Let's just say, being a Democrat in Texas is not the norm. The majority of people in the state, and especially in the Lubbock area, held a whole collection of nonsensical, conservative, anti-government attitudes. I am consistently amazed and annoyed by anti-government attitudes in the arid west - a place which would literally be uninhabitable and economically destitute if it were not for federally funded water distribution projects, massive subsidies and tax breaks for cattle ranchers and cotton farmers, and even more disgustingly massive and unnecessary subsidies for oil and gas industries. It is so hypocritical to be anti-government in a region that is completely dependent on the government for basic survival. That seems to be the norm in red states, though. 
I saw so many bumper stickers for Romney/Ryan (get over it!) and even McCain/Palin (seriously get over it!) and other right-wing causes like deportation and birther claims and just plain offensive anti-Obama crap. The most common were simply Confederate flags, Right for a Reason, and just simply one that said "Extremely Rightwing." And to be honest, I wanted to rear-end ever single one of those cars. I hate it. I fucking hate it! On more than one occasion, I was in a restaurant or other public place and I heard a nearby conversation that was based on pure lies (usually quoting Fox News). I was so tempted to set it straight, but I wouldn't change their ignorant minds, so I bit my tongue. I remember vividly on April 2, 2014, two days after the deadline to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), an elderly gentlemen was "carrying out" my groceries from Market Street and out of nowhere he says, "Everybody's in a bad mood, signed up for Obamacare and didn't get what they expected. I kept my insurance, you ain't foolin' me." I almost blurted out, "What the fuck are you talking about old man?"
Obviously most of my colleagues shared my convictions, but outside of the small faculty community, there were limited options. This posed a major difficulty in terms of dating. I couldn't respect a potential partner that shared fundamentally different political beliefs. Sometimes guys suggested it would be "hot" to disagree. Um, no. I do not want to be James Carville and Mary Matalin. I want to be with someone that has the same convictions. I want to raise my potential children with the same important beliefs. I'm not religious, but I am political.
And now, I am positively giddy to live in a blue state again. Of course New York
is a blue state, but I am from the reddest part of that blue state.
(Literally, Essex County was bright red.) But in Massachusetts, I will
be in the motherfucking majority of political opinion for the first time
in my life!!! Even though Westfield is near the most rural/redneck portion of the state, and even in this mixed purple map, central/western Mass is still blue. So just to be clear, the most red part of the state is still blue! Haha!I am so happy driving around seeing "Ready for Hillary" stickers on so many cars. I surrounded by academics, union members, social workers, lesbians, organic farmers, local business owners, and just every imaginable type of Democrat. I just want to spin in circles. Ahhhh, sigh.
