Last week, Sen. Dan Foreman, Latah County’s representative, called the greater Moscow area a “cesspool of liberalism.” Yes, you read that right.
Foreman spoke to a crowd of roughly 50 people — some of who applauded his remarks — at a candidate forum in Fernwood, Idaho, April 25, according to The Spokesman Review.
“Latah County, particularly the university, greater Moscow area, is a cesspool of liberalism,” Foreman said in full.
Yes, Moscow outwardly seems like a largely liberal-minded area. But, most people understand that in coming here. Most people understand that in representing its people.
When I first visited the University of Idaho, I knew I was entering a fairly liberal bubble in a largely conservative state — it’s the exact attribute that drew me here in the first place.
Hailey Stewart | Argonaut
I didn’t need liberalism as a new college student. But, coming from a rather conservative small town, I wanted something different — a college town, neighboring another college town would give me just that.
Foreman’s negative and extremely off-putting remarks, for a candidate about to head into the May primary, however, raise an interesting thought. To one side, the word conservatism connotes negativity. And to the other, liberalism also signifies negativity.
Still, we use both these words to describe almost everyone and everything in some capacity. “The candidate is conservative.” “The town is liberal.”
Liberal generally connotes an openness to change and openness to new opinions, especially when it comes to ditching traditional values.
Conservative generally indicates attachment to traditional values and norms, and often cautious about change.
The two words consistently polarize people, communities and the country. Still, it’s just the way we live.
However, it is not the words themselves that create this polarization, it is the way in which we use them, the way we view them.
According to the Pew Research Center, the polarization of these words plays out in forming communities around the country. The report shows conservative views overwhelmingly favor small towns and rural areas as places to settle down. For liberal-minded people, 46 percent say they would consistently rather live in cities or places with quick access to a cityscape.
It makes sense. Idaho is largely conservative and largely formed around houses spread acres apart.
Moscow as a small, but diverse town is what makes it different in the first place — the best setting one of the best settings for a young college student, a family and a politician.
Moscow, as a conundrum, has always fascinated me. The fairly liberal bubble at the edge of the state makes people wonder what could be happening here.
The answer is simple — education and openness. Two local universities and a diverse population of educated people resting on the border of a conservative state and often liberal state makes for quite the varied lifestyle.
I have met many people during my time in Moscow, some liberal, some conservative and many everywhere in between. This is what makes Moscow home.
Some political candidates may not see it this way, but I know many of us do.
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Hailey_ann97
Eran
The fairly liberal bubble at the edge of the state makes people wonder what could be happening here. "The answer is simple " - I disagree as a sociologist and think there is a large amount of confusion between the two. For example, "liberal" used to mean libertarian, which rarely matches liberal areas of today. Liberal today means things like the increasing growth of govt power, removing constraints on sexual mores, and basically the desire for any mechanism which support fewer people.