# Kerry has conceded **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777 "2004-11-03T16:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/121 "2004-11-04T00:23:27Z")
well, that’ll teach me to somehow miss an entire page of posts. Forget I said anything… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/122 "2004-11-04T00:35:10Z")
> [@Linear Crack](#): > > [Here is a nice view of OUR country](http://images.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/elections2004/_images/2004countymap.gif) > > -LC If you are referring to the fact that the map is mostly read, don’t be so smug. Almost half the population of the country is in the tiny blue areas. So don’t go around thinking most of the country, or the whole country, went for Bush. I’m assuming also that Cook and L.A. County ended up in the blue column, but the data wasn’t available when this map was made. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/123 "2004-11-04T00:43:42Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > I’m assuming also that Cook and L.A. County ended up in the blue column, but the data wasn’t available when this map was made. You assume correctly, at least for Cook County. You couldn’t elect a republican in cook county if he/she was handing out gold bars and blowjobs for votes. Oddly enough, the collar counties and downstate are staunch Republicans, and still ended up putting Obama in, which was the right thing, because Keyes…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/124 "2004-11-04T07:46:53Z")
> [@Already in Use](#): > > I strongly support gay rights, but dammit, I refuse to concede defeat to the forces of evil and ignorance in my own country by running away. If anything, some of you liberal fuckers up there should move down here and balance things out. They are already on their way , the snowbirds should hit Florida by the end of November. After that , the young liberals will hit your beaches around spring break . Declan ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/125 "2004-11-04T08:23:52Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > My humblest appologies then. I definitely wasn’t trying to put words in your mouth. I was attempting that age old idea of repeating something back for clarification, to make sure I got the concept. I obviously missed the boat. > > However, if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask something else since the general has already briefly been brought up about entrenched mores. In my previous example, using myself, it was imperative for _me_ to seek out alternatives and change my ideas. I didn’t think anyone else should do it. And although I realize that’s not what you’re saying either, it does seem to put the impetus on others rather than upon the person responsible. > > Now I realize that said individual may not _want_ to see/do differently, but isn’t that the crux of the whole matter anyway? Presenting a reasonable view of things and hoping intelligent thought, discourse and re-consideration happen. If not, what should happen then if obstinance is purely the result of _nothing_ more than long held beliefs? That attitude should be combatted (agh! I can’t think of the actual word I want and I feel this one is too strong – I hope it’s understood what I’m getting at), right? The problem is in the approach. These people’s ideas were formed when their brains were most formative. It is like they have spent their whole lives speaking nothing but English when suddenly, someone comes out of nowhere, bops them on the head, and shouts, “Imbécile! Il faut que tu parles le français!” It really isn’t going to help even if some well-meaning by-stander then politely explains, “He says that you need to speak French.” What happens then is that you get into a protracted discussion trying to explain to him why it is necessary that he speak French when one, he doesn’t know the first thing about French, two, this whole thing is news to him, three, it seems to have come out of nowhere since he has never been exposed to French, and four, the French speaking people seem to be pissed off over something and have blamed him proactively for it. They are, after all, bopping him on the head and informing him that he hates them. When you say “nothing more than long held beliefs”, it betrays your own lack of understanding about where these people are coming from. You’re thinking it’s a matter of frontal lobe fact checking, when it is a matter of limbic system instinct — the hypothalamus, the amygdala, the hippocampus. They’ve held these beliefs since childhood. They form the basis of their long term memories, their emotions, their fears, their sexual arousal, what they thirst and hunger for. You have to find what connects you to them. Freedom. They love freedom. They have loved freedom since childhood. It is a foundational concept of their beliefs. It is what you really want for gays. Don’t talk about losing rights. They don’t see it that way. Talk about losing freedom. Talk about how their own God values free will so much that He refuses to interfere with it. Invoke Him to counter their limbic-centered views. They cannot understand why they should give gays rights (it’s all just French to them). But they can understand why they should not interfere in God’s own plan. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/126 "2004-11-04T09:16:29Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > When you say “nothing more than long held beliefs”, it betrays your own lack of understanding about where these people are coming from. You’re thinking it’s a matter of frontal lobe fact checking, when it is a matter of limbic system instinct — the hypothalamus, the amygdala, the hippocampus. They’ve held these beliefs since childhood. They form the basis of their long term memories, their emotions, their fears, their sexual arousal, what they thirst and hunger for. You have to find what connects you to them. Freedom. They love freedom. They have loved freedom since childhood. It is a foundational concept of their beliefs. It is what you really want for gays. Don’t talk about losing rights. They don’t see it that way. Talk about losing freedom. Talk about how their own God values free will so much that He refuses to interfere with it. Invoke Him to counter their limbic-centered views. They cannot understand why they should give gays rights (it’s all just French to them). But they can understand why they should not interfere in God’s own plan. Thanks, **Lib** , that was brilliant! Where the hell were you when the Kerry campaign was being laid out? Seriously, I’ve never heard the conservative disconnect from reality better expressed. I only snipped the top half of your post to save a little bandwidth (for my own excessive verbiage), but all anyone has to do is scroll up one post. And they sholuld, and read it again! ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/127 "2004-11-04T13:09:35Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Mr. Kerry, thank you for leading a spirited campaign. To you and every one of your supporters, the whole of America owes a debt of gratitude. Getting the vote out, informing the voters, and stirring interest in the Presidential contest were objectives, the turnout at the polls yesterday being evidentiary of a tremendous success. Your speech today was that of a gracious gentleman, a reminder of why you are the recipient of such ardent allegiance. The post of a gracious winner. Thank you **danceswithcats**. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777/128 "2004-11-05T05:54:30Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Well, yeah, there’s that. But California is a bit of a drive from Boston. Um… PROVINCETOWN!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerry-has-conceded/272777.md?page=6)