April 27, 2006
Lawrencians don't perceive themselves as Kansans. We think we live in a blue oasis in a red state. Consider the bumper sticker you see all over town.
I swear I see this sticker on half the cars in town. In what other town in this state would you see this so often if at all? That's right, none! It's not solely political either. I think we think we're better than everyone else.We don't want to be the 51st state or anything. We tend to retain what we perceive as the good parts of the Kansas heritage. Lawrence has a flavor of down hominess. Downtown on Mass street the kids drive the strip like in so many other Kansas small towns. The farmer's market where locals come to ply their wares. The Lawrence City Band playing in South Park. Crossing paths with the mayor on the sidewalk. The nods and waves of familiar folk that you might just know cause you've seen them for so long.Lawrence has always been a hotspot of dissention. Lawrence has all kinds of references to the Free State label. Free State Brewery, Free State High School, Free State Glass, etc.. we're proud of the abolitionist history of our town. And the modern history of Lawrence is sprinkled with events that are attempts to uphold freedom and the rights of the individual. Don't forget to honk for hemp!Lawrencians tend to be of a liberal mind set. We think we're more cosmopolitan than the average bear even though we live in a small town in Kansas. The university surely has a lot to do with the culture that exists here. Fresh faces every fall bring fresh ideas and new fads. Old time townies try and keep up in an attempt to stay hip.To some people outside the Lawrence community we're the Kansas version of Sodom and Gomorrah. A bastion of liberal tree hugging pot smoking hippies of various sexual orientations. We just like to say that we're open-minded.Once a psychologist friend of mine said that the average IQ in Lawrence is about 10 points higher than other places in Kansas. He may have been buttering my biscuits but selfishly I agreed.So everytime I see this bumpersticker I smile or laugh to myself. I'm proud to be a Lawrencian too.
Comments
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rpk (Robert Kerley) says...
"Blue oasis in a red state" -- When I first started dating my wife she lived here and I was in college in New Mexico. I'd never been here, so I found a couple of Kansans and asked them what it was like. The response I will always remember is "an island of bliss in a sea of boredom". I also remember my high school English teacher went to KU and when we found out we all laughed at him and wondered why the hay anyone would go to Kansas. Little did we know.
I don't think Lawrencians think we're better than other people, but I think our town is probably better-suited to the people who live here than many places would be. The only thing I'd change would be banning winter. And adding some bike lanes that actually go somewhere, but hey, it could be worse, it could be [insert witty reference here]!
By the way, I think this is a superb post -- makes one snicker at oneself but also instills pride in our fair city. Good job, hippie!
April 27, 2006 at 5:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrisgladfelter (anonymous) says...
I love Lawrence and would never consider living anywhere else in Kansas. For me, though, there is one drawback: Most people see Lawrence as a transition town. High-quality job opportunities are rare, and unless you're lucky enough to land a job at KU or live off a trust fund, chances are you're going to move to a larger city that can offer better deals. I've been in this town ever since my freshman year at KU in 1989, and I've seen way too many friends pack it up and head elsewhere after just a few years. Lawrence may be one of the best places to live, but as far as jobs go, it can't compete with Denver, Seattle, Boston, New York....
I understand that most Lawrencians, especially the old timers, wish to keep Lawrence small or at least have it retain the small-town atmosphere. But would it be so bad if it continued to grow (following the "smart growth" approach, of course)? Would Lawrence be able to retain its unique flavor if it surpassed 100,000 people? 200,000 people?
I automatically start to think of Boulder, Colorado, when the issue of expansion pops up. If my memory serves me correctly, folks in Boulder (Boulderites? Boulderoids?) have enacted a so-called no-growth zone around the city, which is one reason why their housing costs are so astronomical. I don't think Boulder has such a high turnover rate for people compared with Lawrence, but then again Boulder is nestled along the Rocky Mountains and is a stone's throw from Denver. We have only Lawrence itself.
Armed with my masters degree in English, I don't think any awesome business opportunities are going to lure me away from Lawrence to the West or East coasts any time soon. But I love it here, and I'm content to stay. However, I wish this town had even more to offer so others would feel the same way.
April 27, 2006 at 10:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Todd (anonymous) says...
No-growth boundaries> The idea is good but the implementation is a joke. In Portland they brag about their fight against urban sprawl. You go there and it's a big sprawled out mess. But... folks there will point out that the "mess" isn't Portland. Who cares what city name goes to what, it's still a sprawly mess.
April 28, 2006 at 9:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leslie (Leslie vonHolten) says...
I spend a couple days/week at school in JoCo--it's a great school and I love it there, but I feel like a sore thumb sometimes. Somedays I'm just overcome with gratitude when I get back into town, pick up my kids, and can chat about my garden or my bike or whatever else with my neighbors. I do less explaining and more enjoying here.
That said, I'm with gladfelter: I wish we could come up with a smart growth plan that would truly be smart and promote better economic opportunities for the 30+ crowd. Unfortunately, I have no answers.
April 28, 2006 at 12:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kookamooka (anonymous) says...
Lawrence is getting caught between being a college town and a suburb to KC and Topeka. I can't stand the sight of another apartment complex or multi-family condo complex in town. I makes me sick. The For Rent signs in the city have tripled in the last 5 years. I hope the poor students can get cheap apartments in Oread now that there is a glut in the market. Ideally, I'd like to see the slum lords in the Oread sell their houses as fixer uppers to young families and watch that neighborhood come alive with treehouses and kids in the yard. But, that will never happen. I gotta be honest. We're looking to get out of Lawrence in the next five years. The dreaminess is just dying.
April 28, 2006 at 6:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
audvisartist (anonymous) says...
Kansas... as bigoted as you think. And those that have the bumper sticker on their car prove it! ;)
April 29, 2006 at 7:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bthom37 (anonymous) says...
Yeah, it is tough for the 30+ crowd. My friends who are of that age range I generally advise to get out. If they haven't settled down here already, the time is past. Move on to places with better economic opportunities that don't involve commuting to KC/Topeka. And better social opportunities also; the social life in this town is geared towards college kids, obviously.
And I'm 27, so this advice also applies to myself after I finish up school next year (or maybe 3 years later, when my wife finishes up..). It's sad, because I love this town, but I couldn't imagine living anywhere else in Kansas.
April 29, 2006 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kookamooka (anonymous) says...
Yeah, I used to think Lawrence was this GREAT place to raise kids. But whenever we go visit friends in other cities, its obvious to me that Lawrence has a long way to go. AND the city will always focus on college kids and old people trying to act young by affiliation. Even the schools aren't what they were and other school districts in other parts of the U.S. don't charge parents to send their kids to public school.
I just don't feel welcome here. It's turning into an "old boys club".
April 29, 2006 at 9:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Dazie (Aileen Dingus) says...
Hang on a sec folks- if it's so crappy here for the 30+ crowd, and you lament that fact, why not CHANGE it rather than move away??
I understand that the job situation isn't the greatest for that age group, and unless you are a business owner there isn't much you can do, but what _can_ you do to make the rest better?
April 29, 2006 at 10:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moveforward (anonymous) says...
One of the downfalls of a heated debate and a polarized community split by equal passions is that almost nothing gets done. Surely the contraining of volitility can be matched with optimization of the opportunites.
I love Lawrence, but it must embrace change in order to maintain its vitality. And look - in spite of the sprawling growth of box stores west and south, downtown is vibrant. In fact the downtown greatly benefits from the outlying box stores.
April 29, 2006 at 10:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bthom37 (anonymous) says...
Dazie;
The problem is that the business situation is the sine qua non for the majority of that age group. If there aren't decent paying jobs in Lawrence that makes it harder to raise kids (the little ones are a wee bit pricey!) and to afford a home. Everyone knows paying rent is a mug's game, and without good paying jobs, you're stuck renting (also known as setting your money on fire then flushing it). This naturally leads to the fact that there are few single 30 somethings (in relation, but out of proportion, to the number of single college kids), which makes for a worse social scene.
April 29, 2006 at 11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JazzEgle (anonymous) says...
As someone who grew up in Lawrence and is going to college elsewhere, I have discovered that Lawrence can be very bigoted as well. I mean, if you're a republican or have very strong Christian based opinions you get chastized all the time. It's easy to call the opposition closed minded just because they refuse to agree with your opinion. At the school I'm at now, we have a much broader range of opinions from very conservative to socialist, and all these groups of campus thrive together. I think Lawrence's people sometimes triy to be so different from the rest of Kansas that they aren't open to different opinions, but instead very closed minded in their own little world. Also, as I'm training to be a teacher, I'll say this, Lawrence has some of the lowest paid teachers in a state that does not compensate teachers fairly. I don't see anyway I can pursue a career in teaching in a state where many teachers are practically living in poverty. That's why I'm going to leave, the jobs are better elsewhere.
April 29, 2006 at 2:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kaderast (anonymous) says...
I completely agree with the above post. I grew up in and around Lawrence for the first 18 years of my life. After that I had to leave and attend KSU for 4 years, and now have made a new life in Montana. I still return to Lawrence once a year or so to visit my parents, and everytime I return back it seems like Lawrence scares me more and more.
JazzEgle is right, Lawrence is just as closed minded to the rest of Kansas as Kansas is to Lawrence. Although the issues that your town may be open to aren't necessarily the popular or "socially acceptable" lifestyles, simply accepting those doesn't make you "open-minded". That includes being open to everything. There is just as much disgust in Lawrence for the Christian and Conservative community as is likewise from those communities to Lawrence. That doesn't make either group right, it just makes them both close-minded.
April 29, 2006 at 4:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Solomon (anonymous) says...
The "no-growthers" chap my a$$. I grew up here. I wish we had instituted no-growth in about 1950. Most of the "Kansas--As bigoted as you think" crowd wouldn't be here. There!
April 29, 2006 at 5:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weezy_Jefferson (anonymous) says...
I think that most conservatives and Christians feel discriminated against in Lawrence because most liberals and non-Christians feel they are always being attacked by the former. So they attack back. The common question is "Why accept someone if they don't accept you?"
Bigotry (or perhaps just plain-old ignorance) works both ways.
April 29, 2006 at 6:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Godot (anonymous) says...
Solomon is wise.
April 29, 2006 at 7:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
devobrun (anonymous) says...
So, what's the opposite of bigoted? Liberal, open-minded, inclusive, progressive? Would that it still be so!
Nope, now days it's just sloppy. The hippies have become just sloppy and undisciplined.
Sad when progressive means Marx and Darwin. I guess 150 year old theories are progressive. Sad when inclusive and open-minded means Mexicans, but not Baptists
The fat old men with black horn-rimmed glasses of 1965 have been replaced by skinny, wild-haired old men in 2005. Either way they tell you what to do, what to believe. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
April 29, 2006 at 7:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thetomdotdot (anonymous) says...
I don't know. My family enjoys living and working in Lawrence. What I find unique about this town after living a number of places is how special Lawrencians consider themselves. Not a particularly bad thing, just amusing.
April 29, 2006 at 9:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SteelHorseRider (anonymous) says...
Solomon is truly wise. He took the thoughts from my brain and put them to keystrokes hours before I thought them.
I HATE that bumper sticker. If you think Kansas is any different from any other State, think again.
As long as I can remember "Snob Hill" has always taken the brunt of Kansas' jokes about liberalism and cronyism. People who grew up here know everyone else in Kansas is just plain jealous of Lawrence. The diverse mix of tradition and liberalism is what makes our town unique.
April 29, 2006 at 10:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weezy_Jefferson (anonymous) says...
Kansas isn't much different from other states---red states, that is. The only reason we have that bumper sticker is because it makes fun of the state's new "slogan": Kansas, As Big As You Think. I find the bumper sticker amusing, but I can't figure out why anyone would want to display it. It's not like it's going to change anybody's mind.
April 29, 2006 at 11:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bdat13 (anonymous) says...
OK...while I can agree with some of the other posts regarding acceptance of other beliefs and lifestyles, but I have NEVER met someone who belittles you for having Judeo-Christian beliefs. I am glad to make Lawrence my home because of the fact that this is the only place I have lived that you can agree to disagree with someone and not take it as a personal attack.
BTW - My favorite bumper sticker is: Kansas - "Where evolution is outlawed and the Monkeys are in charge."
April 30, 2006 at 5:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
satchel (anonymous) says...
Lawrence is great for it's artsy liberals and that is about it. I have seen some great art in Lawrence, and they have great food. I am sure not ALL of it is done by liberals, but liberals do have a great flair for art.
However, liberals are biggoted against everyone who doesn't agree with them. They literally hate those who don't accept the 'anything goes' culture. I mean hate. I have never seen so much hate in Lawrence, and the 'stuff it down your throat' mentality of their liberal ideology. "You agree with me or you are a biggot!". They are behaving as they say the conservatives behave. They befriend gays because they are gay, not because of 'who' they are and how wonderfully unique they are like anyone else in the world. They literally hold gay people up on a pedestal so they can say.."See, I am tolerant!! Look at me!". They use gay people big time.
Conservatives enjoy being around people regardless if they are gay or not.. WE like people for who they are, not based on 'what is the most anti-establishment thing I can do' to piss off the 'religious right'. The libs are the most biggoted people I know. I have heard them say they 'hate' Christians and hate Bush. That is a pretty intolerant thing to say from such a peace-loving tolerant people.
I never heard a conservative literally say they hate Bill Clinton.
Most conservative Christians I know are the most peace-loving, tolerant people around. THey love liberals even though they disagree on issues.. They have gay friends, but not just to show them off.
I have a lot of liberal friends who have said they hate Christians and Bush because they buy the Koolaid lie from the Media about all Christians being like Fred Phelps.. It is truly sad i must say.
April 30, 2006 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jashu (anonymous) says...
"Some of my best friends are gay." Do you all listen to yourselves sometimes? People are sometimes like a broken record.
April 30, 2006 at 10:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jashu (anonymous) says...
They should have instituted "no-growth" in 1450 not 1950, how would you like that?
April 30, 2006 at 10:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrisgladfelter (anonymous) says...
Satchel, you cannot be serious. Liberals "befriend gays because they are gay"? Conservatives "enjoy being around people regardless if they are gay or not"? What??
I almost didn't respond to your entry because I wasn't convinced that it wasn't a joke. However, on the off chance that you ARE serious, I have to warn you that your conclusions are dangerously narrow. And such narrow conclusions about people are what lead to massive misunderstandings, which in turn can lead to ignorance and bigotry. Don't be so quick to use such wide brushstrokes to paint your pictures.
April 30, 2006 at 10:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
davewtop (anonymous) says...
Lawrence is fun in doses. It's like a giant amusement park.
In keeping with the saying, it's a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
April 30, 2006 at 10:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
outdoor55 (anonymous) says...
I can't say that I love every aspect of living in Lawrence. However, I don't think it is possible to live in a utopia where everything is just as you would have it... One has to look for a balance.
Are there things in Lawrence that could be improved? Sure. Having traveled much of the US and growing up in Wichita, I think Lawrence is great. Unlike Wichita, at least we have an actual downtown with a mix of nightlife and shopping. We can actually ride a bike or walk to run errands.(bike lanes could be improved) And this blog proves that people actually have intelligent thoughts no matter the point of view.
You are responsible for your own good time. Lawrence is not perfect but I don't think anywhere in America is.
April 30, 2006 at 1:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
local_support (anonymous) says...
I moved to Lawrence from a slowly dying university town and I cannot imagine a better place to be. Some folks don't know how lucky they are to live in a place such as Lawrence. Communities like this are few and far between. Sure we have some issues but what city doesn't? I for one am proud to be a part of the Lawrence community and I look forward to many happy years here.
April 30, 2006 at 7:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bangaranggerg (anonymous) says...
Blogs.. as worthless as you think
May 1, 2006 at 2:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Todd (anonymous) says...
A friend of mine warned me about living in Lawrence after college. She told me it was an entirely different community. I should have headed her warning.
I'm a 30+ person married with kids that commutes to a job in JoCo. Kookamooka's post above summarizes how I feel about my move back to Lawrence. I was lured in my the young town and transient population. The people that stay after attending KU don't reflect the diverse whole of those that attend. It's that sect of folks that I don't feel like I fit in with.
May 1, 2006 at 3:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrysanthalbee (chrys anthalbee) says...
i must be one of the lucky few then. i am 30+ with kids and i feel like i "fit in" with those peers i'm lucky enough to have as friends. i also have a job in town and so does my wife. i did the commute thing for a little over a year and although it was draining i was glad to return to larryville at night.
one of the more insightful comments to me personally was first mentioned by JazzEgle. that is the fact that some people that are religious and/or conservative may feel chastized in this town. anyone who does this in the name of liberalism or open-mindedness is just as polarized as those they accuse of the same.
May 1, 2006 at 4:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nataliaortuzar (anonymous) says...
Wow, there are some strong opinions being expressed here. I'm a 26 year old, open-minded Londoner (UK) about to move to Lawrence to work...should I be scared?
May 11, 2006 at 8:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lostupnorth (anonymous) says...
Interesting subject and mostly insightful posts. In what other community would one find such insights whether spoken at the barber shop/salon, church, or the corner store? Thats the great thing about Lawrence; community, online and in real life. Those of you who are lucky enough to find work and live in Lawrence do not realize how lucky you are. There are countless cities across the country that look, feel, and act like anyplace USA, and Lawrence is one of the few out there that marches to its own beat. Whether that beat is liberal or conservative doesnt really matter, the fact that is that its unique, which is so hard to find these days. Lawrence has pitfalls, namely lack of leadership at city hall, and the citizen's resistance to change, but its a great, great place.
May 18, 2006 at 8:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
billy (Billy Keefe) says...
I should start by saying I like Lawrence, a lot, but those bumper stickers drive me nuts!
It is very easy to say that a town is open-minded when almost everyone is white and there is a fairly high standard of living (if most people aren't starving or in jail they won't organize). There are so few people of color, permanent queers and other marginalized groups that there isn't enough critical mass to revolt. So, everything continues along honky dory, emphasis on honky. Luckily, the town prides itself on it's few token 'colorful' people. Otherwise, it would be excruciating to live here.
And, as much as I love it here, I really miss being able to walk into a bar and see a guy giving another guy head or to be the only light-skinned person or the least gender-fucked . . . it is kind of lonely.
February 11, 2007 at 7:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tdhoney (anonymous) says...
Lawrencians?
It's so hard to keep up with being liberal! I mean... as long as I wear my hair messy on purpose, have a unique scarf or hat, have the right frame of non-prescription Lisa Loeb glasses, spout off at the mouth about how liberal my ideas are, how many gay friends I have, how many books I've read, or vinyl records I own ...then I'll still fit in right?
Being "unique and liberal" is so awesome.
Okay, so all sarcasm aside...
Being a truly liberally minded person isn't all about the ''trendy liberal people'' I see all over downtown Lawrence sitting outside sipping their coffees and discussing how their veiws are -above all- the best veiws. I've seen too many of these so called liberals stick up their noses at anyone and everyone who doesn't meet their standards... Sad IMHO.
February 13, 2007 at 4:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Morris_PopD (anonymous) says...
I had never connected that bumper sticker to Lawrence before I read Chad Reasoner's piece. After reading the responses, I wonder if the manufacturer is actually someone from Missouri, assuming that they would consider Kansans bigotted by comparison.
What interests me is that the people who have these bumperstickers also have Kansas license plates, meaning that they are self-identifying as biggots. At least we Kansans recognize our ignorance. For that I guess we owe the folks from Missouri our thanks.
April 13, 2007 at 7:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jtransue (anonymous) says...
Lawrence is amazing in so many ways--not just because the general political atmosphere is far more liberal than the rest of Kansas. Because not everyone in Lawrence is liberal (just ask my Baptist family).
Very few places in the midwest have such a strong sense of how culture improves a society. When I tell people I am from Kansas, they usually laugh and ask me if I have a little dog named Toto. When I tell them I'm from Lawrence, their laughs usually turn into "Oh, I hear that's a really cool town. My (insert relation here) went to college there".
But the bumper sticker is right. If you leave Kansas and look at it from an outsider's point-of-view, it's a state of fucking right-wing sociopaths using God as an excuse to send Governor Sebelius death threats for being pro-choice!
July 30, 2007 at 3:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )