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Los Angeles - Never respected what this city stood for; don't care for the sprawl or the movie industry or the movie star focus; don't care to be in a place that is the plastic surgery capital of the world; don't care for the smog or traffic; hate the surfer culture; not the least bit interested in the tacky sophistication the city represents nor its reputation as "land of the larks."
Atlanta - Not interested in a place that touts itself as the "black mecca" - at least not until blacks as a whole are known more for high academic achievement rather than underachievement and preference for rap and hip-hop. I prefer a place where commonality is not defined by race. The city also resides in one of the most politically-backwards and racially-insensitive states: Georgia. I wouldn't be caught dead in a state with such a shameful racial history.
Milwaukee - I still have relatives there and it's a beautiful city of great substance, peace, and tranquility. Beautiful parks and homes are nicely built. It's a clean city with beautiful neighborhoods. There are some fine, down-to-earth people who reside there as well. Problem is that there are too many ignorant, semi-illiterate black people and far too many rigid, racially-intolerant whites in this city. The city is stuck in limbo while these two factions are stuck staring each other down. This may not end for another 100 years. Too much segregation. Too few career opportunities. Not much room for growth. Career stagnation is commonplace, especially for blacks. Winters are brutal.
Chicago - Just a bigger, more intense version of Milwaukee. They're only 90 miles apart. Chicago may be bigger and more world renowned, but it is by no means a more enlightened place. It continues to stand alongside Milwaukee as one of the most racially-segregated cities in the country. It too has been struggling with a huge population of semi-illiterate, problematic blacks and large segment of racially-intolerant whites. Like Milwaukee, the potential of this city is suspended while these two factions impede each other. No.
New York - Great city if you're young, single, educated. Stressful place to make a living, especially if you have a family with kids. The commute alone was not meant for human beings, but desensitized robots. Too congested and the effort to tolerate the congestion is ever-present, even when sleeping. Not interested in living in a city where everyone thinks they have all the answers and no questions. The city makes you adjust to it and find this tolerable only as a visitor.
user makes racist comment, procedes to say they aren't racist...
user makes racist comment, procedes to say they aren't racist...
2nd bold, does it once again.
3rd bold, again.
do you also have a "black" friend?
Yeah, this also gave me pause, as I *am* black, and perhaps a "problem" black (gay black man in the film industry). But I will say this about Atlanta-- I will never go there again by choice. Went there with my partner and a few non-black friends. I got served first in restaurants, let in to clubs first, not patted down before entering a secure building, etc. It was so bad in one place that a manager came over and apologized for the "disparate treatment" after my friend was ignored several times when trying to order food.
Atlanta is a town that really favors individuals of a certain background. No matter what background that is, this behavior is wrong.
I could probably live in any city, but the ones that would be near the bottom of my list include:
El Paso (very ugly to me, others that I know consider it beautiful; not a large enough middle and upper middle class, too hot)
Houston (hot weather...never been)
Tampa and Orlando (too hot, pedestrian unfriendly)
Miami (too hot)
I could make myself live anywhere, but here's where I don't think I would like:
Phoenix: solely because of the weather and the desert. I can not do heat.
Honolulu: The cost of living and location are too much to handle for me.
NOLA: The culture and location just aren't right for me.
New York City: I'd like to think I'd enjoy living here, but coming from a small city in the midwest to New York, I think I would have a hard time adjusting to the cost of living, population, public transportation, etc.
I can live anywhere for the right amount of money, but these are the places I wouldn't be thrilled to be in:
San Francisco
Portland
Seattle
Boston
Denver
...really anywhere in the West, Midwest, or New England that isn't Chicago or Los Angeles. The South and the Mid-Atlantic have a host of cities I could imagine myself in.
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Too much segregation. Too few career opportunities. Not much room for growth. Career stagnation is commonplace, especially for blacks. Winters are brutal.
