Outside Magazine has just chimed in on the supposed happiest places to live. Their focus on “inclusivity” pays homage to LGBTQ activities and civility, but excludes conservative groups who are subject to discrimination.  Even though it’s easy to dismiss these qualitative rankings that actually lack quality, it’s worth countering their assault upon the conservative happiness quotient.

Subjective happiness rankings are always suspicious, especially when relying on qualitative analysis of online forum posts, which Outside Magazine does.  I really sensed something was askew when they ranked Wilmington, Delaware, as highly happy.  That’s where the village idiot Joe Biden maintains a residence, and spends a lot of time “going to bed.” 

Predictably, Outside Magazine’s preposterous methodology obsesses with inclusivity, admitting “we looked at the level of inclusivity demonstrated to people of color and LGBTQ+ residents, based on the Municipal Equality Index score from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and a qualitative analysis of residents’ posts on online forums.”

Their biased filtering, and reliance on unreliable “online forums,” disproportionately favors LGBTQ sensibilities.  In fact, LGBTQ affirmation and outreach are mentioned in the justifying narrative for several of the happiest places, even though they are not the happiest bunch of folks.  

However, nowhere in their “Equality Index” hogwash is inclusivity demonstrated to Faith and Flag Conservatives, even though they face discrimination.  In fact, Old Glory is being torn down, if not desecrated, all over liberal enclaves, and those humble souls with Godly faith are often trampled upon. 

And don’t dare wear a MAGA hat outside in some of those Outside places.  Their contrived inclusivity is intolerant of them, and of those who dare to “back the blue.” But the mislabeled “deplorables” suffer discrimination and leftist attacks.  Even patriotic veterans who actually did something for America are disrespected, contrasted to the liberals who are always on the take. Instead of sanctuaries for illegal aliens, they deserve to be included for a truly representative Equality Index score.

While the increase in their numbers is accelerating amongst the snowflake cohort, LGBTQ people only represent about 7% of the population (probably overreported). By contrast, Flag and Faith Conservatives still represent over 10% (probably underreported).  Since the latter are subjected to systemic discrimination, they should be identified in the inclusiveness methodology.   

I suspect the biased editors at Outside did not qualitatively review the online forums mentioning all the affronts that Flag and Faith Conservatives suffer, so here’s a very brief reminder, with original headlines, of their inquisition and persecution: 

• “Teen leaves rural Virginia school after official told him to remove American flags from his pickup truck”
• “'My family fought for America, and I feel like I should be able to represent the flags that they fought for'”
• “'I think this is a little excessive': HOA asks Huntsville family to remove American flag display”
• “Veteran outraged after instructed to remove American flag from yard”
• “Coach who lost his job for praying on field kneels again in first game after years of legal battles”
• “Man, 19, accused of assaulting 81-year-old over MAGA hat”
• “Delaware town bans nativity scene”
• “New York City man claims MAGA-inspired attack”

The term “happy liberal” may be an oxymoron. While leftists flounder in angst and wallow in neurotic victimhood, it is conservative values that tend to lead toward lasting happiness.  Therefore, one would anticipate a quality ranking system to include more rural, conservative communities (though I’m glad they are not attracting attention to those desperately fleeing dystopian Blue states).  It seems the leftist concoction of “inclusivity” willfully omits the happy people with a sense of civic purpose.

I suspect that Wilmington, Delaware, among other places Outside mischaracterizes as happy, is not as welcoming to God-fearing, flag-waving, police-supporting, America-First conservatives.  If they were, the places on their absurd list, like New Orleans, would not have such high crime rates.  Neither would they have endured violent riots, nor anarchists desecrating historical statues and disobeying local statutes.

None of that is truly inclusive, but Minneapolis, which Outside incongruously assigns the highest Municipal Equality Index Score of 100, deserves special attention.

It truly beggars belief, considering the University of Minnesota (their Twin Cities campus stretches more than 1,150 acres in Minneapolis and St. Paul) promoted a summer research program with paid internships that was restricted to non-white applicants.  Since about 60% of Minnesota residents are white, that alone should earn them an Equality Index score of about zero.  Nada!  Illegal aliens welcome, however.

Under the guise of DEI, the “happy places” are where one’s spirit DIEs in leftist orthodoxy.  After all, anti-American George Soros doesn’t seem a happy chappy; actually, the proponent of the Equality Index is the spitting image of some tormented gargoyles.  

Not only does he undermine law and order in America by supporting leftist prosecutors, he also supports the Human Rights Campaign that promulgates the Equality Index that the ludicrous Outside rankings relies heavily upon.  

I suspect that America would be a happier, less divisive place if the gnarly old curmudgeon would go to his own happy place (preferably Hungary, where he’s from) and leave Americans to celebrate their birthright of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 

Image: Outside magazine