Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > North Carolina > Charlotte
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 10-23-2007, 09:22 AM
 
Location: Indian Trail, NC
241 posts, read 753,031 times
Reputation: 54

Advertisements

Very well said, HGONZ. Hopefully people will heed your advice. Charlotte is under no pressure from me to 'become' a city it isn't...
Quote:
Originally Posted by HGONZ001 View Post
I too thought that we "educated" new comers would "save" Charlotte from its conservative ways. Well, after a reality check, I learned that Charlotte does not have to change because we are moving here. Furthermore, I don't want it to change. I left my more "cultured" old home because its quality of life and citizens literally sucked. The least I want to do is to recreate that same environment in Charlotte. Having said that, no, Charlotte does not have to change to a liberal left leaning party city. If you come down here thinking that you are going to "save" us from all that makes CLT attractive, then you won't like it here. Accept us for who we are, a charming SOUTHERN city that is both conservative but very accepting.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 10-23-2007, 09:26 AM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,338,735 times
Reputation: 40194
Quote:
Originally Posted by HGONZ001 View Post
I too thought that we "educated" new comers would "save" Charlotte from its conservative ways. Well, after a reality check, I learned that Charlotte does not have to change because we are moving here. Furthermore, I don't want it to change. I left my more "cultured" old home because its quality of life and citizens literally sucked. The least I want to do is to recreate that same environment in Charlotte. Having said that, no, Charlotte does not have to change to a liberal left leaning party city. If you come down here thinking that you are going to "save" us from all that makes CLT attractive, then you won't like it here. Accept us for who we are, a charming SOUTHERN city that is both conservative but very accepting.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your attitude! Thank you so much for "getting it".
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 09:36 AM
 
Location: Wherever it is, I am sure it is cosmopolitan
674 posts, read 796,462 times
Reputation: 138
I just hope people remember that a city can be southern, cultured, educated, accepting....and still southern. Northern cities do not have a monopoly on culture, education, and tolerance.

Charlotte and Savannah are good examples of this when talking about the gay community, which is what this thread is about.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 09:41 AM
 
693 posts, read 2,167,065 times
Reputation: 251
I voiced an opinion, based on personal experiences and the experiences as described elsewhere here by people who have moved from other places to Charlotte. Also, as a student of political science who has tracked how demographic influxes do inevitably change a region. Change is inevitable, it does not need to be forced, so steamrolling is not the issue. Nor am I saying Northern cities are "better"

It was not said in an insulting or disrespectful manner, and I certainly did not say that people in Charlotte are "uneducated" just as the population changes, attitudes will likely shift. It doesn't mean everything will change.

I'm sorry if me pointing this out upsets you all so.

I was actually hoping you all would focus more on the "acceptance" vs "welcoming" comment. Since this thread was about a gay couple seeking places they would feel comfortable in Charlotte.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 09:48 AM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,338,735 times
Reputation: 40194
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damemeow View Post
I voiced an opinion, based on personal experiences and the experiences as described elsewhere here by people who have moved from other places to Charlotte. Also, as a student of political science who has tracked how demographic influxes do inevitably change a region. Change is inevitable, it does not need to be forced, so steamrolling is not the issue. Nor am I saying Northern cities are "better"

It was not said in an insulting or disrespectful manner, and I certainly did not say that people in Charlotte are "uneducated" just as the population changes, attitudes will likely shift. It doesn't mean everything will change.

I'm sorry if me pointing this out upsets you all so.

I was actually hoping you all would focus more on the "acceptance" vs "welcoming" comment. Since this thread was about a gay couple seeking places they would feel comfortable in Charlotte.

Pointing things out is not what is upsetting to us - it is your apparent inability to see how insulting what you say really is that is upsetting to us. I certainly appreciate that you are not purposely being rude, and are therefore acting without malice. However, your assertions ARE rude and your attempt to comprehend that would go a long way towards you feeling at home here among us when you get here.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 09:57 AM
 
693 posts, read 2,167,065 times
Reputation: 251
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains View Post
Pointing things out is not what is upsetting to us - it is your apparent inability to see how insulting what you say really is that is upsetting to us. I certainly appreciate that you are not purposely being rude, and are therefore acting without malice. However, your assertions ARE rude and your attempt to comprehend that would go a long way towards you feeling at home here among us when you get here.

But honestly, I'm sorry you all find me rude. All I can say, is that it was not a personal attack, simply a comment on trends and demographics. That traditionally Charlotte has a Conservative demographic, but as more liberals move to the area the cumulative effect is a change in the demographic as a whole. Also note that I was extrapolating on a larger picture in terms of the effect of the cities growth. I'm not saying it SHOULD change. So much about Charlotte is lovely, and my interaction with individuals is very different than my analysis of the trends. I have said elsewhere in this forum that I have lived many places and found that they are more the same than different, because people are people. It saddens me that because I voiced an unpopular opinion I am viewed as rude. Would there have been a way for me to voice this opinion that wouldn't have insulted you?

I am going to withdraw from this discussion as the last thing I wanted to do was detract from the original poster.

Last edited by Damemeow; 10-23-2007 at 10:43 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 01:22 PM
 
847 posts, read 3,343,742 times
Reputation: 247
I want to defend the poster who says Charlotte needs an "attitude shift" and caution the original poster who wanted to know how accepting Charlotte might be for him. The reaction that other people on the board have had to the "attitude shift" post demonstrates something I've noticed about the place -- you're not supposed to criticize it. Or anyone in it. I find that this leads to a lot of people around here doing their jobs rather badly, and having no idea about it because they don't ever get any honest feedback. It also precludes the development of any sort of serious intellectual life (how can you discuss anything if you can't criticize anything?). More on that below.

On the original topic, there are a few, isolated pockets here in Charlotte that are a tad young and funky, namely Plaza-Midwood (and maybe Noda, though that's pretty isolated), where a newly-transplanted gay couple might find some friends. It's certainly not the norm, though.

But as a white, straight, married mother of 2 stuck living in a better school district, I can tell you, it's hard for me to find acceptance. People here don't like you to open your mouth. Having an opinion about anything other than real estate or the Panthers marks you as a weirdo to be avoided at all costs. I swear, the conversations I witness here consist of people telling eachother in excruciating detail where their houses are (no, not giving directions, this is chatting, and there are all sorts of social signals buried in these discussions that is too boring to go into) and discussing laundry. If you bring up something as mild as a news piece on NPR, people here will literally turn their back and avoid looking at you ever again.

Needless to say, intellectual life just plain doesn't exist here. I went to a meeting of the Federalist Society (conservative lawyer's group) here and it was just sad. In other cities, this organization hosts interesting talks attended by people with something to say. Here, the group hosted someone from the school board complaining about other people on the school board, period. And maybe five people showed up. It was sad.

I thought, like you, that the place would have to change with the number of New Yorkers moving here every day, but it's the other way around -- the place changes the people, not the other way around. I've seen it happen time and again. So I wouldn't count on any big changes in Charlotte anytime soon.

Last edited by vanyali; 10-23-2007 at 01:31 PM.. Reason: completeness
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 01:32 PM
 
Location: Cornelius
3,662 posts, read 9,627,146 times
Reputation: 800
Quote:
Originally Posted by vanyali View Post
I want to defend the poster who says Charlotte needs an "attitude shift" and caution the original poster who wanted to know how accepting Charlotte might be for him.

There are a few, isolated pockets here in Charlotte that are a tad young and funky, namely Plaza-Midwood (and maybe Noda, though that's pretty isolated), where a newly-transplanted gay couple might find some friends. It's certainly not the norm, though.

But as a white, straight, married mother of 2 stuck living in a better school district, I can tell you, it's hard for me to find acceptance. People here don't like you to open your mouth. Having an opinion about anything other than real estate or the Panthers marks you as a weirdo to be avoided at all costs. I swear, the conversations I witness here consist of people telling eachother in excruciating detail where their houses are (no, not giving directions, this is chatting) and discussing laundry. If you bring up something as mild as a news piece on NPR, people here will literally turn their back and avoid looking at you ever again.

Intellectual life just plain doesn't exist here. I went to a meeting of the Federalist Society (conservative lawyer's group) here and it was just sad. In other cities, this organization hosts interesting talks attended by people with something to say. Here, the group hosted someone from the school board complaining about other people on the school board, period. And maybe five people showed up. It was sad.

I thought, like you, that the place would have to change with the number of New Yorkers moving here every day, but it's the other way around -- the place changes the people, not the other way around. I've seen it happen time and again. So I wouldn't count on any big changes in Charlotte anytime soon.
You need to get out more. I can also assist if you need help removing that stick.

The more I hear about people not being able to fit in, the more I realize it is not the city that needs adjusting, but the attitude of the transplant. I know many, many people that have moved to Charlotte from the liberal parts of the country and never express the whining attitude some of you do. The problem is not with Charlotte, it is with you!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 02:00 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,338,735 times
Reputation: 40194
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolina_guy View Post
You need to get out more. I can also assist if you need help removing that stick.

The more I hear about people not being able to fit in, the more I realize it is not the city that needs adjusting, but the attitude of the transplant. I know many, many people that have moved to Charlotte from the liberal parts of the country and never express the whining attitude some of you do. The problem is not with Charlotte, it is with you!
Maybe it's just me, but I do believe in life you get out of it what you put INTO it. Additionally, the way you treat other people sets a tone for how they will in turn treat you. Sure there are exceptions to every rule, and rude people do persist no matter how nicely you try to treat them - BUT - basically all of life is about attitude. Those of us with a good one seem to find what we want everywhere we go
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-23-2007, 02:15 PM
 
Location: Cornelius
3,662 posts, read 9,627,146 times
Reputation: 800
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains View Post
Maybe it's just me, but I do believe in life you get out of it what you put INTO it. Additionally, the way you treat other people sets a tone for how they will in turn treat you. Sure there are exceptions to every rule, and rude people do persist no matter how nicely you try to treat them - BUT - basically all of life is about attitude. Those of us with a good one seem to find what we want everywhere we go
Those of us with a good one seem to find what we want everywhere we go


kudos!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:




Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > North Carolina > Charlotte

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top