Artsy, liberal neighborhood in/near Greenville? (Welcome: crime, camping, living)

[hollimarie]

I agree with Sonrise in regards to letting this thread die a natural death. I do want to interject that the "buckle of the bible belt" is probably more accurately in Greeneville, TN. Ironically, I am currently commuting from Kingsport, TN to Greeneville, TN. I am a teacher, and just from visiting my new school in Greenville and speaking with administration, I can tell that I am amidst staff and administration who are much more .....lenient and open to non-traditional ways of thinking. (I hope I phrased that right.)

There is certainly more of an influx of people to Greenville, SC than there is to Greeneville, TN. With a steady influx of people will be a steady influx of diverse ideas. We are not all cookie-cutter people. And you know what? We can learn from each other. It's really not a bad thing when two separate worlds collide. Forget the melting pot--let's make it a tossed salad, where everyone is who they are and doesn't have to be ashamed for it! (Personally, I will be a crouton. )

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by hollimarie

I agree, and it's so disheartening. Though I don't share most of the core beliefs of conservatism, I respect all beliefs, as long as the beliefs are not based on intolerance and hatred. I find myself open to various opinions, and yet have come across, time and time again, sarcasm and hostility from conservatives. Not that the above-mentioned message was sarcastic or hostile.....Perhaps it was meant in a joking manner. I just wonder why some people are not able to realize that not ALL "liberals" are the same. There are some of us who are secure enough in our beilefs that we are receptive and respectful of diverse beliefs. My husband, in a few important ways, is much more conservative than I am. I am not threatened in the least though, and nor is he. We agree to disagree on a few topics, and c'est la vie.

Life is so short.
I just lost an uncle at the age of 51 a few days ago. One day here, the next day gone. We need to value each other and stick together, irregardless of beliefs. Life is difficult enough as it is without finding things to disagree on. Let's look for the common grounds.

I'm a little late in responding, but I just want to add that if you feel as though people unfairly lump liberals together as having only a single viewpoint, I assure you that conservatives don't appreciate or deserve to be lumped together either. As for me, I think of myself as a radical left wing conservative, so I know there is vast spectrum in all persuasions.

[NoodlesKnowles]

I hate politics, people should just agree to disagree and be done with it. I worked at a sushi bar and we were actually banned from talking about religion and politics with the customers for this reason. Some people are vehement about their beliefs in one or the other, hence why it is a good idea to drop the subject.

P.s. Not trying to trivialize peoples beliefs, just trying to save people from getting upset

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Sonrise

CM,
yes those things could happen in both situations but either way, stereotyping in such broad generalizations as art did is never good. As for the post that I wrote, you do realize that it was tongue in cheek satire and I received many, many compliments. I try to inject anecdotal humor in most of my posts. I'm a very gifted writer, just ask me, I'll tell ya. Problem is I self sabotage and lack ambition. I can't decide if I'm apathetically ambivalent or ambivalently apathetic. Oh, well.

Anyway, lets let this thread die a natural death. Deal? Peace. Sonrise

Sonrise,

Deal!

I do enjoy your humorous side. I would like to see more of that part of you than the "you arrogant elitist, you make me want to puke" part. Humor can be a great way of getting your point across. I still get a laugh out of your description of liberal - very creative!

Noodles,

I agree some subjects are very inflammatory, but I think instead of not talking about them at all, Hollimarie has a good idea about learning from different points of view, or at least listening with an effort towards trying to understand. And then everyone should be entitled to say, "I see it differently" or "I respect your perspective, but I don't agree," without it derailing into a thing where emotions take over and people get defensive. But I know, it's hard to do.

Hollimarie

What can I say? Love your outlook on life! You are so sunny and positive. People's personalities really do come through in the written word. I'm enjoying reading your posts as you move to a new place and make a new life.

[cartman]

Noodles,

I just re-read your post. You didn't say people shouldn't talk about things. You said they should agree to disagree. I agree!

[hollimarie]

Originally Posted by cartman

Sonrise,


Hollimarie

What can I say? Love your outlook on life! You are so sunny and positive. People's personalities really do come through in the written word. I'm enjoying reading your posts as you move to a new place and make a new life.

Cartman:

Thanks for your kind words! I haven't always been as positive and open as I am now. I learned to be this way after bumping heads and locking horns with some family members who didn't share my beliefs. I would allow myself to get into heated discussions, and I would feel so terrible afterwards. I would find myself so full of anger and rage over their indifference. I learned to let it go off my back like water off a duck's back. I just try to understand others as best as I can and keep in mind that most people do the best that they can do in life. It just hit me one night after having a terribly heated discussion with my stepfather that he was just as sincere and passionate about his beliefs as I was, so how I could fault him for sticking by them? He still refuses to disagree, and still tries to engage me in heated discussion, but I am no longer the little debater I once was.

Thanks again for writing such a nice message. I am very excited about this move. Today I had car trouble and it ALMOST broke the bank. (I will touch wood that it won't get any worse than it is at the moment!) I was so worried, and it almost felt like Tennessee didn't want to let go of its hold on me/us. My husband and I are counting the days. We really are.

Where are you in location to Easley?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by hollimarie

Thanks again for writing such a nice message. I am very excited about this move. Today I had car trouble and it ALMOST broke the bank. (I will touch wood that it won't get any worse than it is at the moment!) I was so worried, and it almost felt like Tennessee didn't want to let go of its hold on me/us. My husband and I are counting the days. We really are.

Where are you in location to Easley?

Hollimarie

I'm about 2700 miles away from Easley! Still in California, and trying to do as much research as I can before I get there. I guess there's only so much you can do form so far away, and then you just have to be there and do the rest. I hope you're settled in soon, with no more unexpected emergencies like car trouble.

BTW, thanks to everyone on this forum for all their help! It's been so much easier to plan for the move, and everyone is so generous with their time and advice.

[hollimarie]

Originally Posted by cartman

Hollimarie

I'm about 2700 miles away from Easley! Still in California, and trying to do as much research as I can before I get there. I guess there's only so much you can do form so far away, and then you just have to be there and do the rest. I hope you're settled in soon, with no more unexpected emergencies like car trouble.

BTW, thanks to everyone on this forum for all their help! It's been so much easier to plan for the move, and everyone is so generous with their time and advice.

Cartman:

I have good friends in Sonoma County, CA. It's beautiful there. I also spent about three months in San Francisco a while back. That's another great place to be, but very expensive.

I will be settled in on Friday of next week. My job pulled a fast one and is making me finish out the last week in TN, even though it was previously agreed that I could finish early. No sense in fighting city hall, so I will be out of this horrible place in a week. (I really do loathe Eastern TN. It's the worst place I have ever lived in.)

Hopefully the car trouble will be finished after tomorrow (when it's supposedly going to be fixed.)

Thanks for your kind words.

Good luck with your move. If I can be of any assistance to you once I am sorted out in Easley, please don't hestiate to ask me.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by Art123

Yes, there are a lot of things us Liberals will no longer tolerate (the list is a long one).
Unfortunately, we must ALL tolerate forum trolls.
Thanks everyone for your positive input. Can't wait to see Greenville this weekend! You'll know us if you see us. We'll be the ones wearing tye-dye shirts, smoking pot, handing out condoms to your children while we talk down to you in loud, simple English. Just kidding! Thanks again.

So, how was your trip to Greenville?

[Art123]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

So, how was your trip to Greenville?

Well, we got back from our first trip to Greenville yesterday. In many ways, it was what we expected, and in some ways not. The downtown is very beautiful, just like Skyliner’s photos only with lots of people. The north Main area is full of beautiful old homes and mature trees. The people are incredibly friendly, tanned, relaxed and welcoming. I was somewhat shocked at how many people would just start up a conversation, or say good morning, or wave to us.

One thing we did not really expect is just how rough around the edges the city is – literally. You quickly move from nice parts of town to not-so-nice parts. You can tell the city is in a time of reemergence, but it still has further to go in many ways (probably a good time to get in). And when you leave town, things get pretty rural pretty fast. We went to check out some homes around one of the local lakes, and thought we must be lost. The rundown trailers and abandoned cars were strewn about - right up until the time you get to the lake, which was surrounded by much nicer homes.

There are also a pretty wide variety of people there, with a wide variety of interests. There were stores that sold all-things-Jesus right down the way from adult bookstores. We noticed a strip club not too far from Bob Jones University. (OK, so maybe these aren’t different people going to these places? – just kidding Sonrise) There was a new place opening with Tai chi and Yoga classes. On the same walk through downtown, we encountered an unusual (and unclear) silent protest by some most-likely liberal young men, followed by some unobtrusive people handing out Christian literature. We also ran across a young man who reeked of high-quality, unburned marijuana (I have much experience with this subject from my younger days and there is no doubt as to what we smelled), right on Main Street. All I can say is, dude, you gotta double, or triple bag da kb.

We also made it up to the mountains. This might seal the deal for Greenville. Just beautiful. The Fall colors must be wonderful. As someone who used to hike, ski, kayak, etc. on nearly a daily basis, this aspect of the Greenville area is very exciting.

All-in-all we liked Greenville, feel that we could fit in, find our niche and accept and be accepted by others. We saw mansions on Main, and shacks on the west side. We saw rural farms, and forested mountains. Manicured lawns and abandoned refrigerators. Sushi restaurants and hot dog stands – lots of hot dog stands. Southern Belles, midwest transplants and northern “halfbacks.” And pretty soon, a couple of western Progressives?
See ya’ll around. Thanks for all the input.