Fellow Mississippians

[darhe3425]

I've lived in Mississippi for 15 years. I moved here to finish a degree. I stayed because I started to raise a family and began my career. I also got very used to the weather and the trees that are still every you look here. I like the church I attend and the friends I have met. I also like not spending hours in traffic. I dislike the lack of quality mass transportaion system. I dislike drivers who do not use turn signals, or sit at the green light while a line of people are behind them. I dislike that there are over 880 churches in a moderate sized city where quality housing is hard to find especially for so many obviously homeless people are sleeping outdoors. I do however recommend Mississippi to others and defend it's still notorious reputation as being the only state left in America where racism exist. As far as the economy goes I think we have a very long way to go and a lot of hard questions to answer, such as: why did so many in our state resist increasing the minimum wage although it is quite obvious that a livable wage will benefit everyone especially the children that Mississippi claims to hold so dear. If poor working folks could hold down one livable wage earning job, rather than 2 or 3 children could then have the opportunity to be supervised a little more closely. This will then offer parents the ability to prevent a lot of the teen pregnancies that still run rampant. That leads me to education. How do we expect teens to make better choices if they are not informed. Why are not children learning about the functions of their bodies beginning early on? This again will aide our economy. If children were better educated in the public schools about the "s-- word, then perhaps fewer of them will think it wise to produce a life that clearly he/she is incapable of properly caring for. This will again imporve the economy because then the burden of raising that child will not fall to Mississippi tax paying residents. Our public school system flounders because there are so few educated, adult, involved parents. Many of the parents are still children themselves! We need to get a handle on this. Getting our heads out of the sand is needed on this issue.

As far as recreation for children goes. I've found that time and money is needed for both. Again, unfortunately so parents have so little of either that children do find inappropriate ways of entertaining themselves. Physical education is given such a low priority where I live that what do we expect when kids get lazier and lazier. It's our own fault. My neices, who live in Illinois play sports all year round because it is accessible and free. Children are encouraged to play sports, all children, not just the talented ones that draw crowds. Their public school has 2 recesses a day plus structured P.E! Here children are getting diabetes and we still have to mandate a minimum of 20 minutes of recess a day, and guess what? teachers still refuse to take them outside for fresh air. Mississippi needs to put there money where its mouth is, in the "Choose Life" motto, I see on the backs of so many cars.

[willdufauve]

Darhe, you make some interesting observations. One thing about the history of slavery, Jim Crow, and racism and the Mississippi reputation for the worst racism currently...it's hard to compare one place to another very accurately, except by a person who's lived in at least several places.

I would say the worst racism I've ever seen (having lived in Europe and being a citizen of Europe, several Caribbean countries, six US states including the south, and Hawaii - but not Mississippi) is in supposedly "liberal" Massachusetts, especially Greenfield, MA, in Franklin County. That would be like racist graffiti, nooses, swastikas, assaults, job discrimination. The worst racists I've ever seen, in modern times, is in western Massachusetts, even though we now have a black Governor.

No conclusion, just information.

[spinrider2000]

I have lived in Oxford for 15 years. Not really native of any area as I moved around when young and lived in 5 states after college. Came to the area for an industrial job. Some say Oxford is not real Mississippi, so, but I like the area. Having lived in 5 southern states I would say Mississippi is typical of the south. There are not as many activities available as larger metro areas have to offer. As for jobs, there are areas developing. As to schools, I have 3 children, one excelled, one struggles, and one somewhere in the middle. The lower grades seem better. Racism? There has always been the quiet racism. I have never lived anywhere that is any different. Would I suggest Mississippi to a friend? I believe the more income you have, the better you would like the state. This is just my observation.

[williboy]

I grew up just outside of Laurel. After my father passed away in 1976, my mother moved to Jacksonville, FL where most of her family was. I was in school at USM and sort of followed her down there in 1979 due to family ties plus a much better job market. My wife and I now reside in Telford, TN near Johnson City, but I do still have a son and daughter sharing an apt. together and working and going to school in Jacksonville, FL.

[darhe3425]

Well, Wild, I have admit that racism in this part of America is not as overt as I've experienced in other parts. It is shall we say, "polite" perhaps subtle, you might even miss it. It looks more like the assumption of "place," as in do you know your place? I've been in northern cities where I've seated and waiting for either a menu, or someone to take my order...and knew for sure that this was an act of racism and not an accidental forgetting of a customer. I have never experienced that in Mississippi...I haven't, not to say someone else has not had this happen. While also away for college, very first day, in a northern city some teenagers yelled while passing..."N-word, N-word,,,go home!" Wonder where those bright young lads learned that language?! Anyway, we take the good with the bad, and just try to make some improvements for the younger folks coming along.

[Sam I Am]

MODERATOR: Back on topic, please.

[-B-]

Born, raised and lived my entire life in Pontotoc. I had the chance to leave in order to continue art school. There have been times I wished I had, but those times are always out weighed by the things that kept me here.

[rocketx]

Vicksburg I've grown to loathe.
Why? It's run by some cheap freeloading families who don't want to improve any of the locals quality of life. It has to many realtors who have overvalued the real estate market and don't want to admit they're not selling homes. They would decieve than face the truth that this arrogant civil war town is a disgrace to the southeast. It has high gas prices and businesses are closings. Already Ryans and I heard a rumor that Captian D's and even Pemberton Mall maybe shutting down. It has the highest nautral gas prices. The cinema closed two years ago. And the locals are discovering it's harder to get one in now.
The best thing the commuters are giving the local businesses a hard time for lack of restraunts and retail. This town has no class what so ever.