Pittsburgh Misconceptions (Washington, McDonald, Lawrenceville: environment, gated, work)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Drover move to the South where knowledge of policies is frowned upon and pushing wingnut non-issues is king.

All you have to do is tune into Rush, Hannity etc. who tell you how to think (actually how to not think) and what to say.

You'll love it.

Look, cupcake. I'm not afraid to defend my viewpoints or spend time in places where it is not a majority opinion. I live in Chicago proper for Chrissake. I was a political science major where I spent 3 years defending my viewpoints against 60% of my fellow classmates and 90% of my professors. I am now in a graduate program where I have to defend my viewpoints against 90% of my fellow classmates and approximately 100% of my professors. So you can drop the implication that "I'll love" living in a place where my views are pre-packaged for me and are not challenged. I haven't been in such an environment since I left the white-bread suburbs at 18 years old; and I've got no burning desire to tretreat back to there.

Besides, the places you describe as monolithically right-wing don't bother trying to claim the mantle of diversity, so at least they can escape the charge of hypocrisy on that one count.

[JoeP]

Look, cupcake

I would say "enough said" demonstrated by your childish response, but my point was to say that you can be in an area that would be political bliss for you that's all.

Besides, the places you describe as monolithically right-wing don't bother trying to claim the mantle of diversity

They claim their warped view of "'merica' as the view of America. Again, no discussion of policies. That would be elitist after all.



Cupcake indeed. Lots of sugar.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by JoeP

I would say "enough said" demonstrated by your childish response, but my point was to say that you can be in an area that would be political bliss for you that's all.

Don't patronize me if you don't want to be patronized in return. You don't know enough about me to know what is "political bliss" for me, so don't pretend like you do.

That is all.

[claremarie]

I don't know, I walk around Squirrel Hill or something and I see variety. I know that a lot of cities are more diverse, but I don't think we "fail" at it.

From the 2003 Census Community survey of the Pittsburgh MSA:

For people reporting one race alone, 90 percent were White; 8 percent were Black or African American; less than 0.5 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native; 1 percent were Asian; less than 0.5 percent were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and Less than 0.5 percent were Some other race. One percent reported Two or more races. One percent of the people in Pittsburgh, PA MSA were Hispanic. Eighty-nine percent of the people in Pittsburgh, PA MSA were White non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Some might consider that diverse, but 90% white, 8% black, and 2% "other" doesn't seem very diverse to me.

[JoeP]

Don't patronize me if you don't want to be patronized in return

I was merely stating that you would enjoy the South.

You don't know enough about me to know what is "political bliss" for me, so don't pretend like you do.

You made statements enough that someone with even a mild political background would know enough about your preferences, let alone folks that have followed it for many years. In any case, you are awfully defensive when all that was stated is that you would like the South.

[subdivisions]

I admit that I was surprised to hear Drover say he was a conservative.

However, his posts on this forum have consistently been sensible and well-thought-out. Whatever his political leanings might be, he's obviously the kind of person who puts some thought into his viewpoints. However he came to believe whatever he does, it probably wasn't by blindly thinking whatever Rush and Savage told him to think.

So I don't think there's any reason to assume that he's the kind of conservative who would be happy in the kind of town that JoeP describes. And I think he deserves a little more respect and consideration than this conversation has provided up until this point.

Also, we are completely off-topic and should probably get back on topic before the mods get upset.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by JoeP

You made statements enough that someone with even a mild political background would know enough about your preferences, let alone folks that have followed it for many years. In any case, you are awfully defensive when all that was stated is that you would like the South.

But you didn't just state that I'd like the South -- you stated why I would like the South: because apparently, everyone in the entire South all think alike, my views would all be conveniently pre-selected for me, they would be reaffirmed everywhere I go, and therefore I wouldn't have to go through the trouble of thinking for myself and forming my own opinions. If you believe I'd be comfortable in that kind of environment and then seriously wonder why I would take offense, I'll reiterate you don't know enough about me -- and add that you don't deserve to ever know enough about me -- to know what my personal preferences are.

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by claremarie

I don't know, I walk around Squirrel Hill or something and I see variety. I know that a lot of cities are more diverse, but I don't think we "fail" at it.

From the 2003 Census Community survey of the Pittsburgh MSA:

For people reporting one race alone, 90 percent were White; 8 percent were Black or African American; less than 0.5 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native; 1 percent were Asian; less than 0.5 percent were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and Less than 0.5 percent were Some other race. One percent reported Two or more races. One percent of the people in Pittsburgh, PA MSA were Hispanic. Eighty-nine percent of the people in Pittsburgh, PA MSA were White non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Some might consider that diverse, but 90% white, 8% black, and 2% "other" doesn't seem very diverse to me.

I'm confused. Every other data set I've seen has the African-American population of Pittsburgh at around ~30%. Or is what you cited here just for Squirrel Hill?

And what about the Jewish people in Squirrel Hill? They're white, but do they count as diverse or non-diverse?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by subdivisions

I'm confused. Every other data set I've seen has the African-American population of Pittsburgh at around ~30%. Or is what you cited here just for Squirrel Hill?

The difference is the 30% figure is for Pittsburgh proper. The statistic clairemarie cites is for the entire metropolitan area. This is the kind of thing that happens when we use the word "Pittsburgh" interchangeably to describe both.

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by Drover

The difference is the 30% figure is for Pittsburgh proper. The statistic clairemarie cites is for the entire metropolitan area. This is the kind of thing that happens when we use the word "Pittsburgh" interchangeably to describe both.

Ah....Does that mean we get to use figures from the entire metropolitan area from now when we have conversations about population density and crime?