A few questions about San Antonio? (Austin: home, middle school, college)

[Buffyfan]

Originally Posted by sans ersatz modelisto

Chris, look, you're dealing with a group of people who for the most part have lived their whole lives in San Antonio and south Texas. Therefore, forget about getting any kind of national/global perspective from these people; overwhelmingly, they're "born and bred" Texans, and proud of it.

There is nothing wrong with being proud of your home. San Antonio has a lot of offer, and many transplants and visitors enjoy it here. I am a very well travelled San Antonian. I have been to Russia, Europe and China. I spent Christmas in Rome this year.

If anyone complains that we do not have a wide variety of cuisine, Rome is finally acquiring more international restaurants. Many transplants in Rome complained that they couldn't find a good Chinese place or a steak place. Everything is pretty much the same, when it comes to very good pasta of course. And I love pasta, don't get me wrong.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by V3rtigo

maybe ill start adding spelling mistakes in there as well. clearly typing on a local forum is an indication of intelligence. im not trying to convince anyone, im stating facts. if you choose to stick your head in the sand, so be it.

theres no clumping? really? read this forum and tell me you havent seen families asking where the best place is to live to be near other military families.

i havent badmouthed servicemen, but if you choose to believe that, thats your problem. maybe you can call me a terrorist or unamerican next. pathetic. we will be moving eventually, perhaps somewhere with some more culture.

and yes, the restaurants are an indication to me of what constitutes a great city. the lack of multiculturalism, the unitary/military thinking, and commonality of the city. its brilliant that the #1 rated restaurant on yahoo travel in this city is a cheap burger joint with large portions for the large waistlines. impressive. maybe if people started to think about these things as well, the city could improve? no, lets just keep it the way it is, its already perfect here, right? we dont need a real asian market, or a russian restaurant, or a rollerhockey rink, or anything else. we dont need sports teams or basketball courts. we dont need any great employers. everythings perfect. lets never change and if you dont like it, get out.

For one, what you type on a forum is an indication of your intelligence. If you deliberately misspell words, you will only cause people to think you are even dumber than you are. Your statement reminds me of an old bit by a comedian who said the next joke was for all the stupid people in the audience. He said they knew who they were, but then he opined that maybe they don’t know who they were! The point is being blatantly stupid is not an indication of intelligence as you imagine.

Secondly, you have yet to state a "fact." A fact is something you can support with evidence or firsthand experience. You have neither. You spout your opinion and nothing else. But hey, since you say military families “clump” together in San Antonio, show me the statistics that prove that. You can’t, because it is not true.

Thirdly, if you would bother to read those threads that you mentioned, the military families that come here are looking for neighborhoods that are within a certain driving distance to the base at which they are going to be stationed. Mainly they are looking for good schools for their kids, or other neighborhood attributes that they desire. I can’t recall many asking to be near other military families. Once again, do some research and back up your comment, and I will believe it. Just list five threads where someone has asked to live in neighborhoods where other military people live.

Lastly, the lack of numerous cultures within a city does not prevent it from being a great city. San Antonio is rich in its culture and history, and I don’t think the lack of Slovak restaurants or rugby pitches lessens the greatness of this town. So yes, I am saying we don’t need a Russian restaurant, an Asian market or any of the other things you claim are necessary. But since you are focused on what San Antonio lacks, you are clearly blind to what it offers. That’s your loss, and I hope you do leave soon and go back to wherever it was that you think was so wonderful. We all will be better off…

[V3rtigo]

heres one. dont care to look for more:
//www.city-data.com/forum/san-a...sing-feel.html

so my travels, to more places in less years than you, dont count as evidence or firsthand experience for me, but it does for you? sounds like some good ol fashioned "dont talk back to your elders, even when theyre wrong." did you learn that in the military?

[V3rtigo]

anyways, im done with this thread. clearly SA is the greatest city in the world, needs no improvement, needs no culture.

yay military!

/rant

[ChrisMP]

What I don't understand is how people can say they are "proud" of the city for its many flaws.
What exactly are you proud about?
I had lunch today (at Belo's in the Omni- great inexpensive place IMO) with a client who was in town from Charlotte for a wedding. He had lived in San Antonio for 40 years with his wife and two kids. He said he always defended this city and thought it was perfect - until he got out and saw just how backwards it was. He thinks what happenend is "the inmates are running the asilum".
I told him my problem with what I see everyday and he agreed. Said he is happy his kids are not in SA because there is a huge differnce in the school system.
He said to me it to me in a perfect way. He said it is all a matter of classlessness. There un classy people everywhere in the world, but it is not the majority and not put up with, but in SA, he said it is allowed and almost considered Okay.

[LindaGrace]

Chris, no city is perfect. You didn't want to change anything about Ocala? It was perfect just the way it was?

I grew up near St. Louis and lived in St. Louis city for years. I LOVE St. Louis. LOVE. But it isn't perfect, by any stretch. Just like San Antonio isn't perfect. There are ABSOLUTELY things about San Antonio that just make me roll my eyes. But I like it enough here that I can look beyond its flaws.

[ChrisMP]

Linda- that is true, but with SA, I just see that people juast accept all the bad behavior, and "I want it now" mantality.

Great example. I was in the mall the other day and notice some horrible woman getting her daughters ears peirced. The kid had to be less than one year old and was crying crazy. Who would do that to their child? Funny thing was, nobody seemed to care. I was about to say something, but it looks like the kid had it done all ready so I just walk away.

[LindaGrace]

Originally Posted by ChrisMP

Linda- that is true, but with SA, I just see that people juast accept all the bad behavior, and "I want it now" mantality.

Great example. I was in the mall the other day and notice some horrible woman getting her daughters ears peirced. The kid had to be less than one year old and was crying crazy. Who would do that to their child? Funny thing was, nobody seemed to care. I was about to say something, but it looks like the kid had it done all ready so I just walk away.

Getting a little girl's ears pierced at a young age is a cultural thing in the Hispanic community here. I'm not saying it's right or it's wrong, I'm just saying it's cultural to that community and it's not uncommon.

The woman wasn't doing it to be mean to her kid, and no one was paying any attention to it because it's common as dirt on the ground and grackles in the trees.

Had you posted an example of some store employee ignoring you, then mumbling answers to your questions, I would've been on board with you. THAT makes me insane.

[sans ersatz modelisto]

Originally Posted by lemonfresh

I guess it's my turn to disprove a claim.

According to the most recent statistics, SA has more foreign born residents than top 10 populated city Philadelphia. 170,000 for San Antonio, 159,000 for Philly. SA is above the national average at 14%. Philly is below the national average at 10%.

Detroit city has a foreign born population of 45,000.

San Antonio: 170,000.

That's over three times more foreign born residents.

FB residents also make up 14 percent of SA's population, that's more than the national average, though not as how as other places. Detroit the number is 5%.

I'm sorry, but having a city made up largely of Mexicans is not representative of diversity or of having a large foreign born (ie more than from just one country or geographic region) population. There is no comparison between Philadelphia and SA in this regard...Philadelphia has more residents born in Asia, Africa, and Europe than does SA. San Antonio's foreign born population as is it's primary population is predominately Hispanic.

Sorry, that's not diversity.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by ChrisMP

Linda- that is true, but with SA, I just see that people juast accept all the bad behavior, and "I want it now" mantality.

I see a few options:
1. Hate where you live and be miserable

2. Figure out what's good about where you live and enjoy it and ignore the rest

3. Figure out what's good where you live, enjoy it, and work to address the things you don't enjoy (not enough art and culture? Get involved with bringing cultural activities to the area)

4. Move to a place you'll enjoy and forget the original place entirely

It's not that complicated. If #4 isn't a viable option for whatever reason, I'd suggest #2 or #3, it makes life much happier for everyone.

For the record, I'm not a native, I have lived all over the world and over the US, I don't think San Antonio is perfect, but I do enjoy living here and prefer it to many other places I've lived.

And while I don't usually nit pik about grammar, misspellings, etc, and am very forgiving of typos, posts critiquing class, education, and culture would carry a bit more weight if they weren't filled with poor grammar and misspellings making a post.