Splicetoday

Politics & Media
Oct 26, 2009, 08:45AM

So white's the color

The model mid-level cities: What happens when red state/blue state distinctions are taken out of the equation?

Among the media, academia and within planning circles, there’s a generally standing answer to the question of what cities are the best, the most progressive and best role models for small and mid-sized cities. The standard list includes Portland, Seattle, Austin, Minneapolis, and Denver. In particular, Portland is held up as a paradigm, with its urban growth boundary, extensive transit system, excellent cycling culture, and a pro-density policy. These cities are frequently contrasted with those of the Rust Belt and South, which are found wanting, often even by locals, as “cool” urban places.

Discussion
  • This article has been widely discredited throughout world of policy wonks and bloggers, but here's the money quote from Coates (http://ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/10/how_does_it_feel_to_be_a_problem.php): This particular Negro loves Denver--and Chicago too. But the notion that black people are pawns on a chess-board, which conservatives and liberals move around in order to one-up each each other, has got to go. Sometimes--just sometimes--a black dude isn't a problem. He's just a dude trying to marry a beautiful woman, raise a decent kid, retire to an tropical island, smoke some good herb, and drink some good rum.

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  • Haha. Well... there it is.

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