Jesusland map: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:2004 US elections purple counties.png|thumb|[[2004 United States presidential election]] by [[county (United States)|county]], on a [[color spectrum]] from [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] blue to [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] red.]] |
[[Image:2004 US elections purple counties.png|thumb|[[2004 United States presidential election]] by [[county (United States)|county]], on a [[color spectrum]] from [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] blue to [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] red.]] |
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In the context of the Jesusland map, the states in which a majority voted [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] in the 2004 election are viewed as more [[social liberalism|socially liberal]] in outlook, and therefore having more cultural similarities with Canada than with the remainder of the United States. The [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]-voting red states, in common with 22% of all voters nationwide, tended to vote based more on what they referred to as moral values, such as opposition to [[same-sex marriage]] and embryonic [[stem cell]] research.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5297138 Exit poll - Decision 2004 - MSNBC.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Holders of these values are characterized by a high degree of faith in [[Evangelical Christianity]], thus causing the name of [[Jesus]] to be affixed to the hypothetical country;<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/144/31.0.html Weblog: 'Moral Values' Carry Bush to Victory | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in an article by [[Ron Suskind]] of the ''[[New York Times]]'', a Republican official characterized the divide as being one between a "[[faith-based community]]" and a "[[reality-based community]]". |
GEORGE BUSH IS GOD!In the context of the Jesusland map, the states in which a majority voted [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] in the 2004 election are viewed as more [[social liberalism|socially liberal]] in outlook, and therefore having more cultural similarities with Canada than with the remainder of the United States. The [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]-voting red states, in common with 22% of all voters nationwide, tended to vote based more on what they referred to as moral values, such as opposition to [[same-sex marriage]] and embryonic [[stem cell]] research.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5297138 Exit poll - Decision 2004 - MSNBC.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Holders of these values are characterized by a high degree of faith in [[Evangelical Christianity]], thus causing the name of [[Jesus]] to be affixed to the hypothetical country;<ref>[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/144/31.0.html Weblog: 'Moral Values' Carry Bush to Victory | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in an article by [[Ron Suskind]] of the ''[[New York Times]]'', a Republican official characterized the divide as being one between a "[[faith-based community]]" and a "[[reality-based community]]". |
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The gap is seen as stark enough that some Democratic [[blog]]gers have [[irony|ironically]] or semi-seriously advocated [[secession]], whilst some on the Republican side (such as Mike Thompson, a past chairman of the Florida [[American Conservative Union]]) suggested that the federal government expel the blue states.<ref>[http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=5652 Human Events<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> To that end, some have noted the similarity between the electoral map of the U.S. in [[2004]] and a map of the United States in [[1860]], showing the [[slave state|free and slave states]] prior to the [[American Civil War]].<ref>http://archive.michiganimc.org/usermedia/image/7/large/election%202004%202%20maps%202f6760.JPG</ref> |
The gap is seen as stark enough that some Democratic [[blog]]gers have [[irony|ironically]] or semi-seriously advocated [[secession]], whilst some on the Republican side (such as Mike Thompson, a past chairman of the Florida [[American Conservative Union]]) suggested that the federal government expel the blue states.<ref>[http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=5652 Human Events<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> To that end, some have noted the similarity between the electoral map of the U.S. in [[2004]] and a map of the United States in [[1860]], showing the [[slave state|free and slave states]] prior to the [[American Civil War]].<ref>http://archive.michiganimc.org/usermedia/image/7/large/election%202004%202%20maps%202f6760.JPG</ref> |
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Revision as of 06:47, 26 July 2008
The Jesusland map is an Internet meme created very shortly following the 2004 United States Presidential election which satirizes the red/blue states scheme. It has been cited throughout American and global media since its creation.[citation needed]
Origin
The original image was created on November 3, 2004 by G. Webb, a poster on yakyak.org, an Internet message board for fans of the work of Jeff Minter (see the original discussion). Its creation has been incorrectly attributed to many different individuals, most notably Michael Moore.[citation needed]
Geography
The meme is in the form of a map of the U.S. and Canada which depicts a new hypothetical national border between the two countries. The "blue states" from the 2004 election have been merged with Canada to form a single contiguous nation, which is labeled the "United States of Canada", or "The People's Republic of Canmerica". The remaining "red states" are labeled as "Jesusland".
The map's appearance highlights the fact that the "red states" (except Alaska) are all contiguous with one another, while the continental "blue states" are also contiguous when combined with Canada. Adding to "Jesusland" the Canadian province of Alberta (which usually is the most conservative of the provinces) does not break the contiguity of either "country".
Variations
Similar maps give different labels to the geographically separated blue states. The northeastern states are alternately referred to as "Eastern Realitania", "Northeastistan", "Western France", "The New American Republic", or "New America";[1] the central blue states near the Great Lakes are labeled "Central Realitania" or "Minniwillinois"; and the blue states along the Pacific Coast are called "Western Realitania", "Pacificstan", "Southern Canada" or "Baja Canada" (with Hawaii being separately labeled "The Tropic of Canada"). Another has chosen the overall name "Realistan". The red states in these variant maps are called "Jesusistan", "Redstateistan", "Redneckistan",[1] the "United States of Evangelicals",[2] "the United State of Texas", or in the most extreme case, "Dumbfuckistan" (referenced by a December 18, 2004 TV Funhouse cartoon on Saturday Night Live[3]). Some maps purport to show a capital city of Crawford, Texas, the home of U.S. President George W. Bush. One map shows Alaska as having been returned to Russia.
Another variation of the map pokes fun at the political divide in Canada by including Alberta (which tends to vote conservative in Canadian elections) in "Jesusland".
Analysis
GEORGE BUSH IS GOD!In the context of the Jesusland map, the states in which a majority voted Democratic in the 2004 election are viewed as more socially liberal in outlook, and therefore having more cultural similarities with Canada than with the remainder of the United States. The Republican-voting red states, in common with 22% of all voters nationwide, tended to vote based more on what they referred to as moral values, such as opposition to same-sex marriage and embryonic stem cell research.[4] Holders of these values are characterized by a high degree of faith in Evangelical Christianity, thus causing the name of Jesus to be affixed to the hypothetical country;[5] in an article by Ron Suskind of the New York Times, a Republican official characterized the divide as being one between a "faith-based community" and a "reality-based community".
The gap is seen as stark enough that some Democratic bloggers have ironically or semi-seriously advocated secession, whilst some on the Republican side (such as Mike Thompson, a past chairman of the Florida American Conservative Union) suggested that the federal government expel the blue states.[6] To that end, some have noted the similarity between the electoral map of the U.S. in 2004 and a map of the United States in 1860, showing the free and slave states prior to the American Civil War.[7]
Physical versions
The map has been reproduced on postcards, clothes, bags, and mugs.
Cultural references
Musician Ben Folds wrote the song "Jesusland" for his 2005 album Songs for Silverman. The song describes Jesus Christ walking through a hypothetical Jesusland community full of shopping malls, riverboat casinos and McMansions.
The punk rock band NOFX released the song "Leaving Jesusland" on their 2006 album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing. It is highly critical of American conservatism and advocates that people get out of Jesusland and "come hug California trees".
Science fiction author Richard Morgan uses the "Jesusland" division of the U.S. as the background for his 2007 novel Black Man (published as Thirteen in the U.S.).
See also
- Canada and the 2004 United States presidential election
- The Day America Told the Truth
- Nine Nations of North America
- Red state vs. blue state divide
- Soviet Canuckistan
References
- ^ a b http://vegasmusictalk.com/images/usa3waysplit.gif
- ^ Muslim WakeUp! A Possible Solution to US Electoral Problems
- ^ Media Sluts: Drunken Weekend, Lotsa O.C
- ^ Exit poll - Decision 2004 - MSNBC.com
- ^ Weblog: 'Moral Values' Carry Bush to Victory | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction
- ^ Human Events
- ^ http://archive.michiganimc.org/usermedia/image/7/large/election%202004%202%20maps%202f6760.JPG
