Melbourne's Burke Road stretches from Caulfield to Ivanhoe, and in the 1970s our then Prime Minister called it the longest street of bible bashing bastards in Australia. No one in the road voted for him, so he had nothing to lose by the statement.
Step forward to the mid 2020s and many huge houses that contained a family have been demolished for pairs of upmarket townhouses, containing a downsizing elderly couple, widow or widower. This has done nothing for the shortage of housing in our country.
While I doubt there are too many are church goers now, the residents are still wealthy and will still vote for the conservative party. It's all about the share market and their tax beneficial self managed superannuation funds.
But for the better, the good burghers of Burke Road would have possibly supported gay marriage, are probably not anti abortion, and truth be told, many would have a social conscience, and like to see their taxes helping the less fortunate in life.
Ok, I am comparing apples to oranges, I think. But could the US bible belt with its social attitudes move on as the demographic residents of Burke Road did?
Could I add to this map the anti abortion protesters too? Is there anything else US citizens could add to this MAGA stronghold? Is this the area of Hillary's 'basket of deplorables'?
Apologies if I stole this from you, and to whoever you stole it from.
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I don't know enough about Melbourne geography or South Eastern US politics (although the family members of my husband in the South West have opened my eyes to the never can tell of political obstinancy) but I do know that every state does have a few pockets where, if you want to find strait laced on the surface and just plain weird when you scratch it! Toowoomba would be the first candidate up here.
ReplyDeleteYour perceptions about conservative views on abortion and LGBTI may be quite overegged . There are many working class communities that still hold the same views. Particular religions condemn it as a mortal sin.
ReplyDeleteYou can bet your bottom dollar that the wealthy knew how to get abortions done in a clinic environment and a gay or lesbian would have simply been described as eccentric, with a wink on the side, The USA though is something else, they seem to be not for changing.
The South is full of hypocrites because there are so many churches here that feed on the hypocrisy.
ReplyDeleteSocial attitudes can and do evolve with demographic change and generational turnover
ReplyDeleteI think maga is fracturing. A bright side!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind what beliefs and practices people have inside family homes, schools or churches. But the separation of church and state in public is one of the bases of democracy, surely.
ReplyDeleteEvidence of the difficulties involved in legislating purity.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I heard Bible Belt is was referred to as middle America and I thought it meant a string of states crossing from east to west. I'm happy to be wrong, but not at all happy to see all the wrongs contained within it.
ReplyDeleteReferencing our townhouses, it's true many are singles or couples occupied, but most have 3-4 bedrooms and could easily accommodate families. But the downsides are none or very little yard space for kids or plants. And they are pricey, but so are most other houses these days. Our governments are doing us no favours there with the continuation of stamp duties which were supposed to be abolished with the advent of GST. Remember the advertising? SA has the highest stamp duties in the country.
It still amazes me that in our modern, technically advanced world with access to education and science, there are still people in rich First World countries living in the Dark Ages.
ReplyDeleteAccess to education is a myth here. Yes. There are good schools but in less prosperous areas, you have overcrowded schools and in many situations you have ignorant people dictating what will be taught. It is not good.
DeleteOh dear me, it's a mess Andrew. Still expensive to live in any house whether a highrise or normal housing, still doesn't help those who haven't got one because of the expense.
ReplyDeleteIs affordable housing being built anywhere? Certainly not here, and rents are extortionate. We are still so London-centric, it's ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteCan the faux Christians of the US get any worse? They are no longer a laughing stock, but a dangerous disgrace.
Yes and No, J. "Affordable" housing is being built, but "affordable" for who? Those with a decent yearly income I suspect and the bottom of the barrel is left without again.
DeleteComparing the evolution of Burke Road to the American Bible Belt really highlights how differently wealth and social values can shift over decades. It is fascinating to think of that "longest street" transition from the 1970s to a modern hub of socially conscious, though still fiscally conservative, residents. The idea of these grand family homes being replaced by upmarket townhouses captures that specific sense of a changing era, even if it doesn't solve the housing crisis.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the US map, that region is indeed the traditional heart of the "Bible Belt." Those who live there might add that it is a place of deep-rooted community and tradition, while others would certainly point to it as the epicenter of anti-abortion activism and the "MAGA" movement. It is a complex, emotionally charged landscape where religion and politics are inextricably linked. Seeing these demographic shifts play out across different continents makes me feel a profound curiosity about how much a culture can truly change over time. You are invited to read the latest blog post at https://www.melodyjacob.com/
How do you think the sense of "community" has changed on Burke Road now that the large family estates are being divided into smaller townhouses?
I'm not sure I agree with their geographical boundaries of the Bible Belt. It runs farther north and west (all of Missouri, Kansas, Indiana and Kentucky, for example). And who says it's the "Gay Porn Belt"? I'd like to see whatever statistic or survey supports that! LOL
ReplyDeleteI imagine Australia is more like the UK in that there are certainly conservatives, but they generally aren't as motivated by religion as their compatriots in the USA. The USA was founded by religious extremists and it's never quite let go of that heritage.
The list should have the highest maternity deaths (many related to banned abortions) in the developed world.
ReplyDeleteThe racism is appalling there.
Idaho falls into lot into the south-east of United States. I bash the Christian who church of John Calvin.
ReplyDeleteWe will know how the maga doing around here. We have our state election next month.