Is Austin really a liberal bastion? (transplants, universities, live)

[1mintjulep]

I came here from Shreveport, LA - compared to Shreveport, Austin is liberal, but that might not be saying much. There are liberal pockets in Austin, but I think it's just really laid-back more than anything else. Compared to where I grew up, religious conservatism and homophobia are nonexistent here. I generally don't feel uncomfortable mentioning that I have a same-sex partner to most people here, or that I'm a Buddhist. Where I grew up, that would not be the case.

Also, I think it depends on what you mean by "liberal." I consider myself (mostly) liberal, but liberals from San Francisco (for example) might think I was a moderate.

[ATXIronHorse]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

They are politically democratic yet socially conservative people (go figure on that one). There are no hippies, major art scene, or out gay scene. Minorities tend to be socially conservative too.

Socially conservative? As in anti-gay rights, anti-abortion, pro-prayer in school, pro-abstinence, etc?

I really disagree with that analysis.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by ATXIronHorse

Socially conservative? As in anti-gay rights, anti-abortion, pro-prayer in school, pro-abstinence, etc?

I really disagree with that analysis.

It's true, and artsyguy is right about minorities; that's one of the reasons why the anti-gay marriage amendment passed easily in California, to everyone's surprise (shouldn't have been a surprise). You will rarely find Hispanics or AAs that are atheist or even agnostic; Hispanics are mostly Catholic, so they are pro-abstinence, anti-gay marriage, pro-prayer, and anti-abortion. AAs are very chuch-oriented too, from everything I've seen and heard. These groups vote democrat for other reasons, but are indeed socially conservative.

[watchoverme]

Originally Posted by guffb

I would say Austin is more a middle ground town compared to a liberal one. Especially in regards to the in your face left wing Liberalism that such places as Berkley are known for. Someone in a separate forum said it perfectly:

"You can express your conservative opinions in a leftist coffeehouse and you won't feel like everyone wants to kill you. And you can say something liberal in a conservative place and you will probably be just as safe."

I think Austin has a true type of tolerance that left wing liberals think they have (as long as you see things their way) and that right wing conservatives pride themselves on not having.
Come as your are be it blue or red or god or darwin gay or straight and accept that there is more than one way to see things in life.

LOVE this. And that's a huge reason I'm moving to Austin. I love politics and I love people having different opinions, but being liberal myself, I wanted to move somewhere where I would find many people like me, and many people different from me. It's frustrating to live in an area where you feel like an outsider politically, but I can imagine it must be even more frustrating to live somewhere where every single person you meet is a carbon copy politically of yourself.

[blueseas123]

Originally Posted by guffb

I would say Austin is more a middle ground town compared to a liberal one. Especially in regards to the in your face left wing Liberalism that such places as Berkley are known for. Someone in a separate forum said it perfectly:

"You can express your conservative opinions in a leftist coffeehouse and you won't feel like everyone wants to kill you. And you can say something liberal in a conservative place and you will probably be just as safe."

I think Austin has a true type of tolerance that left wing liberals think they have (as long as you see things their way) and that right wing conservatives pride themselves on not having.
Come as your are be it blue or red or god or darwin gay or straight and accept that there is more than one way to see things in life.

haha I just realized I'm the third person to repost this quote! But its so on target. Austin truthfully isn't really "liberal", it's more libertarian and that is what makes Austin culture so great. It would really suck for Austin if it turned into a commune of hypocritical "progressive" hipsters/urban professionals. See: San Francisco.
I also have to agree with what artsyguy mentioned that minorities are more conservative here. I know quite a few Hispanic and Asian conservatives who vote Republican. I myself after visiting some more left-leaning states have had to reconsider some of my political beliefs. I think it was because growing up in Texas I THOUGHT I was a "liberal", but really I was more a libertarian "live and let live" type.

[The_Fairfaxian]

Originally Posted by guffb

I would say Austin is more a middle ground town compared to a liberal one. Especially in regards to the in your face left wing Liberalism that such places as Berkley are known for. Someone in a separate forum said it perfectly:

"You can express your conservative opinions in a leftist coffeehouse and you won't feel like everyone wants to kill you. And you can say something liberal in a conservative place and you will probably be just as safe."

I think Austin has a true type of tolerance that left wing liberals think they have (as long as you see things their way) and that right wing conservatives pride themselves on not having.
Come as your are be it blue or red or god or darwin gay or straight and accept that there is more than one way to see things in life.

This is what I'm definitely looking for. I've nearly had it w/ hypocritical liberals where I am in the Northeast where although they're "liberal" in their political affiliation, the ideas, tolerance to different opinions, dealings w/ racial issues, and treatment of those who don't fit the typical "liberal" image and has a mind of their own, is horrid. This is one of the main reason why I just want a place that's more live-and-let-live & libertarian-like.
(But my thread turned into some "Texas is Flat/Texas is not flat" sub-thread. Not that I don't appreciate the information, but I couldn't give a damn if I'm in a desert, as long as the people aren't completely narcissistic and shallow A-Types who live for power trips and bashing other people.

If Anyone ever lived in the DC area (or in the Northeast in general), you would understand).

[watchoverme]

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

This is what I'm definitely looking for. I've nearly had it w/ hypocritical liberals where I am in the Northeast where although they're "liberal" in their political affiliation, the ideas, tolerance to different opinions, dealings w/ racial issues, and treatment of those who don't fit the typical "liberal" image and has a mind of their own, is horrid. This is one of the main reason why I just want a place that's more live-and-let-live & libertarian-like.
(But my thread turned into some "Texas is Flat/Texas is not flat" sub-thread. Not that I don't appreciate the information, but I couldn't give a damn if I'm in a desert, as long as the people aren't completely narcissistic and shallow A-Types who live for power trips and bashing other people.

If Anyone ever lived in the DC area (or in the Northeast in general), you would understand).

That's the unfortunate problems with forums... opinions clash in threads about random things and an argument ensues... just take what you find helpful from this thread and let the rest of us battle out the issues that came up! We know you don't care too much about weather or not it's flat (as I don't either, I've lived in flat areas and mountainy- terrain doesn't bother me much- for some people I know it does), but sometimes threads just take weird tangents.

[artsyguy]

The way he described DC is how I experienced Austin. No offense.

Originally Posted by watchoverme

That's the unfortunate problems with forums... opinions clash in threads about random things and an argument ensues... just take what you find helpful from this thread and let the rest of us battle out the issues that came up! We know you don't care too much about weather or not it's flat (as I don't either, I've lived in flat areas and mountainy- terrain doesn't bother me much- for some people I know it does), but sometimes threads just take weird tangents.

[nomore07]

Originally Posted by blueseas123

It would really suck for Austin if it turned into a commune of hypocritical "progressive" hipsters/urban professionals. See: San Francisco.

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

I couldn't give a damn if I'm in a desert, as long as the people aren't completely narcissistic and shallow A-Types who live for power trips and bashing other people. If Anyone ever lived in the DC area (or in the Northeast in general), you would understand).

We do encounter these in Austin from time to time.

[artsyguy]

Very very true.

Originally Posted by nomore07

We do encounter these in Austin from time to time.