[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I've been to many little hick towns in the midwest, and conservatives are conservatives, regardless of their surroundings. And the reality is that San Diego is one of the biggest military cities in the United States, which makes it mighty conservative by default.

I know a lot of people in the military and they are not always that conservative. That being said I am sure you are right to some extent, but to say it is the most conservative when people in many parts of the Midwest never see anyone but them in a diversity way, I would challenge your claim on so many fronts. That all being said, wearing a ponytail for a local league is not the same as working a full college schedule as an umpire. The standards are not quite the same and I am sure many of us here are blowing out of proportion what someone looks like based on a very narrow standard. A local youth league needs a body; they are not worried about what they completely look like if they have fewer choices. I know they are not going to get a lot of top umpires or multi-sport officials that are successful as well. Sometimes they will get who they can get. This training looks like that is part of the purpose.

Peace