Red State/Blue State?

Just where the heck did these color designations come from, anyhow?

I never heard of them until several years ago. Whoever it was who decided on these designations conveniently forgot some important facts.

"Red" has always been the color designation for Communist/Socialist/Leftist groups. Even in the Army, the Opposing Force (OPFOR) has always held the "red" designation (modified to 'orange' in order to not be too obvious as to whom we were referring).

I still get confused by the contemporary (since 2000) designations between liberal and conservative demographics. To me, the term red states conjures up the notion of left-leaning politics, i.e., Democrats. Blue states, on the other hand implies the "good guys" ..... you know, conservatives. The good guys have always been "blue."

Was it the mainstream media (liberal leftist in nature) that conspired to try to muddy the waters?

Read the history of political color coding in Wikipedia, and judge for yourself.

"The choice of colors in this divide is counter-intuitive [emphasis added - ed.] to many international observers, as throughout the world, especially in Europe and Canada, red is commonly the designated color for parties representing labor and/or leftist interests[2][3], which in the United States would be more closely correlated with the Democratic Party. Similarly, blue is used in these countries to depict conservative parties which in the case of the United States would be a color more suitable for the Republicans."

I bring this matter to your attention, because, in the words of General Jack D. Ripper,

"I can no longer sit back and allow communist infiltration, communist indoctrination, communist subversion, and the international communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

I accept your heartfelt thanks.