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Old 08-15-2011, 10:31 AM
 
161 posts, read 384,088 times
Reputation: 288

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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoPro View Post
Maybe I ought to move to Boston where there is no racism.
Is this supposed to be sarcastic?

The distinction between Austin and Boston is that no one claims Boston as one of several epicenters of progressiveness in this country. As such, when people refer to Austin as "the most liberal city in Texas", they are ignoring the experiences of many minorities that would suggest otherwise.

Sure, if you're an alternative white person who likes to wear tight cutoff jeans and flannel shirts, works at a coffee shop, and go to live music every other day - while choosing to socialize only with people who look just like you - Austin is great.

If you don't subscribe to this demographic you may find yourself wondering why you live in such a stale and sheltered place.
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Old 08-15-2011, 02:21 PM
 
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
5,429 posts, read 14,782,472 times
Reputation: 3672
Quote:
Originally Posted by love roses View Post
Austin IS Texas. Just because of media spin telling everyone in other States that it's not doesn't make it so. It's one of Texas's more libertarian/liberal cities....but then again Houston and Dallas are pretty open as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by love roses View Post
I think some people are just trying to say that Austin isn't the sole oasis of "safety" in Texas and that the other cities tend to get a bad rap in comparison, which I agree is unfair.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexiana View Post
Like Seattle, Austin has its head so far up a certain orifice, due largely to a fabulous national PR campaign and consistent praise that collectively, people just tune out when any negative criticisms arise.
These are all valid points, and I agree.
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Old 08-15-2011, 02:37 PM
 
3,039 posts, read 3,217,618 times
Reputation: 2458
Quote:
Originally Posted by 80SC View Post
Sure, if you're an alternative white person who likes to wear tight cutoff jeans and flannel shirts, works at a coffee shop, and go to live music every other day - while choosing to socialize only with people who look just like you - Austin is great.

If you don't subscribe to this demographic you may find yourself wondering why you live in such a stale and sheltered place.
Well, I'm not white (I'm one of them "Others"), don't wear cutoff jeans or flannel shirts , never worked at a coffee shop (though I do frequent them), don't listen to live music every other day and generally socialize with folks ranging from whites, Indians, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, gays, etc and yet I don't find Austin to be stale or sheltered. And I've lived in large metros on both coasts as well as the smallest of small towns and my own experiences would place Austin solidly in the middle ground when it comes to things that I would flag as outright racism and/or apathy/insensitivity towards minorities. As an example, I've observed, been physically affected, been subjected to hostility and violence due to my race far more in NYC, by orders of magnitude, than here in Austin.

Go figure.

That is of course not to say that NYC is more "racist" than Austin, that statement has no meaning what-so-ever. Just that one's experiences don't necessarily speak for everyone else and one's experiences are highly dependent on the specifics of one's situation and can very often run completely counter to someone else's.
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Old 08-15-2011, 03:10 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
2,101 posts, read 4,513,003 times
Reputation: 2738
Quote:
Originally Posted by 80SC View Post
Sure, if you're an alternative white person who likes to wear tight cutoff jeans and flannel shirts, works at a coffee shop, and go to live music every other day - while choosing to socialize only with people who look just like you - Austin is great.

If you don't subscribe to this demographic you may find yourself wondering why you live in such a stale and sheltered place.
Are you serious? I know tons of people in Austin who don't fit your stereotypes. BTW, I've never seen anyone in Austin wear flannel. It's too hot here for that.
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Old 08-15-2011, 04:04 PM
 
355 posts, read 919,646 times
Reputation: 324
Quote:
Originally Posted by DexterCat View Post
you are contemplating a move to a red state that is very much against your lifestyle choices.

austin is about the only place people might not shun you and yell out obscenities, for now.

honest advice: pick a state thats more friendly to your questionable lifestyle choices because texas isnt a healthy place for you.
What bothers me about this ^ post (not sure if it's meant to be exaggerated for effect?) is the poster calling homosexuality a "choice" and a "lifestyle". I have heard comments like that (and worse) far too often in this "liberal" area.

Granted, I no longer live in Austin proper, but this kind of ignorant homophobia is a very real part of life in the suburbs (where most of us can afford to live) and I do NOT want it infecting my children. This is one of the many reasons we will be leaving the state. It's far too pervasive here. That and my kids now call an HEB plastic bag a "sack". LOL

People who don't live here do not understand that central Austin is surrounded by suburbs populated by Bible believing folks.

Homosexuality is not a "lifestyle" or a choice.
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Old 08-15-2011, 04:47 PM
 
Location: Round Rock, Tx
1,073 posts, read 2,083,806 times
Reputation: 857
Quote:
Originally Posted by lemonlime22 View Post
what bothers me about this ^ post (not sure if it's meant to be exaggerated for effect?) is the poster calling homosexuality a "choice" and a "lifestyle". I have heard comments like that (and worse) far too often in this "liberal" area.

Granted, i no longer live in austin proper, but this kind of ignorant homophobia is a very real part of life in the suburbs (where most of us can afford to live) and i do not want it infecting my children. This is one of the many reasons we will be leaving the state. It's far too pervasive here. That and my kids now call an heb plastic bag a "sack". Lol :d

people who don't live here do not understand that central austin is surrounded by suburbs populated by bible believing folks.

Homosexuality is not a "lifestyle" or a choice.
+1
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Old 08-15-2011, 04:53 PM
 
3,039 posts, read 3,217,618 times
Reputation: 2458
Quote:
Originally Posted by lemonlime22 View Post
People who don't live here do not understand that central Austin is surrounded by suburbs populated by Bible believing folks.

Homosexuality is not a "lifestyle" or a choice.
Isn't it just as bad to use such a broad brush to attribute that way of thinking to "belief in the Bible"?
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Old 08-15-2011, 05:56 PM
 
532 posts, read 1,386,800 times
Reputation: 970
Quote:
Originally Posted by DexterCat View Post
you are contemplating a move to a red state that is very much against your lifestyle choices.

austin is about the only place people might not shun you and yell out obscenities, for now.

honest advice: pick a state thats more friendly to your questionable lifestyle choices because texas isnt a healthy place for you.
I'm curious as to what part of the OP's situation is made up of "questionable lifestyle choices". Her "questionable lifestyle choice" to be middle-aged? Her "questionable lifestyle choice" to be a lesbian? Or her "questionable lifestyle choice" to be Black?

I don't know how you did it (or why), but it's a rare post that can pretend to be tolerant and advice-giving, when in reality, is rude and insulting.
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Old 08-15-2011, 07:10 PM
 
161 posts, read 384,088 times
Reputation: 288
Quote:
Originally Posted by austinnerd View Post
That is of course not to say that NYC is more "racist" than Austin, that statement has no meaning what-so-ever. Just that one's experiences don't necessarily speak for everyone else and one's experiences are highly dependent on the specifics of one's situation and can very often run completely counter to someone else's.
Never have I suggested that my experiences here are representative of all non-white or black people. Nor have I made the slightest indication that Austin is subjectively more racist than any other city. What I have done, however, is laid out a series of anecdotal examples that support my induction that Austin, while progressive and open-minded at first blush, may not be as tolerant or socially inclusive to certain demographics upon closer inspection.

Do I think most people in Austin are overtly racist? Absolutely not. Do I think a certain contingent of people here (due to lack of exposure, ignorance, or just plain racism) perpetuate a certain kind of racial ignorance? Absolutely.

Does it seem like I talk about this a lot? Probably. But then you have to remember, as someone growing up in affluent north Dallas, I never had to deal with people reminding me of my race in derogatory ways. It wasn't that I had "transcended" my blackness, it was just that it was generally speaking, a non-issue that was never brought up.

Since arriving in Austin two years ago, however, I've routinely had to endure a litany of offensive comments. Ranging from people I don't know bringing up my race randomly and inappropriately in conversation, to people telling me I look like Tiger Woods or Orlando Jones or some other black actor (who look nothing alike and nothing like me), to weird stares on occasion when I walk into a coffee shop or restaurant, even someone flat out telling me I couldn't possibly have a trust fund because I'm black.

After two years of this, I'm sure you can understand why I balk at claims of Austin's most "liberal city in Texas" mantra because it certainly isn't to me, and I know many people who feel the same way. And furthermore, in a city notorious for attempting to silence any and all negative commentary, I think it's important to express a contrarian viewpoint (as a non-white person).

Ciao!
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Old 08-15-2011, 07:34 PM
 
3,039 posts, read 3,217,618 times
Reputation: 2458
Quote:
Originally Posted by 80SC View Post
Never have I suggested that my experiences here are representative of all non-white or black people.
...
After two years of this, I'm sure you can understand why I balk at claims of Austin's most "liberal city in Texas" mantra because it certainly isn't to me, and I know many people who feel the same way. And furthermore, in a city notorious for attempting to silence any and all negative commentary, I think it's important to express a contrarian viewpoint (as a non-white person).

Ciao!
Actually your posts do suggest that broader view, when you make comments such as

Quote:
Sure, if you're an alternative white person who likes to wear tight cutoff jeans and flannel shirts, works at a coffee shop, and go to live music every other day - while choosing to socialize only with people who look just like you - Austin is great.
this isn't merely sharing your experiences, this is a broad brushed categorization of an entire city (though I'm assuming a bit tongue and cheek).

However, I can not deny your own personal experiences. I will also say that I've had similar experiences, esp w/ regards to those who ask about my ethnicity. However, I get that from many black folks as well, so rarely do I attribute such an inquiry to racism (esp when asked by a member of the opposite sex with "that" look in their eye, but I digress ...). Alas, I don't have a trust fund, so I've never had the pleasure of having anyone not believe that I might have one

That said, while I do agree that anyone who tries to paint Austin as some haven of open mindedness where _everyone_ regardless of race, religion, gender, height, weight, dog or cat person, sexual preference, Longhorn/Aggie, sweet/unsweetened tea, beef/pork ribs, etc, etc can sing country tunes together while watching the sunset at the Oasis is smoking dope; I do think that many of the contrarian views tend to come across as being just as closed minded and stereotyping as the views they want to counter.
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