Is Austin really a liberal bastion? (Dallas, Pittsburg: title, friendly, racist)

[TXperson]

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

This is what I'm definitely looking for. 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.

You are kidding yourself if you believe such a utopia exists in this country, let alone this planet. Austin has plenty of these A-Types roaming around (perhaps transplants from the northeast). It's just that Austin is laid back enough to where people could care less about what you do/who you are (but they do it in a reasonably cordial manner).

And as true as some of artsyguy's posts are, he does seem to exaggerate a bit.

[The_Fairfaxian]

Originally Posted by TXperson

You are kidding yourself if you believe such a utopia exists in this country, let alone this planet. Austin has plenty of these A-Types roaming around (perhaps transplants from the northeast). It's just that Austin is laid back enough to where people could care less about what you do/who you are (but they do it in a reasonably cordial manner).

And as true as some of artsyguy's posts are, he does seem to exaggerate a bit.

Well as long as it doesn't exist to the degree that it does in the Northeast (and if Austin isn't infected with mostly people from the Northeast, *cough* DC *cough*). Besides, wherever I move, the people I'll least likely socialize with are probably those from the Northeast.

[TXperson]

Originally Posted by The_Fairfaxian

Well as long as it doesn't exist to the degree that it does in the Northeast (and if Austin isn't infected with mostly people from the Northeast, *cough* DC *cough*). Besides, wherever I move, the people I'll least likely socialize with are probably those from the Northeast.

Oh, you definitely are making a wise move. A lot of the people I've met from the DC/VA/MD area happen to love Austin, so you'll be fine. I'm just pointing out that it is almost impossible to avoid the A-types wherever you travel.

Anyway, even though I'm not there at the moment, welcome to Texas!

[pioneergrrrl]

I've personally found it's not. More like naive inspite of housing one of the top-ranked universities.

People remain so oblivious to the muncipal corruption (inc public transit) which happens around them on a constant basis.

And I meet fellow bus riders who cannot figure out that an express route costs more than a local route and/or has fewer stops--hence the term express. It makes sense to know what is going on before you get on.

I suspect that 'keeping Austin weird' is merely a suble way of saying 'let the status quo continue to run things and don't ask questions'. It makes me glad that I was not accepted to UT.

I know that I would not have ever been able to thrive in such a sheltered climate, even when I was a young adult!

[inthecut]

People need to define liberal for themselves...there are infinite shades of it....and conservatism...MOR.....and the rest.......to think that a large metro, regardless of rep, is homogenous is ridiculous.....the most conservative person I ever met was from San Francisco....
as long as a city like Austin lets you be what you want....free to be anything.....thats what you want to look for.....some of those "Liberal" cities can be sickening, in-your-face as well......a place that lets you just "Be", without a moral high ground on either spectrum, is all one can ask for.....

[artsyguy]

Sorry but Austin is not a free live and let live city.

Originally Posted by inthecut

People need to define liberal for themselves...there are infinite shades of it....and conservatism...MOR.....and the rest.......to think that a large metro, regardless of rep, is homogenous is ridiculous.....the most conservative person I ever met was from San Francisco....
as long as a city like Austin lets you be what you want....free to be anything.....thats what you want to look for.....some of those "Liberal" cities can be sickening, in-your-face as well......a place that lets you just "Be", without a moral high ground on either spectrum, is all one can ask for.....

[readymade]

I will say that coming from first Massachusetts, and then California (and my husband's from Chicago), some of the religious stuff we've encountered has been... weird.

Like last week when a waitress (at the South Congress Cafe) came up to our table and told my husband that he was lucky she wasn't our waitress as she would have refused to wait on us because he was wearing an "Athiests!" T-shirt (made to look like a sports team). She told him he better be sure he was an athiest before wearing something like that. He later joked that he wants to go around telling people who are wearing crosses that they "better be sure" before wearing them. I wonder how well THAT would go over!

And he's currently looking for work. About 1/4 of the jobs he's seeing on Craigslist are for "faith-based" companies (regular companies that, I assume, only hire religious people). I'd never heard of such a thing before! I was looking in Craigslist for bands and about 1/2 or more were christian bands. "Must believe in the glory of god!" was very prevalent.

Honestly, I've never been around so many "in your face" religious people in my life! I love Austin, but it's kind of freaking me out.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by readymade

I will say that coming from first Massachusetts, and then California (and my husband's from Chicago), some of the religious stuff we've encountered has been... weird.

Like last week when a waitress (at the South Congress Cafe) came up to our table and told my husband that he was lucky she wasn't our waitress as she would have refused to wait on us because he was wearing an "Athiests!" T-shirt (made to look like a sports team). She told him he better be sure he was an athiest before wearing something like that. He later joked that he wants to go around telling people who are wearing crosses that they "better be sure" before wearing them. I wonder how well THAT would go over!

And he's currently looking for work. About 1/4 of the jobs he's seeing on Craigslist are for "faith-based" companies (regular companies that, I assume, only hire religious people). I'd never heard of such a thing before! I was looking in Craigslist for bands and about 1/2 or more were christian bands. "Must believe in the glory of god!" was very prevalent.

Honestly, I've never been around so many "in your face" religious people in my life! I love Austin, but it's kind of freaking me out.

It's funny how two people can have completely different views on Austin re: religion or non-existent religion! I am a Christian, I make no bones about it. But I don't shove it down anyone's throat unless they are shoving their views down mine! When reading posts on here (C-D) as a whole, it seems like Atheism is more prevalent than Christianity.

Maybe your husband should have said "I would have refused to let you serve me!" I believe that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs re: religion and it shouldn't be forced on anyone unless it is being forced on yourself. That waitress was quite rude.

[readymade]

Originally Posted by TexasGirl@Heart

Maybe your husband should have said "I would have refused to let you serve me!" I believe that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs re: religion and it shouldn't be forced on anyone unless it is being forced on yourself. That waitress was quite rude.

I agree! The waitress babbled something about giving up corn chips for Lent "and so, you know... it's been really hard."

We had NO IDEA of what she was talking about until she left and we decided that she meant that she felt he was mocking her faith by wearing the shirt. I'm not sure what else she could have meant.

I personally don't feel like my non-faith is mocked by people who wear crosses. And, believe me, it ain't easy to be an agnostic, either! I'd LOVE to be sure of something!

We thought of all kinds of things to say in response after she'd left (as you do) such as "Well, if you were an athiest, you wouldn't HAVE to give up corn chips!"

Actually, my husband DID say to her "I've given up corn chips for my cholesterol!" heh, but she didn't seem impressed. She should have been, HE has to give them up forever. She only has until the end of Lent!

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by readymade

I agree! The waitress babbled something about giving up corn chips for Lent "and so, you know... it's been really hard."

We had NO IDEA of what she was talking about until she left and we decided that she meant that she felt he was mocking her faith by wearing the shirt. I'm not sure what else she could have meant.

I personally don't feel like my non-faith is mocked by people who wear crosses. And, believe me, it ain't easy to be an agnostic, either! I'd LOVE to be sure of something!

We thought of all kinds of things to say in response after she'd left (as you do) such as "Well, if you were an athiest, you wouldn't HAVE to give up corn chips!"

Actually, my husband DID say to her "I've given up corn chips for my cholesterol!" heh, but she didn't seem impressed. She should have been, HE has to give them up forever. She only has until the end of Lent!

Now if your husband would have said "there's no such thing as a God, why are you giving up corn chips for someone who doesn't exist" then she would have a right to be offended, but him wearing a shirt shouldn't have offended her. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs!

Yeah, you always think of a comeback when it's too late.

So you think there is more religion (christianity) than non-religion (atheism/agnostic) in Austin? Just curious...because I always thought the opposite.