To understand the reasons behind the growing gap between two political and social philosophies in our country today go back to the Reconstruction era and the subsequent "Jim Crow" laws and rise of racist activity in the South. (read Allen Guelzo, Gettysburg College ) . Observe the number of Republicans in Congress that are from the South, transmogrified from ex "Dixicrats" into the Republican Party (ironically the party of Lincoln) and moving to Washington to engineer the slow shift from a government dominated by Union ideals to their ultimate goal, the return of the Confederacy. Ironically, many of these people found the leader of the new "'secessionist movement" to a 2nd generation Northerner who's motivation has no connection with their cause, but is motivated solely by greed and ego! How he got there and what he does is of no consequence to them. The Republicans owe their allegiance, not to him, bit to the cause of a re-unification under the banner of the Confederacy. Of course the growing (mostly southern) Evangelical movement plays a large role but that's for another day. "The South shall rise again"
The photo was taken near my home in PA which is rapidly changing from a "Blue" state to a "Southern State", idealistically. Even the way people talk is changing!