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A1eutian, this forum has had its share of trolls who don't live here but who feel compelled to diss the city anyway. While I'm aware of the religious conservatives, I've never had any encounters with "bikers gangs" or "meth heads" in Colorado Springs either, and it's certainly an exaggeration to say the city is full of them.
A1eutian, this forum has had its share of trolls who don't live here but who feel compelled to diss the city anyway. While I'm aware of the religious conservatives, I've never had any encounters with "bikers gangs" or "meth heads" in Colorado Springs either, and it's certainly an exaggeration to say the city is full of them.
A1eutian's post gave me a good laugh. I really think this city is very live and let live. Even the reputation of the religious right tends to get overblown, it's really not in your face unless you go loooking for it. My hubby and I are both atheists and we even lived in the north part of town and never felt any pressure from anyone. I have always been respectful of others beliefs and have found the same. We now live in the downtown area but not because we had any issues up north, we just prefer the esthetic of older neighborhoods and historic homes. As far as bikers and meth heads, can't say I have run into any of them with any frequency either.
A1eutian's post gave me a good laugh. I really think this city is very live and let live. Even the reputation of the religious right tends to get overblown, ....
True. Religious extremists like James Dobson often made national news with his ludicrous pronouncements. His followers are all over the country, not here, but we got painted with the pubic's ridicule. I've fought that for ten years as moderator of the Colorado forums, and I've deleted, infracted or banned as needed to keep order. There's one biker club in town that I know of, the Sons of Silence, but have never heard of them in the news. Meth is everywhere, I'm sure COLO SPGS has its share but again, such comments seem uncalled for and actually border on trolling.
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I've been in the Omaha area for 3 years. There are many things I love here --
*It is safe
*No traffic
*Affordable homes
*Friendly/welcoming people
*Snow
Things I do not like --
*Property taxes
*Homophobia and racism seems to be rampant
*Humidity
*Lack of fun things to do in comparison to other places i've lived in the country and the world.
I am born and raised English. I moved to Pittsburgh to be with my Brazilian/American nuclear engineer husband. He wanted to move back to the place he came to as an exchange student -- Omaha. I was 24. I would have gone anywhere.
But now we have 2 kids, and a 3rd on the way. I turn 30 next year and I very much feel like this might not be the place for me - or to raise my children.
My real problems - I don't feel that I fit in. I am an athiest and I am a democrat. Even my closest friends here have views that border on crossing the line for me.
My kids have a latin surname. My sister in law is a lesbian who outright refuses to live here. And I can't blame here. I have stood with my neighbours in the street and heard them say terrible things as if it's nothing.
They are not BAD people. I have been welcomed with open arms into the community - this place - but I don't feel able to build genuine friendships with people that can openly say that my SIL is disgusting and immoral. That businesses should be allowed to turn her away. That "blacks" should stay in their own neighbourhoods and stop moving into ours.
This is too much for me. And since the election these voices are louder. And I'm doubting my place here.
My SIL is currently looking at jobs in Denver. She is in Portland right now but is looking to move closer to us.
I have been researching and Colorado Springs and it sounds really lovely. We don't like to live in the city.
I'm sorry for the rambling but i guess my question is this - Would an athiest, white but multicultural family "fit" in. Be around a higher percentage of likeminded people?
I am not looking to be around people just like us. I value the few real friendships I have here. My closest friend is a Trump voter, a proud extreme catholic. I value her and what we learn from each other's points of views. I am not looking to segregate us completely.
Your best choice would be Denver metro area in terms of overall job opportunities, diversity, and proximity to large city amenities. Your statement on your friend being "a Trump voter, a proud extreme catholic," does seem quite strange, but I find that the Great Plains states are actually now amongst the most socially conservative regions of the US, now for better or worse.
That's disappointing to hear.. but thank you. Do you have any recommendations for somewhere in the Denver area that might be better? Or am I fighting a losing battle here?
I haven't actually lived in Colorado Springs yet...we're under contract on a house though! I'm a bit worried that we won't fit in as we are not military more than anything.
But, I did grow up in Denver and my husband and his family spent 2 years of his childhood in Omaha..in the 1980s. So, I can touch on that possibly..Denver:
The only thing from your initial post that stood out to me as possibly different is the religion emphasis. It seems like A LOT of posters from other areas complain about religion or religious pressure being a factor of why they are wanting to move. I personally, have never really experienced that here. People who are involved in their church or their faith my talk about it, or have their concerns and voice them regarding their faith - but the only person who has ever attempted to push it on my family (besides those door to door Mormons or Jehovah's Witness) was a neighbor from Kentucky who just went on and on about getting us into church. She eventually moved back to Kentucky thankfully! One of my friends is very devout and into her church, and while she will talk about her love for Jesus, she never questions my own.
Obviously I am not sure what people in Omaha or like, or if they may ostracize those who do not attend or who are not religious, but I don't think that would happen on a large scale here. It may happen in some areas, but I don't think that shaming of those who are not devout Christians or other is the norm.
Most of the other things you mentioned could happen anywhere and do happen here. There are homophobic people in Denver, racist people of all colors, people who judge others on income/education/cars/clothes/neighborhood/etc. It may not be overt, but it is there. I've been taken aback several times throughout my relatively short life with statements on blacks/whites/Mexicans/Jews/gays/fat people, etc. And I have never lived anywhere else, but it happens at work, school, restaurants, etc.
I don't however think that any place is a mecca for tolerance and understanding, although some places might be worse.
My husband loved the small amount of time they spent in Omaha because he said that people were more friendly and sociable. He has always wanted to move back there. My in laws said that in Omaha they made a lot of friends and would sit outside every evening drinking lemonade and talking with the neighbors while the kids all played outside. They have lived in Denver for over 20 years now in Highlands Ranch and no one in their neighborhoods speaks to one another often or at all, there weren't as many kids on the block and friends were on a driving basis, etc. They still miss that sense of community that they had in Omaha as they have never been able to recreate that here. They do go to church and meet friends at Starbucks or the recreation center occasionally, but that's about it. I'm not sure how accurate that description is, but it might be something to consider. There is sort of a, "Don't bother me," vibe from people here. They want to get inside their garage, close the door, and not come out. Some people will even act irritated or ignore you if you greet them, comment on their dog while walking, etc. Not all...there are very friendly people, but I've always gotten the vibe that people are into their own stuff more than the outside world. Not all people of course, it seems elderly people more than anyone want to socialize while walking their dogs or make new friends. I think the most friends I have made as a parent have been from other states as well. Maybe they just put themselves out there more or don't already have a group here so they are more likely to communicate or talk - not sure!
If you've never been to Colorado before I strongly suggest making a trip here before deciding to make your move. Colorado Springs and Denver will both be considerably more expensive than Omaha (20%+ increase in COL). Pueblo is cheaper, but is also much less desirable.
If you're into hiking, biking, camping, skiing or snowshoeing we've got plenty of that, but if you enjoy water recreation you'll be disappointed here.
Additionally, all the major cities along the Front Range lie on the plains and are by and large as flat (if not flatter) than Omaha. We also have fewer trees down here on the flat.
If you can get past those things then it might just work out for you.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,722 posts, read 58,054,000 times
Reputation: 46190
Quote:
Originally Posted by ABritlost
I've been in the Omaha area for 3 years. ...
Things I do not like --
*Property taxes
*Homophobia and racism seems to be rampant
*Humidity
*Lack of fun things to do in comparison to other places i've lived in the country and the world.
I am born and raised English. ... I very much feel like this might not be the place for me - or to raise my children.
My real problems - I don't feel that I fit in. I am an athiest and I am a democrat. Even my closest friends here have views that border on crossing the line for me.
My kids have a latin surname. My sister in law is a lesbian who outright refuses to live here. And I can't blame here. ...
My SIL is currently looking at jobs in Denver. She is in Portland right now but is looking to move closer to us.
I have been researching and Colorado Springs .....
BTDT (lived in Nebr and Colo (and Britain), (and Portland, OR (rural)) and many other places but not yet SoAmerica, maybe soon...)
don't waste a move on CO
PNW covers most of what you dislike about NE, but a LOT of options:.....(places, climates, terrain, jobs, neighborhood, taxes, priorities, things to do)
What is wrong with Portland? (or nearby) (9% income tax in OR but NONE 7 minutes away in WA).Very active Atheist groups, quite a lot of diversity, much to do (even a few real British Pubs). You can jump a flight to visit friends in NE and CO very ez and VERY cheap ($29 PDX>DEN) on sale dates.
Jobs pretty plentiful for DH / tech / professionals / EDU
Boeing, Insitu, Precision Cast Parts, Bount industries (engineering focused, very active Engineering and design professional societies) Lots of High Tech (Intel, HP, MS,...) and Biomed
20+ colleges within 30 min
Seattle 3 hrs via train ($30) / bus ($12) car (free if using 'fish-n-chip' cooking oil for fuel bdtd since 1976...)
Vancouver BC is VERY multi cultural, 6 hrs (same to very "British" Victoria)
CA is a 12 hr drive / bus / train or a 2 hr $59 flight (very EZ, many different 'direct' airports for your pleasure) (including Palm Springs, for nice little 'Spa' weekend with your SIL). BUT... one of the BEST SPAs in PNW is less than 1 hr from Portland in the Columbia River Gorge https://bonnevilleresort.com/
But.... BEFORE you leave NE.... bring me some Prime Rib!!!! I used to use LNK as a stop-over, so I could rent a car and run to Branched Oak (Malcolm, NE) for Prime Rib to bring home... now no-more (branched Oak, or Stop-overs).
Coolers fly free on SWA, So I bring PNW Salmon (and wild berries) to trade for NE BEEF!
You are SAFE in PNW "I am an athiest and I am a democrat."
1) we will NEVER vote anything but Demo. 39 total counties, 3 counties RULE WA to Democrats, 36 counties sit silenced (Oregon is similar, but I think 2 counties can run the state, and they will never be anything CLOSE to the right. No FEAR here! (in 34 yrs in PNW, I have NEVER had an election go my way... but I don't cry about it... I just try to keep my business doors open (w/ $15/ hr minimum wage coming, $9.75 regional minimum wage today)
2) LEAST churched region of USA (We are REALLY weird cuz we go to church) ALL of WA and OR < 5% churched. east side of each is HUGE (bigger that NE) but we_tside (Portland and Seattle) are probably < 1% churched.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 11-12-2016 at 09:50 PM..
Oregon would be a great place for you, I think (we lived in Portland there for a couple of years), it is liberal - live and let live - and the Portland area I think is really great, lots of alternative people, lots to do, weather like in Great Britain LOL, no really, I lived also in GB, so I know. It also is not far from the coast, a magical place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
PNW covers most of what you dislike about NE, but a LOT of options:.....(places, climates, terrain, jobs, neighborhood, taxes, priorities, things to do)
All true, but for whatever reason, the OP's SIL wants to leave Portland and the PNW for whatever reason, so recommending they move there seems a bit outside the OP's request. I'd imagine they have already considered that option and dismissed it or they wouldn't be here asking questions.
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