Any liberal or progressive towns in Nassau/Western Suffolk? (Dix Hills: employment, school)

[azzurrony]

Fastpitch,

Actually the opposite is true. You would be welcome in most towns in Long Island. However, there are members of this board who are hell bent into categorizing and generalizing about areas on Long Island.

My own town, Garden City, on here is portrayed as a closeminded community that wouldn't accept anyone who is politically to the left of Pat Buchanan.

There are plenty of communities on Long Island that would welcome you and your family. They may not be entirely left wing and they may not have the requisite percentages of different skin colors, but they are good towns with decent hardworking people who are good neighbors.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by azzurrony

Port North,

I agree wholeheartedly. I said so as much earlier in this thread. People do want to live in enclaves with others that simply reinforce their own biases and never question their beliefs.

I've lived in Europe, New Orleans, and now New York. These are some of the most politically liberal places you could find. As a conservative, I think it's important to understand the strengths and failings of the other side.

I don't think liberal parents need to worry about how their children will be shaped. Schools, teacher's unions, universities all have an overwhelming liberal bias. (The video of that teacher having those students worship Obama was pretty bad.) If anything, those parents probably should be concerned that their children don't hear the opposing viewpoint so they can make their mind up on their own. Indoctrination is never a healthy thing.

I read the Guardian, the NY Times, the Wall St. Journal, the Financial Times. I watch MSNBC, CNN, and yes, Fox News. It's the only way to separate the BS from the truth anymore.

I think Port North said it best earlier, I lean left on some issues, right on others. The problem is with extremities to either side without that balance. I understand your perspective regarding schools and universities but for every Obama worship that goes on there are plenty of areas in Texas and Tennessee for example (just basing that on family in those regions) where baptist/christian ideals are also assumed and put upon students. The key is balance.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by fastpitch73

Jrprofess, I appreciate your trying to steer the thread back towards home. At the same time, I do feel these issues are so important, and it is nice to see so much passion out there!

So, I am still thinking Valley Stream, maybe Port Washington. Beyond that I am just stuck! The Huntington area seems OK, maybe in Harborfields SD, but I'm wondering if it is a bit far out for us. Is there any other town I might be missing within Nassau or on the Nassau/Suffolk border.

I'd love to see the recent voting records (particularly in our presidential election) for Valley Stream out of curiousity.

You did say Nassau/Suffolk border, which is exactly where Huntington is. I would think it would suit your commute. I have many friends who attend the Huntington school district up through the high school and are completely comfortable with the performance. Others might not regard it as strong, but it has a bit more diversity that similar regions that score in the same range school-wise.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by azzurrony

1. Every human has different experiences. We all face adversity on many levels. Some people face adversity because of their weight, their looks, their job, their status in life, their faith, their disabilities, their beliefs, their intellect, etc. Assuming race is still a factor in adversity, why should it trump all others? Why should the poor white boy from West Virginia be given any less deference that a young black boy on Long Island? I dare say discrimination based on socioeconomic factors is much worse than any other form of discrimination.

2. If we "don't get past" race, then we will get nowhere in this country. If blacks take your stance and simply feel sorry for themselves and play the victim mentality all the time, they will be worse off for it. We all faced adversity in life on some levels. We had to "get past it" or we would have drown in life. This is no different. The sooner the race card stops getting dealt..the sooner that the race club stops hitting people over the head...the sooner we can get rid of resentment on both sides, heal, and go forward.

3. Let's follow your assumption that Garden City is not "diverse" enough. First off, I don't know what that means. What would be diverse enough for you? Clearly, differences in ethnicity, professions, background, national origin, and religion aren't enough for you. The real determining factor is color of skin. Is there a percentage of certain racial origins that, if met by GC, would satisfy you? If so, what are they?

4. Trying to paint Garden City as a bastion of close minded people is actually counter-productive to your goals. You do nothing more than scare off any hard working productive families who happen to be of a different race. How do you expect Garden City to meet your ideals, when you keep painting a picture of an intolerant place? You are carrying through a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I think the last two have more to do with if "diversity" is valued. It might range in demographics from Ithaca to Portland OR to New Brunswick NJ, but is it seen as being valuable is what I think people mean by "diversity". When I say that, that means that even those that have historically been seen as being invaluable or less than valuable by society are seen as having some value to said community.

As for the 1 and 2, I think it goes back to what I said in my first paragraph. Said group of people were and to some degree still are, viewed as being invaluable. Then, you have to think about the reality of race and economics in this country, which also helps fuel this attitude.

With that said, I'd say that places like Baldwin, Wheatley Heights, Valley Stream, Huntington, West Hempstead and maybe even Manhasset, among others, might fit what the OP is looking for.

[azzurrony]

"Historically invaluable" and invaluable in the present day are 2 different things.

Did you ever wonder why it is still acceptable to many to make slurs against poor whites? (ie. white trash) There are 17 million whites living below the poverty line in America...pretty much twice as many as any other group. Sure, a lot of that is because their sheer numbers are larger, but that doesn't change the fact that 17 million is a ton of people.

They are deemed "invaluable" as well. Should we now strive for diversity by making sure we live in towns that have poor white Americans living in them? Only in this way, will we truly understand the strife of growing up in a coal mining community in West Virginia or on a drought ridden farm in the midwest.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by azzurrony

"Historically invaluable" and invaluable in the present day are 2 different things.

Did you ever wonder why it is still acceptable to many to make slurs against poor whites? (ie. white trash) There are 17 million whites living below the poverty line in America...pretty much twice as many as any other group. Sure, a lot of that is because their sheer numbers are larger, but that doesn't change the fact that 17 million is a ton of people.

They are deemed "invaluable" as well. Should we now strive for diversity by making sure we live in towns that have poor white Americans living in them? Only in this way, will we truly understand the strife of growing up in a coal mining community in West Virginia or on a drought ridden farm in the midwest.

Let's be honest for a second though, one race poverty percentage around 9% the other around 25%, according to latest census numbers. Now, where did anyone say anything about how it feels to live around a certain type of people? Maybe it is more about the opportunity to interact with a wide range of people.

Also, historically could mean a minute ago, not necessarily decades ago and keep in mind that I did say that this is still the case to a degree now.

Lastly, I think the reason why it is supposedly fine to make slurs at said people is because that is what people of the general group accept, perhaps.

BTW-Considering that there are about 6 times as many Whites as Blacks in the US, the number of people in poverty by group is actually not that different. Poverty 2008 Highlights

[Port North]

Originally Posted by azzurrony

"Historically invaluable" and invaluable in the present day are 2 different things.

Did you ever wonder why it is still acceptable to many to make slurs against poor whites? (ie. white trash) There are 17 million whites living below the poverty line in America...pretty much twice as many as any other group. Sure, a lot of that is because their sheer numbers are larger, but that doesn't change the fact that 17 million is a ton of people.

They are deemed "invaluable" as well. Should we now strive for diversity by making sure we live in towns that have poor white Americans living in them? Only in this way, will we truly understand the strife of growing up in a coal mining community in West Virginia or on a drought ridden farm in the midwest.

You forgot to add decaying rust-belt cities of the Great Lakes region. Lots of poor/working class whites there too (many used to be middle class but have slipped due to deindustrialization and underemployment). I not ashamed to say that I used to be one of them before I moved here and finally had the opportunity to succeed.

The point being is that anyone of any class, race, color, etc. should be able to move into any neighborhood they want to without people giving them an attitude about it.

There is nothing wrong with communities of people that cluster together if it just happens that way naturally. However, when people try to actively exclude a group that is when you run into problems.

There is no need either to forcibly intergrate neighborhoods (like what they want to do in Westchester) that just breeds resentment. However, if it happens naturally people shouldn't always look at it as a threat.

[azzurrony]

The problem is that poor whites have no real recourse in present day America. They are the "invisible" poor. It is ok to make fun of them and put them down in our society. You see it all the time in the media.

Who really is at more of a disadvantage in America today? The poor white boy from Toledo, Ohio or the poor black boy from Queens? Only one of those boys can benefit from colleges and universities adjusting their admission criteria to allow for more of their race. Only one of these boys will be able to get certain grants and aid from the government based on the color of his skin. Only one of these boys will have the advantage of corporate hiring practices that openly use skin color as a criteria for filling self-imposed quotas at their company.

The real victims in America will be the poor white. They really have no voice out there pushing for them and shaping policy on their behalf. They are the forgotten.

And, this is what happens when you base government and business policy around skin color rather than based on socio-economic status.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by azzurrony

The problem is that poor whites have no real recourse in present day America. They are the "invisible" poor. It is ok to make fun of them and put them down in our society. You see it all the time in the media.

Who really is at more of a disadvantage in America today? The poor white boy from Toledo, Ohio or the poor black boy from Queens? Only one of those boys can benefit from colleges and universities adjusting their admission criteria to allow for more of their race. Only one of these boys will be able to get certain grants and aid from the government based on the color of his skin. Only one of these boys will have the advantage of corporate hiring practices that openly use skin color as a criteria for filling self-imposed quotas at their company.

The real victims in America will be the poor white. They really have no voice out there pushing for them and shaping policy on their behalf. They are the forgotten.

And, this is what happens when you base government and business policy around skin color rather than based on socio-economic status.

Geez...I am a white male in my third large corporate (think Global 1000) organization, in the new york metro region. I can not recall a single instance when I was not at least the white majority (maybe male and females) in the meeting room. I think the "quota" concerns are a tad overblown...Board rooms are a sea of white dudes. Can't speak to organized labor or other entities but that has been my clear (and I doubt exceptional) experience in the private sector.

[pro cop anti corruption]

Originally Posted by Jrprofess

Geez...I am a white male in my third large corporate (think Global 1000) organization, in the new york metro region. I can not recall a single instance when I was not at least the white majority (maybe male and females) in the meeting room. I think the "quota" concerns are a tad overblown...Board rooms are a sea of white dudes. Can't speak to organized labor or other entities but that has been my clear (and I doubt exceptional) experience in the private sector.

I think before we start kicking and screaming that we need "diversity", we must first understand and define diversity. We cannot simply state that 45% of the country is minority, therefore 45% of boardrooms should comprise of minorities.

We must define the population from which to draw. Are educated white males more drawn to the business world than educated white women? What % of the qualified work staff for high level business position are minorities? What % of women put their careers on hold to give birth? That's time off that their male counter-parts continue to work and obtain valuable experience.

There are many more questions to ask before we know what "diversity" really means to a company. I do agree that diversity (true diversity and not forced diversity) is great for business. Varying life experiences, opinions, and attitudes makes for greater innovation.

However, let's not be reckless and assume that since board rooms are filled with "white dudes" that diversity does not exist. Let's also not be reckless and assume that the composition of board rooms reflects the diversity "quota's", or lackthereof in middle and senior management.