Moving to Wyoming, will my Politics be a problem? (money, claim)

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by JakeHayes

Background, recent graduate in Engineering who has been juggling several job opportunities around the nation. Doing my research, I found being black wouldn't apparently be a problem (like most places, open racism.seems to be confinied to private jokes) but there HAS been a sentiment expressed here that Wyoming has a very specific feel and way of thinking and that others aren't really welcome (there was a pretty disturbing post about California) . America is for all people, and I of course wouldn't force any beliefs on anyone(I dont really even "believe" in beliefs, you either know something or you dont) but being an Acedmic Scientist and artist I fear that itvmay be uncomfortable, especially given I tend to go towards the old school libertarian and am relatively young. I am a people person, so I would seek out good bonds and relationships in my community, but I don't know if I will come of as some golden hued cultural invader.

Any help friends?

You should be fine.

[some boring guy]

I identify as pretty solidly liberal and have never had a problem - except maybe in here, but of course many find it easier to razz people when they're just names on a computer screen. I couldn't even tell you the political inclination of many friends out here. There are so many other things to build relationships off of and usually pretty easy to find people with shared interests. If anything, I think Wyoming trends more old school Libertarian than most other places.

[Wyoming_Medic]

I've lived in Wyoming my whole life, so let me jump on in and say howdy.

Please excuse the brashness of my reply, as I just moved four tons of snow with a hand shovel (not kidding about the amount), and your initial question smacks of arrogance for some reason.

First and foremost, there are some exceedingly educated and well off professionals in this state. Being an academic does not scare us in the least. There are many small dance halls or old cigar bars where political issues of the day are discussed at length, while multi-million dollar cattle/land/oil deals are being made just a few feet away. The crazy looking old feller at the end of the bar, wearing a beat up ball cap and dusty overalls, is probably a self made man worth tens of millions of dollars. He may be a Rhodes scholar that once traveled with Hemingway, or an aeronautical engineer whom was involved deeply with the Apollo program. I know, because I often hang out at such a place. And ones true background is rarely known until an obituary shows up in the newspaper. So PLEASE, get off your high horse in thinking that intellectuals are somehow shunned or put upon like cattle in our dunce of a state.

Secondly, your political affiliation will have little to no bearing on how you are accepted. I am a center libertarian who hates Hillary as much as Trump. What will draw the ire of Wyomingites is some deep seated inane need to change our state. We (and I think I speak for essentially all Wyoming residents) do not give two shakes about how it was done "back home". We do not care that your hometown had a *insert whatever chain crap store here*, or roads were so much better because of the *whatever* tax. We also don't care if you dislike hunting or hate coal or think God is a three legged spider who farts lollipops.

What we do care about is eking out a living in this harsh state. We have seen thousands of flash in the pan artists and young'uns come out to our state because they watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie or Lonesome Dove, and want to live like a true cowboy. But then demand change to our most deep seated ways of life, trash our infrastructure, then leave after the first winter.

By all means, please come live here. But earn your stripes. DON'T THINK YOU ARE SOMEHOW MORE ACEDMIC (or however you spelled it) THAN US. Survive a couple winters where you help your neighbors and have to put tire chains on so some little old lady can make it to church though the driving blizzard. Once you TRULY understand what it means to live here, feel free to complain away and push for change. But don't plop your butt down with the same attitude you gave in your initial post and expect unfettered acceptance. It simply won't happen

[billyball]

I've been here a while now. I've found that people from Wyoming generally don't take to people coming from somewhere else (just being honest). BUT, in a couple of years...they do! Just stick it out and you will be fine. I'd say there is also like - a two year adjustment to get used to the overall feel of things. One thing that you have to get used to is that you have to drive very FAR to get anywhere. Have dependable wheels. Carry a spare (I carry two) and fix-a-flat. There are great things to discover about Wyoming. Good luck!

[Dangerous Dave]

I don't think you'd have a problem, especially if you're more libertarian bent. Wyoming actually had a black man run for governor as a Republican, and had he not been challenging a sitting Republican for the nomination, he probably could have done pretty good. Hopefully he'll run again.


But yeah, as mentioned earlier, Wyoming is very live-and-let-live. One of my good buddies at work there was a black guy, he was well respected and universally liked... he did his job well and all he talked about was firearms and Harleys so he fit in perfectly and nobody really noticed his skin color. It was a bummer when he took a promotion out of state, lost a drinking buddy :-(

[JakeHayes]

Nah I can dig it, good replies all around, I actually got a gig I am not at liability to talk about(thanks Uncle Sam) but I found the insight...insightful. Sorry about the typos, my fingers arent exactly the best so fine motor skills like typing and writing are hard for me.

In any case, multiple posters here have established a deeo seating resistance to, I'm going to call it "colonialism" the idea of making Wyoming like somewhere else? Is this a common problem or sterotypes of recent immigrants? I mean I grew up in Southern Maryalnd so I know how a rural setting is, are we talking lack of comvenince or people who campaign for causes all carpetbagger style?

[sunsprit]

"colonialism" def: the policy of a nation seeking to acquire, extend, or retain overseas dependencies.

There's a couple of ways of looking at your comment:

1) you consider that you know better than those of us here how we should lead our lives.

I've encountered that attitude here in the West for over 50 years from folk from out of the area who want to make this place "just like home". I didn't move to and stay here because I wanted what you've got "back home", I wanted something much different. Otherwise, I could have stayed "back home", too.

2) you don't comprehend the arrogance of your position and how offensive it might be to folk here.

It's not a question of convenience or carpetbagging ... you're still in that mode of thinking with your background and education that you might be superior to the folk happily established here.

3) you're very quick to toss out labeling folk in a veiled offensive manner ... "deep seated resistance".

Maybe folk here have considered the alternatives and have reached a well founded rationale for what they want and what they disliked about other areas of the country. That's not resistance, that's rejection for what you're selling. No, thank you.

[Happy in Wyoming]

Originally Posted by JakeHayes

Nah I can dig it, good replies all around, I actually got a gig I am not at liability to talk about(thanks Uncle Sam) but I found the insight...insightful. Sorry about the typos, my fingers arent exactly the best so fine motor skills like typing and writing are hard for me.

Welcome Mr. Malaprop. Don't worry; you spelled it correctly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism

[Happy in Wyoming]

Originally Posted by JakeHayes

Nah I can dig it, good replies all around, I actually got a gig I am not at liability to talk about(thanks Uncle Sam) but I found the insight...insightful. Sorry about the typos, my fingers arent exactly the best so fine motor skills like typing and writing are hard for me.

Welcome Mr. Malaprop. Don't worry; you spelled it correctly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism

[GregW]

Judging by these posts, among others, Wyoming sounds a lot like upstate New Hampshire. We also tend to mind our own business and are reserved about new arrivals for the first generation or two. OP - I suggest you find the breakfast place where a group of insiders tend to the public business. Hang around long enough and the might invite your comments.


My wife and I would probably blend right in as we are nominally liberal Democrats. That translates into Libertarian on a personal level and Liberal in that we believe that government can provide for the public good. We also realize the government can be a powerful force of great evil. Those are Puritan attitudes that are typical of Yankees.


We have visited Wyoming and enjoyed it very much and we hopefully will be back but not in Winter. If we want cold we can just stay in NH.