For some time now I have mentioned on more than one occasion that I live in a very conservative city but now I finally have the proof to back up my frequent assertions. Apparently a study was done recently to identify the ten most conservative and liberal cities in the U.S. and Bakerfield was ranked the most conservative city in California and number eight in the nation. That's right, number eight. Provo Utah came out number one some other cities included Colorado Springs, Plaino and Lubbuck Texas, and Orange County.....So how does this make me feel? Well....on one level I just remind myself that conservatives are people just like everyone else with just different warts. I have many conservative friends and they all are loving people, in many ways and I certainly don't want to demonize my fellow brethren....but....on another level....I admit I am growing tired of the constant liberal bashing that is the most popular sport in my neck of the woods. It's become a real bore and there is in my opinion very little serious thought or consideration given to any ideas by liberals. It's just assumed around here by the vast majority that liberals are to be feared and are anti-God/America, which is unfortunate, IMO, because I think some of their ideas/proposals should at least be taken into consideration, if for no other reason than they are serious minded people just like many of their conservative counterparts.
It's a shame the culture wars have come to the place where many good folks appear to regulary succumb to the temptation to demonize those on the other side of the political isle. Our political winner take all system doesn't help because it only galvanizes and energizes those in the minority to get revenge with the powers that be.....People on both sides of the political isle seem to recognize that we need reform on numerous fronts in this country but I am afraid their idea of reform is too short sided and thus ineffective for the most part because a significant amount of the reform efforts are based on eliminating or tharting the proposals of the "other side" thus we often end up with proposals that reflect more a committment to an ideology rather than helping the people who need help the most. Just my take on things. Kind of got off the subject of Bakersfield. I've lived here my whole life and really don't know any other living environment other than conservative. Just the way it is. Just wish folks around here would engage what they apparently fear most instead of dismissing it out of hand without any serious consideration.
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This doesn't surprise me. I am in the midst of all that is conservative.
I was born in Lubbock (#2), went to college in Waco (#39), live just north of Plano (#5) and not far from Arlington (#14) and Carrollton (#34). My husband works in Garland (#29).
Oh, we lived just north of Provo (#1) in SLC for a while, too. Thank heavens for the little groups of rebels there. I took bellydancing classes in SLC partly to find people outside the LDS norm. :-D
What makes Allentown, PA (#12) hit the conservative list? And Anchorage (#24)?
I looked at the liberal list and saw Washington DC (#4). We also lived in a suburb of DC for 5 years. They had the greatest international communities. Very interesting place!
Somebody post a link to that list - I want to check it out. I think that Grand Rapids would show up somewhere on the conservative list, but not sure how high.
OK, I found the list myself.
http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1309682&secid=2
Turns out Grand Rapids is almost right in the middle, 122 out of 237. It is a racially mixed city, and apparently, the black-white divide is the most influential factor in determining a city's conservativeness or liberalness. So how about that, we are right back to the race issue, it seems!
Here's the source for how the con/lib characteristics are linked to racial mix of the respective cities...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050811/lf_afp/uspoliticsracedivide_050811170539
Wow Lisa,
Sounds like you have recieved more than your'e fair share of conservatism. Don't mean to imply anything by that especially since I don't know your'e own political leanings. I was a card carrying Republican/Reganite/Limbaugh foot soldier at one time but I have since shifted toward the left for alot of reasons I won't state here. It's a long story actually...Don't consider myself a Liberal in the strictest since but do sympathize with some of their concern......Dave....I came across the relationship between race and political status. No big surprise but am curious how this is going to play out in the years to come as various minority groups continue to increase in number. Since I travel up and down the west coast on a regular basis every year I have noticed quite a change in demographics over the years, especially this year. While visiting Mammoth, which is a high class ski resort this summer I noticed a large contingent of Hispanics now living in the area which did not exist just five years ago. As immigrants become more educated and eventually gain majority status I suspect it is going to change the political landscape in some rather profound ways. Not making any predictions on which way the majority may eventually lean but do suspect politics as we know it will become radically different.
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