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When you come to think about it, rural red staters (and they are mostly rural or in exurbia) and urban blue staters (mostly urban and suburban) rarely have a conversation.

In fact, we rarely meet. We inhabit the same country, but our lives have two different contexts -- and our paths hardly ever cross.

A young filmmaker, Michael Shea, decided after the 2004 Bush re-election, that he was going to try and find out what made red staters tick.

The "Red State" (DVD) has the leisurely pace of a personal road trip (across 22 states) and a documentary that reveals why the Republicans know so much about what "hot button" issues turn red staters into bulls in heat. The top two are -- you guessed it -- gay marriage and abortion. The documentary makes it clear that there is simply no reasoning about these two issues with the red staters Michael Shea randomly interviews.

But are the issues so prominent because they are so ingrained in the red staters -- or have they become glowing hot because the GOP has used them as such demagogic explosive devices to attract voters by appealing to the basest emotions?

It's an intriguing question that accompanies you as you watch in fasicnation and horror at what you hear. Particularly because -- except for one vile woman -- most of the people appear eminently likable.

It makes you think that if we really had government leadership that tried to unite and not divide, we might be able to open a dialogue -- or at least break down the barrier of fear that the "red state" rurals have of urban dwellers.

What they fear most is modernity. Society has simply changed too much and too quickly for them. They want to go back to a past that never existed: when America imposed religious principles upon people. It's a dangerous myth that has been placed inside their heads, exactly opposite to the intent and content of the U.S. Constitution.

You are left thinking, what ever happened to the nation that became great because it welcomed people to its shores of religious freedom and personal liberty?

Where do these people get the notion that we are a fundamentalist theocracy?

Where do they get the notion that the role of the federal government is to impose the perceived religious morality of a few on the majority?

There is a cultish quality to the comments you hear, with some rare exceptions of reflective thinking.

After finishing watching "Red State," we were left thinking how much the "red state" rurals fear the world outside of their towns, churches and families. The world is spinning too fast for them. They are prime targets for teleevangelist hucksters and GOP demagogues.

Because fear is an emotion that is easily exploited.

A fascinating, thought provoking insight into why the GOP Goebbels tools of emotional manipulation work on "their base."

"Red State" begins with a shaggy haired Michael Shea explaining why he is about to travel across America to meet personally with "red staters."

Then, being realistic, he gets a haircut and looks like he is ready for basic training. Maybe that is why he can get away with frankly telling red staters, in a very calm and sincere voice, that he disagrees with them. Shea has a very earnest, soothing presence and was able to get the people he met to open up to him about their politics and their religious worldview. At times, he appears almost shy, which disarms the people that he is interviewing. He could be one of them, who was just led astray by big city life. Except that he's a Venice Beach, California, progressive film industry guy.

Normally, red staters wouldn't have much influence on American politics. But they do for three reasons: 1) our senate gives two seats to all 50 states, so the two senators from Idaho are as important when it comes to voting as the two senators from New York; 2) in the electoral college, red states can allow a presidential candidate to win even if he lost the popular vote (just ask George Bush, but he lost Florida too -- although that's another story); and 3) the Republicans have gerrymandered congressional districts in red states to overwhelmingly favor the GOP.

So, you can't just ignore these people.

Michael Shay believes that you have to converse with them, but then again, he's not sure that it will get you anywhere. In the end, you just have to win at the polls -- and try to start up a conversation that deflates the propaganda tactics of the Republican Party. But beat them at the polls first, because right now they want to make America into a theocracy.

"Red State" is both fascinating and dismaying.

You take Michael Shea's personal journey with him, but you won't remain as calm as he did.

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