Slog - Comments on Too Good To Be True

Comment by Eden

Eden — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:59:03 -0800

BEAUTIFUL

Comment by Dr. Front Lip Mudede

Dr. Front Lip Mudede — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:01:51 -0800

Poetic justice.

Comment by Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:02:33 -0800

Greensboro (NC's third largest city after Charlotte and Raleigh) is the seat of Guilford County. High Point (eighth largest city) is also located there. So it's not exactly some rural Republican stronghold or anything. In fact, it went for Kerry in 2004.

Comment by Suze

Suze — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:11:56 -0800

Guilford County is also home to Guilford College, a liberal crunchy Quaker school. Having attended its sister school in Richmond, Indiana (which also went blue), I can pretty much guarantee that the students registered and voted in force for Obama.

Comment by douglas

douglas — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:50:44 -0800

that's hilarious. i wonder what the pundits at fox news have to say about that?

Comment by Scott

Scott — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:13:49 -0800

I grew up in Good ole Guilford County and for the record it's home of UNC-Greensboro, who's own bookstore used to sell a t-shirt with the phrase, "the few, the proud, the hetrosexual of UNCG." Its a longtime liberal haven in the city, but the surrounding county is all NC.

Comment by g.ken patton

g.ken patton — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:27:47 -0800

also true... prop 8 related (dan, i love and respect you, but i fear you are spreading bad info on this s one)

1. african americans made up 10% of the ~10 million votes cast; with a 70/30 split, this means ~700k african americans voted for inequality. well so did ~970k latinos and ~432k asians/others; the margin we lost by is currently at ~427,000. so why not say we lost because of those asian/others? (cuz that's wrong too)

2. even if african americans voted like "enlightened" whites did, 49% yes to 51% no, we would have lost by ~220k votes.

3. what about people 65 or older? ~945k voted for inequality; white and 65 or older? ~672k voted for inequality. So is this not as much generational as about race?

4. the split between yes and no was most extreme along party lines with 81% of republicans, or ~2.27 million, voting for inequality. the number among white republicans? also 81% or ~1.86 million voting for inequality. ideology played a far more significant role than race.

religion, political ideology, generation; these create a proper diagnosis and will lead us to a better prescription. homophobia in every community is the enemy, not just homophobia among a certain group of people. let's not run rove-style wedge politics just for old times sake.

peace,
gkp

Comment by whatevernevermind

whatevernevermind — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:54:18 -0800

@7 I could not agree more.

Race-baiting is not only wrong in and of itself, it's factually incorrect in this instance. The numbers show that CA African-Americans were not only not solely or largely responsible for the passing of Prop 8, they actually played a tiny role in it.

Further, if that community was lost to No on Prop 8, it is the fault of No on Prop 8 who did not reach out to them directly in any way whatsoever. The only indirect outreach was the Samuel L. Jackson commercial and that came only days before the election. Even that message was not geared specifically for African-Americans, who now, some would have us believe, should have been our targe audience all along. Following that logic: So why weren't they?

If we want to blame someone (other than our own leadership for dropping the ball), then we have the Mormon Church in Utah (and not individual Mormons, some of whom were on our side). They actually were and are the enemy. Alienating African-American Californians over our failure to deliver to them our message is not going to get us anywhere.

Comment by devender

devender — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:03:24 -0800

those of us in greensboro and in north carolina are thrilled! our state has changed dramatically over the past 10 years, and am so happy some of this was reflected in our going blue for the first time since 1976.

Comment by teddy b

teddy b — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:27:09 -0800

i grew up in north carolina with parents who have always voted republican and made me go to church twice a week. i moved out to go to a high school with dorms, went to UNC-chapel hill and then got the fuck out! i moved to Seattle, the farthest part of the country where i could find a job, and have been here ever since. it's amazing to see liddy dole get knocked out and for my home state to finally turn blue!! all my college friends are going bonkers on facebook. and now i'm so curious to know who my parents voted for. maybe they'll get a really nice present this year for christmas...

Comment by Geni

Geni — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:32:15 -0800

My own quite-unscientific observation: the more time either McCain or Palin spent in a particular area, the greater the likelihood that area voted for Obama.

Comment by Lavode

Lavode — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:34:43 -0800

But of course, this is still NOT a mandate.

Comment by Papayas

Papayas — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:21:55 -0800

I am a real Pro-American!

Will someone make that into a t-shirt? I'll buy it!