Stupid Alaskans (Fairbanks, Ketchikan, Kenai: sale, rent, crime)

[Alaska-47]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

There are the same gangs found in CA and in big cities of the lower-48. A lot of the gang activities relate to the drug business. It's a lot quieter in Fairbanks than it is in Anchorage, so I imagine that you would like Fairbanks more than Los Anchorage.

about 7-8 years ago I walked several miles to a bus station through a bad neighborhood in LA and no one bothered me. Within 5 minutes of getting off the bus in Sacramento local druggies harassed me. LA just doesn't seam as bad to me as the media makes it sound. Less known places are far worse.

I lived in South Lake Tahoe during the gang wars of the 1990s. Back then Mexican families were moving up there to get their kids away from the gangs and SURPRISE! their kids brought the gangs with them, so it was an isolated concentration of gang activity. But my experience tells me that these gangs are not very smart. They're basically teen-age tweakers with brains fried by testostrone. But every day people are largely restricted from packing heat here, so if gangs attack, you're screwed. Up there you can fight back. So why don't you?

We don't have hardly any gangs in my town but it's getting hard to find people who are not on drugs. And what's sad is people you wouldn't expect to be getting in to drugs are all messed up around here. About a year ago my car broke down and for a little over a week my boss would pick me up near a local store his sister owns. After 2 or 3 days blue collar people started walking up to me, trying to buy drugs while I was waiting to be picked up. In the last few years I have seen several people go from having their lives together to sleeping in front of store fronts with needles and condoms lying around. I personally have had more problems with lone druggies than street gangs though I have had my fill of both.

And I know, it's all coming to a neighborhood near you, if it hasn't already. I expect the same problems in Alaska. I just hope they're not as bad yet.

[Metlakatla]

OK -- Alaska is the wrong place to focus on what your neighbors and others in the community are thinking or acting (unless it poses a personal threat). If your life satisfaction depends on having your neighbors be the kind of people you want them to be, I don't think you'll be happy anywhere. What Stiff said, seriously.

You won't be living in Anchorage, from what prior posts indicate, so I wouldn't fuss over the possibility of encountering gang members. But -- the fact that you've made several posts wondering what "the people are like" indicates that the problem may be on your side. Human nature doesn't change that much, and if you're not getting along with people where you're at, Alaska won't fix that.

Why don't you folks deal with the gangs. You folks pack heat, don't you?

Maybe because sane people don't want to rot in prison as a result of committing murder. Get this through your head -- it's not the Wild West. There are those pesky laws here you've railed against in other threads. In fact, it's even more difficult for anti-social types to keep a low profile, so if you're not capable of adopting a live-and-let-live attitude and going about your business while keeping your nose out of that of others, you're going to have some problems.

Idk. Sounds like you lived here in middle school or high school and may not be remembering it accurately. Some people tend to romanticize Alaska, and thinking that the people here are somehow going to conform to your fantasy is a guarantee is the exact wrong way to go about a potential move.

[Metlakatla]

And if you think that "lone druggies" don't exist in Alaska in the same proportion that they do in California, you're dreaming.

Up there you can fight back. So why don't you?

Because most of us are smart enough not to hang out in gang-infested parts of Anchorage (most of us on the forum don't even live there) looking for trouble. No gangs where I live, but I have a few neighbors who are "lone druggies." Sad, but they're no threat to me and I don't sit around wringing my hands because of what they choose to do in the privacy of their own homes.

ETA it sounds like things are getting pretty bad in Anchorage as far as violent crime, but the rest of the state is all right most of the time as long as you don't go looking for trouble.

[Frostnip]

Alaska in general has huge substance abuse problems. It's arguably more of a pressing issue in Anchorage because it's a large population center where strangers live in close proximity, but drugs/alcohol abuse are an issue throughout the state. This is not the place for you if that's something you're really fretting about.

I haven't noticed Alaskans being significantly smarter or dumber than people elsewhere. I have noticed Alaskans are better at going their own way and doing their own thing. I'd argue that being too hung up on what others think and do is way more unAlaskan than being a garden variety impulsive dummy like those complained about in the OP.

[Alaska-47]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

OK -- Alaska is the wrong place to focus on what your neighbors and others in the community are thinking or acting (unless it poses a personal threat).

COOL!! People around here are not like that. At least a huge portion. If it's really like that up there, then that lays the vast majority of my concerns to rest.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Maybe because sane people don't want to rot in prison as a result of committing murder. Get this through your head -- it's not the Wild West. There are those pesky laws here you've railed against in other threads. In fact, it's even more difficult for anti-social types to keep a low profile, so if you're not capable of adopting a live-and-let-live attitude and going about your business while keeping your nose out of that of others, you're going to have some problems.

I guess we've been having a misunderstanding. I've lost friends by standing up for people's rights to peaceably do drugs. When it comes to gangs, I was talking about people who DO seek you out and present actual threats.I've never intentionally physically harmed another human being since age 14. The concern I stressed was YOUR ability to deal with the problem. I have my own ways of dealing with people like that which have been non-violent so far.

What pesky laws?

Understand a couple of things. I am not considering a move to Alaska. The decision has already been made. I am prepared to deal with any of the people and problems brought up. But I am also a thorough person and my activity here makes up a nearly immeasurable amount of the research I am doing. I am asking in detail about Alaska's culture because you live there. And I am bringing up the potential negatives because these the cautions to watch out for. Forgive me if my actions present a darker picture. That is not my intention. If I was gravely concerned about Alaska being the wild west and overrun with crime and murder, I wouldn't have made the decision to move there. TBH, the Alaskan culture you people describe almost sounds too good to be true.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by riceme

There are stupid people everywhere you go. Alaska is not exempt from that rule simply because it's a b*tchin' place.

On a per capita basis we have a disproportionate amount of crime which is synonomus with a$$ hattery and general buffoonery.


I felt more safe on the subways of Boston at night than walking around Muldoon at night.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

OK -- Alaska is the wrong place to focus on what your neighbors and others in the community are thinking or acting (unless it poses a personal threat). If your life satisfaction depends on having your neighbors be the kind of people you want them to be, I don't think you'll be happy anywhere. What Stiff said, seriously.

You won't be living in Anchorage, from what prior posts indicate, so I wouldn't fuss over the possibility of encountering gang members. But -- the fact that you've made several posts wondering what "the people are like" indicates that the problem may be on your side. Human nature doesn't change that much, and if you're not getting along with people where you're at, Alaska won't fix that.



Maybe because sane people don't want to rot in prison as a result of committing murder. Get this through your head -- it's not the Wild West. There are those pesky laws here you've railed against in other threads. In fact, it's even more difficult for anti-social types to keep a low profile, so if you're not capable of adopting a live-and-let-live attitude and going about your business while keeping your nose out of that of others, you're going to have some problems.

Idk. Sounds like you lived here in middle school or high school and may not be remembering it accurately. Some people tend to romanticize Alaska, and thinking that the people here are somehow going to conform to your fantasy is a guarantee is the exact wrong way to go about a potential move.

They did not catch the serial killer in anchorage until he decided to shoot it out with a cop and they recovered the gun ... just sayin.

[Alaska-47]

FWIW, I have no intention of living in Anchorage or the Mat su valley. 100% of my real-estate shopping is being done between Kenai, Homer and surrounding communities.

I have a family friend in Anchorage and she says crime has gotten very bad there. Not my reason for moving south. I just don't want to live in a big city.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by Alaska-47

FWIW, I have no intention of living in Anchorage or the Mat su valley. 100% of my real-estate shopping is being done between Kenai, Homer and surrounding communities.

I have a family friend in Anchorage and she says crime has gotten very bad there. Not my reason for moving south. I just don't want to live in a big city.

If you are retired homer is great. Not really any good jobs there unless you own the salty dog or some other legacy real estate business.

[Metlakatla]

What exactly are you worried about? There are all kinds of stupidity, and Alaska has it all. You won't have to worry about gang stupidity on the Kenai. Just don't hang with druggies, stay out of the ****ty bars, and you'll probably be fine. Take your time making friends -- you'll be pegged by the first people you associate with, and often, those who are quick to befriend newcomers are not the best people. I'm telling you this because you seem a little socially naive and because I've seen a lot of people move here and fall in with a bad crowd right off the bat. Also, you're self employed if I recall, so you've got that going for you. Like I said, take things slowly and choose your friends well.