The "black sheep" city of your State

[Nic]

Originally Posted by Manitopiaaa

Any college town in a reliably Red State is immediately a black sheep, so.....

Austin
Lawrence
Missoula

Peninsular Florida also comes to mind as being extremely Southern and New Orleans is a sore thumb to Louisiana's neocons.

I can't consider Austin a college town. It has nearly 800,000 people in it's city limits. The Austin MSA has over 1.7 million people. Listing it along side Lawrence and Missoula seems rather absurd.

[kingchef]

if college towns are black sheep, then certainly add knoxville, tn to the list. backward, silly, and just backwoods. our new governor-elect is from there, and if he and the city are both representative of that town, tn is in big, big trouble. i think tn has just elected the first footsie-playing governor, but i don't know that he has enough sense to find the door knob to the closet in order to get out. lol

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by Nic

I can't consider Austin a college town. It has nearly 800,000 people in it's city limits. The Austin MSA has over 1.7 million people. Listing it along side Lawrence and Missoula seems rather absurd.

Yeah, Austin does not nearly revolve around UT as much compared with those cities. The tech industry (Dell, National Instruments, Silicon Laboratories) and the state government have more influence in everyday life there than UT.

And even as far as voting patterns go Austin is not that much different than the cities of Dallas or Houston.

[Manitopiaaa]

Originally Posted by Zach759

Springfield for Missouri
might as well be Arkansas....

All of Missouri between St. Louis and KC might as well be Arkansas

[Manitopiaaa]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Yeah, Austin does not nearly revolve around UT as much compared with those cities. The tech industry (Dell, National Instruments, Silicon Laboratories) and the state government have more influence in everyday life there than UT.

And even as far as voting patterns go Austin is not that much different than the cities of Dallas or Houston.

Austin's counterculture and vibe are completely different from any Texas city. Dallas and Houston don't have the quixotic or quirky nature of Austin. "Keep Austin Weird" is the main motto and while UT isn't probably the main employer in Austin, it is the educated, youthful workforce that UT provides that in effect has helped Austin grow so much. Without UT, all Austin would have is Whole Foods Market and maybe Gateway. UT was the catalyst for hi-tech growth. Give credit where credit is due.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Either El Paso or McAllen for Texas since it is so far removed from the rest of the state.

I'd go with El Paso. At least McAllen isn't too far away from San Antonio and the rest of Texas.

Originally Posted by Manitopiaaa

Austin's counterculture and vibe are completely different from any Texas city. Dallas and Houston don't have the quixotic or quirky nature of Austin. "Keep Austin Weird" is the main motto and while UT isn't probably the main employer in Austin, it is the educated, youthful workforce that UT provides that in effect has helped Austin grow so much. Without UT, all Austin would have is Whole Foods Market and maybe Gateway. UT was the catalyst for hi-tech growth. Give credit where credit is due.

Damn, looks like the Austin hype has really worked. Austin is hardly that progressive of a city, and I really don't know why it is such a media darling. And Houston doesn't have the quirky nature of Austin? Have you been to Houston, the largest city in America with no zoning? Houston is the largest American city to elect an openly gay mayor. Dallas did something similar with a Sheriff, I believe (someone from Dallas can correct me on that one). I can understand you saying Dallas doesn't have the quirky nature of Austin, since the zoning here makes it look so manicured and sterile, but even then, you travel far enough off of the freeways and you'll see them. The "Keep Austin Weird" thing is so forced and is just marketing by the City of Austin. There is really nothing quirky about Austin outside of the commercial Sixth Street area.

[Nic]

Originally Posted by Trae

Damn, looks like the Austin hype has really worked. Austin is hardly that progressive of a city, and I really don't know why it is such a media darling. And Houston doesn't have the quirky nature of Austin? Have you been to Houston, the largest city in America with no zoning? Houston is the largest American city to elect an openly gay mayor. Dallas did something similar with a Sheriff, I believe (someone from Dallas can correct me on that one). I can understand you saying Dallas doesn't have the quirky nature of Austin, since the zoning here makes it look so manicured and sterile, but even then, you travel far enough off of the freeways and you'll see them. The "Keep Austin Weird" thing is so forced and is just marketing by the City of Austin. There is really nothing quirky about Austin outside of the commercial Sixth Street area.

Cool story, bro.

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by Trae

Dallas did something similar with a Sheriff, I believe

Yup that would be Lupe Valdez. They even came close to electing a gay mayor as well.

The Lavender Heart of Texas

Anyways aside from South Austin I would not say Austin is anymore quirkier than Houston or Dallas and even that is stretching it when you consider similar neighorhoods such as Montrose, and The Heights in Houston and parts of Oak Cliff and East Dallas.

[Manitopiaaa]

Originally Posted by Trae

I'd go with El Paso. At least McAllen isn't too far away from San Antonio and the rest of Texas.


Damn, looks like the Austin hype has really worked. Austin is hardly that progressive of a city, and I really don't know why it is such a media darling. And Houston doesn't have the quirky nature of Austin? Have you been to Houston, the largest city in America with no zoning? Houston is the largest American city to elect an openly gay mayor. Dallas did something similar with a Sheriff, I believe (someone from Dallas can correct me on that one). I can understand you saying Dallas doesn't have the quirky nature of Austin, since the zoning here makes it look so manicured and sterile, but even then, you travel far enough off of the freeways and you'll see them. The "Keep Austin Weird" thing is so forced and is just marketing by the City of Austin. There is really nothing quirky about Austin outside of the commercial Sixth Street area.

First, I'm confused as to how zoning relates to any of this. Mogadishu has no zoning but that does not somehow make it quirky or vibrant. Next, The Annise Parker story has been over played. Electing a gay mayor shouldn't be such a big deal and the fact that it is such a badge of honor says more about the state of Texas overall and Houston's relative tolerance in the state, rather than how the city leans on the spectrum nationally. Austin is also much more liberal than Houston, that is a fact. I understand you supporting Houston as that is your home, but i've been to Houston and it struck me as more of a giant city with tall buildings and a very subdued nature. Austin was much more lively and interesting and the fact that Houston is having to compete with Austin rather than cities it's size like Boston, Chicago or Seattle shows that Houston has a long way to go to become a hip city.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by Manitopiaaa

First, I'm confused as to how zoning relates to any of this. Mogadishu has no zoning but that does not somehow make it quirky or vibrant. Next, The Annise Parker story has been over played. Electing a gay mayor shouldn't be such a big deal and the fact that it is such a badge of honor says more about the state of Texas overall and Houston's relative tolerance in the state, rather than how the city leans on the spectrum nationally. Austin is also much more liberal than Houston, that is a fact. I understand you supporting Houston as that is your home, but i've been to Houston and it struck me as more of a giant city with tall buildings and a very subdued nature. Austin was much more lively and interesting and the fact that Houston is having to compete with Austin rather than cities it's size like Boston, Chicago or Seattle shows that Houston has a long way to go to become a hip city.

But Austin isn't much more liberal than Houston. That's a myth buddy. Austin is no more liberal than Houston or Dallas (and those cities are actually more liberal...just look up the stats). It is more liberal than San Antonio, though. Maybe it's UT that gives the impression that Austin is more liberal. Things like the Austin Art Car Parade were just exact copies off of things like the Houston Art Car Parade, which started many years before. And how does zoning relate to any of this? It's Houston's "live and let live" mentality. It gives Houston that quirky, organic urban feel...especially in the Inner Loop.

Originally Posted by Nic

Cool story, bro.

Thanks. I have plenty more.

[Zach759]

Originally Posted by Manitopiaaa

All of Missouri between St. Louis and KC might as well be Arkansas

I consider it to be more of an Iowa

[BillBanneker]

Originally Posted by kingchef

if college towns are black sheep, then certainly add knoxville, tn to the list. backward, silly, and just backwoods. our new governor-elect is from there, and if he and the city are both representative of that town, tn is in big, big trouble. i think tn has just elected the first footsie-playing governor, but i don't know that he has enough sense to find the door knob to the closet in order to get out. lol

Knoxville, black sheep of the state? The political and cultural climate in Knoxville is pretty much similar to 95% of the state. That's why Haslem got elected


Anyway, I don't think Tennessee has a true, "black sheep" city. The closest, and would be a stretch is Memphis (crime). But I think Nashville is going to end up the "black sheep" of the state ala Atlanta due to its increased growth (and liberal leaning) and changing demographics.

[weava]

Originally Posted by Zach759

Springfield for Missouri
might as well be Arkansas....

black sheep? Its by far the "whitest" city in the state.

[Resident]

Do people from STL and KC just hate the state they're in or does the state hate them?

[Zach759]

neither, I love my city and my state!

[Jennifat]

Originally Posted by Resident

Do people from STL and KC just hate the state they're in or does the state hate them?

I'd probably say the former. Just look at St. Louis causing the eastern border to bulge as it screams to get out. And Kansas City...that just speaks for itself.

[rmg1204]

For Colorado, I would have to say Pueblo...

[Manitopiaaa]

Originally Posted by Jennifat

I'd probably say the former. Just look at St. Louis causing the eastern border to bulge as it screams to get out. And Kansas City...that just speaks for itself.

I read an article yesterday that said Missouri was becoming more conservative because the liberal anchor cities (KC/STL) weren't voting as much as they used to. I think you might be onto something. It's like they've just given up on the state and are now just depressed.

[Zach759]

KC, to me, isn't very liberal in the first place, at least the suburbs aren't. It almost seems a little split just like the state.

And it's not like KC is a complete opposite of the rural sections of the state. STL, i don't know as much about but the suburbs, at least I thought, were more conservative.

[desertpunk]

Kansas City is the black sheep of Kansas.

And indeed El Paso is the black sheep of Texas. It's just so geographically and culturally disconnected from the rest of TX. And it's solidly Democrat.