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OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 10:15 AM Nov 26

"Libs keep moving in and trying to change things!!" What does this even mean?

I recently moved to a rural area, my life's dream. I was raised on a big farm in the country and am no stranger to country life. However, I had a career in IT and had to live near big cities for my work. I always tried to at least have an acre or so for a garden, chickens, etc., so I've never been an actual "big city" person, even if I drove there for work.

Now I'm really out here in the country and not near a big city and am loving my little country place. But I keep hearing people talk about how the city folks move here and change everything by voting blue. I wouldn't vote red if someone put a gun to my head, but I'm not about to start changing everything around here. What do they even mean by that?

Can someone clarify for me the issues that are on these people's minds? In what way does a liberal moving to the country affect their country neighbors? Or are they just angry that you're going to make their precinct or county blue for national elections?

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
"Libs keep moving in and trying to change things!!" What does this even mean? (Original Post) OnionPatch Nov 26 OP
They're fed a steady diet of victimhood on Fox News and other RW outlets Dennis Donovan Nov 26 #1
I wish so much they weren't in such a bubble OnionPatch Nov 26 #19
You're going to bus in drag queens for story hours. You know you are. Scrivener7 Nov 26 #2
I actually made a remark like that on Facebook, lol OnionPatch Nov 26 #7
When we lived near Madison WI I heard that a lot. LakeArenal Nov 26 #3
I was thinking maybe it's the schools OnionPatch Nov 26 #11
I was a teacher in the olden days. LakeArenal Nov 26 #22
Probably because you're gonna make them use pronouns Walleye Nov 26 #4
Change. mwmisses4289 Nov 26 #5
My Republican neighbors have been really nice to us. OnionPatch Nov 26 #10
I wish a lot of libs would move to NC and GA in the next 2 years and flip those states. OrlandoDem2 Nov 26 #6
I hear ya! I'm in Virginia. It's blue, but just barely. OnionPatch Nov 26 #8
We moved to a rural area in 1991 UpInArms Nov 26 #9
Yes! I never wanted to live in the city. OnionPatch Nov 26 #12
I moved to the foothills from the SF Bay area about 10 years ago. usonian Nov 26 #13
Well... TrunKated Nov 26 #14
I always wondered why Lisa was so mad about moving to the country. OnionPatch Nov 26 #18
they mean being tolerant of non-white, non-straight people Kali Nov 26 #15
and to be fair to actual rural people... Kali Nov 26 #16
But this sounds more like a city versus country thing OnionPatch Nov 26 #17
I think we all make a lot of assumptions and generalizations about others. Kali Nov 26 #20
Like renaming "Robert E. Lee Highschool" to "Harriet Tubman Highschool" Redleg Nov 26 #21

Dennis Donovan

(27,378 posts)
1. They're fed a steady diet of victimhood on Fox News and other RW outlets
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 10:19 AM
Nov 26

Deep down, they're people who have gotten theirs in life and resent anyone else getting theirs.

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
19. I wish so much they weren't in such a bubble
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 02:03 PM
Nov 26

I know they think we are too, but when every single person in the whole community votes the same way, there's some misinformation and propaganda going on. You'd think they'd be embarrassed to be so lock-step homogenous in their politics.

Scrivener7

(53,179 posts)
2. You're going to bus in drag queens for story hours. You know you are.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 10:23 AM
Nov 26

The irony of that is that if drag queens did ever move into those areas and these people got over themselves and were neighborly, they'd probably become MUCH happier people.

LakeArenal

(29,853 posts)
3. When we lived near Madison WI I heard that a lot.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 10:24 AM
Nov 26

But people moving to country pay taxes that improve their roads, property values and schools.

However, those things blow right past their complaints.

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
11. I was thinking maybe it's the schools
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 11:10 AM
Nov 26

Maybe they're worried we won't let them force our kids to pray. Luckily, my kid is grown. I have no idea what the schools here are like. Maybe they think we'll put litter boxes in the classrooms?

LakeArenal

(29,853 posts)
22. I was a teacher in the olden days.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 03:08 PM
Nov 26

Things ARE vastly different. Lots of teacher in WI retired during the Walker Union purge.

mwmisses4289

(186 posts)
5. Change.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 10:44 AM
Nov 26

You represent change that they see as bad- helping your neighbors, inclusiveness, things that would benefit the community. Also, they like to gripe- if there was nothing to gripe about, they would gripe about that.

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
10. My Republican neighbors have been really nice to us.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 11:05 AM
Nov 26

I'll give them that. Yet they had a Trump sign in the yard so it's hard to reconcile that. I just think they've been brainwashed by their churches. They're confined to their bubble. I'm guessing they may make comments in their homes, not in front of me, lol. They know we moved here from California, so......The comments I hear are not from them, but from local forums, newpapers, community gatherings and such. Not to my face, ever.

OrlandoDem2

(2,324 posts)
6. I wish a lot of libs would move to NC and GA in the next 2 years and flip those states.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 10:52 AM
Nov 26

Hell, if you’re Blue but live in FL, SC, TN, or AL you might as well live across the border and turn those 2 Purple states solid Blue!

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
8. I hear ya! I'm in Virginia. It's blue, but just barely.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 11:00 AM
Nov 26

I think I need to stay and help keep it blue. But I've had serious thoughts of moving to rural NY or Mass. I'll see how the next few years go....

UpInArms

(51,903 posts)
9. We moved to a rural area in 1991
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 11:03 AM
Nov 26

and for 30+ years, I have had the locals imply that I came here to change them with my big city ways.

FWIW, I was raised in the country and always wanted to move away from metropolitan life …

It’s definitely been an eye opener.

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
12. Yes! I never wanted to live in the city.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 11:17 AM
Nov 26

I left because there was no way for me to make a living in the country. I've been trying to get back to the country my whole life, and I resent being treated like I'm some sort of alien outsider. I can probably milk a cow better than most of them, lol!

I actually shocked one of my neighbors by talking cattle with him. Whoda thunk that liberal lady from California would know anything about cattle? Lol. My grandfather raised white-faced herefords and had a few holsteins for milking.

FYI, I've been a liberal since I was a teenager on the farm, so city living didn't exactly form my politics. I'm assuming the diversity I experienced kept me liberal, though.

usonian

(14,585 posts)
13. I moved to the foothills from the SF Bay area about 10 years ago.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 11:55 AM
Nov 26

I conclude that people move here mainly to get away from other people. I don't visit and knock on doors because everyone is armed.

When I moved here, I thought that old friends would visit because I have a spectacular view and can get them into Yosemite for free with my senior and veteran's passes. I just have to be in the same vehicle.

Ten years is a long time to wait.

So, I can't say that it's country folks who want to avoid people; it seems to be everyone. That's our sick culture. Friends I have who are 50 miles away (and a bus ride, at that), stay put.

It's like town and country are two distant universes apart.

I may yet find a way to enjoy the glorious sunrises and sunsets and still have the company of friends. I do visit those nearby towns about once a week. It's not that hard, except when the roads (both of them) are foggy, which happens.

Life should be a mixture of experiences, not a monotony or hermitage. Growing up in the Boston area, our summer vacation trips to the distant lands of New Hampshire or (gasp) even Maine, were exciting for a kid.

But most of the time was at home, watching an endless parade of jets descending to Logan airport. Now, they are at 30,000 ft (can hear them most of the time) headed for the big right or left turn at Hanford, and making contrails that criss-cross my cloud photos.


The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
18. I always wondered why Lisa was so mad about moving to the country.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 01:55 PM
Nov 26

Sounded like a good deal to me. I mean, if they could get a real phone....

Also, did Oliver really hurt any of his neighbors? He was clueless, sure, but what did he do to ruin the town?

Kali

(55,876 posts)
15. they mean being tolerant of non-white, non-straight people
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 01:02 PM
Nov 26

voting for social programs to help people, Democrats. you know, not being an asshole bigot.

Kali

(55,876 posts)
16. and to be fair to actual rural people...
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 01:06 PM
Nov 26

a lot of city people do move to the "country" and start wanting things like garbage pick up, wild animal control, paved roads, and the types of services they didn't like paying taxes for in the city so they moved out to the sticks. we call them pilgrims and sneer and ridicule them.

OnionPatch

(6,238 posts)
17. But this sounds more like a city versus country thing
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 01:52 PM
Nov 26

Than a liberal versus conservative thing. Do they not know that lots of city people are conservatives? Some of those city people moving to the countryside are voting red. I assume they don't know that a lot of city people are just displaced country people like me who couldn't make it in their home town/rural area. We aren't all ignorant of country ways. The people I hear complaining are specifically talking about liberals moving to their red areas and voting blue.

Kali

(55,876 posts)
20. I think we all make a lot of assumptions and generalizations about others.
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 02:12 PM
Nov 26

conservatives are by definition averse to change. rural people tend to be conservative. the world tends to march towards progress and that change causes fear in many people. scapegoating and blaming others when you are afraid is common.

Redleg

(6,245 posts)
21. Like renaming "Robert E. Lee Highschool" to "Harriet Tubman Highschool"
Tue Nov 26, 2024, 03:06 PM
Nov 26

Like wanting less pig shit to end up in our water supply. Like not beating the shit out of gay students just because they are gay. Like not being questioned why you have been absent from the local church meetings. Like not wanting your public school to be pushing christian nationalism in the classrooms.

It seems to me that rural folks often say we city dwellers and suburbanites look down our noses at them. It is true that some of us do. It is equally true that some rural folks look down their noses at us too. "Try that in a small town."

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