[gcburn2]

As someone who grew up in Columbus, went to school in Cincinnati, and moved back to Columbus for work, I think you're being a little dramatic here.

I don't know where you're from in the Midwest, but the vast majority of people I interact with around here are extremely live-and-let-live. In fact I can't remember the last time I came across someone or a situation that was actively hostile about beliefs or sexual orientation. Obviously these are just my anecdotes, but I run in a pretty sexually and racially diverse scene and they all love Columbus as well.

Your hyperbole and vindictive reactions to a diverse region of the country are certainly going to help close the divide.

[Feniks]

"extremely live-and-let-live"

That's the attitude that I like. I can't stand false liberals and progressives. Nobody gets to tell anyone how to live their lives. If I wanted that I'd move to a rural village in Pakistan.

[rybosome]

Columbus native here. It varies wildly; my wife lived in an upper-class suburban area and reports an experience similar to yours, but I grew up in a poorer, slightly more rural-adjacent area. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I was called a “faggot” for things like wanting to recycle or not wanting to get in fistfights. I overheard racial epithets on a near-daily basis; telling racist jokes where the punchline was the death or maiming of a minority were widely socially acceptable.

Culture is the #1 reason that I have no desire to move back to Columbus.

[empthought]

Was this during the 80s or 90s? Things have changed all over the place since then.

[rybosome]

I graduated from Ohio State in 2011 and moved away in 2012, so much more recently than that actually. A woman that I dated in high school is now a teacher at the school we graduated from, and she told me that she sees pretty vile behavior from her students (particularly after the election). So we are not talking about a long time ago, nor are we talking about one or two isolated incidents.

[jimwalsh]

Things are much different in Columbus now, also you can't run from ignorant people. They exist everywhere, even in SV.

[lurr]

Then how is this legislation getting passed?

[Para2016]

Motivation to get out and vote, probably. Remember Proposition 8 in California?

A Democrat just won in Alabama. It's about motivation for voting. The research triangle in NC is the most heavily populated area in NC, it should carry the state with 1/5 of the state's people living there and actually voting.

[s73ver_]

And you ignoring a problem that very much exists isn't either.

Further, why is it their responsibility to "help closer the divide" when the other side does not believe they should have fundamental rights?