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The culture in Bellingham is incredibly cringe. Everyone is angry, upset, and complaining. And if you aren't as equally angry, upset, and intolerant you will not be liked there.
College kids are misguided now days but I know many who are pleasant in Bellingham. All the older like above mid-age people, however seem grounded. Geographically locals may behave less pleasant because of the economy. The city is recently expensive because of housing and a job market that can't keep up. This hurts the quality of life even if everything else is good, which is not the average person.
Racially, non-white can easily be associated as a more expensive city, since more demand means higher costs and more demand results from outsiders coming in, including hispanics and asians.
I hope there's another crash and recession soon to reset this market. Maybe the fed will raise interest rates or the deep state will orchestrate a collapse on Trump's watch.
I hope there's another crash and recession soon to reset this market. Maybe the fed will raise interest rates or the deep state will orchestrate a collapse on Trump's watch.
Be careful what you wish for! Not another crash/recession; many people still haven't recovered from the last debacle, chirpy financial news reports notwithstanding!! Some kind of creative solution needs to happen to resolve the homeless issue, so that people don't go around wishing for a crash! The Seattle mayor was spearheading an effort to spur the construction of low-income housing around the city for the working homeless. As to the mentally-ill and/or drug-addicted homeless, IDK, but mentally ill people shouldn't be homeless, nor should they be in jail, as many are, where the care is woefully inadequate. It's inhumane.
OK, instead of calling it a crash or recession, call it a "correction": a kinder, gentler recession. And what about the rural land off B'ham's NE end of town? Couldn't some "affordable housing" be built there? Who elects the City Council members, anyway, and what about County officials? A coordinated effort could help solve the problem....
Now this ALMOST made me laugh. Pathetic interpretation. Yes, I agree that Baldy is a troll.
Since moving here, our family has not found Bellingham to be very diverse racially. It's apparent that Whites / Caucasians are the dominant race here. We wish it had a more diverse face.
100% homosexual? Wow, Baldy, this must really be an issue for you. Now that would definitely be one for the record books! Bellingham appears to try to be supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. Yes, we have gays living here! Just like any other city. I applaud Bellingham for at least trying to be inclusive and a place where all can live with acceptance and not fear. I hope they continue to strive to be that way. If this new symbol helps towards that goal, great!
What is it with this diversity mantra? What is the problem with majority White? Where did you move from? If you are from outside the PNW, please do not try to change the area you move to be more like the place you left. That is what upsets us locals the most.
As a graphic design major, I think the design is poorly executed. The color wheel is poorly coordinated and is random, not a smooth transition. And where is the white and pink? Also, the central design element is too symbolic and is not very Bellingham. The waves, yes, but that star icon?
What is it with this diversity mantra? What is the problem with majority White? Where did you move from? If you are from outside the PNW, please do not try to change the area you move to be more like the place you left. That is what upsets us locals the most.
As a graphic design major, I think the design is poorly executed. The color wheel is poorly coordinated and is random, not a smooth transition. And where is the white and pink? Also, the central design element is too symbolic and is not very Bellingham. The waves, yes, but that star icon?
Diversity mantra? I was just saying we wish there was more diversity. It's easy for an area to tout liberalism and acceptance. It would be nice to see more of the population that the city supposedly wants to be accepting of... Just my opinion.
Not saying there is a "problem" with a majority white area but it is really not very reflective of our world today. I think it benefits all of us to be exposed to / live with different cultures and people. I've lived in a couple of small towns that were primarily white. I would prefer not to live in an area like that again. I felt a real disconnect between those communities and the world at large. Again, just my opinion. Bellingham is not as diverse as Seattle or San Francisco, but there is a greater variety of cultures here than what I found in Eastern Washington. I like the differences I've seen. Those differences make an impact on me and change my life; I don't make the change to the place.
Where did I move from? Ha... I'm not from outside of the PNW. I am a born in Washington state native. Raised primarily in Eastern Washington. Lived in Seattle for 20 years. WSU and Seattle U graduate. I worked in Bellingham in the late 1980's as part of my territory for a job I had in Seattle. I chose to move here for educational opportunities, cooler weather, the size of the city and location. I assumed, incorrectly, that Bellingham would be much more diverse than it is. I've never tried to "change" Bellingham or anyplace I've ever moved to (yes, I have lived outside of WA state and the USA) to "be more like the place (I) left".
If that is what upsets you the most about newcomers coming into Bellingham - and if you are the voice for "us locals" - then I wish you'd be more upset about the impact of investors in the housing market, medical care, rental costs, heroin/opioid use in Whatcom County, environmental impacts and traffic instead of being upset if someone who moved here says they would welcome more diversity. Guess we have a difference in priorities. Those are issues I would be concerned about as a "local". I hope all locals don't really feel as you do.
Personally, I don't think "outsiders" moving here are supporting this agenda you seem to think they have -trying to change Bellingham to make it less White... I think it's the opposite. Bellingham is being gentrified. I may be wrong, but I think a lot of people are attracted to Bellingham because it is still primarily white and at the same time they can appear to be politically correct to live in a "liberal" area. How hip. Yes, I am being sarcastic. I'm white but not wealthy. In the few years I've lived here, I feel like Bellingham is morphing into the epic center for wealthy, white, I-only-care-about-me types. I just re-read a post I wrote on my first impressions of Bellingham and time has significantly changed my outlook. I was so impressed by the warmth and kindness of people I first met, how no-one seemed to be glued to their cell phones all the time... My goodness - how times and the personality of this place have changed since then. The one thing I do still love about it here is the proximity to gorgeous places one can escape to.
RE: the design... I was not impressed with it. It was pretty ho-hum, non-impressive imo. I was just saying I'm fine with the message / intent behind it... and disputing what Baldy said the Mayor said.
Diversity mantra? I was just saying we wish there was more diversity. It's easy for an area to tout liberalism and acceptance. It would be nice to see more of the population that the city supposedly wants to be accepting of... Just my opinion.
Not saying there is a "problem" with a majority white area but it is really not very reflective of our world today. I think it benefits all of us to be exposed to / live with different cultures and people. I've lived in a couple of small towns that were primarily white. I would prefer not to live in an area like that again. I felt a real disconnect between those communities and the world at large. Again, just my opinion. Bellingham is not as diverse as Seattle or San Francisco, but there is a greater variety of cultures here than what I found in Eastern Washington. I like the differences I've seen. Those differences make an impact on me and change my life; I don't make the change to the place.
Where did I move from? Ha... I'm not from outside of the PNW. I am a born in Washington state native. Raised primarily in Eastern Washington. Lived in Seattle for 20 years. WSU and Seattle U graduate. I worked in Bellingham in the late 1980's as part of my territory for a job I had in Seattle. I chose to move here for educational opportunities, cooler weather, the size of the city and location. I assumed, incorrectly, that Bellingham would be much more diverse than it is. I've never tried to "change" Bellingham or anyplace I've ever moved to (yes, I have lived outside of WA state and the USA) to "be more like the place (I) left".
If that is what upsets you the most about newcomers coming into Bellingham - and if you are the voice for "us locals" - then I wish you'd be more upset about the impact of investors in the housing market, medical care, rental costs, heroin/opioid use in Whatcom County, environmental impacts and traffic instead of being upset if someone who moved here says they would welcome more diversity. Guess we have a difference in priorities. Those are issues I would be concerned about as a "local". I hope all locals don't really feel as you do.
Personally, I don't think "outsiders" moving here are supporting this agenda you seem to think they have -trying to change Bellingham to make it less White... I think it's the opposite. Bellingham is being gentrified. I may be wrong, but I think a lot of people are attracted to Bellingham because it is still primarily white and at the same time they can appear to be politically correct to live in a "liberal" area. How hip. Yes, I am being sarcastic. I'm white but not wealthy. In the few years I've lived here, I feel like Bellingham is morphing into the epic center for wealthy, white, I-only-care-about-me types. I just re-read a post I wrote on my first impressions of Bellingham and time has significantly changed my outlook. I was so impressed by the warmth and kindness of people I first met, how no-one seemed to be glued to their cell phones all the time... My goodness - how times and the personality of this place have changed since then. The one thing I do still love about it here is the proximity to gorgeous places one can escape to.
RE: the design... I was not impressed with it. It was pretty ho-hum, non-impressive imo. I was just saying I'm fine with the message / intent behind it... and disputing what Baldy said the Mayor said.
RE: the bolded, we're discussing exactly that on the CA forum, mainly in relation to the Bay Area, and a recent event that brought that issue to a head.
As to the lack of diversity in the PNW, I wonder if part of the lack of it is due to perceptions about the weather? And the lack of jobs outside of the Seattle area and maybe Olympia & Tacoma, and the military base there? The lack of jobs is even keeping a lot of whites from moving into some towns, which may be a good thing, given how the surge of retirees moving in has caused RE values to rise, IDK. Pulp and paper mills are a good way of keeping people out, too, haha.
OTOH, the tech boom in the Seattle area in my observation has attracted diversity, and not just Indian techies. Microsoft vacuums up all the talent it can find; it doesn't care what anyone looks like. Though I've seen rumblings on C-D forums hinting at the fact that the "culture" in places like that isn't too hospitable toward certain elements of the "diversity" crowd...
I read your comment about what Vancouver B.C. has done re: outside investors and yes, I think WA state should consider something similar before things get any worse (although I can see the difficulty and challenges in trying to find a solution that can be agreed upon by all affected).
I can also understand the LL's who expressed their non-support or unwillingness to accept Section 8 vouchers due to their experiences with Section 8 tenants. What a shame though. Not all Section 8 tenants fit the stereotype described. But that program needs to be revamped. There is a lot of waste in HUD housing and it is not helping the housing crisis as it should be or could be imo.
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