[JakeDog]

I wasn't aware that Arkansas was disproprotionately hated. Look at all the hatred for California, Texas, NY, and just about anyplace else. I've only been to Ark once. I couldn't imagine living there, but I certainly didn't hate it.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I don't really care that much about Arkansas. It's fine, and has some nice lakes, but I'm just fine here. We joke about Arkansas, but I know overall it's a good place.

[desertsun41]

I also was unaware Arkansas was hated. But let me tell why I think not so nicely about it.

While going through about 9 years ago on the Interstate, just as I saw the sign saying "Welcome to Arkansas, home of President Bill Clinton" I went over an old metal noisy rickety bridge. The smell of swamp was overwhelming. I had to stop for gas an hour or so into Arkansas and just my visuals told me to shut my New Jersey accent mouth. The Rebel flags flying proudly.

The locals pumping their own gas all (yes all, not some) had old beat up pick up trucks with shot guns in their rear window. All had coveralls over a flannel shirt. Just exactly like the stereotype portrays. I did not feel very welcome. Luckly I had a paper temporary license plate so no one saw where I was from. I spoke no words when I went in to pay for gas but just by looking at me I was not one of them. All eyes watched me.

I felt no welcoming comforting anything there. I was glad when I finially left the borders.

As for beauty? Yes Arkansas sure does have it happening. It is indeed beautiful. Except for the swamps.

[The A-Team]

You were more than likely in Southern Arkansas then. In northern Arkansas, it is completely different. For example in NWA where i'm from, its in the Ozark Mountains, no swamps even close by, and rebel flags are not a common site-of course i do not think it is wrong to fly one of the confederate flags(which are NOT the same as the battle flag, which most people think is the only confederate flag) and even the battle flag on certain occasions. Most people do not though, it is overall not an anti gay community(lots of homosexual people, my favorite teacher was a lesbian, many of my close friends and some of their parents were also homosexual) etc. Just because you drove through the middle of nowhere Arkansas doesn't mean the whole state is like that. In the middle of nowhere Idaho I have found just as many strange people, as well as Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Colorado....people can be "hicks" anywhere. As for the comment that people in California hate Arkansas, i'll have to strongly disagree. A very large portion of the transplants to Arkansas are in fact from California, look on the boards you'll see many Californians wanting to relocate to Arkansas. Just cause you have a strange disliking for California does not mean all people think that way there Climber man

[SteelCityRising]

Well, it was actually my intention that my Wal-Mart and Huckabee comments be taken facetiously and tongue-in-cheek by Arkansas residents, as I HATE both of those entities with a passion but do not hate the state. I just wanted to see if I'd receive any vehement, civic pride-laden rebuttals to what I typed, and you all passed with flying colors. You ought to feel very proud of yourselves. When someone bashes Scranton, everyone but me just lets it slide because folks here have NO civic pride and wish to see our city fall flat on its face. When I bashed Arkansas for spawning Huckabee and Wal-Mart, two entities worse than Beelzebub, I wasn't expecting such an outpouring of support for the state. Thanks for proving me wrong. You can take everything I said with a grain of salt, but occasionally I DO just like to ruffle feathers when I get bored, as I did here. Besides, Hot Springs is in Arkansas, and that's a place I've always wanted to visit someday. I fully understand that one can't hold AR responsible for giving birth to Wally World and an anti-gay minister more than you could hold PA responsible for giving birth to Rick "women shouldn't work outside the home" Santorum and "Fast Eddie" Rendell.

[The A-Team]

Lol living in Scranton, I bet you ruffle a LOT of feathers then! ;D

[TaJasMi]

I love Arkansas..I was born and raised in Springdale(NWA). I haven't encountered many haters...but when I do..I don't mind too much...because they just don't understand...

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by The A-Team

Lol living in Scranton, I bet you ruffle a LOT of feathers then! ;D

Believe me I do. We're like a big small town, so everyone knows everyone. People here are also blunt and don't mind telling you rather passionately to your face when they disagree with something you submitted as newspaper editorial, message board reply, etc. I get tired of everyone here having the "Scranton sucks" mentality, yet when you tell them to either get up off their rear-ends to make things better or move to a greener pasture, the excuses start pouring out---"I can't afford to move", "My family's here", "You can't tell me what to do", yada, yada, yada. Apparently they aren't THAT miserable living here if they can think of a million reasons NOT to leave!

[desert sun]

Arkansas just has that redneck,hillbilly,in-bred stereotype that sticks out more than any other state,Why? I dont know.I dont hate Arkansas though,but I admit that is what I think of when I think of Arkansas.

I stopped a few years back for gas in a small town in Arkansas,I dont remember where but it was so green and kinda nice,I also drove through downtown in Little Rock and it was the most dead city I have ever seen, has anyone else noticed that about Little Rock?

[The A-Team]

I agree about Little Rock, not that nice nowadays, and it definatly lacks the awesome scenery of the Northern parts of Ark. Check out Fayetteville(in the Northwest Arkansas area) sometime it is absolutely beautiful. I can refer you to some great places in town with awesome Ozark Mountain views if you ever are in the area, just let me know and i'll tell ya where!