Would you consider Houston a progressive city? Why or why not (Dallas: neighborhood, school districts)

[groovamos]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Progressive cities don't work themselves into a tizzy over where people pee (How Bathroom Fears Conquered Transgender Rights in Houston - The Atlantic).

Really now, we here are supposed to empower city government to go out and police us in the social realm outside of state law? This is what cities are for? And if we don't think so that makes us worked into a tizzy? I thought cities are to repair sewer lines and to arrest burglars. I got burgled in 2012, two men pawned some of the stuff, but not my mother's jewelry, worth around $13,000. Did the two men get arrested? No, the city has too many other priorities. You used to be able to go down there and go to burglary and theft dept. Now when you go down they send a public affairs intern out to meet you. If you ask about your case, and why the two guys didn't get arrested, they tell you the report is confidential.

And you think the city is supposed to go out and harass people for social reasons, and then do what? Give them a ticket for non-compliance? Why can't you get the state or the feds to do this?

To be honest with you I don't recall any "fears" or "tizzies" over the recent vote, and I know a lot of people. That's what you get for reading the Atlantic, what a weird view of life.

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

So progress comes in the form of LGBT issues?

Progress comes in the form of a move to the left. Note that the reference points are always changing. What was left-wing enough 10 years ago isn't left-wing enough today. And Eisenhower would be considered a Nazi.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

If you drew 134 square miles around City Hall Houston then the bill would have passed overwhelmingly. 200 square miles too. Would the same be passing in Philly at over 600 square miles?

Two points:

1. It doesn't matter if anyone draws 134 miles or 1 acre around city hall. Unless Houston is permitted to balkanize into progressive and conservative wards, the city no longer affords a range of protections and rights for its lgbt residents and visitors (an anomoly among the largest US cities, btw).

2. You seem to be unaware of the politics of the east coast cities and their suburbs. Look at how the votes stacked up in the 2012 presidential election in Philly and Houston MSAs:

Houston
Obama 44.03
Romney 55.97

Philadelphia
Obama 64.68
Romney 35.32

Results by Metropolitican Statistical Areas

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by groovamos

Really now, we here are supposed to empower city government to go out and police us in the social realm outside of state law? This is what cities are for? And if we don't think so that makes us worked into a tizzy? I thought cities are to repair sewer lines and to arrest burglars. I got burgled in 2012, two men pawned some of the stuff, but not my mother's jewelry, worth around $13,000. Did the two men get arrested? No, the city has too many other priorities. You used to be able to go down there and go to burglary and theft dept. Now when you go down they send a public affairs intern out to meet you. If you ask about your case, and why the two guys didn't get arrested, they tell you the report is confidential.

And you think the city is supposed to go out and harass people for social reasons, and then do what? Give them a ticket for non-compliance? Why can't you get the state or the feds to do this?

To be honest with you I don't recall any "fears" or "tizzies" over the recent vote, and I know a lot of people. That's what you get for reading the Atlantic, what a weird view of life.

The question is not about your mother's jewelry. The question is if you consider Houston to be progressive.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

On the same day Houston voters overwhelmingly rescinded rights and protections for its LGBT residents and visitors, Philadelphia voters overwhelmingly voted to establishing permanent office of LGBT affairs: 'This beats San Francisco'. By definition, progressive cities progress; they don't go backwards.

Houston doesn't come to mind when people think about progressive cities.

For people who understand that progressive doesn't always mean leftist or liberal, Houston very much can be seen as a progressive city.

If you rate a huge city of millions of people based on whether it allows self identifying trans-gendered people to freely use the restroom of their choice you've missed the point completely. Most people don't live a constantly offended, victim lifestyle and there are many many things going on in Houston that are immensely more important than whether we have an office dedicated to LGBT affairs and I'm a firm believer in same sex marriage and equal rights for everyone.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

For people who understand that progressive doesn't always mean leftist or liberal, Houston very much can be seen as a progressive city.

This is a forum. You can hold differing opinions from mine on this topic. I do not consider Houston to be a progressive city.

When people learn I lived in Houston for 26 years, they think Rick Perry and Ted Cruz. Its tally for the 2012 election totals a few posts up would suggest it is a pocket of progressive neighborhoods surrounded by mile after mile of Tea Partiers (//www.city-data.com/forum/42607958-post53.html).

The HERO vote was more than a local story. It received a lot of national attention. Houston had the opportunity to change its national image as a social and political backwater with the HERO vote. Unfortunately, the overwhelming number of people who voted to rescind protections and rights for its lgbt residents and citizens reenforces the perception. People who live in progressive cities do not take such actions.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by ToyYot

Just sayin'....

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

I guess you were out of town when HERO, AKA the BATHROOM ORDINANCE, was being debated:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7thOvSvC4E


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdqfv9aGbgM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4NsiX_aY9M


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbt5vnc8Y-I

If you failed to notice the debate came down to the issue of bathrooms, you must not have been paying attention. Just sayin'

Originally Posted by Zhang Fei

Progress comes in the form of a move to the left. Note that the reference points are always changing. What was left-wing enough 10 years ago isn't left-wing enough today. And Eisenhower would be considered a Nazi.

Yeah, most liberals feel that "progress" means you are moving further left.

Sorry, but not everyone feels "progress" is larger government, more spending and greater government control.

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by groovamos

To be honest with you I don't recall any "fears" or "tizzies" over the recent vote, and I know a lot of people. That's what you get for reading the Atlantic, what a weird view of life.

The progressive view is that if you don't agree with continued progress to the left, you are fearful or hysterical. Another progressive stance is that people who are disgusted with activities favored by the left are secret fans of those activities. Hence, someone who hates encountering roaches might secretly have a liking for them.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

Yeah, most liberals feel that "progress" means you are moving further left.

Sorry, but not everyone feels "progress" is larger government, more spending and greater government control.

Which is exactly why Houston isnt a progressive city. Houston took the bait and let their fear take over.

Progressive goes hand in hand with liberal on a political level. There is no such thing as progressive conservativism on a political level. Houston isnt liberal. Its less liberal than Dallas for crying out loud (on a city level).

And since you wanted a specific example from NYC, here you go:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/st...ll-gender.html

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

Which is exactly why Houston isnt a progressive city. Houston took the bait and let their fear take over.

Progressive goes hand in hand with liberal on a political level. There is no such thing as progressive conservativism on a political level. Houston isnt liberal. Its less liberal than Dallas for crying out loud (on a city level).

And since you wanted a specific example from NYC, here you go:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/st...ll-gender.html

So the thread should have been titled "Would you consider Houston a liberal city? Why or why not?"

Sorry, but the main definition of "progressive" is essentially moving forward in development, I'm not going to pretend that "progress" and liberalism go hand and hand.

So, since your definition of progress, based upon your NYC example, seems to revolve around gender neutral bathrooms, I guess, as I suspected, that is how you judge the progress of a city.