What Stereotypes Do You Hear About Cleveland? (Parma, East Cleveland: to live, versus)

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by QCongress83216

Every time you post on this forum, you always way bash Cleveland. It's always something like, "Cleveland isn't a real city, it's more like a town", "Oh, Cleveland being cheap to live in is a stereotype, it's more expensive", or "Cleveland has a higher murder rate per capita than Chicago". Also, like Cleveland, your school system has problems, too. If that's your fair and balanced analysis then any car I put a Mercedes symbol on is Mercedes. You never have anything positive to say about Cleveland; all you talk about is how glad you left in '95 and you'll never come back. Your posts is always about how great Chicago is. That's why people don't respect Chicagoians like you because you all act like your s**t don't stink. Your pride that you show is more arrogance. In being proud, you're still humble and objective, but being arrogant, you become snobbish, rude and bias. You act all arrogant like Chicago is the best thing in the world, and everywhere else is messed up. Chicago is an expensive city and it does have one of, if not, the highest murder rates in the country. And, what the hell is a "real city" anyway? Nightlife, celebs, glamor and glitz, sports teams? You tell me.

And, I've been to Chicago twice and my girlfriend and I are about to visit there for Sweetest Day weekend. I enjoy visiting Chicago but I don't want to live there. You have to drive on the freeway to get anywhere in the city. In Cleveland, all you have to do is drive through the streets and you'll be where you wanna be in no time. Plus, the people there are too rude. I was at Pizzeria Uno, at the bar talking to this guy, and I told him I was from Cleveland. He looked me like I said I was from Mars or something. Also, some people bumped into me on the street and didn't say "Excuse me"; I understand you're hustling to get to where you need to go, but having good matters don't cost you nothing. I know people in Cleveland can be rude but people in Chicago are something else. At Cleveland can be upfront about its problems while Chicago wants to sweep their problems under the rug.

Oh man, try living there. The ''Chicago bump'' is something I noticed pretty quickly; they also like to use their elbows. It's a very pretentious place and you picked-up on the arrogance and got the ''bump'' all in a couple of visits. Go to New York, Philly (New Hope) or DC/Annapolis for Sweetest Day. My brother visited Chicago recently and got lots of ''what?"s from people or servers at places like Starbucks when he would say something or place an order. Remember, Chicago likes to portray itself as Midwest friendly!

[ZnGuy]

One stereotype that I hear often about Cleveland is that it is a city with an inferiority complex. I think this stems from mainly the sports teams, no championships and the painful losses (drive, fumble,etc.), free agents not attracted to city, Lebron leaving, losing their NFL team, city defaulting, wacky mayor Dennis Kucinich, percieved source of the Great Blackout, on and on. Natives defensive about the weather (hmm, let's count how many sunny days we really have), the Cuyahoga River fire. Even outsiders have perception that the city has a complex. This is an identity that is difficult to shed, just as the river fire is something that folks from accross the country remember. You can even see in the tone of the CLE City-Data forum when a person has any sort or criticism of the area and you can expect the usual suspects to jump all over the poster in defense. Granted, Cleveland isn't alone with this complex, Buffalo and Philly come to mind as well... Just Googling inferiority complex/Cleveland comes up with bunch of articles i.e.
Legal Blog Watch
The Decision drives Cleveland to dander | The Berkeley Beacon
Quality Chatter: THE CLEVELAND/N.E. OHIO INFERIORITY COMPLEX
http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2009/11/orlando_columnist_claims_cleve.htm
Fixing an Inferiority Complex | Articles | Archive | Inside Business Magazine
America's Most Miserable Cities - Forbes.com

[bjimmy24]

I think Cincinnati's inferiority complex is much worse and much more obvious!

[WRosado]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Please reread my post. I never said Cleveland had "no" singles scene.

Whether Cleveland is "socially conservative" or not depends on what you're comparing it to. Compared to most places in the so-called "Bible Belt", for example, Cleveland does indeed come across as very liberal. Compared to many other major cities on the East and West Coasts (and yes, Chicago as well), not so much.

The fact that Cleveland/Cuyahoga County votes Democrat doesn't mean it is socially liberal. Cleveland is more populist than anything: economic/fiscally liberal, socially conservative. It's the old school blue collar mentality. Voting Democrat in Cleveland is more about supporting union jobs and wealth redistribution than it is about abortion and gay rights.

And just because the powers that be have passed domestic partnership legislation and things like that in a few municipalities, it doesn't mean all the people are behind that sort of thing. The vast majority of the denizens of Cuyahoga County don't necessarily think like people in Cleveland Heights.

Chicago and Cook County vote blue every election, that is no different than Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Your points continue to be more and more moot. Chicago is no more liberal than Cleveland, no matter how you want to paint it.

[WRosado]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Well this stereotype is simply not true at all.
Cuyahoga County, generally speaking, is very liberal and not socially conservative at all. Ohio is staid and conservative. But Cleveland is NOT. In that was CHI and CLE are very similar. Most of Illinois is conservative. CHI is not.
Cleveland was the 2nd city in Ohio (behind very progressive Cleveland Heights) to create a Domestic Partner Registry as a way to get around the law that OHIO passed saying "marriage is for boys and girls".
COL and CLE are very liberal\progressive.
CIN and the rest of the state are not. I think part of this is the urban v rural aspect.
Another example. Bush v Kerry. George took 90% of Ohio. The 10% that Kerry got? COL + CLE.
Another: The Robert Maplethorpe exhibit of naked people many years ago.
Blew through Cleveland and Columbus with hardly a mention on the News.
Hit Cincy, and:
Cincinnati Jury Acquits Museum In Mapplethorpe Obscenity Case - New York Times

Now I have been trying to stay on point here, but it does seem you are just trying to stir the pot Andrew. Every few days you come in and drop another stereotype.. or "beef" that we lifelong Clevelands have never heard of. "Settling?, Conservative?"

No single scene??? When's the last time you visited?

Actually, the city of Cincinnati is pretty liberal. Hamilton County on the other hand...

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by QCongress83216

Plus, the people there are too rude. I was at Pizzeria Uno, at the bar talking to this guy, and I told him I was from Cleveland. He looked me like I said I was from Mars or something. Also, some people bumped into me on the street and didn't say "Excuse me"; I understand you're hustling to get to where you need to go, but having good matters don't cost you nothing. I know people in Cleveland can be rude but people in Chicago are something else. At Cleveland can be upfront about its problems while Chicago wants to sweep their problems under the rug.

And when I lived in Cleveland, people used to shove me with their grocery carts at the old Rego's at W. 117/Clifton. Oh, and last time I was in town, some guy started pawing me while I was riding the bus. Sheesh.

If you got "bumped" on Chicago sidewalks, then you obviously were out of rhythm with the city and its movements. It takes living here and practice to learn to go with the flow. Every city has its own rhythm and pace, and it's one's job to fit into it. I walk around Chicago constantly, everywhere, and I almost never get bumped. At least not 99.9 percent of the time. You just have to know what you are doing.

[ELR123]

I've heard all the classic Cleveland stereotypes. One of my favorite videos about Cleveland happens to be this one :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY

I visited Cleveland last summer and it wasn't all that bad. I went to a few Indians games, nice place, nice people, etc. Just a few blocks over in one direction, however, the area was a bit worn down. It reminded me of the area outside US Cellular in Chicago. Progressive is still in a better location than the Cell though.

I also spent some time downtown, if Huron Street near the Winking Lizard is considered downtown, and it seemed nice but a lot of places were closed rather early. And there weren't many people out either, but there were a few homeless men. Maybe my experience was abnormal though, or I wasn't in the right area.

The area near the lake, with the Rock Hall and stadium seemed nice too. As I drove from Cleveland toward my hotel in Independence, I couldn't help but notice that much of the area south of downtown reminded me of south Chicago, especially the southern suburbs.

So I'd say Cleveland gets a bad rap, but it isn't super glamorous either.

[QCongress83216]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Emphasis on the "if". If you're not in those "few choice industries" -- and I'd venture most people are not -- you'll likely have to leave town to do really well... or else just stay in town and "settle" for less.

So, people in Chicago don't "settle"? How is settling just a Cleveland thing? So, just because I didn't move to one of the "trendy" cities I'm settling? But, if I DO move to one of the "trendy" cities, I'm trying to make a better life for myself? I thought this was America, where people can make great lives for themselves no matter which city they lived in? There are people in Chicago who are settling for less and not doing well. Just like there are folks in Cleveland doing the same thing. People settle all the time in cities and towns. We settle in jobs, we settle down with a spouse or a life partner. And, just because you moved to another city and do well, it's no guarantee that others will move and do well. Some have done more worst than where they've left. I didn't settle in Cleveland, I chose to stay here. If I wanted to, I could've left a long time ago. I have a pretty good job at the Cleveland Public Library.

Again, you LOVE Chicago, we get it. Don't shove it down our doggone throats. Everybody's not in love with Chicago just like people aren't in love with Cleveland. I like visiting Chicago but I wouldn't want to live there.

[JohnDBaumgardner]

Originally Posted by qcongress83216

so, people in chicago don't "settle"? How is settling just a cleveland thing? So, just because i didn't move to one of the "trendy" cities i'm settling? But, if i do move to one of the "trendy" cities, i'm trying to make a better life for myself? I thought this was america, where people can make great lives for themselves no matter which city they lived in? There are people in chicago who are settling for less and not doing well. Just like there are folks in cleveland doing the same thing. People settle all the time in cities and towns. We settle in jobs, we settle down with a spouse or a life partner. And, just because you moved to another city and do well, it's no guarantee that others will move and do well. Some have done more worst than where they've left. I didn't settle in cleveland, i chose to stay here. If i wanted to, i could've left a long time ago. I have a pretty good job at the cleveland public library.

Again, you love chicago, we get it. Don't shove it down our doggone throats. Everybody's not in love with chicago just like people aren't in love with cleveland. I like visiting chicago but i wouldn't want to live there.

Very well stated ... I totally agree with your points on "settling in Cleveland" I've lived in Los Angeles, Denver, Charlotte, and in Columbus, Ohio - I did not have to move back to Cleveland, I definitely wanted to "come home" because the city offers
such an outstanding quality of living .... Awesome natural beauty, high and world acclaimed cultural offerings, advanced & world renowned healthcare, spacious & friendly suburbs and eclectic city neighborhoods. I could go on and on and on ....
I am not merely settling in Cleveland, I chose it because it truly is a remarkable and very worthwhile city to call "home!"

[costello_musicman]

Regarding the earlier "Clevelanders are settlers" comments:

I've lived in 3 different states (and even 1 country for 6 months).

My highest quality of life has been Cleveland by a long shot. The cost of living here is insane! And the amenities are world-class and accessible.