[lbo-talk] GOP's Santorum says homosexuality a threat

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Wed Apr 23 11:59:04 PDT 2003


Lou:
> I'm not as freaked out as he is, but then I live in Chicago
> and he lives in
> Ithaca, NY. I suspect there is a higher level of division
> between large
> cities and the hinterland than there has been in quite a while.

I think so as well. Here in Baltimore things are not as bad - most people with whom I work are against the war, and you can see a great number of anti-war signs. But when I go to central PA where my wife lives - it is a sea change - not only the area is infested with flags and god bless america signs, but there are actual pro-war demostration and letters to editor chastise the warmongering Patriot News for not being patriotic enough. I've seen maye be a few peace signs in the city of Harrisburg, had one anti-war talk in a barber shop, and someone in a Chinese restaurant asked me what the pin I am wearing is (I told him it is an UN pin and he replied he though so) but that is about it. The area is a major recruitmenmt ground for neo-nazi organizations and my wife, who put a Rendell for governor sign in her yard had the sign run over by a truck and someone dropping anti-semitic nazi propaganda on her porch (Rendell is Jewish). Racist slurs and opinions are expressed casually and without the usual "I am not a racist, but..." caveat. "Gay" and "Jewish" are used synonymously with "bad." This place is perhaps one of the most reactionary hell-holes I've seen in my life, albeit my friend whose husband works in Virginia tells me that things are much worse there.

Wojtek



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