Liberal couple in American Fork - Will We Survive?

[Blondie-Rabbit]

Originally Posted by SergeantL

I know how you feel. As a conservative, I knew I was throwing my vote away when I lived in Granola Northern California. My old area was the breeding ground of ultra left wing politics and politicians such as Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, Lynn Woolsey, and Barbara Boxer. It was much akin to living in a mental ward. Now that I am in Utah, I feel as if I have awoken from a terrible nightmare.

Finally something we agree on. Just add in Berkeley and you covered it all. I don't care for either party. I just want to vote for the best candidate no matter the party instead of what has turned into the lesser of two evils. I'm for reality in politics, not what we have today. No more politics that really overlooks the people in favor of political power bases for a few who want power.

[CGFarmer]

Originally Posted by melanieum

I just saw this post and so was glad you did not move here. Lots of people here who are part of the LDS church ( which is the dominating religion here) make it sound like it is so easy to live here but it is not. Unless you are ready to covert, want to at very least pretend to be" Mormon" in order to have any level of social life (Especially if you have children, they will not be allowed to play with your kids, they won't come right out and say why- but they will always have something else going on)
I have lived here all my life, and the only area to consider is Suncrest because most are transplants and don't have to live up to "standards" set by "The Church"... some areas in East SLC are nice with all of the things you said you were looking for... but watch out for out of control media & newspaper hyped up real estate pricing right now. People here tend to believe everything they read and have no reason what so ever to pay attention to what is happening outside of their neighborhood, nevermind the Nation.
The enviromental issues here are outrageous. Sure they are finally working out some of the transportation issues, but they are at least 10 years late on that. And I dont see an end to oil companies ( 6 within 15 miles of each other) going anywhere or even attempting to clean up there act.
Everyone has to compete here with their SUVs, huge houses and families - they can't afford- but hey it's interest only and God wants more Mormons for the battle of the end of the world- yes this is the story they sale... anyway there is just so much that is not normal here, but most people here don't know it because they are told, with the fear for their eternal salvation, not to look, read, watch or listen to anyone with an "outside" opinion.
Needless to say we are leaving as soon as possible and I am excited to live somewhere that when I wear a tank top some one will make eye contact with me and not stare at my shoulders as if they have never seen them, or that it defines me on a whole as a hedant.
"Utah only a friendly place if you are in with the friendlies" - and dont bother posting an dispute to this unless you are NON-LDS and can say you have had a different experience.

I have to say that our experience here has been completely the opposite of what it sounds like you've had. We moved here for a job offer three years ago and were told that there was a Mormon double-standard we'd have to face. When we moved in to our home, we had several different families bring us dinner or some kind of cookie to welcome us. Now, melanieum, you are right about the SUV abundance, but we have never had the problems with our kids playing with Mormon kids, nor have I been shunned when we wear clothes that are not usually accepted by Mormon people. We have been approached several times to listen to missionaries, so melanieum is right about the Mormons trying to get us to learn about them, but every time we politely say no and we have never been shunned because of it.

Our neighbors to both sides of us are Mormon, and we get to see two different perspectives. To the west of us are a middle-aged couple who are probably the nicest people you have ever met before. More than once I have come home to a lawn that had been mowed by him or my wife on the front porch with a loaf of bread or cookies brought by her, usually talking and laughing about something. They have asked us several times to come to church activities (apparently their church has activities like picnics, parties, games, etc. about once a month?) or even to church meetings, and they are wonderful when we tell them we aren't interested. We even had a water heater go south on us at 4:00 in the morning, and that neighbor knocked on our door because he felt like we needed our help with something (at 4:00 in the morning???) and worked for three hours to get things moved out of the flood in the basement!

To the east of us are another Mormon family, and they are very outspoken against their church. As far as I can tell, they say they are Mormons but they don't go to church? Both of them are always telling us what hypocrites the people here are, that they only care about them as a number and not as people. Whenever people from the neighborhood stop by their house, they won't answer the door (he's told me before "if we just ignore 'em, maybe they'll leave us alone!"). They've complained about being ostracized by the neighborhood because they don't go to church, and have talked about the hypocrite Mormons not accepting their kids. Ironically, I don't feel comfortable letting my kids play over there because of how negative they are and because it seems like every other word he speaks is a cuss word. It's interesting that our kids have never been treated differently by the neighborhood, even though everybody knows we aren't Mormons, but their family feels shunned by the neighborhood, even though they are Mormons.

Bottom line, melanieum, is that I think the picture you paint is different that what we've seen. I think our shunned neighbors have been shunned because they act negatively, are outspoken about their lifestyle (they like to drink - which the Mormons apparently teach NOT to do, they like to cuss around anybody who talks to them, and they don't do anything to be a part of the neighborhood) but they feel like the Mormons are hypocrites because they don't accept their lifestyle.

Now, there are some things in this city I am not a fan of, but the people here are one of the main reasons we are going to stick around in spite of me losing the job that brought me here in the first place! Our daughter's best friend is a Mormon girl whose dad is a bishop (something like the minister of the congregation here?), our son has gone to a few of the Mormon activities and said it was a blast and he wants us to go now, and our neighbors still bring us cookies and warm bread after three years.

I've been impressed by what I've seen of the Mormons, and have never been welcomed so warmly in any other place we've been (If I'm not careful, I may convince myself to go to one of their activities, so I better stop talking about it now).

[Chango]

Originally Posted by GoingHiking

Hi all,

My husband and I are considering moving to American Fork as a result of a job offer. We currently live in an extremely beautiful town just south of Portland, OR. We are very liberal, outdoorsy people who value outdoor beauty and nice people.

My biggest concerns:

* Ending up in a conservative area where the houses, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc. are all exactly the same.

* Lots of industry polluting the local air and water (and no one caring about it!)

* Lots of giant SUVs with anti-environmentalism, anti-liberal bumper stickers. Basically I don't want to feel hated every time I leave the house.

* Having to drive a great distance to buy healthy, organic food

Living in American Fork isn't a retirement plan but it's a great job offer. Plus we have loved vacationing in UT - we love the desert, and there's obviously tons of outdoor recreational opportunities. Will my concerns prove to be true and outweigh these benefits?

Any advice is welcome. Thank you!

Just as long as you don't say anything about taking away our guns you will survive.

Oh yea, and you'll have to become a devil worshiping polygamist cultist too.

[Intermountain Dog]

I have heard that...where in Draper?

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

The OP decided not to move over 2.5 yrs ago. Thread closed. If you need new info, ask a question. Most of this thread is over 2 yrs old.