Really gotta laugh at the militant responses. This isn't a Religion vs. Atheism thread, take a breath, get a hold of yourself. A disservice to your family? Larf.
The comments about racism and prejudice are also hilarious while people in the same breath generalize about all small towns with radically large brush strokes.
My best friend moved to Airdrie, 5 years after we did. He's black, has a thriving career as a realtor, so Airdronians must like him, and he loves it there. His business cards even have his big black face pasted on the card, there is no denying you aren't dealing with a whitey. He loves it here. Sure Airdrie is mostly white, as is just about everywhere in Alberta. Does that mean everyone in Airdrie burns crosses on lawns and wears white hoods? That implication actually offends me. My friends and family will attest, I have physically removed people from my home for racial slurs, no exceptions.
Schooling is hit and miss anywhere as well. It's more about good teachers and bad teachers. Calgary doesn't have a monopoly on good teachers, don't be ridiculous.
Someone was wondering about the garage doors being half open; some of them definitely are. There are more prominent areas than Airdrie of course, Didsbury for example, should open its own Chicken-On-The-Way.
The bottom line is there are good and bad parts of Calgary to be in, and there are some easy commutes to work, and tough ones. I don't work in the core, by choice. I live in Airdrie, by choice. My commute is usually max 30 minutes, and Stoney Trail has helped keep it at that way when Deerfoot is a disaster. I am a business owner in Calgary, pay business taxes to Calgary, and I employ ~ 15 to 20 Calgarians, and 10 more from small towns or out of province. I have one token Edmontonian as well, but nobody's perfect. I don't think I would fall under the definition of a parasite to the City of Calgary.
I guess I don't understand the need to trash my choices, but I am perfectly happy with the people who must trash those choices staying right where they are.
