About what Northern Cal Seems like after many years away

[Conservationalist]

Hello,

I have something to say about coming back to California after being away for most of my adult life. I thought I would come back to an open minded place, where I would be accepted and even welcomed into a more open minded society. I come from a family that challenged the status quo, and am more than educated in trying out new things. I am also highly educated in a traditional university in environmental policy and anthropology.

I came back here after being financially crushed during the recession in Colorado, and was totally at the mercy of the culture here. I put myself out there over and over again trying to build a life here. I have now barely made it financially because of a few kind people, but I have been amazed that so many have treated me in a very unwelcoming way.

In my younger years here I went to Grateful Dead shows, and visited wonderful communities, and saw things that I thought were the root of very welcoming places, and that is why I thought coming here again would be a great thing, but I think things have changed in a way I am not so sure of being the light filled existence it seemed we all dreamed of back then.

It is interesting because I do come from a family that helped start many of the more progressive things that are central to modern thought of progressiveness, but I do not want to pull cards, so to say, in order to gain status, and have found the "outside" of that privilege to be quite unwelcoming. I am sad to see this and wonder if other people have felt the same? I thought there would be more inclusiveness going on, or at least a good solid thought towards such an idea. Has something changed?

I am interested to read about what other people think.

[Alex]

Hi Conservationalist - great word,
First, it might be a good thing you chose this category to pose your question because it was started specifically to break away from the less open minded rest of the forum. Welcome.

But that said, I don't want to make any assumptions about what you're asking and I'm really not clear about it. I'm wondering if you could elaborate a bit what you mean about coming back and finding your experiences with various people in California 'unwelcoming' and possibly not as progressive as you expected and/or 'inclusive'.

I'll only add that I too had a perception of people being in/coming to California for it's progressiveness and have been surprised at how not progressive it is, especially politically. Maybe small circles of acquaintances or businesses are and when you don't venture out very far from your own types your perception of the whole is skewed and maybe California was not that progressive all along.

Is that a possibility?
Alex

Hello,

I have something to say about coming back to California after being away for most of my adult life. I thought I would come back to an open minded place, where I would be accepted and even welcomed into a more open minded society. I come from a family that challenged the status quo, and am more than educated in trying out new things. I am also highly educated in a traditional university in environmental policy and anthropology.

I came back here after being financially crushed during the recession in Colorado, and was totally at the mercy of the culture here. I put myself out there over and over again trying to build a life here. I have now barely made it financially because of a few kind people, but I have been amazed that so many have treated me in a very unwelcoming way.

In my younger years here I went to Grateful Dead shows, and visited wonderful communities, and saw things that I thought were the root of very welcoming places, and that is why I thought coming here again would be a great thing, but I think things have changed in a way I am not so sure of being the light filled existence it seemed we all dreamed of back then.

It is interesting because I do come from a family that helped start many of the more progressive things that are central to modern thought of progressiveness, but I do not want to pull cards, so to say, in order to gain status, and have found the "outside" of that privilege to be quite unwelcoming. I am sad to see this and wonder if other people have felt the same? I thought there would be more inclusiveness going on, or at least a good solid thought towards such an idea. Has something changed?

I am interested to read about what other people think.

[Shandi]

Thanks for your thoughts and contribution to the Red Pill Roundtable.

We've seen the widening gap between the "haves" (privileged) and the "have nots". I'm wondering where you've lived away from California most of your life. You speak of being financially crushed during the recession in Colorado. Now it seems that Colorado may be the place to make money, especially in the cannabis industry. If I was younger, I'd consider moving there, especially with my cannabis growing background. But at 73, I don't have the energy for the physical aspect, and don't have the drive to compete as a consultant.

You've experienced a kind of "culture shock" in returning to a place you knew as open minded, progressive, and welcoming. Your statement that "outside" of that privilege to be quite unwelcoming. I think that "privilege" has always been welcoming only to privileged others. I've never seen it any other way, so that hasn't changed. But many other things have.

If you haven't read other Wacco categories, especially those involving housing, you will quickly see, especially in Sebastopol, that those "outside" of privilege are quite unwelcome, and bring down property values, etc

There are many posts from people like yourself, who've returned to Sonoma County, with expectations that have not been realized. They may have been lucky enough to find menial jobs, but can't afford housing, so they sleep in their cars or stay with friends temporarily....until they begin to realize that the "dream is DEAD".
I think the most recent homeless count is now over 3,000 from an article in the Gazette.

I've given up my bedroom twice to homeless people, while I slept (though, not very well) on a cot in the office. A couple of years ago, my car became a mobile food bank for a homeless family with two children who stood for hours each day, hoping to get enough to rent a motel room for the night. I did their piles of laundry, so they could have clean clothes, and stored their boxes in my little shed. I transported them and their few belongings to various motels. I was shocked at their stories of abuse from officials. This was a middle class family who had owned a home in Sebastopol, until construction work dried up for the father, who was a contractor. They lost their home, and eventually their car because they had no money to renew registration. Their car and their belongings, except what they could carry, was impounded. The family was left on the street.

A couple of weeks ago in the rain, I saw a young homeless woman with two large dogs and a cat. She sat outside the post office. I noticed that she had no shoes. She told me they got wet. I asked her size, and went to thrift stores searching. Finally, I found a perfect pair of expensive leather ankle boots, some socks, and a pair of gloves. She was very grateful. She said that the police were chasing the homeless out, and that she and her husband were leaving California for housing with a relative.

It's very sad to witness and experience the death of the dream, and the reality of being unwelcome, and un-privileged. I know you're grateful to the friends who have sheltered you from other harsh realities of homelessness.

It seems you have much to offer our community, and I hope you get the chance.

Hello,

I have something to say about coming back to California after being away for most of my adult life. I thought I would come back to an open minded place, where I would be accepted and even welcomed into a more open minded society. I come from a family that challenged the status quo, and am more than educated in trying out new things. I am also highly educated in a traditional university in environmental policy and anthropology.

I came back here after being financially crushed during the recession in Colorado, and was totally at the mercy of the culture here. I put myself out there over and over again trying to build a life here. I have now barely made it financially because of a few kind people, but I have been amazed that so many have treated me in a very unwelcoming way.

In my younger years here I went to Grateful Dead shows, and visited wonderful communities, and saw things that I thought were the root of very welcoming places, and that is why I thought coming here again would be a great thing, but I think things have changed in a way I am not so sure of being the light filled existence it seemed we all dreamed of back then.

It is interesting because I do come from a family that helped start many of the more progressive things that are central to modern thought of progressiveness, but I do not want to pull cards, so to say, in order to gain status, and have found the "outside" of that privilege to be quite unwelcoming. I am sad to see this and wonder if other people have felt the same? I thought there would be more inclusiveness going on, or at least a good solid thought towards such an idea. Has something changed?

I am interested to read about what other people think.

[podfish]

I'll only add that I too had a perception of people being in/coming to California for it's progressiveness and have been surprised at how not progressive it is, especially politically. Maybe small circles of acquaintances or businesses are and when you don't venture out very far from your own types your perception of the whole is skewed and maybe California was not that progressive all along.

Is that a possibility?
Alex

yep. try going inland a bit. The 'progressive' bits are pretty tightly clustered. By land area, we're a typical red state. Only where there's a density of population will you find the more stereotypical Californians. (Meaning cities). Even this county has a bunch o' traditional redneck influence, but we have enough Berkeley refugees to stay part of the greater Bay Area political demographic. But, say, Lake County...