Just how liberal is San Francisco really? (Concord, Livermore: quality of life, live)

[gone down south]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

Just don't talk about politics and you should be okay as far as short visit is concerned.

This.

SF is politically and socially much more liberal than the mainstream, but that's not the kind of thing you'll pick up on in a brief visit. You'll probably get a bigger sense of culture shock from the "big city" versus "small town" differences, same as is you were visiting Chicago or NYC or LA.

[goldenchild08]

San Francisco is extremely liberal in terms of a lot of things. No big city in America is more marijuana friendly than SF. SF is basically like Amsterdam in America in that regard. It is not uncommon to see (and smell) people smoking weed out in the open in public, walking to the corner store with a blunt in their mouth or hopping off the bus and lighting a joint. This may be normal in SF, much of the Bay and the West Coast, but this is largely unheard of in most big American cities. There are many medical marijuana dispensaries throughout The City that are more like upscale weed bars.

San Francisco Cannabis Club Directory

Historically, SF was the pioneer in fighting for Gay Rights. It is not uncommon to see two men holding hands in many parts of The City, particluarly the Castro. Although SF's acceptance of Gays is what the City is nationally know for, it does NOT define the entire city's incredibly diverse complex multi-faceted personality.

From my experience, all types of interracial couples are common in SF. Particularly, Asians and Pacific Islanders are coupled up with people of every different race in SF and it is no big deal. It is not uncommon to see Asian women with White men, Asian women with Black men, Asian women with Hispanic men, Asian men with White women and everything in between. Because of this, there are many SF natives of probably every mix possible that still live in The City. Race is more fluid in SF, the Bay and much of California where appearances and nationalities mean much less than they do in other more intensely segregated cities and areas of the nation.

SF is very friendly to foreign-born people from all over the world. SF is one of the only big cities in the nation where they make announcements in Chinese, Spanish and English on public transportation on the Muni. They don't even do that in NYC! It is a very liberal belief that immigrants should not have to learn English.

Although SF is historically the most liberal county in America, it is far from being a utopia of equality and acceptance. As many others have stated on this forum, there is strict social stratification in SF along racial lines. Most Whites in the City are rich or upper middle class while the tiny remaining Black population disproportionately represent the face of SF's poorly publicized permanent underclass that lives in violent, polluted, substandard abject squalor. Many Hispanics, first generation South Asians from war-torn nations and Samoans also disproportionately represent the working poor/unemployed, downtrodden and ghettoized in SF.

[The Nostalgia Critic]

Originally Posted by goldenchild08

San Francisco is extremely liberal in terms of a lot of things. No big city in America is more marijuana friendly than SF. SF is basically like Amsterdam in America in that regard. It is not uncommon to see (and smell) people smoking weed out in the open in public, walking to the corner store with a blunt in their mouth or hopping off the bus and lighting a joint. This may be normal in SF, much of the Bay and the West Coast, but this is largely unheard of in most big American cities. There are many medical marijuana dispensaries throughout The City that are more like upscale weed bars.

San Francisco Cannabis Club Directory

Historically, SF was the pioneer in fighting for Gay Rights. It is not uncommon to see two men holding hands in many parts of The City, particluarly the Castro. Although SF's acceptance of Gays is what the City is nationally know for, it does NOT define the entire city's incredibly diverse complex multi-faceted personality.

From my experience, all types of interracial couples are common in SF. Particularly, Asians and Pacific Islanders are coupled up with people of every different race in SF and it is no big deal. It is not uncommon to see Asian women with White men, Asian women with Black men, Asian women with Hispanic men, Asian men with White women and everything in between. Because of this, there are many SF natives of probably every mix possible that still live in The City. Race is more fluid in SF, the Bay and much of California where appearances and nationalities mean much less than they do in other more intensely segregated cities and areas of the nation.

SF is very friendly to foreign-born people from all over the world. SF is one of the only big cities in the nation where they make announcements in Chinese, Spanish and English on public transportation on the Muni. They don't even do that in NYC! It is a very liberal belief that immigrants should not have to learn English.

Although SF is historically the most liberal county in America, it is far from being a utopia of equality and acceptance. As many others have stated on this forum, there is strict social stratification in SF along racial lines. Most Whites in the City are rich or upper middle class while the tiny remaining Black population disproportionately represent the face of SF's poorly publicized permanent underclass that lives in violent, polluted, substandard abject squalor. Many Hispanics, first generation South Asians from war-torn nations and Samoans also disproportionately represent the working poor/unemployed, downtrodden and ghettoized in SF.

Blacks are overrepresented in all of America's big city ghettos, not just San Francisco.

[Mississippi Mamma]

Thanks guys! We just got back to Mississippi from San Francisco- boy what a weekend. The city was very beautiful and I especially liked the hilly roads, down here it is pretty flat. I met some wonderful people and a few nut-jobs (LOL). We really enjoyed seeing the Golden Gate bridge, it has a sense of awe to it. The west coast is so different from the rest of the country, and SF is even more unique! Maybe you guys should take a trip to see Mississippi, after all, our beaches are part of the redneck riviera ! An amazing and wonderful city to visit, but I am happy to be back home!

Again, thank y'all for the help!
-Megan

[dmode]

Originally Posted by goldenchild08

San Francisco is extremely liberal in terms of a lot of things. No big city in America is more marijuana friendly than SF. SF is basically like Amsterdam in America in that regard. It is not uncommon to see (and smell) people smoking weed out in the open in public, walking to the corner store with a blunt in their mouth or hopping off the bus and lighting a joint. This may be normal in SF, much of the Bay and the West Coast, but this is largely unheard of in most big American cities. There are many medical marijuana dispensaries throughout The City that are more like upscale weed bars.

San Francisco Cannabis Club Directory

Historically, SF was the pioneer in fighting for Gay Rights. It is not uncommon to see two men holding hands in many parts of The City, particluarly the Castro. Although SF's acceptance of Gays is what the City is nationally know for, it does NOT define the entire city's incredibly diverse complex multi-faceted personality.

From my experience, all types of interracial couples are common in SF. Particularly, Asians and Pacific Islanders are coupled up with people of every different race in SF and it is no big deal. It is not uncommon to see Asian women with White men, Asian women with Black men, Asian women with Hispanic men, Asian men with White women and everything in between. Because of this, there are many SF natives of probably every mix possible that still live in The City. Race is more fluid in SF, the Bay and much of California where appearances and nationalities mean much less than they do in other more intensely segregated cities and areas of the nation.

SF is very friendly to foreign-born people from all over the world. SF is one of the only big cities in the nation where they make announcements in Chinese, Spanish and English on public transportation on the Muni. They don't even do that in NYC! It is a very liberal belief that immigrants should not have to learn English.

Although SF is historically the most liberal county in America, it is far from being a utopia of equality and acceptance. As many others have stated on this forum, there is strict social stratification in SF along racial lines. Most Whites in the City are rich or upper middle class while the tiny remaining Black population disproportionately represent the face of SF's poorly publicized permanent underclass that lives in violent, polluted, substandard abject squalor. Many Hispanics, first generation South Asians from war-torn nations and Samoans also disproportionately represent the working poor/unemployed, downtrodden and ghettoized in SF.

You are right mostly, however whites are not the only race that make up the rich. Asians also represent the upper middle class of SF. And that includes South Asians (i.e. Indians) as well. That definitely is unique in SF and also the bay area. As an Asian (minority), I do think that SF (and LA) are indeed the utopia of equality and acceptance where people are not constantly asking me which country I am actually from.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by WesternGulf

...but fiscally the city and some other locales are ran by a bunch of amateurs.

They're not amateurs..They're pros---at corruption.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Mamma

Hey y'all,

This probably is going to sound quite stupid, but next weekend my fiance and I might have to take a trip out to San Francisco. We are both from small towns in Mississippi and conservative Christians. All around the country everyone hears about how crazy liberal the Bay Area is, and I want to know from some natives, what is it like there? Are there really gay-pride rallies and anti-war protests? I just don't want to out like a sore thumb (which I probably will with my accent!). It will be a cool experience for me to see Northern California as I have only been to San Diego though! Sorry if this sounds stupid, I just wan't to know what it will be like if we do have to go!

Thanks!!!
-Megan

SF is actually illiberal in the sense of classic liberalism. I associate classic liberalism with old Northeastern cities. There it mainly driven from the perspective of labor rights and attempting to redress past wrongs impacting African Americans.

Whereas SF is more into a millenarian radicalism that stems from the 1960s influx of hippies, and all that came out of that. Here, the radical will focus on "Green" causes, animal rights, and almost a post-modern spiritualism. It is far different from the classic Baltimore union hall.

It actually borders on sick at times.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

"Green" causes, animal rights, and almost a post-modern spiritualism...It actually borders on sick at times.

Doesn't sound all that "sick", really. Pretty basic progressive stuff.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Mamma

Thanks guys! We just got back to Mississippi from San Francisco- boy what a weekend. The city was very beautiful and I especially liked the hilly roads, down here it is pretty flat. I met some wonderful people and a few nut-jobs (LOL). We really enjoyed seeing the Golden Gate bridge, it has a sense of awe to it. The west coast is so different from the rest of the country, and SF is even more unique! Maybe you guys should take a trip to see Mississippi, after all, our beaches are part of the redneck riviera ! An amazing and wonderful city to visit, but I am happy to be back home!

Again, thank y'all for the help!
-Megan

Megan, I am glad you got back to let us know how your trip was. I am probably one of the few on this board that has seen your beaches, the Mississippi and spent time there. I was raised in CA, have lived in So Ca, No Ca and Mid Ca but am now in ARK so we are almost neighbors.

I am glad you survived your visit, enjoyed one of the most beautiful cities in the world and yes, glad you saw some of the nuts. It is what gives San Francisco its own personality.

nita

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Doesn't sound all that "sick", really. Pretty basic progressive stuff.

But it is not traditionally progressive. It may actually be REgressive.

Classic Progressivism is not concerned with these sorts of post modern issues which have little to do with the quality of life of working people.

Some of it is border line Luddite (with a dose of Druidism) - hardly the calling card of real Progressivism.