Thanks for that post. As a non-American theimpressiin I had was that there were great swathes of Southern America that we totally dominated by the religious right.

That just seemed not right to me but not my experience so not for me to say. Your post has put some sanity back into my questioning.

I think it's the microcosms - where do people work? Where do they play?
In those areas do they find like minded folks?

That's what will color their perceptions. And often make them feel "surrounded".

I worked in an office that ran high to Republicans and the Religious - it definitely felt like "Me versus the World" but I was very aware that outside the doors - there were many folks just like me. I lived in a Blue State - there was no worry these were the majority of folk. lol

But it's easy to start taking small clues and building them into the wrong picture.

And even if you can only find a few - "just like you" where you are - you can still be pretty happy to have a group of friends with like interests and shared beliefs/morals.

no no no .. I know that sounds comforting and all ... but we need to learn to congregate "amongst dem english John Book". Find the similarities and embrace those things.

You make it sound as though it's kind of the same for liberals and conservative, or non-religious and religious. But I suspect it's more accurate to say that minority non-religious/liberals living in majority conservative/religious areas are more likely to be ostracized or repressed, which makes the matter worse. I also think the opposite situation is less likely to be true because liberals are more likely to be tolerant, i.e. live and let live, as long as you're not stepping on other peoples' toes.