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Are you really going to let a few quirky professors, idealistic college students and burnt-out aging hippies keep you away from two of what are arguably the best towns in the state (and country) for quality of life? As a free market libertarian (but a pragmatist as well), I can tell you that I've survived nearly a year in Carrboro completely unscathed. My advice would be to find a place you like for other reasons and ignore the viewpoints of your neighbors. They can still be great people even if their views are funny.
I do not usually voice my political opinion in public, other than a forum. But someone always asks a question and as soon as they find out that I am not a Liberal, the yelling and screaming rant at me soon follows. I like to be calm, happy and enjoy my day. I really don't want to be the target of someone's angry rant.
A case in point was last week. A group of 7 coworkers ask me a political question. I fluffed it off to avoid conflict. They asked a second question to probe deeper. When I answered, they all started screaming at me like maniacs. I had to walk away. That is what I want to avoid. That is why I am looking for a more tolerant area for someone that has "some" conservative beliefs. If a town was tolerant of all beliefs, then there would not be an issue. Unfortunately, this election year has shown how passionate and intolerant people can be. It is driving me to find a more conservative place.
Last edited by Charlton Dude; 10-08-2008 at 04:59 AM..
That's the best answer I have seen on this thread!!!
But...should someone be looking for core conservative values (whatever that means) in the Triangle, I'd suggest that the further you are from the city centers of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, the more politically conservative it generally gets. I find it odd that the original post appears to dismiss the notion of religion which, I find, is at the core of any Southern conservative set of values. In the end, I would not assume that conservatism means the same thing in NC as it does in...say...Connecticut.
I'd advise that the original poster more specifically define what he/she means by "conservative" so that we can better advise.
One does not have to believe 100% of a platform. I find it hard to believe that anyone would. It is a few basic core principles that make me more comfortable around a higher percentage of conservatives, rather than liberals. I am looking for an area to live where these basic core principles would be more the norm:
Believes in lower taxes
Believes in limited government intervention in our lives
Believes the right of the unborn baby is most important
Believes we help people by teaching them how to be self sufficient, not by keeping them dependent on help
Believes in a strong family unit
I have some Liberal leaning tendencies on other issues, but these are the core conservatives ones that seem to enrage Liberals, should the topic come up. This is why a conservative area would be better for me. I don't want to move to Charlotte. I will stay in this area and I will not leave if I can't find a more conservative area. I am just trying to find out where the best area around here would be for someone with these basic core values.
One does not have to believe 100% of a platform. I find it hard to believe that anyone would. It is a few basic core principles that make me more comfortable around a higher percentage of conservatives, rather than liberals. I am looking for an area to live where these basic core principles would be more the norm:
Believes in lower taxes
Believes in limited government intervention in our lives
Believes the right of the unborn baby is most important
Believes we help people by teaching them how to be self sufficient, not by keeping them dependent on help
Believes in a strong family unit
I have some Liberal leaning tendencies on other issues, but these are the core conservatives ones that seem to enrage Liberals, should the topic come up. This is why a conservative area would be better for me. I don't want to move to Charlotte. I will stay in this area and I will not leave if I can't find a more conservative area. I am just trying to find out where the best area around here would be for someone with these basic core values.
Gee-with the exception of "Believes in a strong family unit", your list contains items that in my opinion don't have to be agreed upon by me and my neighbors.
I look at it this way-my neighborhood consists of people whose day to day existence is similar to mine. Our incomes are similar, our family structures are similar in most cases, our children go to the same schools. We may differ on some of the issues that you mention, but that's just the way the WORLD is. I think it's better for my kids to at least be exposed to people who may think differently that our family does-they probably will have a better shot in a world that is becoming increasingly diverse whether I/You/Anyone else wants it to or not.
I live on street where we are about 50-50 politically speaking. We're all friends. We're all adults and we certainly don't yell at each other about political affiliations. In fact, we don't even talk about it. I've never really lived in an area where the neighbors DID talk politics as part of their everyday conversations.
I think you find most neighborhoods in Raleigh and Cary pretty mixed in terms of political affiliation.
This is a funny discussion. I see so many threads with people asking where the liberal neighborhoods are, and I always wondered if someone might ask where the conservative neighborhoods are (though I always thought it would be posed in jest).
Are you really going to let a few quirky professors, idealistic college students and burnt-out aging hippies keep you away from two of what are arguably the best towns in the state (and country) for quality of life? As a free market libertarian (but a pragmatist as well), I can tell you that I've survived nearly a year in Carrboro completely unscathed. My advice would be to find a place you like for other reasons and ignore the viewpoints of your neighbors. They can still be great people even if their views are funny.
StoneOne, can I just ask you why you feel so strongly about the quality of life in Carrboro? How do you feel it's better here? As someone who just moved to NC 3 months ago (residing in Carrboro) and is still trying to "find my way" and "figure things out", I'd really like to know what you mean.
Gee-with the exception of "Believes in a strong family unit", your list contains items that in my opinion don't have to be agreed upon by me and my neighbors.
I look at it this way-my neighborhood consists of people whose day to day existence is similar to mine. Our incomes are similar, our family structures are similar in most cases, our children go to the same schools. We may differ on some of the issues that you mention, but that's just the way the WORLD is. I think it's better for my kids to at least be exposed to people who may think differently that our family does-they probably will have a better shot in a world that is becoming increasingly diverse whether I/You/Anyone else wants it to or not.
I agree. Actually, the "strong family unit" statement can be translated in so many ways that I don't think it's relevant, either.
I've never talked about politics with any of my neighbors. That's a subject I only discuss with close friends. I don't know the political leanings of 99% of my neighbors, nor do they know mine. We all get along just fine. Sure, there are a few people in my neighborhood who have put political signs in their yards, but the vast majority of people have not. That's true of every neighborhood I've visited around here in recent weeks. Remember that those signs merely reflect the opinion of a particular person who lives in a particular home. It does not represent the feelings of the entire neighborhood.
One does not have to believe 100% of a platform. I find it hard to believe that anyone would. It is a few basic core principles that make me more comfortable around a higher percentage of conservatives, rather than liberals. I am looking for an area to live where these basic core principles would be more the norm:
Believes in lower taxes
Believes in limited government intervention in our lives
Believes the right of the unborn baby is most important
Believes we help people by teaching them how to be self sufficient, not by keeping them dependent on help
Believes in a strong family unit
I have some Liberal leaning tendencies on other issues, but these are the core conservatives ones that seem to enrage Liberals, should the topic come up. This is why a conservative area would be better for me. I don't want to move to Charlotte. I will stay in this area and I will not leave if I can't find a more conservative area. I am just trying to find out where the best area around here would be for someone with these basic core values.
Quite honestly I don't see how any of those listed items (with exception of family unit) bear any factor in your neighbors at any other time than in an election year. Even then, I don't really see it being a factor unless it is made to be an issue - in other words, brought up in conversation. All of those items besides the last one are political issues, not values (at least not in terms of what I think of when I think values). There are two things that I don't talk about with certain people because I know a conflict will ensue: religion and politics. If someone brings up a subject you aren't comfortable discussing with them, just tell them so. I'd venture to guess that most anyone, despite their political leanings, would drop the topic if you aren't comfortable with it.
As for the strong family unit thing, I guess if you consider that a conservative value, I never realized I was "conservative". This one is just not exclusive to either leaning unless there is a veiled meaning there.
One does not have to believe 100% of a platform. I find it hard to believe that anyone would. It is a few basic core principles that make me more comfortable around a higher percentage of conservatives, rather than liberals. I am looking for an area to live where these basic core principles would be more the norm:
Believes in lower taxes
Believes in limited government intervention in our lives
Believes the right of the unborn baby is most important
Believes we help people by teaching them how to be self sufficient, not by keeping them dependent on help
Believes in a strong family unit
I have some Liberal leaning tendencies on other issues, but these are the core conservatives ones that seem to enrage Liberals, should the topic come up. This is why a conservative area would be better for me. I don't want to move to Charlotte. I will stay in this area and I will not leave if I can't find a more conservative area. I am just trying to find out where the best area around here would be for someone with these basic core values.
As a quick side story. My parents share your "core" values but live in an area of Raleigh where it's fairly liberal. The intended to retire to a city where, frankly, the average core values were more aligned with theirs. Guess what? They hated it! It was amusing to me that, while the area they were looking at shared their core values, it came with all sorts of other things that they didn't like. My mother especially came to realize that she wasn't paying attention to all the things that were important to her. She now sees things with a bit more balance and recognizing that there are many core liberal values that are also important to her.
In the end, I think that Raleigh works for so many people because it has so many faces and opinions that its "purple" political nature opens up a more robust dialogue that tends to bring people together rather than tear them apart.
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