Are minorities in Texas more conservative than minorities elsewhere? (Houston: community college, living in)

[Tex?Il?]

Hi all,

First, I'd like to say that my very first thread I ever posted almost two years ago expressing my interest in moving to Texas, (to pursue a graduate program and put down roots). I shelved those plans because: I figured hey its fine here, my families and friends are here (Chicago suburbs), yet after a relationship that didn't work out, the draw of Texas is pulling on me ,and when I'm honest with myself, I just don't feel like this isn't the right fit for me (I'm 29 BTW).

Texas seems like its the most awesome state for so many reasons:

the diversity of natural/rural landscapes: (deserts, mountains, hill country, high plains/canyons, dense lush Piney woods/swamps, barrier island beaches/marshes full of bird life, etc). And great representative samples accesible to the public to enjoy.

The relatively strong economy and lower cost of living/ and relatively laid back/southern and southwestern influence even in the big cities/celebration of agrarian heritage, while being very modern. All with their own character.

I could go on.

Heres one other thing. I like population diversity. Texas is diverse in a true sense of the word, (not the PC version that excludes white conservatives as non-diverse).

I get the sense (from stuff I've read and heard) that black and hispanic Texans are a bit more conservative than elsewhere.

Even though I'll admit in a couple ways, (mostly regarding to personal environment practices/green living) I would probably align myself somewhat with the granola Austinite, but many other ways I do hold conservative values.

Heres the thing: I don't want anyone to be offended. I love diversity, but here in the Chicagoland area, there holds more of the PC concept of diversity that leads to an entitlement mentality, which inhibits assimilation and a toxic social influence from spending too much time in a densely populated urban "ghetto." I see this as a community college teacher. Its CERTAINLY not universal here. I've had hard-working good students of all different backgrounds, but I get the sense that a higher percentage of minorities have a different attitude in Texas. than those in northern cities. I would LOVE living in Texas. Because around here, I feel like I distance myself from the ATTITUDES and FLASHY styles, and I don't want to do that with the people themselves. Can any of you comment? Heres what I found on a couple of websites:


Before my trip last week to Cameron County, I’d only heard one explanation that made much sense: That overall welfare benefits are much more modest in Texas than elsewhere, and particularly modest by comparison with benefits here in California, so that Texans recognize that Mexicans travel north only to find work, not to milk the welfare state.

Now another couple of possibilities have occurred to me. The first? Geography. Whereas here in California the vast conurbation of San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles begins just north of the border, in Texas the major cities are all separated from the border by many miles of farms, ranchland, mountains and desert—San Antonio lies 125 miles north of Mexico, Austin 200 miles, Houston 300 miles. Immigrants to Texas may therefore tend to disperse themselves among the agricultural enterprises and small towns of the state’s southern tier, where they can acquire skills and learn English, rather than proceed directly to the big cities to establish dense concentrations of unskilled, Spanish-only ghettoes like those in the Golden State.


The second possibility is that the culture of Texas itself somehow makes things easier. Even now, after all, Texas remains a truly conservative place. Hard work, family life, and a certain manliness are still celebrated. So is the state’s fundamental openness—even now, land is cheap and anyone can aspire to owning his own home. Yes, you’ll need to work hard here, the Texas culture implicitly informs Mexican immigrants. But if you do, everyone here will be quite happy to accept you—and you’ll be able to provide your family with the kind of life that only the tiny upper class can ever achieve back in Mexico itself.

I don’t know whether I’m right about any of this, but it sure seems worth mulling over. Anyone who can figure out why the Hispanic influx doesn’t seem to have caused much trouble in Texas while proving so disruptive in California and elsewhere will have answered a very big question.



And they're not all that divided by race on such issues. Mr. Keeter found that "Southern blacks tend to be more religious, more committed to military solutions, more socially conservative than non-Southern blacks."
But Mr. Keeter could find "little or no distinction among Southern and non-Southern whites on environmental protection, government regulation and social welfare.” He hypothesized that “Southerners have become more satisfied with government as welfare reform, privatization and other conservative reforms have taken hold."

Anyone care to comment?

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Heres the thing: I don't want anyone to be offended. I love diversity, but here in the Chicagoland area, there holds more of the PC concept of diversity that leads to an entitlement mentality, which inhibits assimilation and a toxic social influence from spending too much time in a densely populated urban "ghetto." I see this as a community college teacher. Its CERTAINLY not universal here. I've had hard-working good students of all different backgrounds, but I get the sense that a higher percentage of minorities have a different attitude in Texas. than those in northern cities. I would LOVE living in Texas. Because around here, I feel like I distance myself from the ATTITUDES and FLASHY styles, and I don't want to do that with the people themselves. Can any of you comment? Heres what I found on a couple of websites

I don't know exactly what you're looking for or really what you're asking or if you have ever lived in the south but I can tell you honestly that most people in any area will be born and raised in their climate politically or socially or whatever. It really just depends on where they live and what values that city/state has.

People in the South of all races are known as being more religious then northerners which is why many southern states are known as the bible belt. More hispanics in Texas and Florida vote republican. I think more minorities in the South are more conservative then those in the north but I honestly, in my lifetime, have never known one black person that has ever voted republican ( have lived in Tennessee and Florida ) but then again, I've never voted republican either.

You'll find that different races of people seem to get along a HELLUVA lot better in the South then they do up north. Maybe it's the weather and the tons of stuff to do ?

[simpleharmonicmotion]

I think that the italicized assessment may be really on target. I'm Hispanic, grown up my whole life in Texas and I was shocked at how the Hispanics were in California. I dont think I know one Mexican-American here in Texas who buys into the whole Aztlan thing or refer to themselves as Chicano. Maybe that's just me and the type of friends I hang out with. The culture and outlook is completely different. I do think that Texas's modest welfare handouts allows Texas to get the more productive and least "parasitic" immigrants, and Texas has such a unique and inclusive culture that it's very easy to identify with being Texan. I also think that welfare makes for one half of a community subsidizing the other, and that sort of thing leads to racial tensions (and racism) as what I saw in California as well.
Overall, yes, more minorities in the South (at least Texas) are conservative. I know a few Hispanic Republicans, I myself lean to the right but I hate the current Republican party right now. I know more Hispanics who vote Democrat honestly, even the ones that dont care about immigration issues or are very assimilated still vote Democrat which I find odd honestly.
And I agree with TNRyan that people here are more integrative than in the North. If there IS segregation in Texas, it is much more socioeconomical, not "Blacks go here, Whites go here, etc go here".

[love roses]

I think Houston is a pretty good example of the integration.

[Rocket Power]

Well, technically whites are the minorities here, so I'll say yes

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Rocket Power

Well, technically whites are the minorities here, so I'll say yes

Where is here ?

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

Where is here ?

I've got to ask this, why are you commenting on Texas when you've never lived here? (You've only lived in TN and FL right?) Texas is a minority-majority state. Whites are the largest group, but they make up less than 50% of the population.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

I've got to ask this, why are you commenting on Texas when you've never lived here? (You've only lived in TN and FL right?) Texas is a minority-majority state. Whites are the largest group, but they make up less than 50% of the population.

I spent about 7 summers in the Houston area before my grandfather died and I'll be living there next summer.

Whites are STILL the largest group in Texas. Whites makeup 47% Hispanics at 36% Blacks at 10% and Asians at around 4%

Even though the number is less than 50% they still have a majority in the state by over 11%.

At last census, that is.

Texas QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

[MrSykes]

Minorities here (as in many other places) tend to be more left-leaning politically than socially, because of the "interest-group" representation phenomenon at play. So while minorities here vote overwhelmingly democratic, it is almost certain that a gay marriage proposition or the like would be roundly struck down by the same minority voting bloc.

[brattpowered]

Yes, minorities in Texas are relatively conservative just like the regular folks here!