Moving/most leftist city in US

[Stain]

So I will be done with my bachelors in May 2013 and I plan on moving to a really radical leftist city. A place where there is mass involvement, organization opportunities, frequent guest lecturers, study groups, community living, etc. Places like San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, etc., comes to mind. What do comrades suggest?

[Raúl Duke]

I've heard that Eugene, OR was some "city with many anarchists" or some such...not sure if that's true or even relevant (in the US, the "anarchist" label seems misused/more broad than in Europe).

I won't suggest San Fran.

NYC (outside Manhattan) and Chicago more likely.

Never been to San Fran, from the vibe I get from reading news of the area is that it's mostly populated by the most snootiest, posh elitist well-off liberal yuppie types who may all vote democrat and want gay marriage, etc but don't give a shit for those "less fortunate" than them and rather they remain "out of sight, out of mind" even by force (i.e. San Fran and its anti-homeless ordinances).

Although I find the phrasing of this inquiry humorous. "really radical leftist city" doesn't exactly exist per se. yet big cities do usually have bigger activist/radical left circles.

[Ostrinski]

I had always heard Oakland was like the Barcelona of the US in that regard.

[GoddessCleoLover]

Oakland has a reputation for activism, and the Big Apple is the historical center of the American Left, such as it is. Best thing to do is to check out the top contenders, New York and Oakland, maybe Chicago, Eugene, Oregon, and then decide for yourself. This is a big decision and visiting your prospective new hometown is the only way to verify whatever advice you are likely to get.

[Stain]

Yeah I have only been to New York and Chicago out of the recommendations. I was quite impressed by the involvement and can see myself living there. The weather could be a huge problem since I'm not accustomed to such cold winters.

[GoddessCleoLover]

I live in Baltimore, but my family is from Illinois, so I know first-hand that while winters in New York can be unpleasant, Chicago winters are downright brutal.

[Prometeo liberado]

Los Angeles has everything, save for the collective living. This city held the biggest demonstration in the history of the California after all(3/25/06 for Immigrant Rights). Many groups here hold regular meetings including but not limited to FRSO, SA, PSL, RCP, SP and PF. Occupy LA is still very active. Sea, Sun and Socialismo goddamn it!

[Ele'ill]

move to a non radical city and radicalize it

[statichaos]

Los Angeles has everything, save for the collective living. This city held the biggest demonstration in the history of the California after all(3/25/06 for Immigrant Rights). Many groups here hold regular meetings including but not limited to FRSO, SA, PSL, RCP, SP and PF. Occupy LA is still very active. Sea, Sun and Socialismo goddamn it!

The immigrant rights crowd is certainly active, but I haven't really found the Los Angeles activist crowd to be especially effective outside of regional issues. Occupy LA was reasonably well-run, though, at least in comparison to what I saw of other Occupy sites.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

move to a non radical city and radicalize itThis.

[Comrade B]

Oakland has a radical reputation, Seattle as well, but the rent is high. Seattle has a statue of Lenin in it, and a Trotskyist candidate for a state representative position nearly got a third of the vote in the last election.

I have been to both Eugene and Portland a lot and would say that the Eugene thing is more hippie, while the Portlanders seem to be more into anarchist ideology. The first communists I ever met outside of my family/parents friends and my home town were also Portlanders. The same time, Portland has an annoying amount of pseudo-revolutionary crap which has always annoyed the living shit out of me (yeah, bikes/nudity are fun, and cars are bad for the environment, but are they really the most contentious issues of today? There is also a lot of what I call 'hipster politics' where the people are more out to make a shock than stand by the ideology)

[Comrade B]

My weird current home of Tacoma also has a good sized anarchist population, who are generally accepting and friendly of other radical views. At the same time, it is Tacoma, and if you don't own a car/love biking intensely (regardless of weather) and enjoy smoking weed, you will often find yourself with very little to do. If you do enjoy smoking weed/biking, Point Defiance Park should make your life complete.

[Susurrus]

I think I read somewhere that Portland, Oregon has the most anarchists living there, but perhaps the Great Hipster Migration forced them out.