Looking for Liberal Friendly City in NC (Charlotte, Davidson: house, neighborhood)

[Niki]

the city of Greensboro has a relatively high black population ... but a lot of the black population lives on the east and south side of town. Also, many parts of High Point have an extremely high black population.

Go to western, northern, and NW Guilford County and you won't see too many black residents; go to central High Point, and central/east/south Greensboro and you won't see ANY white people.

That's about right.

My family and I (we're white) live in Southern Greensboro. (Barely in the city limits. Used to be outside the city limits until a few years ago.) We're one of only a few white families in our mostly African-American middle class neighborhood. It's a great neighborhood. Peaceful, clean, safe, nice houses.

We hope to buy a house in the country one of these years. Not because of all the African-Americans in our neighborhood. (We don't care about that. We get along great with our neighbors. Never a problem.) We'd just like to have more space and our dream home (instead of a "cookie-cutter" home) if we can ever afford it.


Anyway, it does depend on what area of Greensboro you live in. I reckon I was just trying to point out the overall statistics. But thanks for clarifying things.

[bundydad]

Originally Posted by pinkpoodle

Not to immediately start off this thread by making any enemies, but we would like to relocate to an area of NC where liberals are not frowned upon. We have grown used to the politics around us (though we know that is not the norm, even for CA). We are not super-crazy lefties, just moderately left.....But we are nowhere near extremely far right.

We don't tolerate racism, and do not want to expose our child to any place that accepts it. We are pro-labor, pro-working families. There are other things that are very important: education and cost of housing, job outlook, and things to do.....ie: culture, parks, outdoor activites, etc.

My husband and I cannot afford to raise our family in the bay area of Northern California anymore. Though we do own a home, we have been outpriced. Working to the bone to just barely get by is no way of life. Having to constantly worry whether we can pay the bills, just so we can be home-owners is no way of life. A horrible education system is no way of life for our child.

So, we are in search of a better place. My research so far points to Chapel Hill or Carrboro, NC.

Any other places in NC that might suit our left-leaning family?

The city of Charlotte is what you are looking for. It is very diverse and your child will learn so much from the diverse population of the schools.

[Trail Majic]

Originally Posted by pinkpoodle

Not to immediately start off this thread by making any enemies, but we would like to relocate to an area of NC where liberals are not frowned upon. We have grown used to the politics around us (though we know that is not the norm, even for CA). We are not super-crazy lefties, just moderately left.....But we are nowhere near extremely far right.

We don't tolerate racism, and do not want to expose our child to any place that accepts it. We are pro-labor, pro-working families. There are other things that are very important: education and cost of housing, job outlook, and things to do.....ie: culture, parks, outdoor activites, etc.

My husband and I cannot afford to raise our family in the bay area of Northern California anymore. Though we do own a home, we have been outpriced. Working to the bone to just barely get by is no way of life. Having to constantly worry whether we can pay the bills, just so we can be home-owners is no way of life. A horrible education system is no way of life for our child.

So, we are in search of a better place. My research so far points to Chapel Hill or Carrboro, NC.

Any other places in NC that might suit our left-leaning family?

The whole state is liberal.That's why we got the highest taxes in the south,the criminals has a hay day here,teachers are low paid,drug abuse is going crazy
because the courts gets all the money they can and put them right back in the streets.Give NC a few years and It will be just as bad as California.

[RaleighRob]

Chapel Hill (& Carrboro) may be the most liberal town in NC, but if you really want diversity (of all types) and affordability then Durham is more for you. The areas around downtown like Brightleaf, Trinity Park, Old West Durham and Old North Durham are some of the most liberal neighborhoods in North Carolina...but the city as a whole is definitely very Blue. It's a quirky atmosphere too...not just hippy liberal like Chapel Hill is, but a city with a strong vein of independence & nonconformity in it too.
Check out: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Con...id=oid%3A31991

[backfist]

pinkpoodle~

I know of what you speak, and what you seek. Growing up in the Bay Area--graduating from San Jose State, btw--we're used to a diversity of people, cultures, ideas, neighborhoods. But once you venture outside of CA and into the midwest or deep south, it changes. Diverse means Black and Black means poor and criminal (I suppose "gang" is the code word these days). It's amazing that some people can be that ignorant, but they still exist.

That said, you (and me for that matter) won't find a cheaper version of the Bay Area in NC just yet. Things haven't progressed that far. But, there do seem to be areas of Charlotte where people are forward-thinking, intelligent relaxed and respectful.

[JAS]

Originally Posted by backfist

pinkpoodle~

I know of what you speak, and what you seek. Growing up in the Bay Area--graduating from San Jose State, btw--we're used to a diversity of people, cultures, ideas, neighborhoods. But once you venture outside of CA and into the midwest or deep south, it changes. Diverse means Black and Black means poor and criminal (I suppose "gang" is the code word these days). It's amazing that some people can be that ignorant, but they still exist.

That said, you (and me for that matter) won't find a cheaper version of the Bay Area in NC just yet. Things haven't progressed that far. But, there do seem to be areas of Charlotte where people are forward-thinking, intelligent relaxed and respectful.

I'm not sure why people assume that liberals always prefer "diversity" - Chapel Hill is probably the most liberal city in NC, and it is as white as the driven snow. The only diversity in Chapel Hill is when one neighbor has a BMW and the other prefers a Volvo.

[anonymous]

pinkpoodle, I also know what you're looking for. And I don't think you're going to find it in the south. The Carolinas are great in many ways, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. But diversity, as you're talking about, doesn't exist in the south. If it does (somewhere), then it was probably brought here from somewhere else.

And city/county statistics aren't really going to get the point across. It doesn't matter what % of an area is white or black or whatever. My hometown is 47% black, and it's segregated like the 1930's. Anyway, using the word "diversity" is like a loaded weapon. You're really referring to an issue that the south has had to deal with for a few hundred years, and nobody knows how to "fix".

But that doesn't mean you can't find a somewhat liberal place to live. Like other people have mentioned, I'm sure Chapel Hill or Asheville would be good places for a N. California transplant who doesn't want the politics of the south.

Good luck.

[backfist]

Couldn't have said it better, anonymous.

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by pinkpoodle

Not to immediately start off this thread by making any enemies, but we would like to relocate to an area of NC where liberals are not frowned upon. We have grown used to the politics around us (though we know that is not the norm, even for CA). We are not super-crazy lefties, just moderately left.....But we are nowhere near extremely far right.

We don't tolerate racism, and do not want to expose our child to any place that accepts it. We are pro-labor, pro-working families. There are other things that are very important: education and cost of housing, job outlook, and things to do.....ie: culture, parks, outdoor activites, etc.

My husband and I cannot afford to raise our family in the bay area of Northern California anymore. Though we do own a home, we have been outpriced. Working to the bone to just barely get by is no way of life. Having to constantly worry whether we can pay the bills, just so we can be home-owners is no way of life. A horrible education system is no way of life for our child.

So, we are in search of a better place. My research so far points to Chapel Hill or Carrboro, NC.

Any other places in NC that might suit our left-leaning family?

I'm glad to here you are not a racist and you are pro-working families that sounds like a conservative to me. Conservatives love families to work and support themselves. I think your politics sound alot like mine.

[NYer]

Originally Posted by nctarheel

This isnt really directed toward anyone, but I think its funny when people talk about "diversity" and want to live near all different kinds of people. I for one am not fooled. If you really want to, then move out of your 500k house and into a lower income neighborhood. Then you can live out the true meaning of diversity, you will be beside people of all different races and cultures, and those who cannot afford much better. Then with all the extra money you have, you can use it to help out the community.

If you dont want to do that, then you will stay living beside the SAME kind of people you have your whole life. Moving to NC isnt going to be any different.

OUCH!

I think I seek "diversity" in a racial and ethnic sense but not so much in the socio-economic sense.

It must be awful for AA professionals seeing diversity=black=povery=gang=crime

Overcoming that must be a daily struggle.