i can't take it here

[jay-3d]

I live in Dallas Texas, and I can't take these right wingers everywhere. I'm ready to move. does anyone have some advice on friendly progressive citys/towns... Boulder Colorado maybe?

People at work are calling me Anti-American and an idiot. They say that I'm brain washed by the media. Could they be right?

[clydefrand]

1. Naw, they are!

[Skittles]

tell me about it, jay-3d

I am in Plano. :o

[wellstone_democrat]

86. Midland ....I feel your pain

I feel like I am in some other country than the one I grew up in. Its so very tiring to be this *frightened* of your neighbors all the time. This week, with the mass "anti-gay marriage meetins" I feel like I live in a city full of angry robots all marching to the same hideous beat

[rastignac5]

2. There are as many leftwingers in Dallas as rightwingers

Must be the crowd you keep.

[redqueen]

8. It's his workplace

Jay, you just need to socialize with some lefties. It will balance your time spent in the company of your insanely stupid co-workers.

[Chicago Democrat]

3. Chicago, Austin, Minneapolis, alot of California, Vermont

[elehhhhna]

14. I second that "Chicago"!

Born /raised there, now in Houston area. Afraid to put a K/E sticker on the car, as the reeps will deface it...

Re; Dallas, stay away from the locals--as products of the TX public school system, they ain't too bright anyway.

A weekend in Austin might do you some good--they're more progressive.

[spooky3]

26. Washington, DC; Bloomington, IN; Madison, WI; Cleveland, OH

[Chicago Democrat]

31. MADISON!!! Wooo Hooo!!!

Mad town ... Fun and liberal... easy access to everything....

[larryepke]

34. And furthermore...

lots of good bookstores!

[htuttle]

46. Years ago, Saint Paul and Saint David drove the right wing snakes out...

Saint Paul Soglin and Saint David Couper, that is.

Okay, so Soglin ain't a saint anymore, but he did a good job when he was one! Drove the Republican party completely insane!

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. You are welcome to come up here to Maine. :^D

[skypilot]

5. No, they are not right.

You would be one of THEM if the media, as it is today, had brainwashed you. How long have you lived there?

[calico1]

6. New York!

[jay-3d]

18. 7 years

I'm from Missouri. It just seems like the wingers don't understand, or can't understand our point of view. On the other hand we do understand theirs, but just disagree with it.

[HootieMcBoob]

63. How 'bout The People's Republic of Brooklyn!

It's nice here :)

[htuttle]

7. I can't remember the last time I met someone here who admitted....

...to being a Republican (Madison, WI). I'm sure they are probably here somewhere, but they stay awfully quiet.

Last time we had a mayoral race, there were no Republican-leaning candidates (closest thing was a single Libertarian candidate who seemed to be off his meds...he was entertaining, in any case).

:shrug:

I hear Boulder is very nice, but I can't personally stand the rest of Colorado's politics.

[laylah]

79. Boulder IS nice

if you are either obscenely wealthy or a trustfund baby...Lots of culture, GREAT food, access to the Boulder Canyon, I could go on forever because I lived there. Unfortunately, Boulder, like the rest of my adopted state, is being Californicated. Chicago would be a great second choice...just my .02.

Jenn

[elfwitch]

9. I completely understand...

I live in Dallas and hate it too. I moved here from San Antonio. It wasn't as RW there as it is here.

I'm ready to bail too.

[redqueen]

12. I think this area is the most RW in the state, actually

*sigh*

[elfwitch]

17. I miss San Antonio...

I could even take the blazing heat again if I could find a reason to move back there. Alas, no jobs for me or my hubby in our home town. All the jobs we want are in the Bay Area.

[redqueen]

60. Half the time I want to leave

the other half I want to stay to keep it more purple than red. :)

Born & raised here so leaving will be hard if I ever get around to it.

Bay Area like Galveston / Corpus Christi? Are they RW as well?

[DenverDem]

10. I'd advise Austin. Man I miss that town.

But, as a current Denver resident, I will admit that Boulder is pretty kewl.

[ellie]

11. Boulder is beautiful!

I used to live there and want to move back. Have you ever visited?

[librechik]

32. Denver is liberal too, and more affordable

come and check us out too!

[info being]

13. Bolder, Seattle, San Francisco

As for the "brainwashed by media" clowns...I always say, "If the corporate media is Liberal, then I guess I'm not Liberal." In other words, they can call it whatever they want to but it doesn't have any reflection on me.

[smiley_glad_hands]

15. Euredka Springs, ARK is an Island of Liberalism n/t

Have a sister in law that lives there. Tiny progressive town in the middle of nowhere surrounded by conservatism.

[SonofMass]

20. Eureka Springs

[porphyrian]

16. Austin is closer...

...and I hear it's a liberal outpost. Pretty much any city with a decent sized college or two will have a lefty enclave for you to commiserate with.

[jay-3d]

29. It's very hard to move on from a place you lived for years

but I think it's time. I'm going mountain biking in Euredka Springs next month. Wow, weird..

[put out]

90. I'm going there tomorrow!

On a motorcycle, with my dad. Lots of hippies, young and not so young, lots of bikers, lots of artists.

Also, a lot of earnest religious people, and they own a lot of the shops. They also erected (love to say that word) an absolute monstrosity of a statue of Jesus. Lovely scenery, if you can avoid the big statue; one beautiful place after another. I would happily live there if there was a way to earn a living for myself.

I hope you have fun. Ask me one reason why the Jesus statue looks odd in its proportions. Funny story.

[blueblitzkrieg]

19. Santa Fe, NM

Very progressive city with open-minded people.

[AspenRose]

36. True

They don't call it "The City Different" for nothing....

[ChickMagic]

21. You're not alone

I'm in Dallas too. Come to some Kerry meetups - it's very therapeutic. You can find them on meetup.com or dallasforkerry.org.

[tom_paine]

22. No they are not right. You are a Patriotic American and those who

have turned in their higher functioning brainstem parts to unquestionably follow Der Fuher Bushler*, have ALWAYS hated those who think.

It was as true of the original Nazis as it is with these spiritual descendants, these newfangled "kinder and gentler" Nazis.

You will hear much the same from them as a Jew in Germany 1936 would have heard.

"You aren't a Real German."

"You are an anti-German."

"Why do you hate Germany and side with it's enemies?"

[theivoryqueen]

23. Hey, I'm in Dallas too. I have been meaning to move

for about 20 years. Just haven't gotten 'round to it.

[Uben]

37. Whuuuuuuuut?

I have lived in the Dallas area all my life. I am currently at a private gated lake community that is a right-wing haven, and I mean fanatics! Heck, I enjoy exchanging barbs with them because most of them are so uninformed they can't win an argument. I don't like preaching to the choir, I wanna be in the mix! They think they are sooo righteous until I let em know I aint bowing down to any of their fascist ideology. I proudly display my DU sticker on my car, and I give em hell every chance I get. I'm not a uniter, I'm a fighter!

[theivoryqueen]

44. If cities were people, Dallas would be a slut.

Dallas is where I was born and raised, and most of my pals are seriously liberal. I really don't like republicans, and don't engage with them as they are far too small minded and evil to besmirch myself with. The people are only one of the reasons I would like to move: culture is practically non-existent and art sells for shit here. This city is more concerned with handing out huge tax incentives and paying enormous consulting fees than helping it's citizens with road repairs or zoning enforcement. If cities were people Dallas would be a slut. And I am including it's citizenry as well. People here are ethics and courtesy free zones. Just try driving down any major road. It's all about the entitlement and privileges of the wealthy, without any pesky personal responsibility problems. As a pal once commented, if you can't get laid in dallas, you can't get laid. Just apply that to everything, and you get the picture.

[fudge stripe cookays]

57. Which lake, Uben?

We are in Rowlett.

Come hang out with us at our big dinner/drinks thing on August 7th (check the homepage for local events).

FSC

[jay-3d]

68. I'll be in

Portland

[displacedtexan]

24. Get thee to the nearest Unitarian Church next Sunday!

Even if you already belong to a church, check out UU's Social Action committee for like minded people to hang out with.

[xocolatl]

25. Boston ain't bad

I've lived here for six years, San Francisco before that.

Not perfect here, but nowhere is.

However, real estate is pricey (slightly less so than SF Bay Area).

[Quahog]

83. RI is generally quite liberal as well

We have lots of corruption in our state government (more than most states), but RI votes progressive/Dem on most issues. Carter won here in '80. Neo-con fundies, what few there are, keep quiet. Cost of living is cheaper than Boston, but is on the rise as more and more Bostonians opt to commute down here on the train. New Yorkers now too (due to the high-speed Acela train). RI is pretty cool, though, if you like seasons, enjoy clams and can get used to the accent!

[JanMichael]

27. Brainwashed by the media

Soooo...the zomby people at work are telling you that you are brainwashed, eh?

What cooler is the Koolaid in the cooler?

Steph

[Shrek]

28. Boulder is progressive

And the scenery is gorgeous.

Summers are wonderful but the winters can be a little harsh.

[GreyPilgrim]

30. Montgomery, Alabama.

Oh, wait.... you wanted progressive cities. ;-)

Personally, I think progressive thinkers should make a point to move into conservative areas in our nation. You know, to keep them on their toes and shake things up a bit. hehehe

[CrispyQ]

33. I'm in Boulder . . .

It's beautiful & a wonderful little pocket of progressiveness in an otherwise mostly right-wing state.

When I am outside of Boulder county, I think about moving to a blue state. But then I tell myself that you will find RW zealots in every state.

Still, it is beautiful here -- absolutely gorgeous.

[Crunchy Frog]

35. Boulder is great

if you can afford to live there. I live just outside of Boulder, but was born in the city.

The biggest complaints people have about it is that it is somewhat elitist, and that it is poorly run. It is very liberal and very Democratic though, so you would not feel out of place in that respect.

You have my sympathies living in a very RW area. Boulder is an oasis in an otherwise very RW state.

[drdigi420]

38. Atlanta - as long as you stay inside I-285

once you go outside the city, it's Freeperville.

[RichV]

61. I'll second that

Live in Decatur, GA, myself. Just a couple miles down Ponce De Leon Drive from downtown Atlanta. Liberals everywhere. It always surprises me to see a Bush sticker on a car once in a while around here. This is the Cynthia McKinney/Denise Majette district, and John Lewis' is right down the road.

[Uben]

39. To hell with em!

I have lived in the Dallas area all my life. I am currently at a private gated lake community that is a right-wing haven, and I mean fanatics! Heck, I enjoy exchanging barbs with them because most of them are so uninformed they can't win an argument. I don't like preaching to the choir, I wanna be in the mix! They think they are sooo righteous until I let em know I aint bowing down to any of their fascist ideology. I proudly display my DU sticker on my car, and I give em hell every chance I get. I'm not a uniter, I'm a fighter!

[Warren DeMontague]

40. Well, As Long As Yer Moving...

Here's an idea!

Why Not Move To OHIO Until, say, November 2.

Then Get the hell outta dodge.

The Chicago area is terrific, I grew up there, very nice folks, etc.. but the weather sucks horribly half the year, and you still have some midwestern-style rigid thought patterns IMHO.

Any county that went red in 2000 would be automatically ex'd off my list, personally.

I've come to the conclusion that Northern California is one of the few places in the Contintental US I can possibly stand to live. Expensive, but infinitely worth it.

[jay-3d]

42. Why are the progressive areas

Expensive too?

[theivoryqueen]

45. competition from smart people

[Warren DeMontague]

48. In Cali You Have Nice Weather, To Boot.

Plus, up here (North of The Golden Gate) You had a unique situation where lots of the same folks who were among the first in the country to develop a real sense of environmental awareness (i.e. lots of San Francsico hippies, etc.) moved up here when it was cheap, and put in place local and regional governments that made sure developers couldn't chop down all the trees and pave the entire place and stick houses up the yin-yang. So, somewhere like Marin, (which is way too expensive for me to live) you have a situation where there's still lots of open space, it's very pretty, but the down side is there aint a whole helluva lot of low-income (low being "not obscenely high") housing.

However, I would ask what you do-- because there are definitely places, like Mendocino County, in Northern California that aren't as expensive, they're just not near major financial centers. If you don't need to work in a big city, I think it's totally doable.

[jay-3d]

43. Why are the progressive areas

Expensive too?

[donco6]

41. Denver is nice, too.

Boulder is super $$$$$$$$

Pretty much anywhere else in CO is like Dallas. Redneck, conservative, irrational.

[kaitykaity]

47. Try the Left Coast.

Anyplace URBAN in California, Oregon, Washington
will do ya.

:hi:

[Warren DeMontague]

50. I'm In Rural Wine Country

And it doesn't get much more liberal than out here.

Sure, we've got a few yahoos with pickup trucks and big tires, but we also consistently send Lynn Woolsey back to congress, every time.

[kaitykaity]

56. I was thinking more like Pendleton,

Bend. The further you go out from the city centers,
the more conservative and white things get here in
Oregon.

[Warren DeMontague]

62. Yeah, There's some spooky places up there.

Get the full-on Idaho vibe.

We've got some right-wing yahoos in the bay area, too, though, no question.

Hell, even Michael "Get Aids and Die, You Pig!" Savage got his start down at local South Bay Fascist Mouthpiece KSFO, I believe.

[kayell]

49. Asheville, NC

[Chicago Democrat]

69. YES! So beautiful and nice and affordable

Not as hot as you'd think either

[DemoTex]

87. I left Dallas for the NC mountains, 40 miles from Asheville.

Asheville is a wonderful place.

[Warren DeMontague]

51. Use This Helpful Aid

http://www.usatoday.com/news/vote2000/cbc/map.htm

[jay-3d]

53. ahh

it's all red!!!

[Longhorn]

84. A LOT of that red is very sparsely populated land.

It would have to be since Gore actually WON!

See this map for what the country would look like if states were proportionate according to population: http://www.edwardsforprez.com/map.html

[Beacho]

52. My Bro lives in Irving, Works in Dallas

Works in Dallas

Gives the rightards at his workplace as good (and better) than he gets), he's met plenty of people there on all levels of the political spectrum.


It's just that the RWs are the LOUDEST, which doesn't mean the most.

Says he can't wait for me to visit, it seems that my reputation precedes me

[jay-3d]

54. A RW

in Texas is even louder than most of them

[lucky777]

55. Hands down -- the I-5 corridor from San Francisco to Seattle

I've lived all over the country, as a visiting professor from 1997 to 2003: Florida, Georgia, Oregon, Chicago, etc etc. Plus I've been to every state and spent time overseas so I have a good feel for locations. No question -- San Fran to Seattle is by FAR the most liberal area. By FAR.

I live in OH now -- it is a fucking joke. People say Chicago, New York, etc are 'progressive' -- that's a joke. Here's what you want to ask:

1) Do they have mandatory benefits for domestic partners?
2) Do they have a green party on the ballot?
3) Free transportation downtown, green friendly attitude?
4) Limits on Sprawl?
5) Progressive Radio stations, activism, speeches?

You can find these in Portland/Seattle/SanFran. You can't find these in any other big cities, only in a few tiny spots like Madison, Vermont, etc.

That's my opinion.

[Warren DeMontague]

64. My OHIO Suggestion:::

Was to take advantage of the lax voter registration laws in Ohio. Apparently, you only need to live there a month to legally vote in that state. And (Attention, Wall St. Journal Editors!) This is totally above-the-board legal! I have to admit, Al Franken on AAR came up with the idea, and has been pushing it. But, why not get a good amount of liberals to move to crucial, electoral "swing states"?.

I mean, it's only for a few months, and it's probably no worse than Texas- where your vote may not make as much of a difference, sad to say.

[fudge stripe cookays]

58. Here's a good site with comments...

about each place. I found it a couple years ago and was using it as a resource when we were thinking about moving. Then the bust hit and we got stuck here.

http://www.turnleft.com/geo.html

FSC

[knitter4democracy]

65. They don't have Kalamazoo!

Now, I wouldn't say Kalamazoo, MI is perfect, but it is very nice overall. We are surrounded by a freakin' conservative area, but Kalamazoo is great! We have Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College, both with long histories of liberal politics and faculties. We have a pretty good core group of liberals who pretty much all know each other, so you meet good friends rather quickly and don't feel isolated. We have the best produce in the country (everything from blueberries and cherries to grapes and apples are grown nearby, some even organic), so we have a wonderful farmers' market and even a farm that delivers fresh stuff right to your door. Living's pretty cheap overall, so it's a good place to live.

[TexasSissy]

59. I feel your pain. I'm in Dallas, too. But F9/11 did great here! There

are more Democrats than you think. But we tread lightly, lest we be spotted (like in the Body Snatchers). And you put a Democratic bumper sticker on your car at your own risk.

[annarbor]

66. We'd love to have you come to Ann Arbor, MI......

Very friendly, very progressive, very safe and totally Democratic!
Also, the best darn Art Fair in the world starts in a week or so. Come on up!

Ann Arbor

[jay-3d]

67. I'm thinking about moving to my home town

Springfield Missouri, but it's on the unfriendly list

http://www.turnleft.com/geo.html

[sldavis]

70. I heard a joke about Texas and Ann Arbor

Such a great town. And the Art Fair really is the best, if you can stand the traffic. The joke follows, a little tacky, but not far off.

A Texan, a New Yorker, and an Ann Arborite were in a bar.

The Texan drained his glass of tequila, threw the half full bottle up in the air, drew and fired his pistol, shattering the bottle. The other two were shocked at his ruining perfectly good tequila. The Texan announced: "Where I come from, we have plenty of good tequila."

The New Yorker, not to be outdone, drained his glass of wine, threw the wine bottle into the air, drew and fired his pistol, also shattering his bottle. Looking over at the other two with an air of superiority, he announced, "Where I come from, we have plenty of fine wine and the best of everything!"

The Ann Arborite drained her bottle of Grizzly Peak beer, threw it up in the air, pulled out her deer rifle, and shot the New Yorker dead. She then caught the bottle on the way down, showed it to the Texan and said: "Where I come from, we recycle these... and we have plenty of New Yorkers."

[knitter4democracy]

77. Too funny!

OMG! That's hilarious! I'm telling that to everyone I know.

[Bridget Burke]

81. I've heard the same joke set in New Mexico

The disposable visitors were from Texas & California.

[TEXASYANKEE]

71. There are Freeper types in every city.

Face it, they're everywhere. I work in the Dallas area, surrounded by people who think that Dick Cheney walks on water. But moving doesn't guarantee that you won't be working alongside the same type of mentality somewhere else. Dallas isn't perfect, but our Democratic voices are beginning to be heard. And even though I'm too chicken to put a bumper sticker on my own car, I've seen more Kerry stickers than Bush stickers so far this election cycle. I'm taking that as a good sign.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

72. Austin

[Aunt Anti-bush]

73. I think you should just hold to your ideals.

I did and I live in Republicanville and work in Republicanworld. But, I just stuck to my guns and let them all say what they wanted and now that more and more of what I said months ago is coming out, they're starting to turn around. I have a bunch of republicans who are now voting for Kerry and a few who wont vote for him but also pledged NOT to vote for Bush.

Stick to your guns. They'll see the truth eventually. Just keep educating them if they'll let you. :)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

74. We need more Dallas area DU get togethers. I missed the last one at Blue

Mesa. Let's have at it again, shall we? Plano here too. :o

[revree]

75. COME TO SAN DIEGO

You think you got it bad? This is THE hotbed for moron Republicans, and they all have money so they think they are HOT SHIT.

NO, YOU ARE NOT BRAINWASHED, and I happen to know people in Dallas who are just like you, they just aren't as loud and obnoxious as the right wingers...they are there...keep the faith.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

78. I moved here (Dallas/Plano) from San Diego. S.D. is no Berkeley, but

it's no comparison to here in the prevalence of right wingers.

[The Flaming Red Head]

76. Don't go to Louisiana or Arkansas

they're like that here. And so many of the lefties are mean, too. I've been trolled to death and I'm left wing, worked in many causes and campaigns and now, I don't know, I hardly speak at all, just please vote for Kerry, I will.

[Swamp Rat]

80. New Orleans

This city has a lot of problems, but you WILL have good time and eat some of the best damn food in the nation... oh, and there's the music, Mardi Gras, Day of Decadence, etc. and most importantly you are free to be who you are. There are freepers that do come here (a lot from Texas), especially during Carnival, but we laugh and make fun of them to their faces.

[The Flaming Red Head]

91. or Metairie N O suburb

I'm waiting for my son to get grown and do his thing and then my house is on the market and I'm there.

[Bridget Burke]

82. Some people find a*holes wherever they go.

Others manage to find some folks they can get along with--wherever they go.

You've heard from some Dallas area DU'ers who are making a go of it. Austin is groovy but also has its share of rightwingers, overdeveloping the old neighborhoods & the countryside with mini-mansions. Houston (my home) has its drawbacks but I'm doing OK living in Sheila Jackson Lee's district.

Where do you live in the metroplex? Some neighborhoods are a bit less uptight than others. I'd suggest you look for a better work environment, but the job market might not allow it.

If you really need to relocate, plan a few short scouting trips. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet.

[itcfish1]

85. I heard

Austin and San Antonio were much more liberal

[lectrobyte]

88. If you like Texas, Austin is probably more your kind of town <nt>

[vetwife]

89. jay 3-d..I take all kinds of things in rural red Ga. Don't let them

run you off. They are scared of you. they are afraid because you can think. Stand up and be the proud patriot you are. They hate me here but they gotta respect me because I won't run away from their fights. I laugh at them. I laugh in their face. I smile when not convenient and laugh when appropriate. I have kitty killers, and rigt wingers, and kerry sign shooters and I still stand.
If you like your home or house think twice about moving regarding income and upscale housing cossts. They are just trying to intimidate. They are good at that, what they aren't good at is us standing up and talking back ! It bothers them but they aren't moving. They would run us clear to France if possible.

[GoBucksBeatBush]

92. used to teach h.s. in kingwood, outside houston...

loved it, went head to head with almost the entire rest of the school's coaching staff on a daily basis regarding politics (too bad i'm not still there...not above saying "i told you so" repeatedly), and still earning their respect. oil country, big time, but i saw it as a sort of missionary opportunity...how could i "subvert" these people's children by helping the kids to think for themselves?! anyway, i'm in ohio now, wish i would have moved to denver when i had the chance. neat city, denver. also, a possible solution to your bumpersticker problem (i can't claim credit, saw it here a while back): use some hot glue, some thin magnets, and something rigid (cardboard?). stick the sticker on the rigid material, then hotglue magnets on the back of the rigid material: magically you have something you can put on and take off as needed...put it on when driving, take it off when parked if you're worried that the fuckers will damage your ride b/c you're exercising a right to free speech.

just some thoughts for you.

[Gruenemann]

93. Useful web site

Check it out. It lists liberal-friendly and unfriendly cities. AND you can list your own on either list. Last time I looked, Houston was on both lists!

http://www.turnleft.com/geo.html

[Tweed]

94. Chicago rocks, but you live closer to Austin

Austin rules and you get Texas. I think that would be the best fit for you.

[funkybutt]

95. New Orleans Baby! n/t

[Dying Eagle]

96. Do you like Boston

Don't get much better then that.