Is it True that Tulsa OK. is Poor and Backward (Oklahoma City: best city, crime)

[gonefishing]

Originally Posted by Synopsis

..... the more I think about it I believe that people somehow equate a snobbish and rude attitude with education and intellect, while associating friendly, down home behavior with some sort of backwards mentality. The people of Oklahoma have often had judgement passed on them in this manner.

I remember the wonderful comments made by people from New York (and many other places) after coming to Oklahoma to help after the OKC bombing. Many people said their perception of the people of Oklahoma was completely wrong and lots of good friendships were made during that time.

[19hsm]

Since I am someone born and raise in NJ I was extremely leary when I moved to Tulsa 2 years ago. The stereotype is there for some states.

I can personally say that I thoroughly enjoy my location. Tulsa has some excellent school districts in the surrounding suburbs, the cost of living if quite affordable, plenty of things to do, and variety of job offerings. The city has a "vision 2025" proposal which they have dilgently been working on to revitalize areas north and west of Tulsa. The areas South and East of tulsa are growing rapidly. There is plenty of room for expansion and I like the wide open space here.

I will be sad to leave, and honestly I never thought I would EVER say that. Tulsa has alot to offer if you can get a good job here. I tease my husband b/c he is from rural SE Oklahoma on how I really thought Oklahoma "was backward". But honestly, I think its a great town and really going places!

[Synopsis]

shad, the comments you make are too comical to be taken seriously. The Arkansas River is a heck of a lot more of a river than the fake one in OkC, or the Canadian River for that matter. The port of Catoosa is one of the farthest inland ports in the United States, and those "non-navigable" hills that you speak of have trails all over them. Try Chandler Park and Turkey mountain, just to name a couple.

I realize that Oklahoma City has an inferiority complex over the years because Tulsa has been the scene of more culture and diversity in the state, but it would probably do you good to get over it. I don't have anything against OkC, and don't run over to the OkC forum and dribble on about what they lack or don't lack, but as I told Manhattan-ite recently - you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

It would be nice if you backed up those opinions with a few facts rather than purely subjective observations on your part and mumbo jumbo about "the hills" not having any trails and people in Tulsa being hillbillies, dug deep into the sides of them thar hills..

Geez, have you even traveled up the turnpike to Tulsa in the last 30 years? If you could say nothing else about the city, you have to admit it's green, not flat as a pancake, and they have a wonderful park system for the residents to enjoy.

[tulsagal]

Well, after living in Oklahoma for a couple of months or so, all I can say is I work in an industry where I meet and assist all kinds of different people from various professions everyday and cannot stress enough, that in general, Tulsans could not be friendlier, more kind-hearted people!

TulsaGal

[Show Me SLC]

Originally Posted by Mudrake2

OK State University only has about a 25% graduation record. By that I mean that 75% of the alum never complete their degrees. I can't speak for OU.

in reading this, i couldn't help but do a quick search to substantiate the claim that was made about osu's ridiculously low graduation rates and found the following graduation rates as reported by the 2007 u.s. news rankings (for 2005):

graduation rates
oklahoma state university-59%
university of oklahoma-56%


i am not trying to be nit picky, but there is quite a disparity between 41% of alums not graduating and 75%. these statistics were reported on the oklahoma higher education site for what it is worth. maybe the numbers that they have are higher than what has been reported else where for this university, but this is what they have.

http://www.okhighered.org/oeis/Nat-Graduation.shtml

for the record, i have neither attended nor graduated from either of these universities.

[shad8974]

Synopsis- sorry you took my words to heart. but you have also given bad words towards okc. I go to tulsa 4-5 times a year. I have many friends there- i enjoy the scenery...but the town is dead in the fun category. Recently some friends took me to a place to eat on the river- and yes its dry and ugly-they feel the same and it needs work. Looks like others will be assisted by man power to form YOUR river into more than an eyesore. becareful the designer of that plan for the river looks cool-but pei (renowned architect) tore down okc in the 70s -although myriad gardens and with the monster downtown emergence has forgotten those days. Please dont confuse other readers about the twin cities- times have changed dramatically-like 180. private invester overshadows tulsas efforts. tulsa , honestly is about 10 years behind in the curve- with an airport that was a lure(instead of freeway) has now fallen victim to Will Rogers-sorry but when you throw millions around basically for a brand new airport-that now offers more direct flights. Then you have a KO- more advanced/respected airport, along with MONSTER interstate. More people/ more diversity. As for the inferiority complex- sorry but i have never really cared for oklahoma as a state for culture. Raised in OKC- as a child we would take field trips to tulsa to see the so called culture. I always wondered why i was there. What was so special? Now I know- its the disgusting aura of tulsans trying to impress others...that they are NOT oklahomans. That somehow tulsa emerged from like a jewel in the dirt. Tulsa most definitely has the complex(lol). Another subject- I have a Masters of Fine Art. The art scene in tulsa should be ashamed. All the State organizations like Oklahoma Visual Arts Council/ IndividualArtists of Oklahoma/ all the underground art scene is all located in OKC centered around an emerging school-Oklahoma City University which will be Div. 1 again in its history. This area around the university is by far like no other in the state. The culture is greater. LOOK IT UP. Looking forward to having to pay an arm and a leg for fees to some friends in a desolate oversized EDMOND when i visit again. BOK center looks cool. Sorry you had to pay for materials during a war which inlates the price like crazy!! Shoulda passed the "maps" proposal or "vision"earlier....

[Synopsis]

Anybody that uses "hillbilly" and "snobby" as the same descriptive about a city has some sort of issue. Make up your mind. I don't put OkC down, I just prefer Tulsa over OkC. Okc has a lot going for it lately, and for that I'm glad. But, this whole art thing you bring up is comical. The Philbrook and Gilcrease are two of the most prominent art museums in the Southwest, if not the U.S. OkC comes nowhere close.

[shad8974]

No Synop- you will not let out false information about oklahoma city- it is the CITY OF OKLAHOMA- and the Philbrook is pretty, but again is MODERN not CONTEMPORARY. The Gilcrease is worse than the Cowboy Hall of Fame- it smells and the lighting is horrible. Millions of city dollars are needed to advance tulsa into the arts...again. hopefully the revival will come. workin' on it- give me a little more time and we(OKC) and the arts will jump start tulsa- LIKE I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS!!!! Humble yourself and except it. Help is on the way. Hopefully we will get a better venue than the nasty former Lubys cafeteria in tulsa for the upcoming years. Again do not insult a M.F.A grad of her/his own area of expertise. I have been living in oklahoma for 30 years-traveled everywhere but asia- ihave seen all major museums across the world. I know art like you know your underwear. shad

[Synopsis]

Shad, you're funny.

Oklahoma City is "The CIty of Oklahoma?" So there is some designated "City of Oklahoma?" It's the Capitol of Oklahoma, and I don't care if the Philbrook is modern or contemporary (you're splitting hairs); the Philbrook is one of the leading art museums in the Southwestern U.S. (period).

And for the record, I do hope OkC develops more, and more, and more. I have nothing against OkC. I hope they get an NBA team, and soon - they deserve it after the GREAT showing they put on with the New Orleans/OkC Hornets.

I hope that OkC grows by leaps and bounds over the next decade, and I wouldn't care if it did so at twice the rate of Tulsa. It's all good for the STATE of Oklahoma.

Regardless of what happens, it still wouldn't change my preference of places to live. I simply prefer the green hills and lakes of the Northeastern region, in which Tulsa sits - to that of OkC, which is more of a prairie to the west and cross-timbers to the east. I also prefer the architecture of Tulsa over OkC; it's just more appealing to *me."

[shad8974]

From what shad or whoever posted about tulsas art scene. he is correct. the underground art scene dominates(grassroots) in okc. The one museum(not two) is beautiful- but if you are an artist in the current field you would only see the Philbrook as architecture. when the old population dies off in tulsa-then a real emergence will begin.