San Juan Islands Politics

[509]

Originally Posted by jenlion

I am happy to have self-sorted into a place where I know people who are quite religious and people who could care less, all on the same street, and where neither of them states publicly that they care much about about what I believe. I no longer worry about rocks being thrown into my house or my car being trashed by people I'm not in total political or religious agreement with. HURRAY for self-sorting! Let somebody else try to be the emissary or ambassador so we can all learn to get along. I'm DONE with that. Now I wanna roll over some cars with Bush bumper stickers.

We self-sorted into a community of loggers, farmers, aluminum workers, doctors, lawyers, and small business owners. Everybody knew everybody and the neighborhoods were quite diverse.

Over 25 years, the liberal wing of Washington has decided to move here. We now have neighborhoods neatly sorted by income, schools sorted by parents educational levels, and since the loggers, aluminum workers and small business owners REALLY DIDN'T FIT IN ANYMORE we got rid of them.

The farmers are next to go, but they still have the old-time political power so should last another decade.

Doctors and lawyers are ok, particularly if they come with "liberal values".

I think it is a substantially "poorer" community now, than it was 25 years ago. It certainly does not have the diversity or tolerance than it once had.

But hey, we have cheap stores to shop!! And now people from western Washington think we're cool.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by 509

I don't know if it was the Palin/McCain bumper sticker or the George Bush is Right sticker that did it.

I have always wondered why people display their opinions on the bumpers of their vehicles.

When I see bumper stickers, regardless of what they say, I just figure the driver is a moron who thinks that his opinions somehow matter and that other people care what he thinks.

[AzDreamer]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

When I see bumper stickers, regardless of what they say, I just figure the driver is a moron who thinks that his opinions somehow matter and that other people care what he thinks.

When we were kids we drove on family vacations to Alabama and Florida every year. My father was from the South and we always put on an Auburn bumper sticker. It helped to keep the cops from pulling us over, quite a few of the locals down there hated Yankees.

When I see someone call a bunch of people morons, people he has never met or communicated with, well, you just have to wonder where this person learned his manners.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by AzDreamer

When I see someone call a bunch of people morons, people he has never met or communicated with, well, you just have to wonder where this person learned his manners.

I learned mine reading bumper stickers.

[JoeyJoeJoe]

It sounds pretty obvious that the liberals in the San Juan Islands are typical liberals. I suppose if I drove up there with my "NRA" and "Jesus is Lord" bumper stickers I may not make it out. Liberals are nice people as long as you agree with them.

[secret_squirrel]

Weird. My parent drove all over W.WA with "Be a Hero, Save a Whale, Save a Baby, Go to Jail" bumper sticker for years, no problem. My dad drove into downtown Seattle daily with his McCain/Palin bumper sticker, no problem (except for the occasional opposing self-expression in response). No one rolled his car or menaced him.

Really, I think it's all about how you go about yourself. Are you a polite, humble person secure in your beliefs and as open to someone expressing their views the same as you express yours. Or do you broadcast superiority vibes? The Laws of Attraction are likely in place here more often than not.

[j_k_k]

There needs to be a new Godwin's Law. Anyone who uses the word 'liberal' or 'neocon' in a pejorative sense automatically loses the argument.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

There needs to be a new Godwin's Law. Anyone who uses the word 'liberal' or 'neocon' in a pejorative sense automatically loses the argument.

Ahhhh... As Murphy's Law would have it, Godwin's Law is something track of which I lost somewhere. Godwin's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -- nice little discussion of the reductio ad Hitlerum form.

As always, j_k_k: Thanks, Teach.
How about requiring the automatic loser of the 'liberal'/'neocon' pejorative fling also buy a round of beers?

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Ahhhh... As Murphy's Law would have it, Godwin's Law is something track of which I lost somewhere. Godwin's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -- nice little discussion of the reductio ad Hitlerum form.

As always, j_k_k: Thanks, Teach.
How about requiring the automatic loser of the 'liberal'/'neocon' pejorative fling also buy a round of beers?

Oh, absolutely. What good is a rule if breaking it has no real consequences? Plus, as the great, lamented, unforgettable Saul Alinsky taught, if your people are not having fun during your activism, you are Doing It Wrong.

[NCWmark]

Originally Posted by JoeyJoeJoe

It sounds pretty obvious that the liberals in the San Juan Islands are typical liberals. I suppose if I drove up there with my "NRA" and "Jesus is Lord" bumper stickers I may not make it out. Liberals are nice people as long as you agree with them.

I always figure that if I am displaying a yard sign or bumper sticker expressing my views that I am willingly opening myself up to having others express their views in reply back to me. I mean, why should I be the only one allowed to express my feelings on an issue? Exchanges of opinions and ideas should be welcomed, not feared or ridiculed.

I would bet good money that the neanderthals that would turn violent or become aggressive based on someone else's views as expressed on the bumper stickers of the cars they drive are pretty equally represented on both sides of the aisle. Stupidity is not an ideology, but a trait found to some degree across all groups in society.