It sounds like the author grew up in Spokane and his parents still live there. He has a closer perspective than most.

@1,

Ironic that you should say that. I was just thinking about all the people I know who moved West and grew up in the East. They all, to a one, tend to hyperbolize when discussing their hometown. My old boss was from Yakima, and the one time we went there, he just couldn't stop pointing at things through the car window. "You see that thing? Right over there? It sucks. And that thing next to it? Yeah, it sucks too!"

I tried to lighten the mood by suggesting that we visit a local karaoke bar and duet a version of Van Halen's Panama, and change all the lyrics so its about Yakima. He glowered at me like he would fire me on the spot if he could.

The whole thing was very intense.

What are you guys complaining about? This piece reads like something Mudede posts every other day.

If it's the Guardian, I'm disappointed that the writer isn't Lindy West.

Also "sits on a tiny lump of a hill" is an odd description of a valley. I lived there once and it is truly a terrible place.

He never outright calls it a shit-hole. But thanks for piling on Stranger!

There are good people there but...

Seattle has the Nordstrom's, Spokane the Cowles. Two different examples.

Otto Zehm. Pastor Creach. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day March attempted bombing. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers. Matt Shea. The Gonzaga/South Hill Rapist Kevin Coe the Mutilator.

Only one time did I get asked for drugs in Seattle by a stranger. That was in the line at Neighbors. The people in line were pissed at that individual. In Spokane almost every time I walked outside by myself people asked for drugs, until 2 months after pot became legal.

I NEVER got yelled a racists name in Seattle proper. Spokane... the first time I left the skywalks.

In Seattle proper I never got assaulted. In Spokane, in a gay bar by lesbians is one example.

The 4 R's of the "inbred empire"... rape, racism, radiation, republican.

I've even seen a group of men? try to gang rape some lesbians in our group in Spokane at People's Park. Finally one of the ladies took out her concealed weapon and shot straight up into the air, not at anyone. The gang ran off. Then and there we decided to get in our cars and leave. But this green Ford Pinto come out of nowhere, and out comes one of the attempted rapists with an AK-47 firing at our vehicles, at our windows. we all made it out with no one shot.

@biff michael
Cool story bro

I spent half my childhood in Spokane and half in Marysville before leaving for college. I never know which heroin infested miserable city to claim. Maybe I should just split the difference and say Moses Lake?

I could have said so many worse things about Spokane than this Guardian article even begins to touch on. If Gonzaga is the hook you're going to hang your Spokane hit piece on, you have to at least mention the comically overpriced tuition, third tier academics, and considerable negative impact the entitled frat boy culture has on the sea of poverty that surrounds the campus. Topped with an insulting veneer of smugly superior Catholicism.

Spokane thinks the reason their faith- and free market-based solutions to their crime and violence and addiction keep failing is... Seattle. They think all their tax money is wasted on liberal social programs in the "ghettos" of Seattle while Seattle's felons are shipped to Spokane when released from prison. Spokane should be a paradise, but for the west side holding them back. Why do the data say it's the other way around? Liberal conspiracy, fake news, and lizard people.

I won't go on. Spokane is definitely a shit hole.

The author of this article may have grown up in Spokane, but he doesn't know much about it. Our local weekly newspaper, the Inlander, did a great fact-checking of the article (which is rife with inaccuracies) - http://www.inlander.com/Bloglander/archi…

I grew up in Spokane and lived in Seattle for over a decade before moving back a couple years ago. There are certainly downsides to Spokane, like any city, but this is not an accurate description of them.

And while there are certainly more conservatives in the Spokane area than the liberal bubble of Seattle, the city itself is more liberal than conservative. A majority of Spokane voted for Hillary and our City Council has a Democrat majority.

Tired of people who don't know what they're talking about shitting all over Spokane.

I agree that Gonzaga is a lame university, though.

The Guardian follows up:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/news…

In praise of Spokane, Washington: home of the Zags – and much more besides.
The Guardian’s piece on Spokane earlier this week led to a wave of criticism – but prompted an outpouring of appreciation for all the city has to offer.