Hello Utah Dems..I need a little information, if you would be so kind

[whathehell]

The spouse and I have just come back from trips to Bryce Canyon & Zion Nat'l Park, and have

fallen completely in love with the area, so much so that we feel we may have to live near

there (or the Canyon lands) for at least PART of the year (we're nearing retirement)

so we'd like to know if there are ANY at least somewhat liberal places near there -- places

where we won' have Mormons proselytizing us as neither of us is very religious.

A point of irony is, I actually have Mormon cousins who were raised in Utah..I last saw one

a few years ago and he was hopelessly conservative and racist. The rest of our

family are not Mormon and were raised in the Northeast part of the country and are liberal.

What's a star crossed lover to do?

[scruboak]

1. only two cities

Salt Lake and Park City. Everywhere else is unbearable.

[whathehell]

2. Thanks for that information..

Do you live in either of those?...Just wondering.

[vanamonde]

3. you might look at Moab

Its a nice place to visit. Personally I wouldn't care to live there. I've lived in Utah off and on for 20 years (in Logan now). I don't get pestered by the missionaries. Salt Lake City is not that far from the Canyon country but the air quality is terrible.

[whathehell]

4. Thanks, vanamonde.

Would you not care to live there because it's very conservative, or for other

reasons?

[vanamonde]

5. too hot, too touristy, too remote

But if you're thinking in terms of a vacation home it might be ok.
I'm an atheist but I don't find living in Utah to be that bad. I know and work with many Mormons and they're generally nice people, though seriously deluded. They don't proselytize me and I accept them for what they are. Most of my socialization outside of work is with the non-Mormon crowd.

[whathehell]

6. I see.

It sounds like it might be a good winter vacation spot.

Thanks for all your information..I do appreciate it!

[defacto7]

7. Have you been to Moab lately?

I've been in and out of there on hiking trips south and I've just watched it grow from a rather middling town 12 years ago to an overcrowded extremely conservative place and not so friendly anymore.

[defacto7]

8. Hey whatthehell!

This is a little belated but it's not often you see posts in this group.

I'm as liberal and as non-religious as you get and I have lived in SLC for quite a while. Contrary to some, I don't find it easy to live here in this political/religious climate. I live in the most liberal part of SLC and that's not saying much. SLC last I heard was 60% Mormon, 35% Catholic and the rest are everything else. If you have a strong desire to live with lots of secretive people who will never be honest or completely open you may find your place here. Park City is quite liberal but touristy and extremely expensive. You might look toward the other side of Park City to Heber City and a couple of surrounding towns which are a little more spread out and there are some liberals there; it's a fun area.

BTW, 95% of the rest of Utah is Mormon with the highest percentage in the Provo area where it's closer to 99.8%. The new NSA complex is on the outskirts of SLC if that means anything to you.

All in all, You may find nice people who are just what you are looking for but it will be a gamble in this state. When you do make contact with the natives it may work for a while but usually you will find yourself an outsider and less able to be honest as no one will be honest with you. It's my experience here working on the inside of the theocracy as well as outside. For example, one of the most recent posts in this group was by me asking for any input or ideas on voting for progressives or Dems in the June elections; I was asking for help and insight. Not one single comment... That is what you get when you live in this state 24/7 unless you fake it. I don't.

On edit: I did get two recs, one by you. Thanks... It's lonely here.

Good luck to you. But if you like the Utah surroundings you would do better living in NW Colorado and travel to your destination. All the best and sorry for the downer.

[whathehell]

9. Hey DeFacto!...Thanks for all your good information..

and, no, don't worry at ALL about being a "downer". I get the feeling it WOULD be lonely

being a liberal in Utah, and most of the posts which have responded have pretty much

confirmed that....It's pretty shitty that these people actually "keep their distance" if you're

not Mormon -- Thank God ROMNEY lost, for more reasons than one, it seems.

After thinking it through, I pretty much came to the same conclusion

that you did -- better to live in Northwest Colorado, and just travel a bit.

I'm just curious...Why do you live there? Is it a job thing?

[defacto7]

10. I had my career and it was time

for my wife to take over and do her thing and this is where it is. I do Mr. Mom now.

Yeah honestly I can't say I would recommend Utah to my better friends, but man the hiking and the scenery etc.... it's quite nice. As time goes on I long for home up in the Pacific Northwest. I'm sure we'll end up back there before too long.