Is NYC really starting to turn deep red?

[KillCapitalism]

I was talking with a couple I know there after the whole election thing, and they stated that was the last straw. They plan to leave NYC & move across the country to the SF Bay Area. According to them, people have really changed there because they are discouraged by Obama, and they are changing for the worse. This couple claims that NYC is starting to become a hotbed of racism, homophobia, and xenophobia.

Any truth to all this? If so, it's sad.

[cali]

1. does that claim even make ANY sense to you?

[trueblue2007]

2. NO IT IS NOT. WHAT A DUMB THING TO SUGGEST

[aquart]

3. Have you known these morons long?

They should definitely move to San Francisco.

[TomClash]

13. As I live and breathe . . .

I agree with you completely.

[Smarmie Doofus]

14. By my faith....

...I agree w. your agreement.

;)

[dkf]

4. NYC = wall street.

[JVS]

5. NYC is a very gentrified kind of place. It would not surprise me to see them vote as other rich...

people tend to vote.

[markpkessinger]

6. I've lived in NYC for nearly 30 years . . .

. . . and I don't think we're seeing anything new here. Look, the much-vaunted liberal reputation of New York has always been a bit overstated in any case. I think the populace as a whole is about where it has always been: fairly centrist Democratic on economic matters, a bit more liberal on issues of social justice and civil rights. But New York has always been a bit of a mixed bag politically speaking. When the national media talks about NYC, in most cases it is talking about something that ie about, happened in, or primarily concerns Manhattan. I think Manhattan residents remain by and large solidly liberal (but there have always been a larger number of exceptions to that than the national media has typically recognized. But the outer boroughs, while certainly carrying their share of social liberals and committed labor Democrats, have also always had certain neighborhoods, particularly in some of the working- and middle-class neighborhoods of Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, which have tended to lean much more in a conservative direction (indeed, these neighborhoods were prime turf for the so-called "Reagan Republicans." Many of these neighborhoods are largely comprised of socially traditional Roman Catholics who are considerably more conservative than the city taken as a whole. Again, though, this is nothing new: New York has always had it ethnic neighborhoods full of first and second generation immigrant families whose adherence to one religion or another tends to color their views a bit more conservative.

And even in Manhattan, where a liberal cultural ethic certainly prevails, we've always had our fair of hard-charging business executives and Wall Street types who hardly fit the "liberal New Yorker" stereotype. The thing about Manhattan's conservatives, however, is that they are typically savvy and sophisticated enough to know when to temper their rhetoric, despite whatever positions they might actually hold. They're also very good at couching their ideas in moderate-sounding phrases that are carefully calculated not to scare liberals' horses.

Also, since NYC iw a place of employment for millions of people who live in the surrounding counties to the east, north and west of the city, whose politics can often be more conservative than most people think of when they think of the typical "New York liberal." Yet, even though these folks are technically speaking not residents of the city, experientially they are and always have been a part of its overall fabric.

One change I have witnessed, though, and it saddens me immensely, is that whereas in our past public discussions on matters of culture, or social justice or politics, artists and intellectuals were given a much greater prominence in those discussions. Today, all such discussions seem to be dominated entirely by business types.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. The city's liberalism has always been overstated.

There are and have always been many progressive people here but that's mainly 'cause there are so many people OUTRIGHT.

Example: in 1969 ( sort of the high-water mark for 60's-70s liberalism nationally) liberal Mayor Lindsay managed to get himself reelected with about 40% of the vote.... the remaining 60% divided by a conservative republlcan and a rw dem.

Subsequent Mayors.... excepting perhaps David Dinkins ( a one-termer).... have been essentially conservative.

[baldguy]

8. No.

8 million people in the city; 18 million in the metro area. Guaranteed there will be RWers. Guaranteed they're going to earn some political power.

But to describe NYC as "deep red" is ludicrous.

[leveymg]

9. There's Tribecca Manhattan, and then there's Ridgewood, Queens. Different cities.

Weiner's old District is a mix of affluent, mostly liberal and blue collar, Reagan Democrats. Most of it is heavily Jewish.

I have to say this after visiting my sister, who lives up by Columbia U. Living in many neighborhoods in NYC, particularly those in transition, is enough to turn almost anyone into a big fan of the NYPD and Mayor Mike.

[TomClash]

12. What the **** does that mean?

"Living in many neighborhoods, particularly those in transition?" Is this code for kicking out the niggas, spics and white trash, so upper middle class white professionals can move in?

BTW, not many people in the outer boroughs are big fans of "Mayor Mike."

[aquart]

18. NYC is ALWAYS "in transition."

The biggest up and coming group is Asian. They've got Flushing and they've branched out to Bayside, etc. But there are also heavy-duty Muslim communities, judging by the saris and halal groceries and mosques in some parts of Queens (I know they're in other parts of the city but I don't get around much anymore.)

Orthodox Jewish Williamsburgh is being gentrified like mad. Don't assume those gentry are all white kids, though.

Astoria is Greek, Rumanian, lots of eastern Europe. And I remember when Brighton Beach became Little Odessa but I don't know if the Russian hold is still as strong.

One group moves up and another moves in. Korean supermarkets are fantastic for fish.

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Doubt it.

[FarLeftFist]

11. NO.

[RagAss]

15. Oh Please !

[Arctic Dave]

16. Since 9/11 New Yorkers seem more scared, so maybe they have gone repug.

Or at least the ones I've met up here. It used be they were like, well, a "New Yorker". Now they are like, don't make any loud noises or fast gestures.

[aquart]

20. Where do you hang out?

Please remember that this state NEVER voted for Bush. We have TWO Democratic senators. And we voted for Obama.

Much of that happened AFTER 9/11.

[Donnachaidh]

17. NYC has always been "a hotbed of racism, homophobia, and xenophobia. "

It might not seem that in the yuppie bubbles in Chelsea, etc., but one trip to the outer boroughs will confirm it. :shrug:

[aquart]

19. Totally. But we are also a sanctuary city.

Gays from all over America have felt safe here (if they avoid picking up homicidal tourists from New Jersey). This is the home of Stonewall.

Every entrenched working class household feels threatened by eager newbies. Always has. Always will.

But we have so many minorities, so many enclaves, that we have to work it out.

We use democracy for this purpose. And we yell a lot.

[Donnachaidh]

25. that's just *it*. Both exist in NYC -- and anyone who says it is *suddenly* something else

Does not really understand NYC.

[TomClash]

21. What an amazingly ignorant statement nt

[Donnachaidh]

24. really?

Considering I'm a NY native, grew up in the city -- your comment is amazingly ignorant.

[TomClash]

27. Really? Where?

And when did you last live here? Lumping all the people of the "outer boroughs" together is old Manhattan elitist bullshit.

[Retrograde]

22. What about the special election in western NY earlier this year?

The district that went from hardcore R to D for the first time in living memory? Wasn't that supposed to be a harbinger of great change as well? How soon we forget!

I think a lot of people are just fed up with the status quo and are voting for change, any change. Those who bother to vote, that is.

[Odin2005]

23. I've read on DU that this cong. district has a lot of politcally conservative orthodox Jews.

That demographic tends to be fanatically pro-Israel and will would usually vote Republican were it not for Weiner's very pro-Israel record.

[aquart]

31. Which he managed to work beautifully.

DO YOU THINK THEY TOOK HIM OUT ACCIDENTALLY? Anyone looking at the demographics would have known the Republicans had a good shot.

[Stinky The Clown]

26. NYC is bigger than many states

At any given time in any given location in the city, what you're suggesting is probably true. I suspect, that while true, it is also uncommon.

[KillCapitalism]

28. Getting mixed reviews here.

How would NYC compare to Colorado Springs or Oklahoma City?

I haven't been to NYC since 2007 and it seemed as if it leaned liberal to me, but things have changed quite a bit since then. How bad are orthodox Jews when it comes to being conservative? Are they looney enough to consider Michelle Bachmann and Rick Perry far left liberals? I have never met an orthodox Jew, I only know those who are reform Jews and they supported Obama by a wide margin.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. Is NYC More Liberal Than Oklahoma City?

Is Amsterdam more liberal than Riyadh?

[aquart]

30. Apples? Oranges?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. My Analogy Was Apt

When it comes to cultural norms Amsterdam is to Riyadh what New York City is to Oklahoma City.

[JI7]

32. it certainly is, so is California , Republicans should put all of their money into these 2 states

for the 2012 elections.

[Chorophyll]

34. No. nt

[readmoreoften]

35. My partner and I experience far more transphobia in NYC than in Texas.

He was escorted out of buildings for using the wrong restroom or changing room 3 times in NYC, people would yell at him out of car windows. Never once have we had a problem here.

NYC has always been a place full of mixed consciousness. The rich in NYC are vicious, too.

[Safetykitten]

36. Well I have a little theory...flame away.

As the economy crawls into a hole to die in 2012, the people of the NE, that being the New York Metropolitan area will start to close ranks, economically speaking. It is expensive to live there, Manhattan especially, and the wealthy of the city and suburbs will see their life, somwhat insulated till then, start to get a bit hazy so they will get antsy with the votes.

Soooo.....republicans will gain enough from the economically threatened to make it a red joint in the 2012 faisco.