>As cliche as it is, being from a particular place is a state
>of mind. If you live in Hoboken, you work in the city, hang
>out there, and it is the center of your activities, then you
>have as much claim to the place as someone out in Queens
>Village that hangs around their 5 block radius.


The person who hangs around their 5-block radius in Queens village has a vested stake in the city. They vote in city elections, pay city taxes and their kids go to city schools...THEY probably went to city schools (not a lot of transplants out that way).

I've lived in the city and the suburbs, and you know what, my life was different when I lived in the burbs. It is for most people, that's why it costs more to live in the city. I will never live in the burbs again. That "it's just 20 minutes from downtown" shit is a world of difference from living in the city. There's nothing wrong with saying "I live outside of" whatever city, but if you chose to live outside of the city because you don't want to deal with the city schools or standard of living, you shouldn't be claiming it because you are not, in fact, about that life.