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Old 08-28-2007, 04:40 PM
 
Location: Eastern Kansas
89 posts, read 498,895 times
Reputation: 70

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I'm sorry that you are suffering from racism in Wichita. People say stupid things.

I don't know why it seems to be open season on certain ethnic groups. It changes. Back in the 30s I think it was, the Irish were hated and feared. There were signs over the doors of some employment offices that said "Irish need not apply."

Fears change, ignorance seems to breed on itself. Racism is always, without exception, disgusting.

BTW, the Zoot Suit Riots were in the 40s. Segregation in schools in Southern California was being addressed by the 50s, but still happened. It was nothing like the deep South though.

But racism, homophobia and other fears and idiocies will not be done away with as long as humankind walk the Earth. All we can do, I feel, is hope for improvement and keep working on it.

I see people keep putting down Kansas. I'm not sure where anyone can go to find everything we want and need, and can afford to live there. So, what my husband and I have done is that we've found a little house that we like, in a beautiful, small town. And we drive to see things we want to see. So, we get the best of places like Wichita, Topeka, KC and Lawrence without the aggravation of having to live there.

Even at that, we have one neighbor who doesn't like us. But we get along great in this town otherwise. I guess there is really no Utopia, but if you guys find one, please tell us where it is. That or hide the secret safely so it doesn't get over crowded and ruined.

Did you know there used to be a Utopia, Kansas? It was on hwy 99, just North of hwy 54 in Greenwood county. The sign is gone now, but the Utopia Comminty Church still stands, I think. Don't know that it's being used anymore.

Janet


Quote:
Originally Posted by ihwgis View Post
I moved to Kansas about 6mns. ago to be with my fiance/now-husband. I grew up in rural Ohio, went to college in Cambridge, MA, traveled all around the world and taught in Brownsville, TX. So trust me when I say that Wichita is A BLACKHOLD OF MISERY AND DEPREVATION.

This place is so incredibly narrow-minded and racist that simply looking at most Wichitans makes me want to puke. I'm serious. I'm Hispanic and my husband (who is white) is CONSTANTLY getting comments about my ethnic heritage and whether I'm legal. WHO THE HELL DOES THAT? What kind of backward-ass society asks focuses on a harvard graduates ethnic background and legal status when there are SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO TALK ABOUT? Someone on this panel said that Kansas is like Calif. in the 1950s and I'd say she's right: in the 1950s CA had just gone through brutal attacks on the Mexican-American community (Zoot Suit Riots) and still allowed segregation of black and Hispanic children (which would later be overturned by Menedez v. Westminster). It hasn't been until recently that societal (versus legal) racism has toned down in CA.

SO, I would say that Wichita is the same racist place that CA was in the 1950s without any hope of the progressive changes that were to come. So, basically, DON'T MOVE BACK.
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Old 08-31-2007, 12:00 AM
 
16 posts, read 80,178 times
Reputation: 15
I'm the original poster of this thread and have been in Wichita now for about 6 weeks or so. The house we were scheduled to close on went into foreclosure before our closing date so we've been staying w/relatives until that situation gets sorted out but I have a few thoughts so far.

-Commute time is great
-Exploration Place is a gem and one of the best museums I've visited
-Riverside area is my favorite so far. Would live there if we didn't have kids.
-Neighborhoods in this area (northwest) are designed much better than where we came from. Windy roads deter people from driving quickly through, trees are planted, sidewalks in most neighborhoods, cul-de-sacs are everywhere.
-Maize school district is very good.
-Lack of curb-side recycling stinks.
-Radio station options are very limited (will make good use of our XM radio here).
-Malls aren't good but new strip shopping areas are fine.
-Movie theaters are some of the best I've seen and having a drive-in theater is nice.

We travel a lot by car (K-tags are installed!) and plane so our exposure won't be limited to what Wichita has available. I've been fairly pleased so far with the city. I'll check back here periodically w/new observations that could be helpful to anybody contemplating the move.
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Old 08-31-2007, 05:39 AM
 
1 posts, read 7,634 times
Reputation: 11
Default withita no place to live.

There is nothing to do in wichita, Religous furvor has destroyed this town, and kept it from progressing. The religous nuts think they live in a utopia. but crime it through the roof. and no one wants to live in wichita proper.
Why do all the people who can afford it live in the outlying areas? because the crystal meth labs are very prevelant and so is crime.
If you live in wichita proper you will most likely get broken into or have something stoled from you yard.
Not a good place to live.
I guess they cant blame wichita sucking on the casino can they.
Any thing that would have made this town a bit more easy to live in they have run out, unless it had a cross on top and sermons from a 2k year old book that is full of myth and outdated.
People sit in the local coffee houses and pray outloud. And seem happy in their ignorance.
To answer the question, KEEP OUT OF WICHITA, IT SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS.
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Old 08-31-2007, 08:57 AM
 
26 posts, read 199,202 times
Reputation: 33
formerkansan, if you haven't taken the kids to the Cosmosphere in Hutch, I highly recommend it. We don't have kids, but my Mom bought us a pass when she visited us last year and we went out there. It has a fantastic museum in the basement that has so much information you'll probably have to visit a few times. It also has a small omni theater in it. If they still have the Lewis/Clark movie showing I recommend it for the kids, very interesting. The bayou one is pretty good as well.
off-topic
Not sure what the whole real estate is cheap here stuff is about. We had a 2200 sqft home in Plano TX that we bought for 110k and sold for 140. No specials and No homeowners fees. Not so much here.
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Old 08-31-2007, 02:55 PM
 
16 posts, read 80,178 times
Reputation: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbdallas View Post
formerkansan, if you haven't taken the kids to the Cosmosphere in Hutch, I highly recommend it. We don't have kids, but my Mom bought us a pass when she visited us last year and we went out there. It has a fantastic museum in the basement that has so much information you'll probably have to visit a few times. It also has a small omni theater in it. If they still have the Lewis/Clark movie showing I recommend it for the kids, very interesting. The bayou one is pretty good as well.
off-topic
Not sure what the whole real estate is cheap here stuff is about. We had a 2200 sqft home in Plano TX that we bought for 110k and sold for 140. No specials and No homeowners fees. Not so much here.
We visited the Cosmosphere last November and stayed a couple of nights in Hutchinson as well. We will plan to visit the salt mines soon though.

As far as real estate comparison, it's tough because north Texas is pretty inexpensive too. We bought for 123, sold for 139,900. 1860 sq. ft. new house. Here, we are looking to buy a house that's 14 years old, 2700 sq. ft. and it will be about $210,000 but the neighborhood is much nicer than ours in Texas. Yeah, not really cheaper than Texas esp. when you throw in specials.
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Old 08-31-2007, 03:13 PM
 
26 posts, read 199,202 times
Reputation: 33
Default not so much cheaper

Yep, specials can add quite a bit it seems. We're renting since we don't plan to stay. This was a 2 yr stop for us for grad school, and we just couldn't settle here. It's not awful, just not us. And I see the long term as being pretty tough here unless they attract some industry outside of the aerospace sector.
The high taxes/fees really hit us, I knew the state income tax would be there, but lumped on top of sales taxes and all the personal property tax it really adds up to few thousand per year.
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Old 09-03-2007, 10:42 PM
 
378 posts, read 1,618,608 times
Reputation: 233
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotfuzz View Post
There is nothing to do in wichita, Religous furvor has destroyed this town, and kept it from progressing. The religous nuts think they live in a utopia. but crime it through the roof. and no one wants to live in wichita proper.
Why do all the people who can afford it live in the outlying areas? because the crystal meth labs are very prevelant and so is crime.
If you live in wichita proper you will most likely get broken into or have something stoled from you yard.
Not a good place to live.
I guess they cant blame wichita sucking on the casino can they.
Any thing that would have made this town a bit more easy to live in they have run out, unless it had a cross on top and sermons from a 2k year old book that is full of myth and outdated.
People sit in the local coffee houses and pray outloud. And seem happy in their ignorance.
To answer the question, KEEP OUT OF WICHITA, IT SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS.
formerkansan, please don't listen to people like this. Here's my point of view. I'm 20 and have lived here my entire life. It's a city like any other city its size. I find it hard to believe how negative people can be sometimes... For me, I have a Pakistani Muslim friend, a Vietnamese Catholic friend, Christian friends, and the list goes on. I see and talk to gay people nearly every day. There are rich snobs and poor people. There are people who live here that come from every walk of life. Honestly, people really don't care - most are friendly and simply don't care what you think or believe in. It's the truth, and those who say otherwise are the narrow-minded ones. All-in-all, I love it here. People that feel the need to post negative and bashing things really only make themselves look like idiots. That's all I have to say, and I hope you come to enjoy your life here.
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Old 09-04-2007, 05:43 AM
 
3 posts, read 13,556 times
Reputation: 10
Wichita is not a city like anyother, wichita has nothing to do and pushes out any thing that would help the comunity.
It has high crime, not very many people look at staying at wichita after the job runs out.
Most every one plans to leave to a town that is half way decent compared to wichita.
Dont listen to any one who is 20 and lived in wichita all their live. you will not get an opinion that is balanced or some one that has lived many places to compare to.
Wichita is a hole and I moved out and never looked back.
I have lived all over this country and I can tell you when you say the word wichita, every on looks at you and says "why?"
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Old 09-04-2007, 08:54 AM
 
378 posts, read 1,618,608 times
Reputation: 233
Quote:
Originally Posted by M.baily View Post
Wichita is not a city like anyother, wichita has nothing to do and pushes out any thing that would help the comunity.
It has high crime, not very many people look at staying at wichita after the job runs out.
Most every one plans to leave to a town that is half way decent compared to wichita.
Dont listen to any one who is 20 and lived in wichita all their live. you will not get an opinion that is balanced or some one that has lived many places to compare to.
Wichita is a hole and I moved out and never looked back.
I have lived all over this country and I can tell you when you say the word wichita, every on looks at you and says "why?"
Yet again, someone else who is pessimistic. People may say things like this, but their "facts" are not grounded in truth. They only contribute to any kind of negative atmosphere, not help it! ...and the last time I checked, those who are younger are the future of any city. I'd say if other's who have lived here 3 years have an opinion, anyone can.
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Old 09-04-2007, 11:29 AM
 
26 posts, read 199,202 times
Reputation: 33
Default ok, how about what you find positive

Athfo, out of curiosity and as the devils advocate to your comment
Quote:
Yet again, someone else who is pessimistic
.
What do you find positive that is going on, specifically in the last year, here in Wichita? And what facts posted in this thread do you dispute? The crime issue? The young folks leaving issue? The fact that the burbs continue to expand out while the inner portion of the city crumbles?
To be fair, I'm not planning to stay once our 2 years is up, but we never planned to in the first place. We are just making the best of our situation until we're ready to leave. But maybe you can put a positive spin based on facts for others that will read the thread.
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