excepted from comments posted elsewhere:
I understand the sentiment of wanting to dig trenches and battle. I have respect for that. The problem with this, for me at least, is that I no longer have the drive and energy to battle for a mass of people who can't see beyond their own personal perception of a "good leader". We are the minority here. Our position, essentially, is relegated to the back sections beyond the sports section.
The places you mention like northampton or cambridge, I know there is hope there but for me, that is not good enough. I'm tired of being stuck in a situation where the vast majority of the country is taken over by the unthinking and short-sighted. I'm tired of defending my positions on basically every issue with no effect. It's obvious to me now, the majority of americans don't listen and never will listen. They'll remain blinded by yellow ribbons and canned party lines that somehow coincide with their own crazier agendas.
The grass is always greener they say, but for once, i'm actually willing to concede that it is actually greener. You know me. You know that there isn't really a country in the world that could live up to my political views as I, like yourself am ridiculously far to the left. Of course, by this i mean that i believe in things like health care and free housing and the providing of all things necessary to everyone so that they can live a basic life before having to slave away at 3 jobs to make ends barely meet. Are there other places that are closer to this? yes, not by a huge amount, but yes. I can't stay in a place where simple views like these can't even be tolerated by people who would, without a seconds thought, claim they are living their lives by the bible.
So will i leave? Your goddamn right i will. Am I leaving the field to the enemy? Sure, but when you've lost the will to fight because the reason for fighting has dropped out from underneath you, I'd hardly call that an abandonment. If anything, american itself has abandoned me and I have little choice but to accept that and move on.
Our people need help, that's for damn sure, but had they wanted to help themselves they could have done it yesterday. I refuse to continue to worry about and try to help groups of people who don't even want to help themselves. The best way anyone can help now is to get out your prayer books and address these ones to St. Jude because america is a fucking lost cause.
-Hakujinjoe, the real american idiot