Bible belt and tollerance (Houston, Tyler: houses, buy, university)

[teatime]

Originally Posted by blueskies49

The north has an easy scapegoat in Southerners because of the civil war. But the north has their own issues in their own backyard which they need to clean up first and stop pointing fingers.

Oh, no kidding!!!!! I grew up in Pennsylvania and don't really go back that often but, when I do, I'm astonished at the racism! My son was raised in Texas and when we visited and he heard how my cousin's boyfriend and his friends referred to African-Americans. He got really upset and I did, too! My immediate family wasn't like that and it was eye-opening to hear these comments, which we heard over and over again during our stay!

We were SO glad to come back home!

[tstone]

Originally Posted by jabbit

When speaking of south texas...
Im talking about areas lower then san antonio... not houston.

Beeville to Brownsville.


Its true there are lot of catholic folks in that area. But I felt it to be extremly regressive in terms of culture.

I got more scowls from the jesus freaks there then from any of them up in North Texas.

I can only guess that's likely more similar to what you'd find in California though. The map I attached shows dots on each county where things are extremely Baptist or Catholic.

And the Northerners speak as they think. Down here at least we think before we speak, at the risk of appearing like we talk slow.

[solytaire]

If you're afraid of intolerance, stay out of Tyler...lol I was raised there and I didnt realize how segregated it is and how parochial people were in their perceptions of certain ethnic groups until I recently revisited. I moved to Houston recently, where all ethnic groups really do integrate quite well with one another and any pre-existing stereotypes can easily be dispelled by the antithesis of that stereotype in Houston. However when I returned home to Tyler, I found it shocking to still be monitored and followed through stores all these years later; as I had sort of grown accustomed to co-habitating with people of different backgrounds and ethnicities in Houston, void of pre-conceived stereotypes...but oh well, that sort of intolerance can be found anywhere I suppose. All I know is that it is more prevalent in Tyler/East Texas so I would stay out of East Texas if you're seeking cultural diversity...lol

[lilypad]

I agree about East Texas! You also must belong to a church. I interviewed for a job in Tyler, and one of the first questions: "Where do you go to church, honey?" Totally against the law! But is done anyway. I guess I looked the "part", so they thought they could get away with it and I would answer: "Oh, I go down the street there to the Church of Kool Aid" or whatever.

[tstone]

Yep, and deep into East Texas is strongly bible-belt also, go figure.

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by tstone

Yep, and deep into East Texas is strongly bible-belt also, go figure.

Yeah, as much as I've boasted and extolled the topographical beauty in the regions of East Texas & Deep East Texas in days of old, travel has willed me wise to the fact that all things that look appealing externally may not always be so enchanting internally.

As I explore different areas of the country, it is becoming abundantly clear that East Texas, for all its aesthetic grandeur, is essentially a culturally stagnant and unprogressive landscape....(in comparison to other, more industrious regions of Texas & The U.S.)

[tstone]

If you think East TX is bad, you should try one of those towns of about 2,000 in southwestern Oklahoma!

[produrre]

I moved to Tyler six months ago from Chicago and am still finding it difficult to make the transition culturally, but there are many lovely things about Tyler. It is a beautiful part of Texas. I love the rolling hills and all the green spaces. And though the locals complain about traffic, it is actually not that bad. Traffic to me is sitting on expressway in Chicago for several hours in eight lanes of bumper cars. In Tyler I can get most places within 20 minutes. Tylerites have been very kind and open, going out of their way to introduce themselves when they find out we are new. I have not heard overt bigotry, but I'm sure it is here.

Yes, I miss the diverse, ecclectic culture of Chicago. Yes, I miss the multitudes of art venues (I'm an artist) and miss having a range of ethnic restaurants to choose from. But Tyler is not Chicago and has things Chicago doesn't. We are spending time looking for those things, focusing on the positive and trying to be a part of the solution rather than the problem. My husband is connected in administration with the junior college here and we've enjoyed the spirit that is associated when the community and the faculty are proud of their school. We meet students everywhere that say good things about the college. It is lovely to hear the breezes through the trees in my yard instead of sirens blazing down the road, horns honking and concrete and steel everywhere. I don't miss hearing about murder after murder and the crime and the gangs on the news, I don't miss traffic tickets trying to find legal places to park or vagrants going door to door. There are positive and negative things about both big cities and small.

We live in south Tyler and shopping is convenient and Dallas is just 90 miles west when we are craving top-notch Indian or Thai food or want a day of gallery hopping to view art exhibitions. People "mosey" rather than rushing through their day, and they smile and speak when you pass them in the store. Yes, it is very Baptist and we're not, they barely have recycling with the number of things on the 'not allowed' list. There's little separation of church and state, and I've never lived in a town that didn't have an arts council... but there are pockets of people here in Tyler that are wanting change and there are organizations that are dedicated to revitalizing and bringing more culture in Tyler. I don't miss the 7 months of winter, though I will miss that hush that happens when it snows. The cost of living is reasonable - we pay the same in mortgage for the home we purchased here and it is twice as big as the apartment we rented in a suburb of Chi-town. My grocery bills are nearly half of what they were and I don't anticipate -30 windchill any time soon! We moved here to be closer to family that lives in San Antonio and Louisiana... and the move was worth it for that reason alone.

[Lakewooder]

Dallas is quite liberal these days. Where I live in Dallas seems to be more diverse and tolerant than most places I have visited in CA (my sister lives there so I go often). Oh we do have the Highland Park crowd, but don't worry, they are not as important as they think they are...

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Dallas is quite liberal these days. Where I live in Dallas seems to be more diverse and tolerant than most places I have visited in CA (my sister lives there so I go often). Oh we do have the Highland Park crowd, but don't worry, they are not as important as they think they are...

Dallas is pretty cool like that. However there are what, 1.5 million people in there? The rest of the "DFW" area has an additional 4.5 million. Hence the unfair reputation of "Dallas."

Hence the entirely unfair rep the whole state of Texas from outsiders.