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In Ft. Smith, Arkansas, unless you are a fundamentalist Baptist, watch NASCAR, like to hunt, fish, pro-Bush, anti-gay, you name it, you have a hard time fitting in. You also had to be born and raised here to really be considered "one of them." While I am fiscally conservative and socially moderate, I am way too liberal for this town.
I live in a rural area just few miles south of Syracuse, Ny. I LOVE to hunt and fish. (By the way, I LOVE Bambi...Bambi is *tasty*!) But I also have this rather odd ideal that people have equal rights, and that skin color, ovaries, gender identityor sexual orientation shouldn't put people at the bottom of a very stacked heap...It's not a very big deal, as long as I bite my tounge...
nah, actually its the opposite for me.
I'm more moderate, but i go to these small towns often. They don't really care, and if they do I don't really care. 'up theres' what do i care if they don't like the way I think. I don't look Anglo(because I'm freaking Chinese and mexican) so if anything they know I'm not conservative (which i am but just not all out) they probably think I'm liberal, unless they think I'm vietnamese(which i do get a lot of comments on thats how i look), of which tend to be conservative. But I mean they seem more open actually, I get smiles from people and they act as if they known me forever. The country may seem violent but really is just quite the opposite, they're just loud and passionate...
I'm a liberal in conservative Scranton, PA, and I have no problems making friends. I simply don't flaunt my political/social leanings unless the topic arises at which point I whip out my debating skills.
I'm a liberal in rural Arkansas. I find things in common with most people, it doesn't have to be politics, and go from there. I don't go seeking debate, but I don't shy away from it either. I will state my opinions when I think it's appropriate, and it's amazing sometimes how many others will tell you afterwards they agree with you.
Hey there - what a cool question from someone from NYC! Although I'm not one for labels, for simplicity sake I don't mind calling myself a liberal for the sake of simplicity. Last summer was a seasonal park ranger for the Blue Ridge Parkway in so. Virginia very close to Jerry Fallwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg. Although the natural beauty, non-materialism, and the bluegrass music of the area is heartening - it is probably among the most conservative hot spots in the nation and yeah, at times I felt lonely - and annoyed. I was spotted by evangelicals in department stores looking to convert me, I was lightly reproached by a Christian bank lady for knowing my horoscope, and the bigoted local radio was enough to make me swear out loud driving down the road, ...and I was only there 6 months. It didn't take long for me to watch my tongue in public for fear of saying anything that might give away that I voted for Kerry and don't like pesticide in my water. My one friend was nearly kicked out of his fiancee's town for his independent, open-minded views (and he's not even a "liberal").
So, to answer your question I'll say this: If you are a person who is very staunch in his political/social views in a place with equally strong, but opposite views can, I think, be terribly frustrating and actually can make it harder to make pals. If you are more of a non-political type I wouldn't say it matters all too much. ^__^ Hope this answers your question!
Last edited by mtneersalwaysfree; 01-02-2008 at 08:50 PM..
Reason: Oops - I was there 6 months not 3 months!
In order to make friends, it is best to keep your political views to yourself, and accept people of differing political philosophies. The general rule to follow is to avoid discussing religion or politics with people you don't know well.
When I was in high school, Freshmen year, we were living in Texas. I have some pretty left views that didn't like with a lot of the teachers or student body so I just kept my opinions to myself. That's just the best way to do things in those situations. Your political views don't make you as a person so why let them get in the way of friendships.
Yes, I'm stuck in a red area of a blue state. Some towns around here are more liberal, but it's still not a place I plan to spend the rest of my life.
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