Liberal City in North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh: how much, wedding, college)

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by SunnyKayak

IM sorry but Charlotte is not as gay friendly as you think nor is it liberal about the arts it funds.
Gay News Blog: Charlotte Pride festival cancelled, radical Christian group claims victory

Project MUSE - Theatre Topics - Advocacy, Activism, and Controversial Art: Lessons from Charlotte
by the way just because someone is gay does not make them liberal.
Besides wasnt the OP asking about jobs?

I agree wholeheartedly. Charlotte just isn't that type of city. I still love the place though. It's ours. NC's own.

[urbancharlotte]

I stand by my statements based on what I see in the streets in Charlotte. Not some news clip. I do have a built in advantage. I live here you know!!! Gay weekend at Carowinds is the one of the parks busiest weekends you know. I just find it funny that EVERYONE in NC knows Charlotte better than a Charlottean. Laughable I tell ya. Simply laughable. I challenge anyone to come down here and just walk around. Bring your most "far left sided" friends with you. They will fit in just fine and will probably make friends even faster than yourselves. (unless you all are left sided too).

The bottom line is that everyone has an opinion. You all don't have to agree with mine, but let's not turn this into a "you're wrong" buddy contest. I would not call the cat "black" if I didn't see a "black" cat. You guys don't see a "black" cat because you don't live with this cat. Due to my job, I see the cities of the Carolina's quite regularly. My knowledge is based on experiences, not a story I found on the internet. When a dark black man visits the mountains of NC with his blonde hair blue eyed white wife (like I have), liberal is not the word I would use to describe the experience. Asheville and Boone is no exception to this. I speak from experience and that is the best teacher. If I had never experienced Boone and Asheville's liberalism (or lack there of) first hand, I would be inclined to believe all of the liberal hype I hear about those places. Since I know better, I don't buy it. Sorry. An experience is real life, not the news.

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

I stand by my statements based on what I see in the streets in Charlotte. Not some news clip. I do have a built in advantage. I live here you know!!! Gay weekend at Carowinds is the one of the parks busiest weekends you know. I just find it funny that EVERYONE in NC knows Charlotte better than a Charlottean. Laughable I tell ya. Simply laughable. I challenge anyone to come down here and just walk around. Bring your most "far left sided" friends with you. They will fit in just fine and will probably make friends even faster than yourselves. (unless you all are left sided too).

The bottom line is that everyone has an opinion. You all don't have to agree with mine, but let's not turn this into a "you're wrong" buddy contest. I would not call the cat "black" if I didn't see a "black" cat. You guys don't see a "black" cat because you don't live with this cat. Due to my job, I see the cities of the Carolina's quite regularly. My knowledge is based on experiences, not a story I found on the internet. When a dark black man visits the mountains of NC with his blonde hair blue eyed white wife (like I have), liberal is not the word I would use to describe the experience. Asheville and Boone is no exception to this. I speak from experience and that is the best teacher. If I had never experienced Boone and Asheville's liberalism (or lack there of) first hand, I would be inclined to believe all of the liberal hype I hear about those places. Since I know better, I don't buy it. Sorry. An experience is real life, not the news.

Have you even stopped to think that many people have lived in Charlotte as well. My sis lives there, and she's also lived in Durham. She actually likes Charlotte conservative atmosphere better than Durhams somewhat hippy culture. You act as if Charlotte's some far away place that we just can't understand. Yeah right. I've been there on numerous occasions. You're making Charlotte out to be something it's not. That's not cool or fair to the heritage of Charlotte if you ask me. Stop trying to make Charlotte into something else, and appreciate the southern and big business culture Charlotte is known for. PS. Don't forget the western bbq. I freakin love it!!!!!!!!!

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by metro.m

Have you even stopped to think that many people have lived in Charlotte as well. My sis lives there, and she's also lived in Durham. She actually likes Charlotte conservative atmosphere better than Durhams somewhat hippy culture. You act as if Charlotte's some far away place that we just can't understand. Yeah right. I've been there on numerous occasions. You're making Charlotte out to be something it's not. That's not cool or fair to the heritage of Charlotte if you ask me. Stop trying to make Charlotte into something else, and appreciate the southern and big business culture Charlotte is known for. PS. Don't forget the western bbq. I freakin love it!!!!!!!!!

If you want good bbq, you need to go to Eastern NC. They invented it LOL!!! I have never had bbq in Charlotte. They do have a great fish camp in Gastonia though. I don't know whether to take you seriously or not MetroM!!! I will say this though. It is YOU that seem to want to perpetuate a "Charlotte" that barely exist anymore. Most of the "Charlotte" you describe is the town I was potty trained in LOL!!! Things have changed since then and you are behind my friend. I will say that Charlotte's suburbs are extremely conservative. I will give you that. Charlotte itself is not. Keep in mind that every county surrounding Meck voted for McCain. Meck voted for Obama. Here is a link that illustrates just how liberal Charlotte is compared to the rest of the state politically. These are the margins of victory in the 2004 and 2008 presidential election. Charlotte and Durham are by far NC's liberal leaders politically. Socially, well you all know you I feel is the socially liberal capital. Anyway I found this link very interesting because it backs up what I already knew about Charlotte, Durham, and Asheville all along.

Public Policy Polling: How Obama won North Carolina

In 2004, Durham was exactly 29k stronger than Meck in the blue. This year, Meck was exactly 29k stronger than Durham in the blue. A 58k swing in only 4 years!!! How funny is that? Charlotte is becoming more liberal with each election. I knew it all along!!! Please note that Raleigh and Asheville were in the red in 2004. Also note that Meck was nearly 1/3 of Obama's margin in NC's seven largest counties!!! Out of 333k, 99k was Meck!!! If Meck is this liberal politically, just imagine how liberal Charlotte is politically without the rest of Meck.

Durham did have a higher % of Obama votes than Meck did however. Meck had the larger number of Obama votes. I can live with Durham being called more liberal than Charlotte. Raleigh and Asheville however, I just don't see them as being liberal. This is how I felt about Asheville before the election and the election results aren't changing my mind at all. Charlotte and Durham tops my list for NC's most liberal. What do ya'll think?

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

What do ya'll think?

I still think Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham and Asheville in general are much more liberal than either Charlotte or Raleigh (Although those two cities do have liberal populations in their own right in their downtown areas and here and there out in the burbs).

As you have already agreed, which way a city or town votes is just but one metric of how liberal it is. Many other factors need to be considered as well.

I think most people moving to NC looking for a liberal atmosphere tend to gravitate towards Chapel Hill and Durham because in addition to being more liberal they are attracted to the good job market those areas offer as well. While Asheville can be quite liberal, depending on your field of work jobs can be a little tougher to come by.

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

I still think Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham and Asheville in general are much more liberal than either Charlotte or Raleigh (Although those two cities do have liberal populations in their own right in their downtown areas and here and there out in the burbs).

As you have already agreed, which way a city or town votes is just but one metric of how liberal it is. Many other factors need to be considered as well.

I think most people moving to NC looking for a liberal atmosphere tend to gravitate towards Chapel Hill and Durham because in addition to being more liberal they are attracted to the good job market those areas offer as well. While Asheville can be quite liberal, depending on your field of work jobs can be a little tougher to come by.

I agree. Take California for instance. It's known for being a very liberal state, however they elect republican governors. Voting preferences does not tell the whole story on whether or not a place is liberal or not.

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

If you want good bbq, you need to go to Eastern NC. They invented it LOL!!! I have never had bbq in Charlotte. They do have a great fish camp in Gastonia though. I don't know whether to take you seriously or not MetroM!!! I will say this though. It is YOU that seem to want to perpetuate a "Charlotte" that barely exist anymore. Most of the "Charlotte" you describe is the town I was potty trained in LOL!!! Things have changed since then and you are behind my friend. I will say that Charlotte's suburbs are extremely conservative. I will give you that. Charlotte itself is not. Keep in mind that every county surrounding Meck voted for McCain. Meck voted for Obama. Here is a link that illustrates just how liberal Charlotte is compared to the rest of the state politically. These are the margins of victory in the 2004 and 2008 presidential election. Charlotte and Durham are by far NC's liberal leaders politically. Socially, well you all know you I feel is the socially liberal capital. Anyway I found this link very interesting because it backs up what I already knew about Charlotte, Durham, and Asheville all along.

Public Policy Polling: How Obama won North Carolina

In 2004, Durham was exactly 29k stronger than Meck in the blue. This year, Meck was exactly 29k stronger than Durham in the blue. A 58k swing in only 4 years!!! How funny is that? Charlotte is becoming more liberal with each election. I knew it all along!!! Please note that Raleigh and Asheville were in the red in 2004. Also note that Meck was nearly 1/3 of Obama's margin in NC's seven largest counties!!! Out of 333k, 99k was Meck!!! If Meck is this liberal politically, just imagine how liberal Charlotte is politically without the rest of Meck.

Durham did have a higher % of Obama votes than Meck did however. Meck had the larger number of Obama votes. I can live with Durham being called more liberal than Charlotte. Raleigh and Asheville however, I just don't see them as being liberal. This is how I felt about Asheville before the election and the election results aren't changing my mind at all. Charlotte and Durham tops my list for NC's most liberal. What do ya'll think?

Barely exist? Charlotte has more southern charm and than most cities in the state. I just wish the wannabees in Charlotte would learn to accept and embrace that. It would even give the city more character, than it currently has. There's nothing wrong with having a strong southern culture. The Uptown Charlotte that you claim exists now does not represent most of the city. Charlotte has more whole in the wall country cooking places than anywhere else in the state. THAT'S AWESOME! That's some of the substance Charlotte still has left. I keep hearing people play down the fact Charlotte is the NASCAR capital. Why? That's Charlotte's heritage. Why kill it? Uptown is a shining example of this behavior, hence the reason most people find that area sterile. If Charlotte embraced it's history more, the city would never be known for being so bland. There need to be a centralized effort in combining that Charlotte's core culture, and displaying it for all to see. NASCAR hall of fame is just the first step.

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by metro.m

Barely exist? Charlotte has more southern charm and than most cities in the state. I just wish the wannabees in Charlotte would learn to accept and embrace that. It would even give the city more character, than it currently has. There's nothing wrong with having a strong southern culture. The Uptown Charlotte that you claim exists now does not represent most of the city. Charlotte has more whole in the wall country cooking places than anywhere else in the state. THAT'S AWESOME! That's some of the substance Charlotte still has left. I keep hearing people play down the fact Charlotte is the NASCAR capital. Why? That's Charlotte's heritage. Why kill it? Uptown is a shining example of this behavior, hence the reason most people find that area sterile. If Charlotte embraced it's history more, the city would never be known for being so bland. There need to be a centralized effort in combining that Charlotte's core culture, and displaying it for all to see. NASCAR hall of fame is just the first step.

You need to leave Raleigh and visit Charlotte MetroM. Seriously!!! Your comments are just down right funny my friend. Since you know Charlotte so well (better than a Charlottean like myself), answer these questions for me and the rest of the people reading. If you can answer these questions correctly, I will tend to take you more seriously.

Where was Charlotte's gay and lesbian community center located? What neighborhood in Charlotte is considered locally to be the city's most liberal? Which LYNX station tends to have Charlotte's most creative class getting on and off at it? Which two holiday celebrations tend to be Charlotte's most liberal? In the movie "Juwanna Mann", Juwanna (a cross-dressing man) turned down an offer for a date by some gold tooth player. This scene took place in a popular club in Charlotte. What was the Real name of that Club located near Plaza Midwood (the club is closed so don't even try to google search for it)?

If you know Charlotte as well as I do, these questions are EASY to answer. Good luck!!! If you can't answer these questions correctly, do us all a favor and stop sharing your inaccuarate knowledge of Charlotte with us!!! That will make this forum much more productive. I still say Charlotte and Durham are the liberal leaders of the state. I can back my claims up with personal experiences and election results.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

All of the liberal people moving to Asheville, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro is proof enough for me. It speaks volumes.

I can think of plenty of good reasons to move to Charlotte but a liberal atmosphere isn't one of them. Actually it is nowhere on the list. Most people I know who move to Charlotte do so because they work in the banking industry.

[metro.m]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

All of the liberal people moving to Asheville, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro is proof enough for me. It speaks volumes.

I can think of plenty of good reasons to move to Charlotte but a liberal atmosphere isn't one of them. Actually it is nowhere on the list. Most people I know who move to Charlotte do so because they work in the banking industry.

Exactly. UrbanCharlotte seems to want Charlotte to "mimic" a prototypical "big city",or have atleast some traits of a "big city", irregardless if it's in line with the city's historic culture or not. I'm from DC. I can tell you right now Charlotte will never be on the level of the DC/Baltimore area. Never... Appreciate Charlotte for what it is dude. Appreciate something unique to the area. Charlotte is a wonderful city, that's in a personality twilight zone right now. I predict in the years to come, Charlotte will be a place filled with character and charm, but the citizens have to stop using other cities as the sole measuring stick of success.


BTW. My sister lives in Charlotte, and I've visited Charlotte numerous times since my child years. Stop assuming no one knows Charlotte, just because they don't aggree with you.