KarenS says we should talk more so I'd like to ask you all a favor.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

Judging by the number of views some of the Arizona group posts recieve, I suspect that there are more than 10 DU members in Az. I would like to ask anyone who comes to this group to see what's up if you all would mind just creating a quick post to tell us where you live. I realize that there are a lot of shy people here so you don't have to actually say anything if you don't want, just hit the blue post button, type the name of the town you live in and hit "post my thread" at the bottom. If you are feeling a little more verbose, It would be nice to hear about any progressive type groups or actions you might align yoursel with.

My experience tells me that, especially if you visit DU regularly, you kind of get a mindset that many shall we say, progressive types must belong to DU but the fact is, we seem to be very rare. I've been on DU for over 10 years now, most of them while living in the San Francisco bay area. I've also been involved with a number of progressive groups as well as the labor movement. I moved here almost exactly a year ago and got involved with Drinking :Liberally, PDA and Occupy Tucson. In all of that time, although I mention DU on a regular basis, not once has anyone said "I've heard of that" or I belong to DU too" or much of anything else so I'm really curious. How many DU members A. are in Arizona B. check out the Arizona group and C. where they all live.

I know a few live in Tucson, at least two, myself included, live in Marana and I'm pretty sure one is in Sedona but beyond that, I guess everybody is just shy.

So drop us a quick post...please!

[Kali]

1. I'm east of Tucson

between Benson and Wilcox - Texas Canyon to be exact.

[lapfog_1]

2. I used to live near St. David

I've relocated to the Bay Area... but I still have ties to AZ.

St. David is between Benson and Tombstone.

[Kali]

9. hey lapfog!

haven't seen you in a long time!

[lapfog_1]

11. Hi Kali

don't post here as much as I used to, politics is getting too depressing for me.

Anyway, I come back to AZ from Cali about every 2 to 3 months. Love the desert. Can't stand the people (quite a few) that live in it. Don't get me wrong, there are many good people that live in AZ... but my family (all of them in Benson) are too much for me to take. every one of them is Repuke and/or tea party.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

15. Where in the Bay area? I spent most of my life there.

and how long have you been there and how do you like it?

[lapfog_1]

25. I like going to the Safeway here in the Bay Area

and NOT see about 10 guys with camo pants and guns strapped to their thighs.

and their crappy trucks in the parking lot with the "Open Season on Liberals" bumper stickers.

Seriously, I'd love to be in Arizona if there weren't so many of those people there.

Plus, over the last 30+ years, Arizona has accumulated a lot more trash in the desert. Seriously. And not just the guys in the camo pants.

[Ptah]

3. I live in Tucson, near the U of A

When my garden is going well, I have sunflowers
reaching for the shy.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

14. Well look at you!

We4 planted a whole bunch of stuff in the spring and the only thing that made it was this Bogainvilla.

Would love to know how you grew your Sunflowers.

[KarenS]

4. Casa Grande here,,,,

Chuckling at the "KarenS says",,,,

[OffWithTheirHeads]

16. Well...

[Sedona]

5. checking in from Sedona

too early to be verbose.

[sweetloukillbot]

6. Don't post here often, but I'm in Phoenix - Biltmore area

In an almost historic, surprisingly Jewish neighborhood (never knew there was one in Phoenix!) right in the heart of Ben Quayle's district.

[marybourg]

29. yes. and there's a jewish

newspaper, a rare equity - sanctioned jewish theater group and several jewish film festivals as well as a jewish historical society. Ask Rabbi Google.

[sweetloukillbot]

33. I knew about the theatre group (they almost went under last year, sadly) and the newspaper...

I know there is a Jewish population in Phoenix, I've just never lived in a neighborhood where the streets fill up on Saturday evening with Orthodox families walking to temple and the local Walgreens has all the kosher foods labelled in its cooler. It's not boldly advertised like a Chinatown or Little Korea or whatever, just a little hidden gem of a neighborhood near a really good deli and bakery.
I've always found it strange that Phoenix doesn't have the ethnic neighborhood delineations that other big cities have except for Guadalupe and maybe some of those West Phoenix neighborhoods. Although we do seem to have the makings of a gay neighborhood in the Melrose district and a burgeoning hipster enclave downtown.

[teknomanzer]

7. Hailing in from Mesa...

Been a DU member since 2001 but lived in South Florida back then - had a front seat for the 2000 election debacle in that state.

Moved to Phx metro back in 2006 looking for greener pastures in the desert. HA! Truth is I do have better circumstances here, but I have felt politically isolated in this state. But at least I have DU...

[OffWithTheirHeads]

17. I think that is why I am trying to ramp up the Az. group

I can't count the # of times I've heard that "I am a progressive in Az. surrounded by a sea of red. I'm not buying it. As I see it, we are just not talking to each other. Hell, look at this group. More than a hundred people have looked at this post and about ten have actually taken the time to respond. If you feel isolated, maybe you need to reach out a little further.

I came here with much trepidation. All I had heard about Arizona was about Jan (Dick Cheney in drag) Brewer and sherif fat white racist guy. Maybe I'm lucky to have landed in Baha Arizona but with a little work, I seem to have established a group of like minded friends. Drinking liberally has certainly expanded my horizon and you don't even have to drink. FWIW, I have NEVER seen somebody at drinking liberally who was actually drunk. Progressive Dems, Move on, The Democratic party meetings, All are a way to connect with like minded Arizonans. A little effort is required but the results are worth it.
We really need to talk more and that is why I contnue to pimp this group. We're here, you just have to do a little, tiny bit of work to connect.

A good place to start is to go to Kali's thread about throwing Fat, racist white guy out of office and sign the pettition. Only takes a minute and you will sleep better tonight knowing that you have done something worthwhile. Then, take a moment to feel the sense of accomplishment and sign up for the Arizona group and post us a note about how good it made you feel! Watch as those feelings of isolation fade away!

d by

[JonLP24]

8. Hello from Mesa

I check in regularly.

[Ptah]

10. We also talk about who to choose for first host.

Anyone on this thread interested?

Check in here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/103832

Hosting in not a chore, and can be quite educational.

[drmeow]

12. Tempe

I check the AZ group when I remember but I often forget.

I also don't come to DU as often as I used to because 1) the news depresses me and 2) DU is falling into the same trap that a lot of other forums fall into ... the few abrasive or obnoxious douchebags who always seem to eventually join forums ruin the mood for me

[OffWithTheirHeads]

13. I've found the ignore function has done wonders for my blood pressure

After you weed out the handfull of assholes the whole thing becomes much more tolerable.

Not sure if we have it here yet but it's coming!

[drmeow]

19. Yes - my ignore list

has grown quite a bit in the last year.

[mvccd1000]

18. Mesa, but...

... my job takes me overseas for much of the year right now.

When I come back, I hope to move a little further east, perhaps out of Maricopa County.

[Tansy_Gold]

32. Pinal County isn't a whole lot better than Maricopa. :-(

Apache Junction checking in here.

[former9thward]

20. Tempe here.

Originally from Chicago but only applied to warm weather places to go to law school. Wound up at ASU and still live just a couple blocks away.

[Mosby]

21. North central Phoenix for me.

[DesertRat]

22. Phoenix and Pinetop. n/t

[MountainMama]

23. West Virginia native.....

but been in Mesa since '03. Joined DU in 2001, I think. Don't post very often.

I have decided that the Democratic Party (at least in Maricopa County) isn't very effective. I have donated a good bit to Citizens for a Better Arizona and gladly helped to vote out Russell Pearce.

Hoping beyond hope we can do the same thing with Joe Arpaio. I've been horrified at his antics since, well, '03.

[dbackjon]

24. South Scottsdale here

[Kali]

26. tee hee

I mostly grew up in north Tempe, grade and high school in south Scottsdale (Supai and Coronado)

[dbackjon]

27. I live a few blocks from Coronado HS

Close enough that I can hear the football games.

[ChazII]

31. Another Coronado grad here.

My son was a Supai Middle School and CHS grad. When I was in school Supai was a k-8 school.

[Kali]

34. Really??!!

what year? do we know each other? I was sort of in two classes - 77 and 78 as I took off a year between soph and junior to travel with my family

[MiddleFingerMom]

28. Tucson (central north)

.
.
.
Raised in Connecticut (til 6) and Michigan (til 17)
.
.
.
Lived all over since then (including 4 years in West Germany). Started visiting the 'rents way
back when they retired here in 1981 and knew IMMEDIATELY that I wanted to live here --
but didn't grab the opportunity 'til 1998.
.
.
.
Haven't regretted that decision for a moment since.
.
.
.
I thought I had posted this here before now.
.
.
.

[marybourg]

30. Far west valley retirement

heaven here. Yes, there are actually quite a few dems here, especially in Sun City, where Del Webb advertised to auto workers back in the day.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

35. Huh. Can't seem to finf "Far west valley retirement" on Google maps

[marybourg]

36. It's due west

of the west valley.

[Zorra]

37. Sedona here.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

38. Visited last August. Sedona is amazing (and expensive)

Do you ever get tired of the views?

[Kumbricia]

39. Central Tucson

Late reply, I know...after they redesigned the site I lost my bookmark and then got out of the habit of checking back in