so I've been in Monroe, LA for a year now... (Lafayette: crime, credit)

[Phil75230]

All the remarks about Monroe culture are accurate for the population as a whole – especially regarding the intellectual climate. Not only is that opinion of clusterfunk’s, s2mfh, and me – I found hard statistical evidence to back up these views.

Several years ago, I did a detailed study of the subscription patterns for Scientific American magazine, specifically the May 2003 edition. One of those variables (those who know the magazine know there is likely little overlap between this one and the magazines you see in the supermarket checkout line). I compared two magazine subscriptions measures (ratio of paid subscriptions per 25+ y.o. adult AND paid subscriptions per college-degreed 25+ y.o. adult) to a similar ratio of gay and lesbian couples, degreed 25+ y.o., and votes for Ralph Nader in the Nov. 2000 Presidential election. Guess where Monroe ranked on three of those lists (the 120 surveyed metro areas under ¼ million total residents)? - near the bottom!

108th on the Nader Index (voting rate for Nader only 1/3 the national rate)
103rd on the ratio of magazine subscriptions to the total 25-and-over population
115th on the ratio of magazine subscriptions per degreed 25-and-over population (which is even worse, given this magazine is aimed at college-educated readers). .

Monroe ranked better on both gay and the college degree attainment indices - all of them were in the top 1/3. Even so, there's still the question about whether the social climate is open enough to support even a small number of shops specializing in gay and lesbian needs, even one small gay book store, or even a small monthly GLBT magazine (I'm not gay or even bisexual, but I do recognize that widespeaed outward expression of non-mainstream lifestyles IS a key indicator of openmindedness toward non-mainstream attitudes and lifestyles in general -- as in "if THEY can fit in, then I can fit in").

That tells me that the prevailing attitude of Monroe and NE La is one of firm faith in conventional and traditional definitions of “normal behavior” and even “respect-worthy person”. That is NOT a sign of a healthy society and certainly not one that encourages in children and young adults (and even older adults) the independent thought (and by extension, creative thinking) necessary to attract bright, confident, energetic and gifted people to NE La.

The closest thing to a progressive area is probably along Louisville Ave close to the bridge, or around the Garden District (Enoch's Pub, and maybe Tsunami as previously mentioned). Even then, you can’t call that area open-minded so much as “not as conservative”.

If you have to have more, then If I were you, I’d drive to either Shreveport (Highland area, near Centenary College) or Jackson, MS (Fondren and Belhaven Neighborhoods, near Millsaps and Belhaven Colleges) - 1.5 and 2 hrs away respectively. I’m sorry to say, but that’s as open-minded as Northeast Louisiana and the surrounding vicinity gets.


NOTE: the study excluded metro areas in AK & HA because of their geographic remoteness, unique migration patterns, and economic bases. It also excluded OK, SD, and NC because Nader was not on the ballot in any capacity during that election (write-ins prohibited).

[Louisiana'sLegend2]

But no one seems to ask the life long resident on Monroe the truth. The only thing Monroe,LA suffers from is letting people know exactly how great it is. Poor Advertising. Thats alll. No real elaborations or exaggerations of things that are great or relevant in this town....but trust and believe we have enough to rival any city in the state, you have to know where it is, everything tends to be hidden or discrete.

Take ULM for example. Any other city or town will have hwy sighs up as well as billboards, "Oh the higher learning, oh the great intellect, just turn left" or Welcome to the Home of the mighty, or blah blah". Not here. Also...most colleges are isolated to where they can stand out. ULM is pocketed surrounded by homes and a bayou.

CenturyLink, who in the hell knows where it is and what its about? Its a Fortune 200 company, biggest in Louisiana? Oh wow where is it located? Monroe, no, cant be Monroe is too rough looking to have a company with that kind of success? Well once again....its hidden, pocketed under pecan trees. Looks like a dam processing plant for crops, but its here in simple lil Monroe.

The Mall is isolated, not suffocated by other stores around it like I've seen in other cities. Airport is by crop fields.

Gay life is very strong here...where are they....isolated of course. Club Pink is off 19th street and is very established. The Corner Bar also caters to gays, which is actual across the the street from Tsunami. Tsunami isnt the a concentrated club for the skateboarders, dopeheads, and punk life, not against it, but really are the common folks who go out really thinking of a place like this...no. But, 2 doors down is a pool hall, bar, and karaoke place call "MISS QUES". Then the next door over, "The Hookin Bull" caters to the country crowd. I can go on and on to all the doubters....."Shananigans, The Rising Sun, Scruffs, Rendevous, The Cave, Library Lounge, Nell's, Enoch's is great also....and thats just Monroe's diverse clubs. You have many clubs and bars in the whole parish that cater to blacks, mexicans and country folks. Like I said before, inbox me like everyone esle does and I'll give you pacific info.

Always questioning our intelligence eh? Hmmm, did you know the many medical facilities we have here? The 2 medical malls, 4 hospitals, clinics on every corner, cancer institutes, surgical centers, medical neighborhoods they call it......I guess anyone can work there who applies, you dont need a degree these days I guess.

The Museums we have and the art crawls are all ran by uncultural people also. I guess I should leave this horrible place because Im such an idiot for ignorantly ranting about a place thats seemingly a graveyard....lord help me please, for I am dumb and helpless.

[b0bab0ey]

I think the closest we can get to "the truth" here is this:

If you've lived most of your life in Monroe (or someplace similar), then you're already in your "comfort zone" and will most likely be content & happy here. However, if you're new to this area then you are probably in for a bit of culture shock and will find it hard to adjust. I realize this holds true for just about anywhere... but I think this region of the country is so different that it makes it that much more difficult to make the adjustment.

I tell friends from other parts of the country to watch "Duck Dynasty" sometime to get a feel for what I have to deal with on a daily basis...

[Phil75230]

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

But no one seems to ask the life long resident on Monroe the truth. The only thing Monroe,LA suffers from is letting people know exactly how great it is. Poor Advertising. Thats alll. No real elaborations or exaggerations of things that are great or relevant in this town....but trust and believe we have enough to rival any city in the state, you have to know where it is, everything tends to be hidden or discrete.

I spent the first 26 years of my life in N. La (I'm 44 now)!!!! I go back to visit the folks twice a year besides! So I think I have my views about Monroe/ NELA are as authoritative as anyone's.

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

Take ULM for example. Any other city or town will have hwy sighs up as well as billboards, "Oh the higher learning, oh the great intellect, just turn left" or Welcome to the Home of the mighty, or blah blah". Not here. Also...most colleges are isolated to where they can stand out. ULM is pocketed surrounded by homes and a bayou.

Irrelevant, Legend. We're talking about day-to-day personal interactions, cultural attitudes (not codespeak for "Southern", btw). Chamber of Commerce PR has nothing to do with this - even in complaint form.

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

CenturyLink, who in the hell knows where it is and what its about? Its a Fortune 200 company, biggest in Louisiana? Oh wow where is it located? Monroe, no, cant be Monroe is too rough looking to have a company with that kind of success? Well once again....its hidden, pocketed under pecan trees. Looks like a dam processing plant for crops, but its here in simple lil Monroe.

You're not getting it! It's not about how many Fortune 500 companies are located where (though it's certainly necessary for stability). It's about freethinking and expressing your thoughts without the squelchers squelching every "different" idea as weird, stupid, or even evil - and I don't mean just in money-making matters either. Beyond a certain limit, such attitudes drive away talent and create "cultural sclerosis". If you don't believe me, then look at Detroit and Pittsburgh. THEY were the "silicon valley" cities of the Industrial Age. They had more than their fair share of TOP THIRTY companies (those composing the Dow Jones)!!. You know just as well as I do how those cities are doing. If even Detroit and Pittsburgh couldn't maintain their edge, then how the hell is Monroe, LA going to develop?

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

The Mall is isolated, not suffocated by other stores around it like I've seen in other cities. Airport is by crop fields.

Big obvious irrelevancy here!!! I don't even need to explain it.

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

Gay life is very strong here...where are they....isolated of course. Club Pink is off 19th street and is very established. The Corner Bar also caters to gays, which is actual across the the street from Tsunami. Tsunami isnt the a concentrated club for the skateboarders, dopeheads, and punk life, not against it, but really are the common folks who go out really thinking of a place like this...no. But, 2 doors down is a pool hall, bar, and karaoke place call "MISS QUES". Then the next door over, "The Hookin Bull" caters to the country crowd. I can go on and on to all the doubters....."Shananigans, The Rising Sun, Scruffs, Rendevous, The Cave, Library Lounge, Nell's, Enoch's is great also....and thats just Monroe's diverse clubs. You have many clubs and bars in the whole parish that cater to blacks, mexicans and country folks. Like I said before, inbox me like everyone esle does and I'll give you pacific info.

A small diverse bar scene is good, but a good bar and party scene is not enough. Almost every place with 50,000 has gay bars - but where's the gay pride parades, up-front gay activism (and I don't necessarily mean borderline rioting!)? Where's the local gay press / media - hard hitting stories about municipal, parish, state, and national stories relevant to GLBT issues, or even general issues? Where is there even a general Alternative Newspaper like the Jackson (MS) Free Press ? Granted Jackson's 3 to 4 times bigger than Monroe, but with a college crowd in the area (plus La Tech and Grambling), there's gotta be some readership available for such an alternative newspaper.

Alt Newspapers are good because it offers up front, concrete evidence that a community does have a vibrant core of people holding non-mainstream political views (even if only non-mainstream by local standards). Like I and the other two are saying, narrow definitions of "normal" and "respectworthy" person drive away talent (along with their education, entrepreneurial spirit, skills, experience, etc. that creates economic growth).

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

Always questioning our intelligence eh? Hmmm, did you know the many medical facilities we have here? The 2 medical malls, 4 hospitals, clinics on every corner, cancer institutes, surgical centers, medical neighborhoods they call it......I guess anyone can work there who applies, you dont need a degree these days I guess.

AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!! It's not a matter of what % of people have degrees, though that's certainly important. But degrees by themselves does not automatically translate into open-mindedness toward highly controversial and (yes) unpopular opinions. It takes BOTH education AND open-mindedness as I described to make it work.

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

The Museums we have and the art crawls are all ran by uncultural people also. I guess I should leave this horrible place because Im such an idiot for ignorantly ranting about a place thats seemingly a graveyard....lord help me please, for I am dumb and helpless.

The Masur is a good museum for it's size, I admit. Last time I was there about 5 yrs ago, they even had a painting of an artist's studio, featuring a note pad written on it "The Magic Knows What To Do". Very good way of explaining how capricious the creative process can be. That one painting certainly taught me a lot about the very "sperm and egg" (so to speak) of fresh, good ideas". However, all the personal inborn creativity in the world will yield only limited results at best if people keep squashing things going against tradition and convention THAT is what we're trying to tell you. That'd still be true of ALL Ouachita Parish adults 25 and over had college degrees. If Monroe wants to keep its young people, then it's gonna have to be a more tolerant and welcoming place for people who are unique, different, eccentric, and downright weird. Otherwise, they'll high-tail it for other, more accepting locales.

[Louisiana'sLegend2]

Mr. Phil75230......lets be straight up and blunt here. I have tried to stray away from petty facts and statistics, because I react, then the counteracts. I know the city/town better than you can image, because its actually my personal business to know and I benefit tremendously from knowing. So for you to ask questions like some of the ones you asked above....its pointless, because I can effortlessly,with a blink of a thought have an undisputed answer.

For Example: Alternate Newspapers????

Monroe has a "Free Press" newspaper also, there's the Monroe Dispatch newspaper, new issues every Thursday for the last 30 to 40 yrs. There's The Ouachita Citizen and The LA Delta magazine. All 3 area colleges have newsletters or newspapers also.

I can even go as far as to tell you I personally know one of the leaders in North Louisiana in gay activism, but honestly..... when is the rambling and ranting going to stop???

These facts and descriptions are only supporting details that maybe are weak in pointing out my overall point

I say things like isolation, landscapes, and weak marketing....but some how people keep missing the point.

Monroe, Louisiana thrives itself on being a conservative town. We could have had things like casinos a long time ago....but that's not who we are. We love that feeling of home, that sense of having a strong personal ownership of our town without the popular culture of modernization. If you look at my supporting facts that you quoted above, it will all make sense. The powerful Centurylink has made major moves, but to have the small main headquarters sit in that pecan orchard says everything. It now owns skyscrapers in Denver, Colorado, but to say it came up and still operates from Monroe, LA shows the humbleness of that company and it reflects what this town is all about.

The attitude reflects the whole town. You can see it within the garden district. How they gather money and donations to put up a $150k bricked sign up along I-20 that says "Welcome to Monroe"......I mean really how many places show that kinda pride......well to be frank....all of Louisiana.

Louisiana has to be the most prideful state in the whole US. Every other state has to have the influence of the Greater American way which is for the most part the East Coast with a sprinkle of International persuasion. But Louisiana culture will not die.....and Monroe, La is not an exception. We will not bend because people have become infatuated will new, new, new, when really is not new, its the same old repetitive economic & social booms which usually are short lived because people lose themselves and become systematic and mechanical beings instead of human beings.

A place like Monroe, LA preserves what little humility this worlds still has. It is what it is....naturally enhanced and morally strong. Monroe has a huge surplus of money to do major things like cater to the youth of tomorrow or attract new talent, but what does the city do.......fix streets, strengthen the transit system, and build a brand new river market for farmers and small business. Those type of things cater to the actual people of Monroe, not those who are influenced by outside popular demands. We will never be Seattle, Detroit, Pittsburgh, not even Shreveport, Baton Rouge, or New Orleans......but the thing is we like it that way and there's not a dam thing outsiders can do about it but move.

My Conservative and Humble Town.......Monroe, LA. Come get some!!!!

[WhoDat2011]

Good word bro. It's obvious the passion you have for your city and I love it. Keep Monroe conservative, Christian and morale and I think that's wonderful. I'll keep my eye on CenturyLink for opportunities down the road

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

My Conservative and Humble Town.......Monroe, LA. Come get some!!!!

[b0bab0ey]

It seems to me the topic of this thread has veered away from whether or not Monroe is a good place to live, to whether or not Monroe is "gay friendly" enough. I mean, seriously!? Gays comprise (at best) 5% of the US population. What about the other 95% of us who don't give a crap about gays, but who do give a crap about Monroe's exceptionally high crime rate, extreme poverty/high unemployment, **** poor schools, etc. etc.? Those are the kind of issues which affect EVERYONE, gay and straight alike.

[GrandviewGloria]

Monroe, to me, is a lovely town. People are so polite, polished, kind.... Their speech seems vastly superior to what you'd hear around Jackson, Mississippi, where we used to live.

When I was over there on business, I'd do as much shopping as I could (people in stores were so much more polite than in Jackson), and work out at Goudeaux's (I think the name has changed since then), and a couple of other gyms. And I've got to say, you've got some of the most beautiful men on the planet.

Yes, the ever-expanding underclass 'undertow' is expanding, and dragging everything down with it, but just be thankful you're not in Pine Bluff or Jackson.

[b0bab0ey]

Originally Posted by GrandviewGloria

Monroe, to me, is a lovely town. People are so polite, polished, kind.... Their speech seems vastly superior to what you'd hear around Jackson, Mississippi, where we used to live.

When I was over there on business, I'd do as much shopping as I could (people in stores were so much more polite than in Jackson), and work out at Goudeaux's (I think the name has changed since then), and a couple of other gyms. And I've got to say, you've got some of the most beautiful men on the planet.

Yes, the ever-expanding underclass 'undertow' is expanding, and dragging everything down with it, but just be thankful you're not in Pine Bluff or Jackson.

Are you serious or are you just being sarcastic? Polite, polished, kind.... Are you sure it's Monroe, LOUISIANA you're talking about here? The locals here are some of the most ignorant, rudest, uncouth individuals I've ever come across. Just a "rough around the edges" sorta bunch. And their accents are just ridiculous... even for the South.

I will admit some of the younger women here are quite attractive. I guess spending all that time out in the sun on the farm did them some good. Of course, their mommas usually look like they've been hung out to dry.

[Sam I Am]

Sounds to me like Grandview Gloria was quite serious.

As far as rude, I think you have outdone yourself.