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The conservative suburbs are totally anonymous if you don't go to church (which is THE place to mingle after your party years). You'll find several threads about how isolated people feel in the family friendly areas.
As a side effect of this isolation, noone cares what you believe if you don't join a church, so that's a benefit.
There are several enclaves that are different - coincidentially they are the nicer ones if you value small restaurants/shops over chains and architecturally interesting houses over tract homes.
I have no clue what you are talking about , the suburb I live in is nothing like the complains I read in this forum . We all understand that it is not a choice for everybody and that you will find some people unhappy , like in any other town , nothing is perfect ! But the way life in the suburb is painted here is becoming out of hand and is totally misrepresented by some very outspoken posters.
To the OP. I am an evangelical Christian, go to church several times a week and vote Republican. I would never be upset at your beliefs, would enjoy you as a neighbor (if you are a good neighbor in return) and would never make you feel uncomfortable. I would bet my right arm that most everyone in my circle would treat you the same.
I work in a very diverse environment, a lot of international people in my office representing almost all major world religions and no religion, all political views and no views. We have a great work environment, we respect each other and look out for each other.
I think this is the case for most people I know in the larger Dallas area. I don't think you will be ostracized at all. If just the fact itself that I am an evangelical Christian and vote Republican puts you off, then perhaps you should choose to live elsewhere, because you will meet many people in Dallas like me. You will also meet many with differing viewpoints both religiously and politically.
While the south does lean more conservative on both these levels, the south is also a place where (historically at least) graciousness, hospitality and politeness are seen as strong attributes and bred into our way of thinking. I think there is still enough of a remnant of good southern hospitality that remains in most of the residents that live in the greater metroplex that even if you are differing in your worldviews, you will still be treated with the utmost respect and kindness. Perhaps I am behind the curve on this, but I do find that you generally receive the same treatment that you give away.
I must add that if all I knew about DFW were from the comments on this thread, I might be scared to move here too. But life here is not like this at all, I find this site very interesting and a source of good information but I also find people being a lot more brash in their opinions because of the anonymity of the internet. This kind of political and/or religious discussion happening in most day to day activities is very rare.
Welcome to Texas and may you find it a great place to live.
To the OP. I am an evangelical Christian, go to church several times a week and vote Republican. I would never be upset at your beliefs, would enjoy you as a neighbor (if you are a good neighbor in return) and would never make you feel uncomfortable. I would bet my right arm that most everyone in my circle would treat you the same.
I'm a liberal and pretty non-religious, and the poster above is representative of very many people in the Metroplex. Most people here or anywhere aren't very outspoken about their political beliefs, and most people tend to interact with others as people rather than as "liberal" or "conservative" or what have you. In general, people in Dallas are "friendlier" to strangers (will actually talk to you) than in, say, New York or Boston. More like Portland Oregon in that regard.
Now, THBS, the Metroplex overall is more conservative than many other parts of the country, so the general discourse will reflect that, as will the local approaches to many problems. For example, Texas has No State Income Tax but does have more "user fees" (the proliferation of toll roads, for example). Likewise, you may see fewer government services at the state level but possibly more at the local level, and/or more items that might be government subsidized elsewhere that would be completely privatized here. Back to the toll roads, the new "managed toll lanes" coming on 635 and 114 will have rates that vary depending on traffic levels at the time, so one can "choose" to go either free or toll. Similar item is the "Power To Choose" thing for electric utilities, it's effectively utilizing a "market" mechanism in what is otherwise a government-managed or completely governmental item. Not saying it's good or bad, just saying it's DIFFERENT from some other places and you should expect that type of philosophy applied to many issues. Dallas is not San Francisco, regardless of the political beliefs of your neighbors in either city.
Certainly, being the "minority" in whatever way can often be a little chafing, but so far I've seen it as a very minor nuisance. I'm far more annoyed by the paucity of decent gyros (I've commented on THAT here many times before) and the bad drivers. Seriously folks, I've lived in Boston and New York and Chicago and the drivers here are WORSE than any of those places! What the heck?
Overall, I think you will enjoy living in the DFW area. I find it to be a nice, clean, safe area, with lots of family activities. I agree with others that people will be cordial and polite, most will "live and let live", and will not try to force their beliefs on you. However, I think the thing that most people are NOT telling you is that while these people will be tolerant and possibly even accepting of you, they may not truly be welcoming of you. In other words, people will smile in your face, invite your kids to bday parties (since the school will mandate that if one kid is invited by an invitation passed out at school then every kid in the class must be invited), etc...they may not be willing to truly get to know you and embrace you as a friend. I can only speak for the place I live, but I think if you're openly liberal and atheist, that you may not be warmly embraced. Again, people will be cordial but I doubt you'll be invited to their homes, asked for play dates, or that they'll send their kids to your house to play. It also seems like you take pride in your views and may not be comfortable w/ "don't ask, don't tell" and if that's the case I definitely think that will put people off and it may not be a comfortable situation for you. This is just my opinion, of course if you meet people with similar views the response will be different. I tend to agree that the areas of Dallas proper that have good schools, Richardson, parts of Plano, etc...will probably be a good fit. It's possible that I'm totally wrong, just sharing my opinion. Good luck with your decision.
ETA: Btw, I'm an Independent & Christian and my family would be welcoming toward you
Dallas is middle to left and it's not just about race. People from all races came out to vote for the President. Dallas came close to voting for a openly gay mayor. There has been an open lesbian as Dallas County Sheriff since 2004 (she won re-election in 2008). Dallas also had a liberal Jewish woman as mayor. In 2007 57% of the city voted for John Kerry. 49% of Dallas County voted for Kerry. Even more of Dallas County voted for President Obama in 2008. The city and county of Dallas are trending quickly to the left. A lot of people are moving here from the northeast and west coast. Also a lot of the younger natives that our becoming of age to vote are not voting the same as their parents and grandparents did.
That's simply not true. Exit polling showed Obama only had 26% of the white vote in Texas. 98% of the Black vote and 63% of the Hispanic vote. Considering Dallas County Voter demographics (22% are Black, 38% Hispanic and Black voter participation was on par with whites participation in that historic election) that figures out be 60% of the vote. Blacks are not socially liberal, during this same time they voted overwhelmingly against the gay marriage proposition in California unlike whites and asians. They don't vote for Dems for the most part because the are socially liberal. For the most part it's not a liberal conservative dynamic with minorities, it's a racial dynamic. Regardless of their social conservatism they see the Dems as the better choice for their families. Whites in Dallas likely voted 3 to 1 in favor of McCain.
Last edited by padcrasher; 04-06-2012 at 07:34 PM..
That's correct, only 26% of Texas whites voted for Obama, an amount mirrored in all the southern states. One of the problems with southern attitudes is that the states don't or won't see themselves for what they are. By comparison. Obama split the white vote outside the south. I did an article on why blacks vote democratic despite be socially conservative, will try to put it up. Hispanics also tried to vote republican holding on to those same conservative principles. But in the last election a growing number learned what blacks have long known, that voting first and foremost for a party truly compassionate to families takes precedent over other conservative positions they may align with from the other party. Today, more women than ever are learning that same lesson, which is why Obama has almost doubled his lead amongst women voters.
Texas right now leans Santorum, a candidate that couldn't possibly win in a national election. More whites outside the south know he can't win. But he and also Gingrich preach that old southern made tea-talk that is red-meat to southern states.
Last edited by Ablebodied; 04-06-2012 at 08:14 PM..
I have been here since 2001 and have been asked about my religion several times while at work. I'm from Chicago and I don't remember someone asking about my religion even once in the workplace. What's more, I do get the sense that my answer, "Catholic" is not the best possible answer around here.
I have been here since 2001 and have been asked about my religion several times while at work. I'm from Chicago and I don't remember someone asking about my religion even once in the workplace. What's more, I do get the sense that my answer, "Catholic" is not the best possible answer around here.
Might not be the best, but better than the worst answer, Atheist.
We've been here since 1997 (except for the 13 months in Georgia in 2006-7). My husband has never been asked about religion EXCEPT FOR one place he worked here. Bonuses were contingent upon saying you accepted Christ as your savior. It's an NATIONAL company (who just went through a bankruptcy and he no longer works there and quit after about 9 months) so I was floored.
He is an atheist, raised Baptist, and at his current work place (where he has worked the majority of his adult life except for the job in Georgia and the odd bankruptcy place) people who are his friends know he's atheist because they talk about it. I can't say it's been held against him or not any more or less than it would be by people in different areas (I was raised in the military and so I've lived in 9 states and you have overtly pushy religious people even in California where I spent 15 years). IMO my husband is a little TOO vocal about his beliefs because I think his family is SO wrapped up in saving him it's his way of being different, but the older he gets--the less he has to bring it up himself.
Now I do have to say at the former company he was at in Georgia it was "highly recommended" by HR that he attend 1 of the 2 major churches in the city to "make contacts" and what not. We couldn't do that, I'm not religious at all and for us as a couple that's just not how we roll.
What's ironic is as far as his politics he's conservative, and I'm probably middle of the road except for 2 issues.
Might not be the best, but better than the worst answer, Atheist.
LOL. There are plenty of protestants who don't think Catholics are Christian. It is very weird, because where I come from just about everyone is Catholic.
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and if that's the case I definitely think that will put people off and it may not be a comfortable situation for you. This is just my opinion, of course if you meet people with similar views the response will be different. I tend to agree that the areas of Dallas proper that have good schools, Richardson, parts of Plano, etc...will probably be a good fit. It's possible that I'm totally wrong, just sharing my opinion. Good luck with your decision.
