[temple 15]

Thank you for the reply, and you are right there are racists and rednecks anywhere you go. But I am glad to see that this community apparently has those that keep a low profile!!!! Perhaps I may come to visit your fair city. Inspite of what I read, the pictures there don't look so bad!!!! Hey I live in a small small town so for me a Walmart is a plus.

[anywherebutFS]

While Fort Smith is an extremely safe city that has diversity, it is definitely not the most diverse city in Arkansas. Fort Smith has a few African Americans and a decent number of Vietnamese and Hispanic residents, but it is still predominately Caucasian. (I notice that there is not much inter-racial interaction here as there is in many other places) If you are looking for diversity in Arkansas, look no further than Northwest Arkansas. If diversity is not a huge deal to you, then Fort Smith may be for you. It is great to see that there is no racial tension here as there is in other similar cities.

Greenwood has had its share of racial issues through the years, but no more than any other small town in the area (Charleston, Lavaca, Ozark, Mountainburg, Mansfield, etc...) I am aware of no recent issues in the FS region, however. I think that, other than a few "fringe people", society is finally deciding to accept all people of all backgrounds, nationalities, and religions... I would stay away from Greenwood because of its extreme small-town politics, though. (Greenwood's current mayor has had some recent criminal offenses)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by anywherebutFS

While Fort Smith is an extremely safe city that has diversity, it is definitely not the most diverse city in Arkansas. Fort Smith has a few African Americans and a decent number of Vietnamese and Hispanic residents, but it is still predominately Caucasian. (I notice that there is not much inter-racial interaction here as there is in many other places) If you are looking for diversity in Arkansas, look no further than Northwest Arkansas. If diversity is not a huge deal to you, then Fort Smith may be for you. It is great to see that there is no racial tension here as there is in other similar cities.

Greenwood has had its share of racial issues through the years, but no more than any other small town in the area (Charleston, Lavaca, Ozark, Mountainburg, Mansfield, etc...) I am aware of no recent issues in the FS region, however. I think that, other than a few "fringe people", society is finally deciding to accept all people of all backgrounds, nationalities, and religions... I would stay away from Greenwood because of its extreme small-town politics, though. (Greenwood's current mayor has had some recent criminal offenses)

I hope you are right, we are learning to live in a multi cultural society and can accept people for what they are, not what they look like or what their religious or political views are.

Nita

[marmac]

Originally Posted by anywherebutFS

While Fort Smith is an extremely safe city that has diversity, it is definitely not the most diverse city in Arkansas. Fort Smith has a few African Americans and a decent number of Vietnamese and Hispanic residents, but it is still predominately Caucasian. (I notice that there is not much inter-racial interaction here as there is in many other places) If you are looking for diversity in Arkansas, look no further than Northwest Arkansas. If diversity is not a huge deal to you, then Fort Smith may be for you. It is great to see that there is no racial tension here as there is in other similar cities.

Greenwood has had its share of racial issues through the years, but no more than any other small town in the area (Charleston, Lavaca, Ozark, Mountainburg, Mansfield, etc...) I am aware of no recent issues in the FS region, however. I think that, other than a few "fringe people", society is finally deciding to accept all people of all backgrounds, nationalities, and religions... I would stay away from Greenwood because of its extreme small-town politics, though. (Greenwood's current mayor has had some recent criminal offenses)

---extremely safe---

I think you got carried away with your use of the word--extremely.

US crime inex=320.9
Fort Smith crime index=508

Certainly not a dangerous city, but certainly not extremely safe either.

[Dr. Foosball]

Originally Posted by anywherebutFS

While Fort Smith is an extremely safe city that has diversity, it is definitely not the most diverse city in Arkansas. Fort Smith has a few African Americans and a decent number of Vietnamese and Hispanic residents, but it is still predominately Caucasian. ... If you are looking for diversity in Arkansas, look no further than Northwest Arkansas.

I was thinking when I typed that, that Little Rock may have more racial diversity. It never crossed my mind about NWA, but there are a large number of hispanics so you could be right. Here is the racial breakdown of Fort Smith.

Originally Posted by City-Data Profile

Races in Fort Smith:
White Non-Hispanic (74.0%)
Hispanic (8.8%)
Black (8.6%)
Other race (5.0%)
American Indian (3.2%)
Two or more races (3.0%)
Vietnamese (2.0%)
Other Asian (2.0%)

http://www.city-data.com/city/Fort-S...#ixzz0tx2sjcpu

I would stay away from Greenwood because of its extreme small-town politics, though. (Greenwood's current mayor has had some recent criminal offenses)

Reading the latest news in Greenwood is like stepping into a bad comedy. Those people are always doing something strange. The mayor was almost arrested because he was going around stealing opposing campaign signs out of people's yards.

He was sentenced to either pay a $1000 fine or apologize. He chose to pay the fine.

[anywherebutFS]

Just saw that the judge decided not to expunge Mayor Edwards' misdemeanor, although his felonies were expunged years ago!

My Two Cents:
As far as the crime rate goes, the numbers do not portray an accurate picture of Fort Smith. I stand by my previous claim that Fort Smith is an extremely safe city. I live south of FS, but spend most of my time in the "big" city. I have never felt unsafe in the Fort - not on the south side or the north side. Fort Smith has two types of crime: domestic violence and theft. If you walk "the straight and narrow", living as a civilized human being, your biggest concern should be theft. I would say that most thefts here take place when people leave their vehicles unlocked and/or leave valuable items in plain view. Perhaps I have been fortunate to have never been victimized in FS, but I would not let the crime rate stop me from moving here.

I would not worry about race-based discrimination in Fort Smith. I honestly don't even think you have to worry about religious discrimination here, although you may consider refraining from discussing your religious preferences (especially if you aren't: Baptist, Assembly of God, Church of Christ, Methodist, or Catholic!).

[marmac]

If Fort Smith, with a crime rate index of 508 , is an extremely safe city, would Pine Bluff be considered a safe city ?

[marmac]

---extremely safe--

I doubt the ----90 victims of rape
the------------107 victims of robbery
the-------------461 victims of assault
the-------------543 victims of burglary
the-------------257 victims of auto theft......wouild agree with your use of the phrase--extremely safe


Those statistics mentioned above gave Fort Smith a crime index rate over 50% higher than the US crime rate.

Is using adlectives wildly to defend some city a southern thing or just an Arkansas thing ?

[Dr. Foosball]

Originally Posted by marmac

---extremely safe--

I doubt the ----90 victims of rape
the------------107 victims of robbery
the-------------461 victims of assault
the-------------543 victims of burglary
the-------------257 victims of auto theft......wouild agree with your use of the phrase--extremely safe


Those statistics mentioned above gave Fort Smith a crime index rate over 50% higher than the US crime rate.

Is using adlectives wildly to defend some city a southern thing or just an Arkansas thing ?

Of all the residents of Fort Smith:

0.1% were raped
0.1% were robbed
0.5% were assaulted
0.6% were robbed
0.3% were auto theft victims

So, assuming that all of those victims were actually residents of Fort Smith (which we all know better than that), 1.6% of Fort Smith residents were victimized in 2008. That seems pretty damn safe to me.

[marmac]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

Of all the residents of Fort Smith:

0.1% were raped
0.1% were robbed
0.5% were assaulted
0.6% were robbed
0.3% were auto theft victims

So, assuming that all of those victims were actually residents of Fort Smith (which we all know better than that), 1.6% of Fort Smith residents were victimized in 2008. That seems pretty damn safe to me.

Still, a crime rate over 50% higher than the US average.

Spin that all you want to justify the words --extremely safe.