In a March 4, 2019 article, The Atlantic, a left-leaning publication according to Allsides.com, ranked every county in the United States by their “degree of partisan prejudice.” As the authors of the article accurately observed:
Most of us now discriminate against members of the other political side explicitly and implicitly—in hiring, dating, and marriage, as well as judgments of patriotism, compassion, and even physical attractiveness, according to recent research.
Interestingly, while the authors expected to find immigrants or racial minorities most politically intolerant, what they found instead is that “the most politically intolerant Americans, according to the analysis, tend to be whiter, more highly educated, older, more urban, and more partisan themselves.” As a libertarian conservative who has lived in highly white, highly educated, rabidly progressive Seattle, I could have saved them the research and simply shared my personal experiences over the past 25 years.
Not surprisingly, The Atlantic ranks King County, Washington, the home of Seattle, in the 98th percentile of partisan prejudice. If you remove the eastern and southern suburbs, which until recently had Republican representatives in the State Legislature, I’m certain the remaining parts of the county would rank in the 99th or 100th percentile. This makes the Greater Seattle area one of the most politically prejudiced places in the United States.
The progressive intolerance of Greater Seattle manifests in various ways – some subtle, and some very flagrant indeed. The message that conservatives are evil and unwanted comes from spiritual leaders, teachers, neighbors, and – of course – politicians. It can make a person who holds conservative beliefs and values feel like a pariah.
Not to diminish the experience of racial minorities, but being a conservative in Seattle can feel like being the only black person in a racist community. Although, at least with political beliefs we can hide our differences and pretend to get along – many of us do so – while a part of us feels like its dying inside.
It is my goal in writing this blog to share my authentic experience as a person – living, working and raising a family in Seattle – who does not share the mainstream progressive views of my city. I write as an outlet for myself and as a figurative lifeboat for others in my predicament. You are not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you.
I am not a professional writer. Do not expect eloquent prose from me. I am not writing as an authority on anything other than my experiences and my feelings. Please don’t cite my blog as support for any position.
As we experience this experiment together, I may sometimes seem bitter and hopeless. I may sometimes feel angry and defensive. I will certainly sometimes feel encouraged and positive, and hopefully some of that positivity will be contagious. I try to be self-aware, so I may be able to comment on these emotions as I share them, but like everyone else, I have my blind spots. Feel free to point them out, with compassion please, in the comments.
Mostly, I just want to share my experience of what its like trying to live and thrive as a conservative in Seattle. I hope getting the words out helps me feel better about my situation. If you are in a similar situation, I hope it helps you as well. Perhaps it will even help my more “progressive” friends understand how hurtful their words and actions can be.
Regardless of what brought you here, I’m glad you’ve decided to join me.