Conservative suburbs (Chicago, Elmwood Park, Elmwood: apartment, schools, income)

[nanannie]

Brats are not born brats, they are trained.

[promis1]

Originally Posted by NYrules

First off I live in Orland Park among all of it and NO I def. do NOT feel too good for Orland Park residents, so before you cry the jelously crap I've been hearing for years here about how Orland Hills residents are jelous of OP residents stop.

The parents are usually ok, but its the brats that run rampant in the town that I can't stand and they're everywhere. As for the area not being gay or poor or atheistic... Its NOT. It's largely conservative middle to upper class white folks that are VERY close minded to alternative lifestyles, races, and religions. Remember that Mosque fiasco? Remember the signs that were posted all over town? "Keep the terrorists out of our town"? Ring a bell?
I'd call that racist right there. And most of those signs were posted right on Village Hall's front lawn, true by angry residents, but what has all this crap proved? The Mosque has been up for what? 4 years now? and not a single plane has crashed into the mall, no bombs, no car bombs. all crap I heard from neighbors, people in stores you name it before that was built.... So what did that all prove? Closemindedness typical of the SW burbs.

As for the gay thing, I have even conducted this very experiment after a gay friend of mine pointed it out. Go on a site like Myspace and do a search to see how many gay people are out there around Orland Park you will get like 3 pages if that, then do another search around lets say Skokie or Evanston. Holy crap, you get over 10 pages. Hell I've been to Old Orchard Mall numerous times and you will see two dudes walking along holding hands and the nicest thing of it all is, NOBODY even looks or points them out. Try doing that in Orland Square. People may be gay in Orland like you point out, but due to the homophobia and conservative-ness that plaugues the town, these people will never come clean about who they are until they either move out of the town to more liberal burbs like Oak Park, Evanston, or the city, or just finally say the hell with it and come clean and lead a life of misery among all the conservatives who will look down their noses at them for being "different".

Its life in "The OP" and yes that is what the kids are refering to it as. The OP??? sounds wonderful doesn't it?

Conservativism is hardly a plague- in fact it is normal to give a second look at 2 men holding hands at a mall. This is not normal activity- nor is it wrong that O.P. residents were against this mosque. These are their beliefs, based on their life long experiences. In fact, many residents in Orland Park came from the city to get away from the liberal B.S. In fact, NYRULES, I believe you should probably be living in a more diverse area such as Evanston or Oak Park- you can find many more people open to gays and other liberal tendencies.

[ajolotl]

Funny how much taste can vary. Sounds like you've found a perfect spot for you.

When we were looking for a house I showed my wife Naperville, Orland Park, Oak Park, Evanston, and the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago. She lasted about 5 minutes in Naperville, two seconds in Orland Park, and really loved Evanston, Oak Park, and Beverly. The clear ranking was 1) Evanston 2) Oak Park 3) Beverly 4) Naperville with Orland Park so painfully cheesy that it didn't make the list (she would have preferred to stay in out tight Woodlawn Condo). Beverly won out when normalized by price.

Originally Posted by promis1

Conservativism is hardly a plague- in fact it is normal to give a second look at 2 men holding hands at a mall. This is not normal activity- nor is it wrong that O.P. residents were against this mosque. These are their beliefs, based on their life long experiences. In fact, many residents in Orland Park came from the city to get away from the liberal B.S. In fact, NYRULES, I believe you should probably be living in a more diverse area such as Evanston or Oak Park- you can find many more people open to gays and other liberal tendencies.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by promis1

..in fact it is normal to give a second look at 2 men holding hands at a mall.

No it's not. It's biggoted. Welcome to the 21st Century, Archie Bunker!

It's actually quite funny to me to see a big bad law enforcement guy get uneasy at the sight of a couple of dudes holding hands. I mean, come on! What do you think they'll do to you? Give you cooties? Grow up.

[meatpuff]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I hate to defend (however indirectly) the guy you directed this comment to, but your assertion is ridiculous while bordering on insanely ignorant and purposely misleading. It also bears a complete lack of experience of being a white person walking around majority black areas.

Even if you walk around a majority black area and the residents do not give you any attention (very rare if the area is low-income) the cops sure will give you attention.

Alright smarty lets see you walk over by Madison and Cicero for more than 15 minutes. I want to see if you come back without having someone harass you in one way or the other. You will be lucky to come out of there without being robbed, killed, or end up missing.

Just want to point out that it's not safe for ANYONE to walk around these areas like Madison/Cicero, or any other place in the worst ghettos of Chicago (if you're not from the neighborhood or up to no good yourself). For example the rate of robberies in Englewood is appalling. They're not just hitting up the white people walking around down there. Because virtually NO white people walk around Englewood. Let's just remember that there is increased (and substantial) risk walking around Madison and Cicero at night for anyone. It's a dumb idea unless you're looking for trouble.

Just a small reminder, but don't misconstrue it. I don't deny that you can't ignore race in understanding the history or present of Chicagoland. Of course you're more likely to be stopped if you stand out, whether it's a white person in Englewood or a black person in Norwood Park. Or just as importantly if you stand out by social class markers, i.e. not dressed for the area. Ya think a white young person dressed like a gangbanger isn't more likely to get harassed when he goes to the mall? Chicago's not a very homogenized place by race or class. Expect extra attention going places where you look out of place. Duh.

[promis1]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

No it's not. It's biggoted. Welcome to the 21st Century, Archie Bunker!

It's actually quite funny to me to see a big bad law enforcement guy get uneasy at the sight of a couple of dudes holding hands. I mean, come on! What do you think they'll do to you? Give you cooties? Grow up.

To each its own-but I do not by any means think that 2 men showing gay tendencies in public is normal. We should do a survey on this question alone and see if I am really Archie Bunker. Or are you really Boy George. I suppose Michael Jackson is normal too, right. Look, keep that crap in liberal areas-stay out of conservative areas with this ultra liberal crap. Its sickening to even see people argue this point.

[promis1]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Funny how much taste can vary. Sounds like you've found a perfect spot for you.

When we were looking for a house I showed my wife Naperville, Orland Park, Oak Park, Evanston, and the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago. She lasted about 5 minutes in Naperville, two seconds in Orland Park, and really loved Evanston, Oak Park, and Beverly. The clear ranking was 1) Evanston 2) Oak Park 3) Beverly 4) Naperville with Orland Park so painfully cheesy that it didn't make the list (she would have preferred to stay in out tight Woodlawn Condo). Beverly won out when normalized by price.

If the definition of cheesy is no bums, no homeless,little crime, few open gays and diversity, great schools, great shopping, super clean area, great housing, little poverty-apartments-section 8- than give me CHEESY BABY-whatever the price may be. CHEESY IS PRICELESS!

[Chicagoland60426]

Orland Park is alright, but its true that the suburb is predominately conservative. The most diverse part about the burb is Orland Square Mall, and this is also the least white area in the suburb. A suburb that gets all pissed and worked up over a Mosque being built in the area, unfortunately have a bigot and xenophobia tendencies. Their are gay/bisexual people in Orland Park, but you won't find that many, unless you're in the mall of course. Maybe Orland park need to liberal up some, because being seen as a conservative area is not looking too hot.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by promis1

Or are you really Boy George.

Married with a daughter. The world has changed, and left you behind. I can't help you there.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by promis1

If the definition of cheesy is no bums, no homeless,little crime, few open gays and diversity, great schools, great shopping, super clean area, great housing, little poverty-apartments-section 8- than give me CHEESY BABY-whatever the price may be. CHEESY IS PRICELESS!

See, I could almost agree with that entire statement except for the "few open gays and diversity" part. What are you afraid of? Gay dudes are the least of your problems. And perhaps you need to get away from the West Side of Chicago crime beat to meet some non-white people who are really wonderful human beings.