pple that push their beliefs on others, expecting i should believe as you do, or im a closed minded dolt with no education. if i personally dont feel that behavior is right, that wouldnt deserve getting me labeled as a bumpkin, red-neck, or other similar unflattering term. i wouldnt call this person names or treat them badly, but having a different belief system than yours doesnt make me wrong and you right. i had a gay classmate that i considered a friend, we sometimes had lunch or studied together. i didnt care to know about his personal relationship any more than he did about mine. we obviously had different belief systems, but he didnt think i was backward clod because of it. good luck to your friend and to all of us on the board.

[freetohope]

for the most part, outside MKE and Madison, people are quite conservative. For the most part, WI people (again outside of MKE and Madison) were born here, grew up here and have no interest in going anywhere else or learning anything new. I have to agree though that people are nice in general and I don't know why they would be rude to someone for no reason. I do get the feeling of judgement from people regarding race or origin or sexuality, especially with older people (I have heard the n... word more than once). I grew up in Europe and even that is quite shocking to them..that someone from a different country lives here and a lot of times I feel like I am being treated differently because of it...I am surrounded daily by staunch republicans who are not afraid of bashing the President and any possible thing under the sun that they don't agree with...so that's difficult, especially around election time I feel outnumbered...anyway, that's my two cents...

[Milwaukee City]

I am surrounded daily by staunch republicans who are not afraid of bashing the President and any possible thing under the sun that they don't agree with

LOL, liberals are by far more of a vocal group than rep. or conservatives. Ever noticed how you never see rep. protesting? go live in Chicago or New York and you can't drive down the street without some liberal group passing out fliers and protesting on street corners.

[freetohope]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

LOL, liberals are by far more of a vocal group than rep. or conservatives. Ever noticed how you never see rep. protesting? go live in Chicago or New York and you can't drive down the street without some liberal group passing out fliers and protesting on street corners.

I really don't want to get into a whole republican vs democrat debate on this post.....but I will say one thing: "have you watched Tv lately?..all you see is republicans protesting...with rifles on their shoulders nonetheless"....

Then again...protesting is a right and a privilege ...I'll take citizens that care and are involved over apathy any day!

[Milwaukee City]

but I will say one thing: "have you watched Tv lately?..all you see is republicans protesting...with rifles on their shoulders nonetheless"....

Sorry haven't seen any rifle types...lol...have you seen Rachel madow and Keith oberlman. What's with this rifle gun-toting stereo type?

[freetohope]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Sorry haven't seen any rifle types...lol...have you seen Rachel madow and Keith oberlman. What's with this rifle gun-toting stereo type?

Not stereotype...just news from the last few days....it happened during the protest in Phoenix regarding healthcare...google it...