Question for the Bakersfield haters (Pasadena, Oildale: movies, school, community college)

[codylomonaco]

well i am going to tell you i was borne in Bakersfield and i hate it here i hate the heat and people is not nice no more here. and as long as i live here it look like to me Mexico is moving in Bakersfield because there is a lot i mean a lot of mexicon here. next year of 2008 on june i an moving to Benton Arkansas because my hole family is from there and people is more nicer there. thank god.

[vivo]

well at least it actually has black people unlike pretty much every place in OC to my knowledge. I wonder what the highest %age for a jurisdiction is in OC. 4%? i mean 9% isn't high but still way higher than any place in OC. and the nat average is around 12%.

[LDDiamondGirl]

Well here is what I heard on a recent television show....a credible one.
Bakersfield heads the country in most reported Incest. And on another show I watched renently I was informed that in the Kinsey Report of the 50's it was documented that 40% of the young men interviewed for that report who lived in a rural area had engaged in sex with their animals.

Answer your question?

[tinasgt2005]

I thought I was the only one from Bakersfield. I am glad I am not the only Okie on this site. Go Oildale. Wohoo!!!! LOL just kidding. UGG!!!

I have lived here for 22 years and then 12 years in Kingsburg which is about 20 miles South of Fresno. I have no problem with Bakersfield or Fresno but I have come to hate the Central Valley. I am tired of the fog, heat, and immigration growth. Of course I loved the Valley in my younger days but now as I have matured a little I am longing for clean air and small town living. lol. Bakersfield is a good ole boy town. We are extremely patriotic. For a big city most people I have come across are concervative Republican's which I am. The people of this town take care of their own. I have seen the whole city come together when a child needs medical help. Most of us come from a mixed okie background. Beans, fried potatoes, and cornbread. YUM!!!! We love our Country music. Go Buck!!!! There are problems here and we all know what they are but for a big city we are a close nit family.

Now about Fresno. I grew up in Kingsburg and only ventured to Fresno to go shopping for school clothes. We camped every year at Shaver Lake. Oh to be a child again. The Fresno are has grown so much and changed so much but I still consider the area home. The Central Valley will always be home for me. Shaver Lake, Bass lake, Yosemite are all within a short drive from the Fresno area. Doesn't matter whether it is a straight shot or you veer left. It all within a short drive. Absolutley beautiful. The central valley is ugly. lol. But the mountain areas surrounding it are wonderful.

This is all my opinion. Long live the Dalians!!!!!!!

[viraj]

i heart bakersfield

[Roaddog]

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

Well here is what I heard on a recent television show....a credible one.
Bakersfield heads the country in most reported Incest. And on another show I watched renently I was informed that in the Kinsey Report of the 50's it was documented that 40% of the young men interviewed for that report who lived in a rural area had engaged in sex with their animals.

Answer your question?

Thats the biggest crock of BS I've ever heard, prove it.

[tinasgt2005]

Originally Posted by Roaddog

Thats the biggest crock of BS I've ever heard, prove it.

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

Well here is what I heard on a recent television show....a credible one.
Bakersfield heads the country in most reported Incest. And on another show I watched renently I was informed that in the Kinsey Report of the 50's it was documented that 40% of the young men interviewed for that report who lived in a rural area had engaged in sex with their animals.

Answer your question?

Actually it did not answer any question. Give facts. What show? When did you see it? And what channel? Also, what you believe to be credible is a matter of opinion. Some people believe Jerry Springer is credible but I think it's a crock of crap. You need to site your source or don't repeat hearsay. That is a huge accusation and it needs to be followed up with facts.

[westcoastfreak]

Many, including myself I'll admit, think of waves, bikinis, palm trees, San Diego, LA/Hollywood, glitz-and-glam, etc when they first think Southern California, but there's more to it than that so I will not judge Bakersfield until I actually visit the place. The only judgement I have of it so far is that it IS...inland therefore quite hot which is the same reason I would have no desire to live in, say, San Bernardino, Anaheim, Palm Springs, or up north in Sacramento or Mt Shasta (Redding) - has nothing to do with the people. This thread kind of makes me think of the two 'Any Which Way' flicks. Eastwood, a native-Californian himself and from Carmel (the ocean) mind you, chose to star in these two flicks that are not just a pair of comedies about an underworld prize-fighter and his orangutan sidekick named Clyde, but two flicks that specifically show the viewer that Southern California is more than just the sterotype. Heck, taking place mainly in...LA, only once in both flicks (just one scene) does the viewer actually see the Pacific Ocean; and a blurry view of it in the background nonetheless to the sound of seaguls and waves. Both films show there are many blue-collar aspects (construction/industrial sites, garages, junkyards, sandlots, honky tonk bars, run-down hotels, etc) in LA as well as throughout ALL of Cali; and, yes, Bakersfield itself is visited in this series. That all said, there's probably even more to Bakersfield/Taft than these two films along with 'Best of Times' shows so, again, I will not fully judge until I see for myself.

[WESTCOASTER_19]

Originally Posted by NameWorks

I live in both Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Grew up and was schooled in Los Angeles, then graduated college in Bakersfield. Los Angeles is better, if you make tons of money and can live in a good location. Otherwise, Bakersfield is very spotty. There are some locations that I wouldn't even visit like Oildale. But if you have a nice house, on a nice block, in a nice side of town, think Southwest, or Northeast, you can get by.

Bakersfield is much better than Riverside cities, IMO, because Bakersfield has an old and established culture. Yes, pretty racist too, so if you're Black be careful. Not just for safety, but also when job searching, etc,. You'll have to prove your qualifications by leaps and bounds over other people. And don't expect ANY movie theater to show movies for Black people.

Bakersfield is also extremely conservative. Just like the theaters won't show Black movies, NONE of them will show any liberal movies either.

Inconvenient Truth wasn't shown. Neither was Michael Moore's SICKO movie. This type of treatment is typical in Kern County and Bakersfield. Kind of an established Conservative style of life, and local elites dictating where the tax dollars are spent, where the development takes place, and what is allowable for entertainment and what isn't.

And if you're Black, and in your 30s or younger, I'd advise you to steer clear of Bakersfield. The gang life in Bakersfield is mainly Black and Hispanic and too many Hispanic gang members target Blacks literally. As easy as walking down the street and suddenly a knife is presented to your throat. You aren't going to get sympathy from conservative and bigoted police, and there are too many Black men in their 30s and below who have lived in Bakersfield their entire lives and don't have a perspective outside of Kern County.

And then because the job market kind of sucks, you know the minorities are rrrrrealllyy struggling because they don't have income passed down from past generations to rely on. So then too many young Black men have low self-esteem, too many young Black men walk around town with chips on their shoulder (poor, broke, targets of racism, targets of gangs) and then Black men don't treat other Black men like brothers. Instead they compete to put each other down, and some join gangs and randomly target innocent Black men they should view as brothers. Black men target Black men. Hispanic gangs, far and away outnumber Blacks, and they target Black men. There is a conservative, almost outright racist attitude by law enforcement towards Black men, so they can't call the cops for help. Then Black men attack Black men.

Basically, in conclusion? If you're chasing an integrated society, with fair opportunities... stick with Los Angeles. If you're aware that Bakersfield is much slower, but has some really nice homes and nice communities, then there is nothing wrong with Bakersfield. If you are young and Black, be careful because there is racism galore out there, and no matter which direction you look there are enemies who can't wait to attempt to make your life miserable.

Sorry... but true. Los Angeles is the better place to live.

okay i'm african american myself and i've lived all throughout the westcoast and southwest and what you said seems very far from the truth. maybe you had a bad experience with life in Bakersfield but don't put down a whole city for all the bad stuff that you went through. i just think it's ignorant to say half the stuff you said...what planet are you from where there's no racism??? because everywhere has gang members, race issues and the like....try living in the south all your life and i bet you'd be saying different about a town like Bakersfield. If you let one life experience shape your whole opinion of Cali yet alone Bakersfield than sorry but you sound very ignorant...and as for the job market...whats your career because there's plenty of jobs in Bakersfield no matter if your black or white.

People need to stop comparing Bakersfield to L.A and the other cities in California....not ever damn city needs to be compared to L.A....Not everyone wants that L.A lifestyle!

[tinasgt2005]

Originally Posted by WESTCOASTER_19

okay i'm african american myself and i've lived all throughout the westcoast and southwest and what you said seems very far from the truth. maybe you had a bad experience with life in Bakersfield but don't put down a whole city for all the bad stuff that you went through. i just think it's ignorant to say half the stuff you said...what planet are you from where there's no racism??? because everywhere has gang members, race issues and the like....try living in the south all your life and i bet you'd be saying different about a town like Bakersfield. If you let one life experience shape your whole opinion of Cali yet alone Bakersfield than sorry but you sound very ignorant...and as for the job market...whats your career because there's plenty of jobs in Bakersfield no matter if your black or white.

People need to stop comparing Bakersfield to L.A and the other cities in California....not ever damn city needs to be compared to L.A....Not everyone wants that L.A lifestyle!

Great response. I have lived in Bakersfield for 22 years. This town has heart. For a larger city it has a small town feel. I have never seen a city come together when one of their own is suffering or needs help. Bakersfield does. There is racism where ever you go this town is no different. (no more than anywhere else though) There are plenty of jobs for anyone willing to work, whether you have a degree or not, whether you are black, white, hispanic,etc. The gang problem is on the rise here but I think that it is anywhere you go. As for the police department being racist that is a crock. If you are a thug then exspect to get arrested whether you are black, white, green blue, red, etc. I will say that Bakersfield is not pretty but we are surrounded by beauty. Bakersfield overall is a great place to raise your kids it is mostly conservative and we are very proud Americans. Are there better cities in California? Probably but it dependson what you consider better.