Which is more conservative: Charlotte, NC or Columbia, SC?

[The_sandlapper]

But wouldn't one attribute Cola's "liberal" lean more to the large black population, and less to the presence of USC?

Conversely, could we not attribute LexCo's Conservative lean as a result of "white flight"?

Columbia's "liberal" lean is probablly due to the fact of its (aside from my obvious gramatical & spelling errors, but hey I fell asleep in english class) highly educated inhabitants. Places where education is held in high regard tend to have a "left" lean socially of course. Some exceptions include San Diego, and NOVA (but I could be wrong about NOVA?), anyway my point is that usually the more educated one is the more chances or oppoutunities they have had to interact, study, or visit places and regions that are different from there own. It builds a psyche that everyone doesn't have to be just like me in order for them to be "cool". Growing up I was fortunate enough to interact with kids from different cultures, social classes, and backgrounds, different from my own. The highschool I went to in NW Richland Co was about 75% black, 20% white, and 5% other all from very different socioeconomic backgrounds. I had the opportunity to call many of them "friend", and found out that nomatter what our superficial differences were were all pretty much wanted the same things out of life. That's not to say that the entire population is that way, but the area in general has a very laid back, live and let live mentality. Kinda like if you worship satan cool, just respect what I want to do when the time comes.

Lexington County on the other hand is a different ball of wax. It tends to be more rooted in the "how things were" days of old, which is evidenced by its archaic blue laws. I will say that the Irmo area is blending alot better than some other areas of the county though, however with that being said Lexington-Richland school district 5 is one of the best districts in the state. I believe that West Columbia, and Cayce will become bohemian villages in the near future. But then again that can be attributed to USC/Innovista on the other side of the river.

[waccamatt]

Columbia is not an open minded city... they still fly the confederate flag downtown... and they have a cop to guard it. If it didnt offend people why would they need someone to guard it? Oh well... If your gay and seeking open minded southern Communities then you might consider Florida (if that is the real south?) They are more progressive and more open to the homosexual lifestyle. Otherwise you will be "Going back to Cali, Cali, Cali, Going back to Cali"

First of all the confederate flag is put up on the state house grounds by the STATE legislature, not by city council. In fact, the city of Columbia sued the state of South Carolina to remove it from the state house grounds. I've lived in Columbia the majority of my life, but I have lived in other areas and have traveled a great deal. If you're wanting to know about the gay community, Columbia is a great place to live and I believe it is much more liberal than Charlotte. Columbia has a number of heavily gay neighborhoods (Earlewood, Elmwood Park, Cottontown, Rosewood, Melrose Heights, Shandon, etc.) a city anti discrimination law and a number of gay and lesbian organizations. We have also hosted gay pride for the past 15 years and we have had a gay and lesbian community center for 12 years. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me.

Now to answer the original poster's questions:

1. Do people frown on not attending church? No, most people don't care.

2. What are some of the barometers of progressiveness in attracting more downtown retail? The Vista and 5 Points areas of downtown are booming and are great urban villages along with the Devine Street corridor. There is a great deal of in-town residential development (along with the suburbs) going on right now.

3. Is there much "White-flight" to neighboring communities/counties? Quite the opposite, people are moving back into town from the suburbs.

4. Is there much apparent censorship of entertainment venues or books, etc.? Never. Trustus Theatre, the only professional theatre in the Carolinas, has many avant garde offerings and The Nickelodeon Theater hosts many foreign, african-american, gay and lesbian and art films. They will soon be opening a larger venue downtown.

5. Does Columbia have a "cool"/hip section of town? Five Points and The Vista. The West Vista is also becoming cool.

6. What is the general attitude of walking or biking around town? (--in Charlotte, most people would think you're poor!) Being a college town, there are alot of bikers and walkers downtown. Some roads, but not many, have bike lanes. Riverfront Park is an awesome place to bike.

7. lots of vegetarian eateries? I'm not a vegetarian so I consulted one. Earth Fare, Rosewood market and deli for grocery shopping and dining. Nice and Natural is good, 14 carrot whole foods, the Blue Cactus has lots of veggie options and has awesome food (but slow service), the Mediterranean Tea Room has alot of veggie options.

8. many people exercising along the riverfront pedestrian path? Riverfront and Finlay Parks are well used.

I know that Lexington County is the conservative area in the region. However, are there enough open-minded folks in Columbia to make a move from Charlotte worthwhile?? If you are looking for open minded you should live in Columbia and not in Lexington.

[waccamatt]

But wouldn't one attribute Cola's "liberal" lean more to the large black population, and less to the presence of USC?

Conversely, could we not attribute LexCo's Conservative lean as a result of "white flight"?

I would disagree with that statement judging by election results. John Kerry, Al Gore and Bill Clinton won Richland County across all racial groups and the city itself by a wide, wide margin in all cases.

[DigitalSky]

this is a good debate - i think that both cities have their liberal and conservative areas respectively... cola might be a bit more liberal than clt i guess

[strawberriieee]

Columbia is not an open minded city... they still fly the confederate flag downtown... and they have a cop to guard it. If it didnt offend people why would they need someone to guard it? Oh well... If your gay and seeking open minded southern Communities then you might consider Florida (if that is the real south?) They are more progressive and more open to the homosexual lifestyle. Otherwise you will be "Going back to Cali, Cali, Cali, Going back to Cali"

Greenville, Charleston are the main reasons South Carolina still flies its Confederate flag.

I'm not gay.

[strawberriieee]

As somone who grew up in Columbia I can speak from first hand experience and not passer-by, witch hunt, speculation that the general "vibe" of of Columbia is "live and let live". Outside of Myrtle Beach it is probablly the most liberal city in the state. The population in Richland County is very well educated 45th in the nation infact (in the Carolinas it is 3rd, only behind the "golden children" Wake, and Mecklenberg counties), with people who at least have have a bachelors degree or higher. There is good energy downtown in the Vista (more yuppie type), and 5 points (college kids), and with the development of innovista the city is economically heading down the same knowledge based path as Austin, or RDU. In fact for wht its worth Richard Florida considered Columbia the "5th most creative mid-sized city" nationally. Columbia is liberal as far as South Carolina goes. It's not San Francisco, Austin, or quite the Triangle (Carboro, Chapel Hill) but it has a chance to let itself fly that way with USC's presence and just the people there in general.

The best advice I would have for you is to check out Columbia one weekend and see for yourself!

The confederate flag is not representative of the city of Columbia. The flag is flown on the statehouse grounds which unfortunately fall in the jurisdiction of the state of SC. Columbia has fought to bring the flag down but there isn't a whole lot the city can do to reverse state legislature.

I would sugggest checking out the Columbia Freetimes to get a better feel for the area, also check out the opinion column in the state newspaper. That is how I usually guage how liberal or conservative a town is.

I wont blow smoke up your ass and pretend that it is a utopian paradise. The city has its problems but it is addressing social issues and not sweeping them under the rug, or just pretending that it has none either.

How it fairs to Charlotte can't say I haven't spent enough time there to pick up a vibe if you know what I mean, so I can't give an accurate opinion. If you have anymore questions please ask, I love to educate!

I'ved visited Atlanta and every metro in the Carolinas, since I've lived in Charlotte. I have lived enough places, though, to know that visiting a place can be a much different experience than actually living in a place -- forging relationships within the community to really see what it's like.

In fact, I have also viewed the Free Times website. Charlotte, also, has its own weekly, indie periodical, Creative Loafing. If someone were to base their opinion of Charlotte's liberal leanings on just reading that rag, they'd have the impression that Charlotte is some bastion of liberalism. --- laughable

I really liked Columbia; much much more than Charlotte, in fact -- collectively, I've only been there for a few days. In the general conversations I had with a few residents, they all seemed very "live and let live", which is a vibe I definitely do not feel in Charlotte.

[strawberriieee]

Wow, if you can actually determine your residence on political affiliation and whether or not an area is "liberal" or "conservative", I want your job! Unfortunately, I can't locate myself and my family based on those aspects...most of us have to decide where to live based on opportunity.

I can think of plenty of areas in Charlotte that are diverse and liberal. However, this is the South, and many people hold fast to their beliefs and values here. If you're looking for a place that resembles CA (which I think is your ultimate goal), I can think of only two places in this region: Miami and New Orleans. Miami could resemble an Atlantic-side LA, and New Orleans has alot of very liberal areas with diverse ethnic backgrounds and ample amounts of tolerance.

I've lived here in Columbia for 2 years, and to be honest, it's OK, but I prefer to live somewhere else. Cola is, IMO, a little too liberal for my tastes, believe it or not. But then again, I am a staunch conservative. There is a healthy amount of people throughout the metro area that go to church, but Richland County votes Democratic usually, and the liberalness of the city (along with USC) makes me a little uncomfortable.

If you want liberal, you'd be better in staying in Richland County. Lexington County is indeed heavily conservative in the metro area.

I work full-time for a national company, but I am also self-employed, part-time. My boyfriend also works for someone else. We could transfer anywhere -- heck, we transferred to Charlotte.

One of the advantages of living in Cali is the diverse job market; most of the Cali metros are not one-industry towns.

I absolutely luuuv visiting New Orleans, but living there is an entirely different animal, especially post-Katrina. (The public school system is terrible. Most people work in service-oriented jobs, therefore the Black middle/upper class is miniscule. Also, gov't corruption is "off the chains".)

[strawberriieee]

But wouldn't one attribute Cola's "liberal" lean more to the large black population, and less to the presence of USC?

Conversely, could we not attribute LexCo's Conservative lean as a result of "white flight"?

Good point!!! The vast majority of Blacks vote Democrat, which skews county election results. Interestingly, most Blacks are not socially liberal; most of the Black Democrat vote is based on traditional political leanings and the socialist programs and economic stances of the Democratic party. Whereas, Democratic Whites are much more likely than Blacks to have liberal social views. For the aforementioned reason, I wanted to have some sort of validation of the info. that the 2004 Presidential election results maps showed.

[strawberriieee]

In my humble opinion, I do think Charlotte is very conservative, but sometimes in a good way instead of the "bible thumping, liberal hating, etc) way. Charlotte has some conservative business mindsets that don't really care about social issues. But it sure does have a lot of the other. I lived in Charleston for several years and not sure about Columbia, but I don't think it has had the influx that Charlotte and the Triangle have had.

I live in the Triangle and agree, we have our "conservative" drum beaters, but the overall feeling is more low key. One reason, is the Triangle is really 4 cities with multiple suburbs and each city is different with, yes universities, all connected by Research Triangle Park. But there is so much more to the Triangle.

It just has a base of "coolness" and respect for others while the people work to succeed. Durham is the most odd city of them all as the murder capital and some the most unique people you would ever meet. Raleigh is mix of all. The Triangle is just a good base of well-read, educated, self-educated, and hard working group that has a great music scene (yes that really makes a difference).

I do think the educated factor counts, but it also has more to do with not always trying to be something instead of just being !!

There is something to be said for the positive correlation between education and liberalness.

The Triangle is a neat place. It's much more my style, than Charlotte. I just wish the Triangle were close to the mountains. Also, doesn't it get much colder in Raleigh-Durham than it does in Charlotte?

[strawberriieee]

First of all the confederate flag is put up on the state house grounds by the STATE legislature, not by city council. In fact, the city of Columbia sued the state of South Carolina to remove it from the state house grounds. I've lived in Columbia the majority of my life, but I have lived in other areas and have traveled a great deal. If you're wanting to know about the gay community, Columbia is a great place to live and I believe it is much more liberal than Charlotte. Columbia has a number of heavily gay neighborhoods (Earlewood, Elmwood Park, Cottontown, Rosewood, Melrose Heights, Shandon, etc.) a city anti discrimination law and a number of gay and lesbian organizations. We have also hosted gay pride for the past 15 years and we have had a gay and lesbian community center for 12 years. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me.

Now to answer the original poster's questions:

1. Do people frown on not attending church? No, most people don't care.

2. What are some of the barometers of progressiveness in attracting more downtown retail? The Vista and 5 Points areas of downtown are booming and are great urban villages along with the Devine Street corridor. There is a great deal of in-town residential development (along with the suburbs) going on right now.

3. Is there much "White-flight" to neighboring communities/counties? Quite the opposite, people are moving back into town from the suburbs.

4. Is there much apparent censorship of entertainment venues or books, etc.? Never. Trustus Theatre, the only professional theatre in the Carolinas, has many avant garde offerings and The Nickelodeon Theater hosts many foreign, african-american, gay and lesbian and art films. They will soon be opening a larger venue downtown.

5. Does Columbia have a "cool"/hip section of town? Five Points and The Vista. The West Vista is also becoming cool.

6. What is the general attitude of walking or biking around town? (--in Charlotte, most people would think you're poor!) Being a college town, there are alot of bikers and walkers downtown. Some roads, but not many, have bike lanes. Riverfront Park is an awesome place to bike.

7. lots of vegetarian eateries? I'm not a vegetarian so I consulted one. Earth Fare, Rosewood market and deli for grocery shopping and dining. Nice and Natural is good, 14 carrot whole foods, the Blue Cactus has lots of veggie options and has awesome food (but slow service), the Mediterranean Tea Room has alot of veggie options.

8. many people exercising along the riverfront pedestrian path? Riverfront and Finlay Parks are well used.

I know that Lexington County is the conservative area in the region. However, are there enough open-minded folks in Columbia to make a move from Charlotte worthwhile?? If you are looking for open minded you should live in Columbia and not in Lexington.

Thank you verrrry much for answering all of my inquiries!!!!

When I visited Cola, it felt more liberal than Charlotte, but perhaps not on par with the Triangle, NC. Columbia would be an improvement for me.

[strawberriieee]

Strawberriee- You shouldn't decide where you want to live solely on the Bush/Kerry map. Much of rural SC voted for Kerry too. But if liberal is all you are seeking then you may indeed be best moving elsewhere. It sounds to me like you don't really know what you are looking for.

What I'm looking for is a liberal Southern city. A major advantage to living in the South is the low cost of living; however, I don't want to sacrifice my happiness over it. So far, the only places that I like are NC's Triangle, Columbia and Atlanta (Atl. to a lesser extent than the other two). My original plan was to settle down in Charlotte, but that's just not going to happen.

Salaries in Columbia are very low, but I like the river.

Frankly, what I appreciate about liberal places is that they don't feel as if they're stuck in the 1950's. For example, people don't seem shocked when finding out I'm a business owner, or that I'm not another negative statistic. Liberals are comfortable with progressiveness with various issues, such as the environment, recycling, minority business ownership and political participation, public transit, just to name a few. Also, liberals tend to be comfortable going outside of their comfort zone, in iniating friendships with people who may look different from them. --all of these are important to me, not only as a former liberal Californian, but also as a Black woman.

[strawberriieee]

I viewed the thread about liberal Southern cities, which ranks the cities from most liberal to least liberal; but unfortunately it doesn't include small cities, which of course means that Columbia was excluded from the list.

[strawberriieee]

Although the degree of liberalness cannot be quantified, the lack of it sure can be felt when one runs smack into the face of conservatism.

[waccamatt]

This has been a fascinating thread and it has elicited an amazing number of responses in one day. The most telling response, however, was from Charleston Native, who is a conservative and said that Columbia was too liberal for him. Nowhere would be too liberal for me, but alot of places would be too conservative and Columbia is the only place I would live in South Carolina. In North Carolina I would only live in Durham and in Georgia I would only live in Atlanta.

[monsoon]

....

Frankly, what I appreciate about liberal places is that they don't feel as if they're stuck in the 1950's. For example, people don't seem shocked when finding out I'm a business owner, or that I'm not another negative statistic. Liberals are comfortable with progressiveness with various issues, such as the environment, recycling, minority business ownership and political participation, public transit, just to name a few. Also, liberals tend to be comfortable going outside of their comfort zone, in iniating friendships with people who may look different from them. --all of these are important to me, not only as a former liberal Californian, but also as a Black woman.

Well actually your comments here make me think that you are having a difficult time seeing beyound your own 1950s thinking and you yourself are pretty conservative such as this comment in our California section demonstrates.

I used to live in LA, but now I'm in Charlotte, NC, which I don't like. Once I leave Charlotte, I'm never going to live in the zenophobic, sexist South again.

This is a very 1950s attitude and a hallmark of someone who just wants to complain and hypocritically take the moral high road. If YOU want to be accepted I suggest that you change your attitude and quit blaming your problems on being a Black Woman business owner. Nobody likes to be talked down to which is basically all that you have done since becoming a member here and I can only imagine that is why people are turning their back on you if that is what is happening.

Liberal people don't characterize an entire region of 120 million people as Zenophobic and Sexist. That is nothing but blind prejudice. And your implication that Gays don't face the same issues with discrimination further proof that you are grinding an axe and not really concerned with real prejudice. Practice what you preach.

[teshadoh]

Greenville, Charleston are the main reasons South Carolina still flies its Confederate flag.

I'll only comment on this for now - because that comment is absolutely unfair. Rather than demonizing whole regions / geographic areas, realize that there are all types of people in any location. Of course certain locations will have more or less of a specific type - but there is absolutely little difference between those in Greenville, Charleston or Columbia to make such a wide sweeping distinction. Though I would concur that I do believe Columbia to be home to the larger amount / rate of liberals between the two - I wouldn't go as far as to simply dismiss the other two as 'conservative' & Columbia as 'liberal'.

Conservates are in the majority in the south, & that includes the metro areas - where only 'intown' locations being home to just a greater ratio of liberals. That said - you can't blame Charleston & Greenville just as you can't proclaim Columbia as being progressive. If you're going to blame the Confederate flag on anyone, you have to blame everyone in the entire state - though the reality is you should blame majority White rural areas & outer ring suburban / exurban areas around the cities - including Columbia. Similiarly, the Northeast / Midwest can't blame the South for electing Bush, we all elected Bush.

[raleightransplant]

This is quite an interesting thread. Move on up to the Triangle is what I say (of course I'm not biased or anything)! Climate is basically the same as Charlotte, you can get to the High Country in 3 hrs....and a straight shot down I-40 gets you to Wrightsville Beach in 1.5 hrs. Location and the vibe here are the best selling points in my opinion. I've lived here 5 years now, and it's a great area. If you're looking for the quirky transplants from the big city NE, this just might be your place--I know a ton of NY, DC, and Phila. folks down here, must be an easier shot down I-95? There is a burgeoning art and music scene here, and the nation's best dance festival (ADF in summer). Also there's the best documentary film festival in the country (Full Frame), which was started by someone who I believe wrote for the NY Times.

As far as change in the South, I believe it's happening fairly quickly (though certainly more quickly in high-growth states like NC or GA). Growth has negative effects too, but the positives are reflected in a diversity of population w/ the values and world view they bring. As far as Columbia, I'm not too sure...I have heard good things but I've never been there.

Good luck!

[monsoon]

....

As far as change in the South, I believe it's happening fairly quickly (though certainly more quickly in high-growth states like NC or GA). Growth has negative effects too, but the positives are reflected in a diversity of population w/ the values and world view they bring. As far as Columbia, I'm not too sure...I have heard good things but I've never been there.

Good luck!

It amazes me that people feel they must apoligise for the South, when people make unfair charges against it as has been done in this thread. And this Triangle is better than Charlotte really does get pretty old.

[sonofaque86]

Columbia and Richland County feels pretty liberal to me...Charlotte does seem to have a more conservative feel to it.

[Damien]

It amazes me that people feel they must apoligise for the South, when people make unfair charges against it as has been done in this thread. And this Triangle is better than Charlotte really does get pretty old.

I don't think anyone was saying that the Triangle is better than Charlotte as a whole, just when it comes to being more liberal and having a better arts scene and creative class. Also, there is an overwhelming abundance of the Charlotte is better than the Triangle attitude in general every day convo with people I know in Charlotte, as well as in this forum.

[CorgiMatt]

Good point!!! The vast majority of Blacks vote Democrat, which skews county election results. Interestingly, most Blacks are not socially liberal; most of the Black Democrat vote is based on traditional political leanings and the social and economic stances of the Democratic party. Whereas, Democratic Whites are much more likely than Blacks to have liberal social views. For the aforementioned reason, I wanted to have some sort of validation of the info. that the 2004 Presidential election results maps showed.

But Columbia also has a lot of gay people for a city its size, and a very active gay and lesbian community community and business guild. And a pretty high-profile gay community at USC.

[CorgiMatt]

What I'm looking for is a liberal Southern city. A major advantage to living in the South is the low cost of living; however, I don't want to sacrifice my happiness over it. So far, the only places that I like are NC's Triangle, Columbia and Atlanta (Atl. to a lesser extent than the other two). My original plan was to settle down in Charlotte, but that's just not going to happen.

Salaries in Columbia are very low, but I like the river.

Frankly, what I appreciate about liberal places is that they don't feel as if they're stuck in the 1950's. For example, people don't seem shocked when finding out I'm a business owner, or that I'm not another negative statistic. Liberals are comfortable with progressiveness with various issues, such as the environment, recycling, minority business ownership and political participation, public transit, just to name a few. Also, liberals tend to be comfortable going outside of their comfort zone, in iniating friendships with people who may look different from them. --all of these are important to me, not only as a former liberal Californian, but also as a Black woman.

You're a black female business owner? Absolutely - as quickly as you can, move to Columbia. This city is bending over backward and is 100% dedicated to helping women and minority business owners thrive here. It has been in the newspaper and in several city publications. Call the city.

[vicupstate]

I went to MBA school and most of professors were convervative, so much, they tried to sway the votes to right. Enjoyed it, but did not swallow it whole. So you take what you can from both sides and decide on your own. Coming into contact, even in an educational concept, is not a bad thing. I see it as a good thing.....

I agree 100% with this sentiment. I long ago stopped identifying my views as "Republican" or "Democrat", "liberal" or "conservative". I try hard to keep an open mind and listen to ALL sides, and then draw my own conclusions. Doing so has been very liberating.

Anyway, back to topic...

As far as Columbia goes, I think Waccamatt's posts (#27 and #28) are dead-on. I lived in Cola for 8 years and it is indeed as he describes. I too would recommend living in the city limits. Elmwood Park, Earlewood, Cottontown, Shandon, Rosewood, and others are all excellent choices.

As for the Confederate Flag, that is there primarily because of a few narrow-minded legislators (Glenn McConnell, et al) more than anything else. Charleston's mayor was the chief proponent of bringing it down from the statehouse (and it would have happened a lot sooner if he had been elected Governor in '94, but that's another topic).

I find Charlotte residents to be very materialistic and they look down on the rest of the region, particularly SC. Maybe it's just the few I have been exposed to.

I remember back in the mid '90s, One of the "Angels in America" plays played in Charlotte, and there was a big controversy because of the homosexual theme and a scene with male frontal nudity. The same play played at Trustus a couple of months later without any controversy at all.

Atlanta is very liberal and diverse. It would certainly pay to spend some time there before making a final decision. Women, particularly black women, are in several high positions of government (or recently have been). Just a few years ago, Atlanta had a black female mayor and sheriff (Fulton County) and an openly lesbian city council president (white). The Southeast's only openly gay legislator is a white lesbian from Atlanta /Decatur. Atlanta is without a doubt the center of black power and wealth in the US. That is not to say that blacks are the only minority. Hispanics and orientals are in abundance as well. I'm not a vegetarian, but the DeKalb Farmer's Market is a godsend for anyone with such a diet (or just about any other diet for that matter).

I'm surprised that anyone thinks Myrtle Beach is liberal. Not sure what that is based on.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

[Durhamite]

I'd rather your reason for relocation be a result of your business not thriving, not because a place is too liberal or conservative (In the words in Micheal Jordan "Republicans buy sneakers too"). In the big picture what in the world does it have to do with the way you function as a person. I've lived in LA, DC, Indianapolis, Denver and now Raleigh/Durham (hell, I'd live in Butte, Montana for a while if the dollars are right). As an engineer, I've dealt with bigots, rednecks (YOU don't have to be from the South to be a redneck.....rednecks live in LA, NY, Chicago and all over the West Coast) and good people in all of those environments.

Your comments about places like Charlotte being stuck in the 1950's and people thinking you're poor if you ride a bike or walk around town....... are absurd, narrow-minded and actually damage your credibility on the subject matter.

What I'm trying to say is people make to much of a deal about a place being too liberal or conservative (When I go to the MALL, GYM, LIBRARY, JOGGING TRAIL, PLAY, etc...who really gives a damn). It's what YOU make out of it because most cities have something unique to offer. So, stop complaining make YOUR money, invest it and build your own damn city.....because moving to Atlanta or Columbia is only going to change your geographical location not your mindset.

[triadcat]

I'd rather your reason for relocation be a result of your business not thriving, not because a place is too liberal or conservative (In the words in Micheal Jordan "Republicans buy sneakers too"). In the big picture what in the world does it have to do with the way you function as a person. I've lived in LA, DC, Indianapolis, Denver and now Raleigh/Durham (hell, I'd live in Butte, Montana for a while if the dollars are right). As an engineer, I've dealt with bigots, rednecks (YOU don't have to be from the South to be a redneck.....rednecks live in LA, NY, Chicago and all over the West Coast) and good people in all of those environments.

Your comments about places like Charlotte being stuck in the 1950's and people thinking you're poor if you ride a bike or walk around town....... are absurd, narrow-minded and actually damage your credibility on the subject matter.

What I'm trying to say is people make to much of a deal about a place being too liberal or conservative (When I go to the MALL, GYM, LIBRARY, JOGGING TRAIL, PLAY, etc...who really gives a damn). It's what YOU make out of it because most cities have something unique to offer. So, stop complaining make YOUR money, invest it and build your own damn city.....because moving to Atlanta or Columbia is only going to change your geographical location not your mindset.

Well said!!!

Politics are really a dumb way to judge if a city is livable or not.......you go for the overall picture.

Case in point: My brother is a liberal that lives up in Boston, Mass and can't wait to get back down here in 'ole NC!! He doesn't care if it is more conservative, he just wants to be back down here because it is less crowded, people are generally nicer, and buildings, roads, houses are generally better kept up down here.

I sure hope strawberriieee uses a better attitude being a business leader than she has shown here. I really wonder what type of "business" she owns??