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I love how people get upset at the legitimately formed prospective outsiders have of AZ. Like he/she just magically made all those FACTS up. If we keep electing crack pots they will keep deteriorating the image portrayed around the country. Personally, I get tired of the negative image emanating from our state, yes it's embarrassing.
All I can say is: (1) we have great weather 9 months out of the year, and (2) we have great weather 9 months out of the year. Welcome to the AZ valley!
As for the VA, it is a federal run entity, not the state of AZ's responsibility. If you are concerned about AZ's VA system as many of us are who feel they treat some our serviceman in a less than honorable way based on the numbers/data, many of us in AZ would appreciate it if you could talk to the person who's ultimately responsible for the VA now....President Obama.
To add to your comment, The VA issues here are a result of a large influx of veterans who have decided to live here and the federal government has not kept up in adding infrastructure to deal with the surge of Veterans from the post 2001 war.
The media loves to pick on Arizona and our politicians really do not represent us as a state.
For reasons WAY beyond my control I will be moving to Surprise AZ in about two weeks. Sorry to say that all my impressions of AZ are pretty bad right now but I need to broaden my horizons. I am moving from San Jose CA which is an accepting place with all races, cultures and religions which for the most part coexist in harmony.
I see that there are several Hindu temples in the area which is encouraging. I am told there are many churches with majority black population. Many of Mexican descent and few Asians? or Arab descents? My most profound memories of AZ are these, all negative:
1. Sheriff of Maracopa County and his drama.
2. The state refused to acknowledge a federal holiday until the NFL threatened to move the super bowl to another state because of it.
3. The governor flipping the president of the US the bird (in effect). I mean ok hate the man but respect the office. Her behavior said a whole lot more about her than it did the president. Is that who I want representing me????
4. The nut who shot the congress woman and killed an innocent child in the process
5. Crack pots who are shooting at people off of I-10.
6. Worse VA health system in the entire country
I am really a people person and enjoy meeting and interacting with people of all back grounds and cultural groups. However what I am told about this state is that I can look forward to segregation, small minds, gun tooting thugs and general social alienation based on religious, political or physical status.
I apologize for offending anyone but the things I listed are the things that for better or worse mark the state. Surely there are some who will say "don't come then". I already explained the situation is W-A-Y beyond my control so at this point I am just trying to figure how to make the best of it.
There is not a large population of Asians or Arabs in Arizona. Arizona is not California. Don't move here expecting things to be like they are in San Jose. They aren't. The majority of people in the Phoenix area are white or Mexican. There is a smattering of blacks and Asians. The Phoenix area isn't nearly as cosmopolitan or sophisticated as the Bay Area. It's just fact. Still, this is a large city with people who have different viewpoints and backgrounds.
Too address your points:
1) Yes. Many people who live in Maricopa County are embarrassed by the sheriff's antics. He is in his mid 80s and probably doesn't have much time left. The sheriff doesn't impact my life at all. As long as you don't find yourself in one of his jails, his presence is not really felt.
2) Yes. That was almost 20 years ago. The state observes MLK Day now. Unfortunately, we almost had the Super Bowl taken away from us last year because of a so-called "religious liberties" bill that would have given businesses the right to discriminate against others based on their religious beliefs. Our governor vetoed the bill and life has gone on.
3) The governor never flipped the president off. She rudely stuck her raggedy finger in his face upon his arrival to Phoenix. She is no longer the governor and we have moved beyond that.
4) There are nuts who carry out mass shootings in every state.
5) The have been nuts who have carried out freeway shootings in the DC area and Colorado to name a few. What about the car-to-car freeway shootings that take place in California?
6) The VA healthcare system is broken nationwide. Phoenix was used as an example.
Living in Surprise is not the best choice if you want to meet people from a variety of backgrounds. Surprise is probably one of the more conservative Phoenix suburbs. It's mostly all somewhat new, bland, identical sprawl. The overwhelming majority of Surprise residents are probably not Arizona natives. The city is adjacent to some of the larger retirement communities in Arizona that also tend to be very conservative. Arizona has loose gun laws, so you will likely see someone carrying a gun from time to time. There is no downtown area. Move to Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Tempe for more diversity and less of a Wild West environment.
I am still wondering what is "out of their control." Nothing REALLY is. I wouldn't move here if I were you, OP. You are setting yourself up to be miserable with the list in your first post.
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I love how people get upset at the legitimately formed prospective outsiders have of AZ. Like he/she just magically made all those FACTS up. If we keep electing crack pots they will keep deteriorating the image portrayed around the country. Personally, I get tired of the negative image emanating from our state, yes it's embarrassing.
All I can say is: (1) we have great weather 9 months out of the year, and (2) we have great weather 9 months out of the year. Welcome to the AZ valley!
And I love how people have blinders on/their prejudice filter on and don't see the same things happening in their own backyard in their own city/state that are just as bad or worse.
The point I/others have been making is many of these FACTS aren't FACTS -or- are not only AZ related as I pointed out in a previous post.
- VA is Fed related, nothing to do with AZ.....drive by/interstate shootings have been and are rampant in CA that pale to AZ......serial nut cases/murders/killers are much more prevalent in CA than AZ....CA has their share of political nuts that make Sheriff Joe look downright tame but the media focuses on what they choose.....out of yours and my control.
And a 1 time governor who as I recall shook her finger at obama is a traumatic event in someone's life to make note of it years later? Many words were spoken that were much, much stronger against obama by politicians throughout the country that apparently weren't as traumatic to the OP?
Talking about politics and sheriff's, people get worked up over Sheriff Joe, accusing him of not following laws, going on his own doing this/that, arrogantly thumbing his nose at the fed, right? Do you know San Jose is a sanctuary city? Basically law enforcement in these cities thumb their nose at federal law and say they won't prosecute illegal aliens.
Isn't this a concern of the OP, especially there are so many of these sanctuary cities in CA, including the city they live in(San Jose is one of them)? Is the OP embarrassed close-by San Francisco and their Sheriff is getting sued for the death of Kate Steinle who was an innocent woman killed/shot by an illegal alien who released a 7 time convicted illegal alien felon because of the self-made policy of a sanctuary city decide to thumb their nose in the open against federal law?
"But the sheriff’s department ignored that request because San Francisco is a sanctuary city. That means that local agencies are prohibited from aiding federal immigration agencies. Lopez-Sanchez was then released by the sheriff’s department on April 15. He shot the 32-year-old Steinle on July 1 while she was walking with her father and a friend on Pier 14."
Amazing this isn't a concern of the OP's yet Sheriff Joe is a concern. And what do you bet if Sheriff Joe did something like this, it would be major news all over the place, plastered all over the media far more? Selective outrage is alive and well.
While people might not like AZ for this/that, more power to them. But my point that I'm making over and over again is what people get worked up in AZ is happening right in their own state/city and for some reason are blind to see or acknowledge it.
And I love how people have blinders on/their prejudice filter on and don't see the same things happening in their own backyard in their own city/state that are just as bad or worse.
The point I/others have been making is many of these FACTS aren't FACTS -or- are not only AZ related as I pointed out in a previous post.
- VA is Fed related, nothing to do with AZ.....drive by/interstate shootings have been and are rampant in CA that pale to AZ......serial nut cases/murders/killers are much more prevalent in CA than AZ....CA has their share of political nuts that make Sheriff Joe look downright tame but the media focuses on what they choose.....out of yours and my control.
And a 1 time governor who as I recall shook her finger at obama is a traumatic event in someone's life to make note of it years later? Many words were spoken that were much, much stronger against obama by politicians throughout the country that apparently weren't as traumatic to the OP?
Talking about politics and sheriff's, people get worked up over Sheriff Joe, accusing him of not following laws, going on his own doing this/that, arrogantly thumbing his nose at the fed, right? Do you know San Jose is a sanctuary city? Basically law enforcement in these cities thumb their nose at federal law and say they won't prosecute illegal aliens.
Isn't this a concern of the OP, especially there are so many of these sanctuary cities in CA, including the city they live in(San Jose is one of them)? Is the OP embarrassed close-by San Francisco and their Sheriff is getting sued for the death of Kate Steinle who was an innocent woman killed/shot by an illegal alien who released a 7 time convicted illegal alien felon because of the self-made policy of a sanctuary city decide to thumb their nose in the open against federal law?
"But the sheriff’s department ignored that request because San Francisco is a sanctuary city. That means that local agencies are prohibited from aiding federal immigration agencies. Lopez-Sanchez was then released by the sheriff’s department on April 15. He shot the 32-year-old Steinle on July 1 while she was walking with her father and a friend on Pier 14."
Amazing this isn't a concern of the OP's yet Sheriff Joe is a concern. And what do you bet if Sheriff Joe did something like this, it would be major news all over the place, plastered all over the media far more? Selective outrage is alive and well.
While people might not like AZ for this/that, more power to them. But my point that I'm making over and over again is what people get worked up in AZ is happening right in their own state/city and for some reason are blind to see or acknowledge it.
That's correct.
There is a certain percentage of the media, as well as certain people who prefer to gloss over such well-researched and well-known facts, such as you continually provide.
Due to force of habit, they will continue to return to their own particular beliefs, ideologies, talking points, etc -- which normally are meant to target Arizona. Yet, some would prefer to live here and attack, and others who don't live here are all about the attack. Interesting, right?
Yes, Sheriff Joe is an autocratic nutbag, and you're going to find a less diverse and more conservative population base here. It's not California. But it is still a big area that has a little bit of everything if you're willing to seek it out, including different people, viewpoints, activities, etc.
Certainly realize that you may not have a choice in moving here. But if you go into your move expecting that living here is going to suck, then it probably will. If moving here is out of your control, then you need to move past that and start concerning yourself with things that are within your control, such as what you do and who you interact with when you get here. What your experience will be like when you get here is entirely up to you.
There is a certain percentage of the media, as well as certain people who prefer to gloss over such well-researched and well-known facts, such as you continually provide.
Due to force of habit, they will continue to return to their own particular beliefs, ideologies, talking points, etc -- which normally are meant to target Arizona. Yet, some would prefer to live here and attack, and others who don't live here are all about the attack. Interesting, right?
So well stated. I never understood this Colt. Why people continue to have prejudiced/jaded views in the face of reality/facts is beyond me. Though we all know/have known people who will complain/whine about most anything in life. Some can see ugly in a puppies eyes if they want. Go figure. In the end, I think your word, interesting, is a good way to define such behavior, leave the rest to the psychology field, and call it a day.
Thanks for all of your answers. I enjoyed reading them. Many gave me food for thought. My mother used to say that you take yourself wherever you go, so... I will make the best of it I always do. Thanks again for your thoughts. I really got a lot from the answers.
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Many words were spoken that were much, much stronger against obama by politicians throughout the country that apparently weren't as traumatic to the OP?
