TOP 10 reasons why I left BATON ROGUE. (Baton Rouge, Washington: apartment, public schools)

[eatfastnoodle]

I'm in grad school, I don't know where I'm gonna end up living. But it's definitely not Baton Rouge, or anywhere in the South. South's religiosity , racism and the all other brands of ideologies lurking behind the umbrella "conservatism" have worn me down, I don't want to deal with them any more. Plus, the educational infrastructure in the South sucks royally, plain and simply. And it's not just me, almost all the people I know, regardless of where they come from, more or less agree that they can't take Baton Rouge any more. If BR wants to become more prosperous, almost all the century old "attitudes" must change, otherwise, it can sit on its ass and be content with being a poor sleepy little Southern town.

[Caa]

Originally Posted by eatfastnoodle

I'm in grad school, I don't know where I'm gonna end up living. But it's definitely not Baton Rouge, or anywhere in the South. South's religiosity , racism and the all other brands of ideologies lurking behind the umbrella "conservatism" have worn me down, I don't want to deal with them any more. Plus, the educational infrastructure in the South sucks royally, plain and simply. And it's not just me, almost all the people I know, regardless of where they come from, more or less agree that they can't take Baton Rouge any more. If BR wants to become more prosperous, almost all the century old "attitudes" must change, otherwise, it can sit on its ass and be content with being a poor sleepy little Southern town.

I have to disagree with you on a couple things. I do not think BR is a poor sleepy town! Although, I am a mother of a 6 year old and happily marrried with a great job and you are in grad achool, so I am sure we are very different in our way of living. Anyway, this town has many activites for families and kids, more than I could ever have imagined a town having. Now, as far as the racism, yes, but I think it is blacks being prejudice against whites more than the other way around. I have encountered many racist acts here in Baton Rouge( I am Caucasian)! That is one thing I do not like is the racism(going both ways). I think the education system does suck and our child goes to a very reputable private school. Unfort, that is the way most southern schools are, the public sucks, while the private is better, but more expensive. I love Baton Rouge and it's people, but I hope wherever you go you are happier.

[buildings_and_bridges]

Originally Posted by eatfastnoodle

I'm in grad school, I don't know where I'm gonna end up living. But it's definitely not Baton Rouge, or anywhere in the South. South's religiosity , racism and the all other brands of ideologies lurking behind the umbrella "conservatism" have worn me down, I don't want to deal with them any more. Plus, the educational infrastructure in the South sucks royally, plain and simply. And it's not just me, almost all the people I know, regardless of where they come from, more or less agree that they can't take Baton Rouge any more. If BR wants to become more prosperous, almost all the century old "attitudes" must change, otherwise, it can sit on its ass and be content with being a poor sleepy little Southern town.

While I certainly understand where you're coming from, I feel like you can't escape much of what you're talking about just by leaving the South. I just really don't think it's exclusive to the South. Plenty of rural and suburban communities up North have the same problems you're citing, from what I've heard from people who have lived out of state for a significant amount of time. It does seem, though, that if you manage to move to a large city up North, you'll have a dramatically different experience, but it might be similar to what you'd experience if you lived in New Orleans rather than Baton Rouge. Just my thoughts.

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by eatfastnoodle

I'm in grad school, I don't know where I'm gonna end up living. But it's definitely not Baton Rouge, or anywhere in the South. South's religiosity , racism and the all other brands of ideologies lurking behind the umbrella "conservatism" have worn me down, I don't want to deal with them any more. Plus, the educational infrastructure in the South sucks royally, plain and simply. And it's not just me, almost all the people I know, regardless of where they come from, more or less agree that they can't take Baton Rouge any more. If BR wants to become more prosperous, almost all the century old "attitudes" must change, otherwise, it can sit on its ass and be content with being a poor sleepy little Southern town.

If you think it's better up North in terms of race relations, then you are sadly mistaken. Baton Rouge has come a long way from when I grew up there back in the 60s and 70s.

I also think the old attitudes you speak of will fade away with time, the newer native born generations and the influx of people from different areas. Sometimes it takes the arrival of people from afar to effect change. Is there a ways to go? Of course there is, but I beleive BR is shedding it's old image and will become a great place to live, work and play.

[Rosinante]

Originally Posted by Gil3

If you think it's better up North in terms of race relations, then you are sadly mistaken. Baton Rouge has come a long way from when I grew up there back in the 60s and 70s.

I also think the old attitudes you speak of will fade away with time, the newer native born generations and the influx of people from different areas. Sometimes it takes the arrival of people from afar to effect change. Is there a ways to go? Of course there is, but I beleive BR is shedding it's old image and will become a great place to live, work and play.

I'd move to York, PA in a heartbeat if I weren't a pensioner on limited income (I have family there). I've lived in Baton Rouge for just short of 29 years, and do not believe it will improve itself over the next few decades.

[Caa]

Originally Posted by Rosinante

I'd move to York, PA in a heartbeat if I weren't a pensioner on limited income (I have family there). I've lived in Baton Rouge for just short of 29 years, and do not believe it will improve itself over the next few decades.

I have to say that in the 4 years we have lived here, Baton Rouge has changed a lot! There are more restaurants than any other city I have lived in and Perkins Rowe, all the improvements in BREC Parks and all the downtown positive changes....I have to disagree with you on your last statement. Now, I have not lived here that long so I really cannot compare BR to what it was like years ago, but IMO, it has done a lot of improving in my short time here.

[Silver2sea]

It sounds like you found your niche in the world. Good for you! How boring would it be if one place was the same as everywhere else? It is what it is. I've lived in Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix, and Baton Rouge without ever having a problem of appreciating a city for what it is.

[Rosinante]

Originally Posted by Caa

I have to say that in the 4 years we have lived here, Baton Rouge has changed a lot! There are more restaurants than any other city I have lived in and Perkins Rowe, all the improvements in BREC Parks and all the downtown positive changes....I have to disagree with you on your last statement. Now, I have not lived here that long so I really cannot compare BR to what it was like years ago, but IMO, it has done a lot of improving in my short time here.

I certainly wouldn't assess improvement based upon the increased number of restaurants or traffic jams you have available to you. If anything, the increased activity in the Perkins/Bluebonnet area (which isn't far from my home at all) has done nothing except make our home that was once considered to be out in the boondocks now in the thick of all that crime and congestion.

The kind of improvement I was thinking of comes from improved education and a cognizance of personal freedom and responsibility. Given the results of the recent elections, the prospect of improvement over the next few decades is actually foreboding.

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by Rosinante

I certainly wouldn't assess improvement based upon the increased number of restaurants or traffic jams you have available to you. If anything, the increased activity in the Perkins/Bluebonnet area (which isn't far from my home at all) has done nothing except make our home that was once considered to be out in the boondocks now in the thick of all that crime and congestion.

The kind of improvement I was thinking of comes from improved education and a cognizance of personal freedom and responsibility. Given the results of the recent elections, the prospect of improvement over the next few decades is actually foreboding.

So you don't consider the badly needed renovation of the BREC system a positive change? Or the new stuff going on downtown like The Shaw Center, the new Hilton Hotel (In a historic building), Expansion of the river center, etc. I for one think that these things are vital to the continuing revitalization of our Historic Downtown Core. And as for the parks, it will be nice to have newly restored parks to take the grandchildren to instead of having them sitting at the house watching cartoons or something.

[Rosinante]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

So you don't consider the badly needed renovation of the BREC system a positive change? Or the new stuff going on downtown like The Shaw Center, the new Hilton Hotel (In a historic building), Expansion of the river center, etc. I for one think that these things are vital to the continuing revitalization of our Historic Downtown Core. And as for the parks, it will be nice to have newly restored parks to take the grandchildren to instead of having them sitting at the house watching cartoons or something.

You have to go back to the original post, MBTR, in order to get a grasp on the context. Given that, the things you cite aren't germane either to that post or to my later comment about freedom, responsibility and self-reliance. And, at the risk of seeming a bit callous, I somehow don't see any connection between these qualities and the Shaw Center or a new old Hilton Hotel.