[jere]

Several others have identified country music. As an American, this a totally boring, expected result. Country music stars headline right leaning benefit concerts, conventions, radio shows, and TV shows.

And there's a natural alignment between country music and conservatism: both celebrate certain attitudes epitomized by the cowboy persona (strong, independent, hard working, etc.) while simultaneously trying to forget that those pesky intellectuals, liberals, foreigners, and minorities even exist. In case you think that last comment is unfair take a quick peek at the white/black ratio of those top 10 artists: 10/0 for Republican, 4/6 for Democrat.

Unsurprisingly, country music finds most of its popularity in the US, Canada, and Australia. Interestingly, however, there has been a country music festival in France for over 20 years, Country Rendez-Vous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_music#Other_internation...

[mindcrime]

both celebrate certain attitudes epitomized by the cowboy persona (strong, independent, hard working, etc.) while simultaneously trying to forget that those pesky intellectuals, liberals, foreigners, and minorities even exist.

Meh... as much as I don't care for a lot of what passes for "conservatism" these days, one has to be fair and say that being conservative doesn't preclude you from being an intellectual, a foreigner, or a minority. Yes, the stereotype is that intellectuals lean left, and that minorities lean left, but it's hardly that black and white (no pun intended).

[jere]

I agree with you, but there does seem to be a correlation there. And if you disagree, then ask yourself how many Republicans would be vote for a gay, atheist, or Muslim president. Bill Maher put it best:

>Let me defend myself. I would never say and I have never said, because it’s not true that Republicans, all Republicans are racists. That would be silly and wrong. But nowadays, if you are racist, you’re probably a Republican.

[waterlesscloud]

Those words could only be spoken by someone who doesn't get out much.

[jere]

Is that right? Here are some recent polls from Alabama/Mississipi in which 52% of Republicans believe Obama is secretly Muslim and 29% believe interracial marriage should be illegal.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/12/news/la-pn-poll-obam...

You're suggesting... what? Democrats have equal hatred for non-whites and non-christians??

[waterlesscloud]

In that particular case I strongly suspect that if you polled white Democrats in those states you'd get similar answers on the interracial marriage question.

Probably not similar on the "Is Obama secretly a Muslim?" question, but as Democrats they're less likely to believe negative things about their party head.

My point is that there are many, many racist Democrats in the country, and if you don't think so you just haven't gotten around very much.

[gyardley]

He's probably suggesting that there are many types of bigotry and no one political party has a lock on them.

Yes, in America if you're bigoted against blacks, you probably vote Republican. If you're bigoted against whites, you probably vote Democratic. If you're bigoted against Muslims, you probably vote Republican. If you're bigoted against all religious people, well, you probably vote Democratic.

It's probably a function of the area I live in, but every antisemite I've run into in the past few years has seemed very left-wing. (I say 'seemed' because I like to keep a healthy distance from antisemites. I'm only going by shouting and signage.)

While we're on the topic, the political leanings of bigots are fluid. A generation or two ago, if you were bigoted against blacks, you probably voted Democratic.

[waterlesscloud]

The other aspect of this is that a Mississippi Democrat is different from a Massachusetts Democrat.

[anamax]

> But nowadays, if you are racist, you’re probably a Republican.

For definitions of "racist" that are "interesting" to say the least.

> Bill Maher put it best.

Maher is a tool who makes Limbaugh look smart.

[anamax]

For example, it was "racist" for McCain to not address the NAACP convention in 2008.

Likewise, it was "racist" for Romney to mention points of disagreement in his NAACP convention speech earlier this week, as proved by their boos. (Any time a white person is bood by a mostly black audience, the speaker is racist. And no, their applause doesn't erase that.)

That said, it would have been "racist" for Romney to only mention points of agreement.

Speaking of boos, if a mostly white audience boos a black speaker, that's because they're "racists".