[silverct9a]

Aside from St. Louis, I don’t know much about Missouri. With you being from the state, I will defer to you. I will tell you a crazy story however; I was in Central IL in May of 2011, we arrived in late but the next morning my wife’s father said “Man there was a pretty bad tornado in Missouri around Joplin last night.”

Little did we know, it would become the infamous ‘Joplin Tornado’ and that I had traveled to the Midwest BY CAR during one of the most active Tornado outbreaks in years - I literally heard tornado sirens all weekend and they didn’t stop until we were well south of Alabama…Interesting and scary times.

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Rural, southern Missouri is much more to the right than Southern IL. I mean the southern quarter of Missouri. Even more red than the Ozark counties of Arkansas.

[OpinionInOcala]

I don't think almost anywhere is unsafe for interracial couples in Florida — at least for the black or latino person in the relationship. Maybe some pockets of unincorporated cracker cousin-f__k methistan in the middle of nowhere, but those are easily avoided.

[silverct9a]

So pretty much anywhere outside of the blue counties in Florida? That’s probably a pretty good rule of thumb nationwide too.

Originally Posted by OpinionInOcala

I don't think almost anywhere is unsafe for interracial couples in Florida — at least for the black or latino person in the relationship. Maybe some pockets of unincorporated cracker cousin-f__k methistan in the middle of nowhere, but those are easily avoided ].

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by silverct9a

So pretty much anywhere outside of the blue counties in Florida? That’s probably a pretty good rule of thumb nationwide too.

I wouldn't even go that far. I lived in Lake County for 9 years (Mount Dora) and while I hated it for a number of reasons, I never felt out of place, nor unsafe, based on being biracial and being in an interracial relationship.

Now, going to places like THIS:

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.9952...8192?entry=ttu

can be downright frightening. I had to go to this particular neighborhood once, to drop off a trailer full of tools. Never again.

[silverct9a]

That may be a bit too far, but you can't deny heading to a low population, heavily red county wouldn't at least increase the odds of running into these types of scenarios.

Also what area is this?! Did you hear any banjos playing?

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

I wouldn't even go that far. I lived in Lake County for 9 years (Mount Dora) and while I hated it for a number of reasons, I never felt out of place, nor unsafe, based on being biracial and being in an interracial relationship.

Now, going to places like THIS:

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.9952...8192?entry=ttu

can be downright frightening. I had to go to this particular neighborhood once, to drop off a trailer full of tools. Never again.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by silverct9a

That may be a bit too far, but you can't deny heading to a low population, heavily red county wouldn't at least increase the odds of running into these types of scenarios.

Also what area is this?! Did you hear any banjos playing?

LMAO! It's called "don't go there."

It's at the far edge of Lake County.

No, I didn't hear banjos playing. But, everyone there looked like zombies. Basically lifeless, soulless eyes, all skinny, sweating bullets, wearing dirty tank tops...
Everyone looked like meth heads. And I definitely did not feel safe there for many reasons -- skin color included.

[Chas863]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

LMAO! It's called "don't go there."

It's at the far edge of Lake County.

No, I didn't hear banjos playing. But, everyone there looked like zombies. Basically lifeless, soulless eyes, all skinny, sweating bullets, wearing dirty tank tops...
Everyone looked like meth heads. And I definitely did not feel safe there for many reasons -- skin color included.

The area that you posted a link to is at the far northern edge of Lake County which is either in or very close to the Ocala National Forest which is a rather remote part of the county and the state. The National Forest has very limited development in it with lots of old mobile homes, cabins, and rundown shacks.

Just a few miles from the National Forest, there are modern subdivisions and developments that are TOTALLY different in appearance and character from the scene you posted. One of these developments is called The Villages which has some homes that are worth well over $1,000,000 and it looks nothing like the area you posted.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Chas863

The area that you posted a link to is at the far northern edge of Lake County which is either in or very close to the Ocala National Forest which is a rather remote part of the county and the state. The National Forest has very limited development in it with lots of old mobile homes, cabins, and rundown shacks.

Just a few miles from the National Forest, there are modern subdivisions and developments that are TOTALLY different in appearance and character from the scene you posted. One of these developments is called The Villages which has some homes that are worth well over $1,000,000 and it looks nothing like the area you posted.

I’m well aware of that. I think most of us know what The Villages is. Not sure what the point of your reply is…?

[Chas863]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

I’m well aware of that. I think most of us know what The Villages is. Not sure what the point of your reply is…?

The point of my reply was to say that the remote area you are referring to is a relatively small area of Lake County. Not all of Lake County or even a substantial portion of it is like what you posted a link to.

The Ocala National Forest is purposely maintained as a remote area that covers a portion of several different counties. There's even a "bombing range" in part of that remote forest where the military carries out live bombing exercises from time to time.

I just didn't want others who may not be familiar with the region to think that ALL of Lake County looks like that because it certainly doesn't. Yes, I realize that you didn't SAY that all of Lake County looks like that, but people who don't know better might ASSUME that the link you provided was typical of Lake County.

.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Chas863

The point of my reply was to say that the remote area you are referring to is a relatively small area of Lake County. Not all of Lake County or even a substantial portion of it is like what you posted a link to.

The Ocala National Forest is purposely maintained as a remote area that covers a portion of several different counties. There's even a "bombing range" in part of that remote forest where the military carries out live bombing exercises from time to time.

I just didn't want others who may not be familiar with the region to think that ALL of Lake County looks like that because it certainly doesn't. Yes, I realize that you didn't SAY that all of Lake County looks like that, but people who don't know better might ASSUME that the link you provided was typical of Lake County.

.

You must not have read through any of this thread, as not too far back, I mentioned that I lived in Mount Dora for 9 years, and that despite not liking it for various reasons, any sort of racial bias was not part of it. Obviously much of Lake County isn’t like that. Clermont is in Lake County too.
But these places do exist, in quite a large number or parts, and when cruising through the rural areas (such as Grand Island, Sorrento, Umatilla, etc.) it is VERY easy to unknowingly stumble into these areas. I think to most outsiders, even coming from as close as Orlando, this would be substantial — let alone to someone coming from the Miami area, which is who I was responding to.

Anyway, if you go back just a handful of posts, you’ll see how and why I even brought this area up. If anything, my post was in defense of “red counties,” with a slight heads up warning regarding select areas.