Liberal Place: Atlanta, GA

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Atlanta should functionally be placed on the "unfriendly" list. With a center city population of just under 400,000 in a metro area with around 3.5 million, Atlanta no longer really dominates the scene in the metro area. The city is in decline, with a few high points that indicate some future hope of new population and economic growth--but precious few. The corrupt government of Bill Campbell makes potential residents think twice about moving into the city. The city government presides over an aging infrastructure that dumps millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the Chattahoochee River with an unconcerned abandon. What happens in this area now is really dictated by what happens in its largely white and politically conservative suburbs which make up 85% of the area population.

The Atlanta suburbs have given us Larry McDonald (the John Bircher congressman that was killed in the crash of Korean Air Lines Flight 007), Pat Swindall (another conservative congressman, later indicted and convicted of corruption) and Newt Gingrich (need I say more). The only liberal members of congress are John Lewis and Cynthia McKinney--nice people but largely inactive and ineffectual as representatives--living proof that liberal does not always mean effective or intelligent.

Georgia will probably get its first republican governor since Reconstruction in the person of Guy Millner, a thrice married christian conservative from hell. Things are likely to get worse as Atlanta's suburbs further dominate our legislature and the city's remaining liberals (and I use that term loosely) mostly only represent the interest of those on public assistance. There is a crisis in liberal leadership here--if it is to be dominated by the likes of folks like Bill Campbell and Ralph David Abernathy III we are in big trouble.

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After moving to Atlanta from the mostly bible belt state of Florida, I am sure any large city would seem liberal, but I believe Atlanta is liberal friendly. Most of us try to stay away from cobb county, The arts community while not perfect is alive. The gay community is visible and active. Political activism while not a model for a utopian society does exist. I have to take great exception to the comments about John Lewis and Cynthia McKinney, to call these two ineffectual is as far from the truth as one can get. John Lewis is my representative, He votes on the liberal side of the issue 100% of the time and he always votes. I can only actively work towards electing Roy Barnes for governor instead of fearing that Guy Millner will win.

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Although I have only visited Atlanta once, my experience there has told me never to visit again. Being Asian, my family and I were racially harassed multiple times, by two African Americans and a white American family. The former screamed at us, while the latter laughed at my dad's accent (right in his face, as well!) and made bowing motions to us. There are no progressive cities in the South. They may claim to be, but they are only speaking for a minority of the population. If you want a progressive environment, move to California.

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Most major metropolitan areas of the country have large population bases and generally conform to a standard of beliefs and political moods, however Atlanta is far from that. Metro Atlanta is an area that spands out several thousand square miles and goes from the sticks to the city. While several downtown areas of Atlanta (most notably the city of Decatur) can be noted for their progressiveness, most of this region is quite conservative, racist, and dominated by religion. It can and has been said that Cobb County is one of the most conservative and hateful areas in the country, and that is on the money. We've spawn politicians of the likes of Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr, as well as their other local cronies. Don't let Atlanta fool you, it isn't the love-peace capitol of the South, which makes it tough to be a transplanted Liberal Northeasterner down here.