Why Is Boulder Snobbish, Cliquish, And Racist? (Denver, Aurora: 2010, living)

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Scott5280

This has become the most over all off topic thread --- my posts included--pretty funny really..

Maybe this will become the new http://www.city-data.com/forum/color...epression.html thread-- already at its 178th page!

[dreamboatannie953]

Originally Posted by Scott5280

This has become the most over all off topic thread --- my posts included--pretty funny really..

I find this thread to be very funny. Never having been to Boulder I am curious about things I hear about some Boulderites. My hubby was born in Boulder and he pesters me all the time to move there with him. He has such fond childhood memories there. Over the years I've heard that some Boulderites will shout you down if you have a different opinion from their own. Some examples in this thread may serve as proof of a kind of "know it all ism in some Boulderites". Could this be true?

[HighlandsGal]

Personally, I really enjoy Boulder. BF's brother and GF live there and we have other friends there too, so we usually go there at least once a month. Love the restaurants, love hiking, love the Boulder Theatre, love going to the bars on Pearl, etc. When we first moved to CO we stayed with them in Boulder for a few weeks before moving to Denver and I didn't think of it any different than a college town like Ann Arbor.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by HighlandsGal

Personally, I really enjoy Boulder. BF's brother and GF live there and we have other friends there too, so we usually go there at least once a month. Love the restaurants, love hiking, love the Boulder Theatre, love going to the bars on Pearl, etc. When we first moved to CO we stayed with them in Boulder for a few weeks before moving to Denver and I didn't think of it any different than a college town like Ann Arbor.

Maybe Boulder is similar to AA, I don't know as I've only been to AA once and that was a long time ago. It is not as "college" townish as Champaign, IL, which has practically NOTHING other than the university as its "raison d'etre". Sure there are stores, theaters, doctors, etc in Champaign, but none of them would be there if it weren't for the U of I. Boulder does have several large employers besides CU.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Sorry to read these posts in this thread:
And this comment from the thread is particularly sad. Is it accurate?

"Boulder folks are the most liberal in Colorado, and yet, where are minorities represented in their town? They don't have minorities in Boulder. Why don't the rich liberals in Boulder encourage minorities to move in to their town by creating affordable housing? Nah, they push minorities into towns away from theirs. Why do you think they wanted to restrict growth in Boulder? Yeah... to keep the "undesirable minorities" (like me, I am latino from Argentina) away from them....

"Boulder residents are the elite of America, living in ivory towers. The Boulder types are the ones who call everyone a racist and call for "sharing the wealth", but is that what they do? Nothing! They also condemn non-vegetarians and verbally attack anyone who they disagree with! Voice something they disagree with and you will be shouted down."

I've been seeing this rediculous thread going here for... over 100 posts? I've dreaded seeing what it's all about because something told me it was gonna be the typical VICTIM MEMEME whinny sniffling drivel. And sure enough.

I'm white, and I can't afford to live in Boulder. It doesn't make me less than, not in my circles anyway. I could care less what people from Boulder think about my absence. You don't see me going there saying, "You elitest vegetable nibbling pigs! Where's my Liberal White Only Pie Cheese?" Isn't that what racist elitest Liberals eat these days?

Now, if I was a minority, I'd probably get rich and go live there and breathe my minority Meat Breath all over their Snobbish Cliquish Racist faces!

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by dreamboatannie953

I find this thread to be very funny. Never having been to Boulder I am curious about things I hear about some Boulderites. My hubby was born in Boulder and he pesters me all the time to move there with him. He has such fond childhood memories there. Over the years I've heard that some Boulderites will shout you down if you have a different opinion from their own. Some examples in this thread may serve as proof of a kind of "know it all ism in some Boulderites". Could this be true?

I don't think that's right. I've lived here over 3 years now so that makes me a newbie, but I've never encountered that problem. And even if there are people here who feel the need to batter someone into submission with their opinions, is that really so different from other towns? Boulder doesn't have much diversity which is why it may have a racist appearance and there have been some nasty incidents in the past couple of years but again, name me one town that doesn't suffer from that. Quite frankly, I find neighbourhoods like Cherry Creek in Denver way more cliquish and snobbish than Boulder. At least in Boulder I don't have to carry a designer handbag in order to get decent service in a store!

[POhdNcrzy]

"Quite frankly, I find neighbourhoods like Cherry Creek in Denver way more cliquish and snobbish than Boulder. At least in Boulder I don't have to carry a designer handbag in order to get decent service in a store!"

Too true, Chill !! I agree.

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

I've been seeing this rediculous thread going here for... over 100 posts.........Now, if I was a minority, I'd probably get rich and go live there and breathe my minority Meat Breath all over their Snobbish Cliquish Racist faces!

I started this thread because friends of mine who have relocated here to the Southwest have been periodically unemployed because locals don't hire newcomers. Sadly, there are some (not all!) unfriendly, unwelcoming, cliquish, and racist white Bohemian liberals are in Southwest ART communities such as boulder, sedona, flagstaff, and santa fe. These people are just part of the territory in these communities.

I'm white, socially liberal, fiscally Libertarian, and from Seattle, and there is not one place in the Seattle area where there is any degree of unfriendliness to newcomers, minorities, fundamentalists, Mormons, Jehovahs Witnesses, Jews, and Masons. Unfortunately, in SW progressive art towns, I've met people who discriminate against Mormons, Jews, Hispanics, fundamentalists, etc. They claim to be "progressive," but they are definitely not liberal. In Seattle, in hiring people, nobody cares what your ethnicity or religion is.

The real problem for us newcomers is getting a job since these small town artistic folk don't like people who have just moved to town who may happen to be: +/- non-white +/- Jewish +/- African American +/- Hispanic +/- disabled +/- have a different accent +/- etc...

[CCCVDUR]

Great post, thanks, David, for the data. Was this from City-Data.Com?!
See Responses From Tom Lane To David Aguilar in Blue Below:
Your #2, most of those cities are filled with out-of-towners.
For example: (census 2000)
-In Boulder, only 24.2% were even born in Colorado, with only 55% living in Boulder County more than five years
-In Flagstaff, 41.6% were born in Arizona, with 60% living in Coconino County more than five years
-In Santa Fe, 44.8% were born in New Mexico, with 73% living in Santa Fe County for more than five years, this one fits your supposed profile, a little bit
-Here's the kicker! In Sedona ONLY 10.9% were born in Arizona, with 58% living in Coconino/Yavapai Counties for more than five years

So, in the cases of Boulder, Flagstaff and Sedona, surely those towns are at least somewhat welcoming to newcomers, or there wouldn't be so many there!!!

That's not my point. Once they assimilate, they develop the Consciencious personality type (see demographic studies by Richard Florida and Peter Jason Wentfrow), and that means they become cliquish only hire who they know....compare that to the Open to Experience personality type on the West Coast....and towns like Seattle....

Remember, super welcoming San Francisco is one of the most expensive metros in the nation.

Absolutely - and San Francisco is an Open to Experience City, vs. Albuquerque or Flagstaff.

Where I live, (Denver Metro), I can't think of anywhere around here that would be considered unwelcoming, and that includes Boulder. Anybody can move from around the nation (or world), plop down, and start a life, without anybody interfering or holding them back.

VERY glad to hear that! Colorado is 9/50 (#9) on the Open to Experience scale of Peter Jason Wentfrow D. Phil!

There will be something you don't like about anywhere you go. Stop categorizing/judging so much, and open your mind up.

You have to categorize especially if you are a Seattle native and find yourself in the Southwest or the Southeastern US.

IMO, it takes at least 18-24 months to assimilate into a new hometown.

That's and interesting perspective because as a Seattle native, I would say that it should only take a few weeks. It would be interesting to ask this question to various parts of the country.

If you open up and welcome people in, they will welcome you in, anywhere.

Again, an interesting perspective. This is very true in Seattle. However, that has not been my experience in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Flagstaff. Albuquerque and Santa Fe are the least friendly (and, New Mexico is ranked as #1 in the nation for the Consciencious personality type - Arizona is #9). My closest friends in these SW cities relocated from Open To Experience cities on the West Coast and Upper Midwest.

[David Aguilar]

Hey Tom,

The data came from the US Census Bureau's website, they have this thing called "American Factfinder" that can give you facts/stats about any place, broken down by political geography or their own delineated geographies. Pretty interesting stuff IMO.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

That's not my point. Once they assimilate, they develop the Consciencious personality type (see demographic studies by Richard Florida and Peter Jason Wentfrow), and that means they become cliquish only hire who they know....compare that to the Open to Experience personality type on the West Coast....and towns like Seattle....

I don't have any direct job-hunting experience in those SW towns, out of those towns, I've only been to Boulder. Smaller towns, are cliquish no matter what IMO, and in my experience it does take quite awhile to "break them down", if you will. It is much harder to be anonymous in a smaller town, as everybody is somebody, and newcomers are nobodies. It larger cities, like Seattle, there is an anonymity involved where people could care less who you are and where you come from, yet with that there are drawbacks as well.

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

You have to categorize especially if you are a Seattle native and find yourself in the Southwest or the Southeastern US.

LOL. I have spent a lot of time in the Seattle area, I spent my summers there as a lad (in Everett primarily), so I know it quite well. Honestly, Tom, there is nowhere better in the country ::biting tongue as to not tick anybody off:: than Seattle/Western WA. The only reason I am not there myself is because of familial and climatic reasons. Maybe that's where you belong?

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

That's and interesting perspective because as a Seattle native, I would say that it should only take a few weeks. It would be interesting to ask this question to various parts of the country.

Nah, after a few weeks you still "aren't there yet", IMO. I've been here in CO for 18 months, and still don't fully "feel here yet". I've moved fairly long distances twice, and I'm hoping "I feel here", within the next year or so.


Tom, I hope you find what you are looking for. As Aerosmith says, life is a journey, not a destination.