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Providence is a rather divided city. Those who live in the college communities tend to be quite progressive- specifically East Siders and those around Providence College and RI College. There are also large pockets of similar types downtown and in the arts district. These are mostly the ones who patronize the museums and theatre, etc. The rest of the city is working poor, blue collar, verging on welfare neighborhoods. Many pockets of recent (and many) illegal immigrants. So yes, there is much vibrancy and much urban revival but also sharp contrasts in the city.
Providence is similar to Seattle in that they are both old, historic, port cities. I think we have better weather.
Sorry to have reality intrude on your hypocrisy but is that a GALLUP poll you are citing?
Funny how Gallup is worthless when you disagree with it but all of a sudden it's now regarded as "reality"
Not at all. The poll I cited was from early 2010. The rap that Gallup got as a bad pollster came as a result of its polling in the 2012 election. Even Gallup recognized its errors:
Quote:
Originally Posted by TPM
MAY 13, 2013, 12:14 PM
One of the best known polling firms in the nation plans next month to reveal big changes to the way it does business after falling flat during last year’s election.
The move comes after an embarrassing stretch for Gallup in which the firm was widely panned for its 2012 election polls. Soon after the election, Fordham University put the firm near the bottom of its rankings for pollster accuracy. And more recently, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough launched a blistering on-air attack last week against the firm.
Second, the "Rhode Island Most Liberal" meme is repeatable -- it wasn't just Gallup that came to this conclusion.
My suggestion? Be more selective in using the word "hypocrisy," m'kay?
Most Rhode Islanders are second, third, and fourth-generation ethnic whites descended from Southern and Eastern European immigrants
Now you're way off the reservation. Actually, "most" Rhode Islanders are not Southern European, and certainly not Eastern European.
While Italians make up the largest percentage for ethnicity (19%), Irish are second with 18%, French third with 15%, and English fourth with 12%. Add up the latter three groups and you've got nearly half the total population from Northwestern Europe. As for Eastern Euros? They don't even figure into the top ten demographic groups.
People around here rely so much on anecdotal evidence. It's like just because there is a Greek festival every year, people assume we have a huge Greek contingent. (We don't.) Or just because we have one of the highest percentages of Portuguese, most Rhode Islanders are Portuguese. (They aren't, it's about 8%.)
Here are the top 10 demographic groups in Rhody, according to the 2012 US Census Bureau's numbers:
19.0% Italian
18.3% Irish
12.1% English
8.2% Portuguese
8.0% French
6.4% French Canadian
3.3% Dominican[51]
3.3% Puerto Rican
2.2% Chinese
Hispanics in the state make up 12.8% of the population, predominantly Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan populations.
Most Rhode Islanders are second, third, and fourth-generation ethnic whites descended from Southern and Eastern European immigrants and, in turn, Roman Catholic. These folks are not socially liberal in the same sense as West Coast liberals, which I believe the OP is attempting to discern: most Rhode Island Democrats are card-carrying union members, the children and/or grandchildren of union workers, and/or welfare recipients.
By the way, we already had the discussion about how most "Catholics" really do not take their religion that seriously. If they did, the State would not have gay marriage - and the majority of Rhode Islanders would not be in favor of it. End of story.
Most Rhode Islanders are second, third, and fourth-generation ethnic whites descended from Southern and Eastern European immigrants and, in turn, Roman Catholic. These folks are not socially liberal in the same sense as West Coast liberals, which I believe the OP is attempting to discern: most Rhode Island Democrats are card-carrying union members, the children and/or grandchildren of union workers, and/or welfare recipients.
The OP never introduced liberalism intro the thread: you did. The OP's question was: "Is Providence (sorry for the typo) immersed in vibrant culture? Do you feel intellectually stimulated as a resident, or when you live there?"
Most Rhode Islanders are second, third, and fourth-generation ethnic whites descended from Southern and Eastern European immigrants and, in turn, Roman Catholic. These folks are not socially liberal in the same sense as West Coast liberals, which I believe the OP is attempting to discern: most Rhode Island Democrats are card-carrying union members, the children and/or grandchildren of union workers, and/or welfare recipients.
Depending who you believe, welfare recipients make up either 1.8% or 3.3% of the RI population. It's pretty obvious that makes it unlikely that "most" Rhode Island Democrats are welfare recipients, or children of one.
(Anecdotes for the win, the only union members I've known worked as teachers, in government or in construction. I've never encountered one in retail, banking or in a factory - more's the pity. Wages were much higher when union membership was more prevalent).
Anyway, comparing Seattle to Providence seems like comparing apples to oranges. They are not similarly sized cities at all. I tend to agree with Holly's characterization. Providence certainly has its share of people (in all neighborhoods) who care about intellectual pursuits, theatre, museums, live music etc - but these are not available in all the neighborhoods of the city and tend to be centered downtown and on the east side.
The OP never introduced liberalism intro the thread: you did. The OP's question was: "Is Providence (sorry for the typo) immersed in vibrant culture? Do you feel intellectually stimulated as a resident, or when you live there?"
Yeah, plus he's wrong anyway. If a state with gay marriage, no death penalty, legal medical marijuana, and decriminalized recreational marijuana isn't socially liberal, then what is? haha
Unlike most of the posters on the Rhode Island forum, I'm a native Rhode Islander, so I probably know more "true" Rhode Islanders than all of you combined. Furthermore, I don't view the state, its politics, and its economy through rose-colored glasses which seems to be the theme here. If the gay marriage and medical and recreational marijuana are your top priorities, then something is severely wrong. Obviously, those issues seem to be the top priorities of the state's legislators. It's no wonder why Rhode Island politics are still deeply-flawed, even in the 21st century, and the state is an utter mess. Rhode Island is literally crumbling from within.
In the meantime, I think all of you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Why don't you all try to make your adopted home that you love so much a better place by helping repair the state's terrible economy? At the end of the day, that's the only way to save Rhode Island.
Yeah, plus he's wrong anyway. If a state with gay marriage, no death penalty, legal medical marijuana, and decriminalized recreational marijuana isn't socially liberal, then what is? haha
Next thing you know and he'll be staking a claim to be the only native Rhode Islander in existence, whatever that's worth.
Unlike most of the posters on the Rhode Island forum, I'm a native Rhode Islander, so I probably know more "true" Rhode Islanders than all of you combined. Furthermore, I don't view the state, its politics, and its economy through rose-colored glasses which seems to be the theme here. If the gay marriage and medical and recreational marijuana are your top priorities, then something is severely wrong. Obviously, those issues seem to be the top priorities of the state's legislators. It's no wonder why Rhode Island politics are still deeply-flawed, even in the 21st century, and the state is an utter mess. Rhode Island is literally crumbling from within.
In the meantime, I think all of you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Why don't you all try to make your adopted home that you love so much a better place by helping repair the state's terrible economy? At the end of the day, that's the only way to save Rhode Island.
I am truly beginning to wonder if you are lacking when it comes to reading comprehension. You were the one who said that Rhode Islanders were not "socially liberal". I point out that they, in fact, are - and your retort is to say "it's not important"? Then why bring it up to begin with? You're still wrong either way. You don't see things through rose-colored glasses, you don't seem to see much of anything at all.
I mean, seriously. Your post was utterly demolished by three different people who actually cited facts. And all you come back with is more chicken-little garbage without a single, solitary, basic fact to back up any of it.
Truly weak. This almost makes me miss Rosco. (Almost.)
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