Does anyone notice a high christian populace?

[keithhtt]

Originally Posted by Moderate Guy

I'm not a Sarasota resident myself, but I'm sure the city is progressive enough to tolerate extraordinary rhetoric such as this.

I hope not.

[ZaraZoteBuccaneer]

Originally Posted by dishing the 9411

Also, I apologize if my question seemed rude; that was not my intention. I was just questioning Zarazotebuccaneer's residency as he doesn’t seem understand Sarasota very well.

I'm from out of state. I know that must strike at my credibility in your mind a bit, but I would argue that it's not impossible to know an area really well considering my experiences there.

When a person looks to move to an area, like I find myself doing, they should look into everything. I've spent 16 months reading this Sarasota forum on my lunch breaks. I've spent 7 months contributing. I've spent 3 extended stays down here, stayed in a house on the east side of town on two of the occassions and know everything about what living in Sarasota feels like, because I've done it. I've looked into the politics there because I'm an active citizen even in my own area who has been in city government positions and has also been a founder to help start a school. I will likely get back into something like that again in the Sarasota area. Your mayor is a northern boy and a Republican with a background in manufacturing like me. Your county is very fiscally conservative in spite of the foreclosure rates, twice the national average, and has seen a tax softening due to housing value corrections. I know about their track record for strong revenue in spite of unemployment but have managed unemployment rates better than the rest of Florida! I know what this place is like and don't need to live there to believe otherwise. Have I seen the other side of Sarasota? Not like you've argued to be true...but I've read things similar to your view. Speaking of reading, (I just found this earlier today)this liberal article in this liberal paper even coins the same phrase in it's second sentence as what I'm saying!!!!
Proof Democrats matter in Sarasota? | Political Insider I especially had a chuckle to some of the responses to the article....
So pat yourself on the back, you're in an area that needs to do that sort of thing just to feel good about your progressive intentions!

I'm headed to Sarasota because I'm called to go there. You can read my thread to understand my religious experience behind it. Sarasota found me and the more I look into what it's really like there, the more I can tell it is a matched made in heaven for my family. Demographics, values... are all in line with my beliefs. Plus it has beaches.

Look, you can feel like I still don't know Sarasota just because I don't pay property tax and work down there yet but it doesn't mean my take on the area doesn't count. If Sarasota hadn't been the first in a string of real-estate crashes a few years ago, also signaling the freeze on employment around the bay area, I'd probably have found a job and gotten down by now, writing a totally different response to your post.

I welcome the residents to chime in a bit more. This thread has been taken over a bit by out-of-state-wanna-be residents, and has gotten off topic.

[Ladywithafan]

I got really confused by the direction as well.

[dishing the 9411]

That is fine if you think you know Sarasota (and can offer advice to someone as to whether he will feel welcome here) by reading internet blogs, newspaper articles and visiting three times. ;-)

[nancy thereader]

Sorry, there is just too much discord with this thread so I am closing it.