Liberal places in Kansas (Kansas City, Lawrence: house, school, college)

[KevK]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I find it funny, as a quote-unquote liberal, that bookstores, coffee shops, old homes, parks, trees, "diversity", public radio, ethnic restaurants, organic foods, farmer's markets and Volvos all represent liberal culture, yet sadly this seems to be the case.

It's obvious that I don't fit the mold.

I am a liberal and I drink my coffee at the Waffle House black and have never been to Starbucks or any "coffee shop". I also don't hang around bookstores- I order what I want to read off Amazon, I do not eat "organic food" but I love Italian and I think Volvos are ugly and much prefer Mustangs and Vettes. But I do like parks and trees so I guess I am semi qualified!

[skytrekker]

Funny conversation

I live in eastern Connecticut- the state is very blue-- gay civil unions, but we have the last republican congressmen in New England- in the toney southwestern part of the state near NYC- Chris Shays.

I consider myself pretty much far left of center politically; I believe in socialized medicine! I dislike Starbucks- and prefer Mc Donald's Coffee or Dunkin Donuts (an institution here) I buy Maxwell house or whatever is on sale at the supermarket- for my drip coffee maker.

I eat meat-though sparingly- do not hang around books shops- though I will go to one of the national Chains. Had beer and hot dogs/ burgers today- with potato salad and cole slaw. Seldom buy organic. Lots of great Italian and ethnic here- although I do not visit the high end places- too $$$$ Gasoline here is up to $4.12 a gallon.

I do cook- lots of seafood- but its plentiful and cheap here. No Volvo- a 6 year old Mazda. I live in a townhouse built in 1991- not antiques- some repos--- Buy Martha Stewart at K Mart for many home goods- cheaper then her line at Macy's.

I live in an old Mill town (Vernon) about 17 miles NE of Hartford. A mixture of working class, some professionals--- the town is somewhat faded- and certainly not upscale and snobby like Avon, West Hartford, or Westport. The Historic district is nice- but my digs are pretty average. I like the more easy going mixture of folks here.

Drinking habits; give me away; Love wines, mostly white. Cocktail of choice Martini- vodka or gin- up; big with some olives.

I like good barbecue- we have a great place in town here- and on occasion a great piece of steak -Fillet Mignon.

So if one thinks all blue state liberals live a certain life- well I am one who does not! And believe it or not I am more of the norm here.

[OA 5599]

Count me in the "non-mold fitting liberal" category also. My voting habits are almost always to the left, and I live in Austin, but I have yet to visit any coffee shops in town, I drive a worn out Saturn, never buy organic foods (unless the grocery store is out of non-organic bananas), and I'm an engineer. I even own a few guns and have a pickup truck (all stored at my parent's house in rural Missouri, not here). I do, however, love microbrewed beer, indie rock, and I'm in grad school at the moment

As far as cities in Kansas go, I lived in Lawrence for a summer in 2005 and it is indeed pretty liberal. I lived in north Lawrence, which isn't that much like the rest of the town, but the eastern areas and around KU are all pretty liberal. I think Lawrence is a great town and a nice size. It is not as liberal as Austin (although the 'burbs of Austin are much more conservative), but it is MUCH more liberal and progressive than Topeka or Wichita.

[David Aguilar]

Well, look at what we started.

I don't do the chic/cool bookstores, I find them highly disappointing and can find myself just as happy at Barnes & Noble or Borders.

I don't drink coffee. Period.

Love old homes, but not ones that are in "trendy" neighborhoods.

I can take public radio, in small doses.

Would never buy organic, or shop at a farmer's market, (Safeway is just fine) nor would I drive a Volvo, it's a Honda Civic Hybrid for me.

I think I'm a liberal, mainly because I don't like war or bigotry, and I support a national health care system, and gay rights (even though I'm not myself), and I don't mind "illegals", I also care about the environment. Other than that I consider myself left-of-center.

Back to Kansas, I would think the KC metro (on the Kansas side), not including Johnson County would be one of the more liberal parts of Kansas, no?

[OhioNative]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I find it funny, as a quote-unquote liberal, that bookstores, coffee shops, old homes, parks, trees, "diversity", public radio, ethnic restaurants, organic foods, farmer's markets and Volvos all represent liberal culture, yet sadly this seems to be the case.

It's obvious that I don't fit the mold.

Those things don't represent liberal culture, they represent yuppie culture, usually affluent people who are destroying the planet like everyone else but are seeking salvation by shopping at Whole Foods. Check out the website, "stuffwhitepeoplelike.com" for a funny take on the stereotypical yuppie lifestyle.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by OhioNative

Those things don't represent liberal culture, they represent yuppie culture, usually affluent people who are destroying the planet like everyone else but are seeking salvation by shopping at Whole Foods. Check out the website, "stuffwhitepeoplelike.com" for a funny take on the stereotypical yuppie lifestyle.

Haha, that site is great. I haven't read it in awhile and it looks like they added about 15 more since I checked it last. It made me feel about 100x less white than I normally do after reading it! I do match a few perfectly (New Balance Shoes, Music Piracy, Barack Obama, Marathons, Microbrewed Beer, The Outdoors, and a few others) but not most of them. Austin is FULL of yuppies and hipsters though! Coffee shops, vintage clothes stores, bumper-stickered-over cars, the whole nine yards, for better or worse.

[OhioNative]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

Haha, that site is great. I haven't read it in awhile and it looks like they added about 15 more since I checked it last. It made me feel about 100x less white than I normally do after reading it! I do match a few perfectly (New Balance Shoes, Music Piracy, Barack Obama, Marathons, Microbrewed Beer, The Outdoors, and a few others) but not most of them. Austin is FULL of yuppies and hipsters though! Coffee shops, vintage clothes stores, bumper-stickered-over cars, the whole nine yards, for better or worse.

Yeah, my favorite was the one about "white people must be ready for an outdoor activity at all times" or something like that, including having a kayak on top of the car or wearing matching North Face jackets at all times. I have someone at work who is always wearing a North Face jacket, and I showed her the picture on the website of the two stereotypical yuppies wearing the jackets, but she did not see what was so funny!

[nomansland]

Yeah, Lawrence may the most liberal place in Kansas (and thats saying alot!) but it's definately changing politically to the right side of things. Lot's of suburban Johnson County people are moving in and changing the demographics of the city. They voted for a big business city commission that wants more strip malls and box stores. When I lived there in the 90's it still had a "college town" feel about it but now seems to be eroding with all the sprawl on the west side of town. I left 2 years ago and don't plan on moving back.

[TinaMcG]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Well, look at what we started.

Back to Kansas, I would think the KC metro (on the Kansas side), not including Johnson County would be one of the more liberal parts of Kansas, no?

Well, this bleeding heart Chicago-raised liberal has been in Johnson County for just over a year, and I've met plenty of people who have political views similar to mine. At first, I'd have to kind of whisper that I caucused for Obama, and I was stunned to get such positive reactions to that. I'm not kidding myself into thinking Kansas will ever go blue, but I don't feel like an outcast either.

[mhouse2001]

I see Lawrence as being touted the liberal center of Kansas yet no mention of Manhattan KS. I'm wondering how Manhattan would fit on this spectrum.

By the way, I drove through those two college towns last week and fell in love with the small town charm. I've had dreams of Kansas for the last four nights! Yes, what's wrong with me! I liked the college in Manhattan more--the campus in Lawrence was rather sterile but Lawrence did have a fabulous co-op and seemed to be the kind of town I'd prefer. My goal is survival and Kansas sounds like a good place for that kind of mindset: food growing around, rivers flowing by, not many people nearby...