Is our country really divided?

[john6:63]

The media would led us to beLIEve that ours is a country divided...

Looks to me like Bush dosen't need to make any concessions. From the looks of this county by county map, I'd say Bush is free to go foward with his agenda.

Source

 

[Gayla]

Agreed

 

[Pete Richert]

Yes, we are divided. The little map fails to mention the point that all the blue areas are the cities where everyone lives. LA, SF, NY, Chicago, Pittsburg, etc. Keryy got some 54 million votes (to 57 million or so Bush), and this difference this year is that those 54 million people didn't just vote for Kerry but they HATE Bush. Think he is the worst president of all time. I happen to live in one of those blue areas in the most red state of all (Texas) and trust me, we are much more divided then we were with Clinton. While it was hardly even mentioned this campaign, I think the biggest divider is abortion, as the left continues to move left and the right holds it position firm, and we are not talking about some balance like economy or use of military but simple black or white.

 

[JGrubbs]

You can't use the map to say that the country is not divided, many of those counties were probably won 51% to 49%. Which would make the state red, but still be divided.

 

[Hardsheller]

Originally posted by JGrubbs:
You can't use the map to say that the country is not divided, many of those counties were probably won 51% to 49%. Which would make the state red, but still be divided.

Had you looked closely you would have been able to see that Bush and Kerry's Counties won by less than 5% are both under 200.

 

[Pete Richert]

Okay, let me restate. When the media says that our country is divided, they are refering to PEOPLE, not landmass. So since the PEOPLE in this country that live the cities (the areas colored blue on the map) have a close population to the PEOPLE living in all the red land the map shows, our country IS divided.

Look at the popular vote. 59 million to 55 million means 55 MILLION people voted for Kerry. And that in and of itself might not mean much but in this election it is clear that those 55 Million (or at least 75%) didn't just vote for Kerry but voted against Bush.

Yes, we are divided.

 

[JGrubbs]

Originally posted by Hardsheller:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by JGrubbs:
You can't use the map to say that the country is not divided, many of those counties were probably won 51% to 49%. Which would make the state red, but still be divided.

Had you looked closely you would have been able to see that Bush and Kerry's Counties won by less than 5% are both under 200. </font>[/QUOTE]Okay so 47% to 53% woudl be 6% points. I would still consider that divided.

The popular vote shows

Bush: 59,141,898
Kerry: 55,586,933

I would consider that divided as well. You have to look at the numbers, not the colors on the map.

 

[Hardsheller]

I don't disagree that we're divided.

I just think we're more divided culturally than we are geographically.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by john6:63:
The media would led us to beLIEve that ours is a country divided...

It's a matter of relative subjectivity. The verbage of healing the nation, uniting the division, etc, are all things that are commonly heard after an election. It's all well and good, but it's typically just spin.

 

[LorrieGrace]

Some people really do feel that the country is divided. We need to be praying to God that someone on one of the side's will extend the olive branch. We are literally in the same boat---all living in the same country. We had better find a way to bridge the gap because otherwise we will be teaching a new generation how to "hate" political style!

 

[Pennsylvania Jim]

I think the business of "divided" is baloney.

It was an ELECTION!! In an ELECTION, there are different sides with different views (or in this case, the same views). Different people vote for different candidates.

Under the thinking of the "divided" opinion, what would it take for us not to be "divided"...for everyone to vote for the same candidate?

I think poliicians have overestimated their own importance...by a long shot.

 

[The Galatian]

We were divided on whether or not Bush should be president. We are divided on the war, and on many other things.

I am praying that now that re-election is off Bush's mind, he will return to the kind of careful, constructive uniter he was when he was governor of Texas.

If not, four more years of decline for America.

 

[Pennsylvania Jim]

Of course we were divided over whether Bush should be president...that's what an election is.

I agree that we are divided over the war, though. And that tells you something...if there is room for major division, the chances are very slim that the war (aka killing thousands of human beings) was really necessary.

If our soil is truly in danger, there would be nearly unanimous sentiment to kill whoever threatens it.

 

[williemakeit]

Yes, we are divided, and the divide will continue in favor of a more secular nation (along the lines of secular Europe). Of course, there is always a chance of a 'Great Spiritual Awakening'; however, I personally believe that Jesus' return is very, very near. I was thoroughly surprised that Bush won re-election. If we are to believe the Bible, this country will need to continue its moral decline (condoning unnatural relationships, killing unborn children, pushing God out of everyday life, etc.). Considering the results of the election, and the passage of 11 referendums around the nation, maybe we have a little while longer to continue presenting the gospel to our lost loved ones and acquaintances, to share our salvation story with others that we meet, to help those that are burdened, and to continue standing for that which is Holy. Of course, I personally would not count on another day in this old world.

 

[Pennsylvania Jim]

Originally posted by williemakeit:
If we are to believe the Bible, this country will need to continue its moral decline (condoning unnatural relationships, killing unborn children, pushing God out of everyday life, etc.).

If I am not mistaken, your interpretation of prophecy includes the imminent return of Christ, meaning that he could return at any time.

Then, going by your logic stated above, the founding fathers of America would not have bothered.

That would have been a shame. Will we build for the future, or wish our grandchildren into destruction?

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Let me ask this:

Is it always a bad thing when the nation is divided? Let me give an example from the SBC: For many years (and arguably even now), the SBC has been said to be bitterly divided between those who don't believe in the inerrancy of scripture (Liberals in the CBF and now Baptist Alliance) and those who hold a high view of scripture (SBC Conservative leadership). Should these people forget about their differences, hold hands and sing Kumbya in the spirit of Bi-Partisanship? I would assert that sometimes division is a good thing. I don't want to be united with those who are pro-choice. I don't want to be united with those who, in the soirit of bi-partisanship I guess, spent the last year insulting the president's intelligence and undermining the war effort in Iraq and emboldening the enemy while our soldiers are in a combat zone. I don't want to be united with those who who are endorsed by Hezbolla, Arafat, UBL, France, Germany, and Kofi Anon.

I think division is a good thing sometimes.

Viva la Division.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[dianetavegia]

Is our counry divided? A report last night claimed Kerry lost because his idea of morals was economical while George Bush's idea of morals was God and how to live our lives. On morals, they gave a 82% score to Bush from the people and only 18% to Kerry. Sounds like we're heading back in the right direction!

 

[OrovilleTim]

Originally posted by Hardsheller:
I don't disagree that we're divided.

I just think we're more divided culturally than we are geographically.

I think it is culturally based on geographics. I live in rural CA and started my election day there. All around me had seen smiling faces, fish emblems, Bush stickers, etc. By mid-day I had arrived in the Bay Area of CA and I was surrounded by sour faces, Kerry stickers, Darwin emblems, etc. In the morning in rural CA, you couldn't have told anyone that Bush couldn't win. In the afternoon, no one in the Bay would beleive Kerry could lose (and the next day I heard people claiming the exit polls were right, that people had cheated!)

What I've noticed also as I have traveled around the country and lived in various places is, the locations where you are in the minority if you don't go to Church on Sunday morning are overwhelmingly conservative. Likewise, in the cities and other "progressive" locations that see going to Church as old fashioned, or when they have Churches they are rainbow/triangle fellowships, the population is overwhelmingly liberal.

This also seems to match the Red and Blue on the map, which would show that the two cultures are geographically distributed along set patterns. One note though... some of those Blue pockets in the SouthWest and areas of key states around CA are hotspots for California Bay Area transplants who are finding and forming new outposts.

 

[OrovilleTim]

Originally posted by Joseph_Botwinick:
Viva la Division.

 

[williemakeit]

Originally posted by Pennsylvania Jim:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by williemakeit:
If we are to believe the Bible, this country will need to continue its moral decline (condoning unnatural relationships, killing unborn children, pushing God out of everyday life, etc.).

If I am not mistaken, your interpretation of prophecy includes the imminent return of Christ, meaning that he could return at any time.

Then, going by your logic stated above, the founding fathers of America would not have bothered.

That would have been a shame. Will we build for the future, or wish our grandchildren into destruction? </font>[/QUOTE]Nope. Do not know how you read that logic into my message. Christians are to work as if Jesus will return at any time, but are also to plan for a future until his return. Based upon this logic, I believe that I am doing everything that I should be doing for the future (i.e.,planning to retire in 10 more years, paying for one daughter's college, and saving for the other daughter to go off to college in approx. 4 more years, etc.). I am also taking care of the spiritual side (storing up treasures in heaven).