NON-BIASED DEFINTION: In recent years, in the U.S. only, a red state has come to mean a state that traditionally votes Republican, as opposed to a blue state which traditionally votes Democrat.
In the past, media would use maps with red for one party and blue for the other, with no set standard. The current trend was set during the 2000 Presidential election, when NBC used it. The race was very close, and because of this, Tim Russert was often heard to say things like "Bush needs x more red states in order to win, and Gore needs x more blue states in order to win." Because the coverage was being watched so intently by so many people, the color scheme stuck, and is now used by all networks.
What many people don't realize is that this color scheme is actually the opposite of traditional political colors. Red has always been associated with socialism and communism (i.e. extreme forms of liberalism) as seen on flags of countries such as the P.R.C., the U.S.S.R., and the D.P.R.K. On the other hand, blue is most often associated with conservatism, and sometimes facism (i.e. the extreme form of conservatism). Most nations still use this color scheme.
It may be that NBC assigned these colors at random, or it may be because Republican and red both start with R. Neither party has officially adopted these colors. This color scheme has often led to confusion when residents of other countries see a political map of the U.S. or hear Americans discussing red states versus blue states.
In the past, media would use maps with red for one party and blue for the other, with no set standard. The current trend was set during the 2000 Presidential election, when NBC used it. The race was very close, and because of this, Tim Russert was often heard to say things like "Bush needs x more red states in order to win, and Gore needs x more blue states in order to win." Because the coverage was being watched so intently by so many people, the color scheme stuck, and is now used by all networks.
What many people don't realize is that this color scheme is actually the opposite of traditional political colors. Red has always been associated with socialism and communism (i.e. extreme forms of liberalism) as seen on flags of countries such as the P.R.C., the U.S.S.R., and the D.P.R.K. On the other hand, blue is most often associated with conservatism, and sometimes facism (i.e. the extreme form of conservatism). Most nations still use this color scheme.
It may be that NBC assigned these colors at random, or it may be because Republican and red both start with R. Neither party has officially adopted these colors. This color scheme has often led to confusion when residents of other countries see a political map of the U.S. or hear Americans discussing red states versus blue states.
When I hear the term "red state" I automatically think of China or North Korea, not Texas or Utah. It's such a pet peeve that the U.S. got red state and blue state backwards!
by klopek007 November 11, 2009
by Zero The Dark Angel January 11, 2009
The state that legalized gambling, prostitution, and abortion before any other state. the most dangerous state in America because of its high percentage of murders, rapes, robberies and assaults. Nevada is the Sin State.
by eNVy April 08, 2005
The land of ignorant people. A place where people don't know about the neighboring states, think Africa is jungle, believe Europe is a country, and assume that all Asians are Chinese.
-"That stupid person just asked me if in Africa we live in trees and have pet elephants, I wonder where he is from."
-"He must be from the United States!"
-"He must be from the United States!"
by Truth01 May 31, 2009
by The world is a big ball of gay June 09, 2004
Morgan Quitno's rankings of the states with the highest crime rates, starting with the most dangerous. Asterisks (*) denote red states which voted Republican in the 2004 election:
1. Nevada*
2. Louisiana*
3. Arizona*
4. Maryland
5. South Carolina*
6. Florida*
7. Tennessee*
8. Alaska*
9. New Mexico
10. California
11. Texas*
12. Michigan
13. Georgia*
14. Oklahoma*
15. Delaware
16. Illinois
17. Mississippi*
18. North Carolina*
19. Alabama*
20. Washington
21. Missouri*
22. Kansas*
23. Ohio*
24. Colorado*
25. Hawaii
26. Kansas*
27. Indiana*
28. Oregon
29. Massachusetts
30. Pennsylvania
31. New York
32. New Jersey
33. Rhode Island
34. Utah*
35. Nebraska*
36. Minnesota
37. Kentucky*
38. Virginia*
39. Connecticut
40. Montana*
41. Idaho*
42. Wisconsin
43. Iowa*
44. West Virginia*
45. Wyoming*
46. South Dakota*
47. New Hampshire
48. Maine
49. Vermont
50. North Dakota*
1. Nevada*
2. Louisiana*
3. Arizona*
4. Maryland
5. South Carolina*
6. Florida*
7. Tennessee*
8. Alaska*
9. New Mexico
10. California
11. Texas*
12. Michigan
13. Georgia*
14. Oklahoma*
15. Delaware
16. Illinois
17. Mississippi*
18. North Carolina*
19. Alabama*
20. Washington
21. Missouri*
22. Kansas*
23. Ohio*
24. Colorado*
25. Hawaii
26. Kansas*
27. Indiana*
28. Oregon
29. Massachusetts
30. Pennsylvania
31. New York
32. New Jersey
33. Rhode Island
34. Utah*
35. Nebraska*
36. Minnesota
37. Kentucky*
38. Virginia*
39. Connecticut
40. Montana*
41. Idaho*
42. Wisconsin
43. Iowa*
44. West Virginia*
45. Wyoming*
46. South Dakota*
47. New Hampshire
48. Maine
49. Vermont
50. North Dakota*
Of the first 10 states (most dangerous) on the list, only three were "blue states."
Of the first 25, 17 were red states.
Of the last 10 states (safest) on the list, only four were "blue states," yet most of the "red states" with the exception of Iowa, Idaho and West Virginia have populations below a million and are sparsely populated.
Of the last 25, 13 were red states.
Of the first 25, 17 were red states.
Of the last 10 states (safest) on the list, only four were "blue states," yet most of the "red states" with the exception of Iowa, Idaho and West Virginia have populations below a million and are sparsely populated.
Of the last 25, 13 were red states.
by The truth will set you free if you let it November 28, 2005
If we're the flagship of peace and prosperity,
we're taking on water and about to fucking sink.
No one seems to notice, no one even blinks.
The crew all left the passengers to die under the sea.
Countdown
to the very end.
Equality;
an invitation that we won't extend.
Ready, aim.
Pull the trigger now.
In time you
firmly secure your place in hell.
State of the union address
reads "War Torn Country Still a Mess"
The words: power, death and distorted truth
are read between the lines of the red, white and blue.
we're taking on water and about to fucking sink.
No one seems to notice, no one even blinks.
The crew all left the passengers to die under the sea.
Countdown
to the very end.
Equality;
an invitation that we won't extend.
Ready, aim.
Pull the trigger now.
In time you
firmly secure your place in hell.
State of the union address
reads "War Torn Country Still a Mess"
The words: power, death and distorted truth
are read between the lines of the red, white and blue.
"Guilty" is what our graves will read,
no year, no family.
We did nothing to stop the murder of
a people just like us.
~ State of the Union by Rise Against.
no year, no family.
We did nothing to stop the murder of
a people just like us.
~ State of the Union by Rise Against.
by Ertof August 28, 2008