Why is Mississippi on the bottom of every quality of life study (Jackson: credit, hotels)

[Frankie117]

Mississippi is just another state that has had bad luck in recent years. Hard to believe it was one of the wealthiest for the longest time...

Like what was said, MS lacks large enough cities to attract Northerners, as well as new development. Sure, some new industry has developed, but for the most part the state is fairly undeveloped. NC,SC,GA,and AL are absorbing all the new industry and not letting anyone else in on it..

[BucFan]

It seems that MS is doing a good job in attracting retirees to the state also Winter Snowbirds who come down from Canada and the Northern States. Regarding the other states "stealing industry" - that's because the state politicians need to entice companies to the state by reducing corporate taxes, provide cheap land to develope factories, buildings, etc. There are reasons why some states can draw in corporation. I see TX do it all the time with automobile companies like Toyota.

[tennreb]

As Paul Harvey said, "If everyone knew the truth about Mississippi, the yankees would show up and ruin it."

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by vader

Am I the only one who looks for Mississippi on any quality of life study just to find out what where my city should NOT be..

While we may not rival you where crime is involved, my own state is close to the bottom of the lists you describe. But stats are just that~numbers. It doesn't show a true picture of the quality of life here.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by SWB

Where are all of our native Mississippians to help counterbalance such negative vitriol? Lest your state be loved by no one, I will come to the defense of y'all.

Labeling an entire state as being "backwards", "hick", "crime-ridden", "poverty-infested", etc. is simply showcasing one's ignorance. How would folks in New York City like it if everyone assumed that the South Bronx was characteristic of the city as a whole? I'm sure the metrosexuals in the East Village would be outraged. How would the folks in North Carolina like it if everyone assumed their state was just an urban sprawl wasteland based upon what they saw in the Lake Norman area? I'm sure folks in Asheville would be upset. In the same sense I feel as if it is impossible and imprudent to make such broad generalizations about an entire state, city, or community.

I'll use my hometown of Scranton, PA as a perfect example. While in the past 2-4 years we've been making a rapid comeback fueled partly by NYC/NJ transplants, by and large the 1990s were an era in which we were literally dubbed by a major national publication as the runner-up for "Armpit of America." Also during that decade I heard some very callous remarks made about my hometown---"inbred hicks", "backwater", "uneducated", "coal crackers", etc. I personally can attest to the fact that NONE of these statements are valid. I know of several MENSA members. I know of a woman who turned down Harvard because she wanted to stay in the Scranton metro for college. Our arts/cultural community is exploding and thriving with very popular First Fridays and all sorts of other galleries, museums, etc. I scored a 1300 on my SAT and had a 3.5 cumulative GPA and was nowhere near the top of my class, just to give you an indication of how bright children even in our public schools are. It all depends upon who you want to associate yourself with. I could head to a corner bar and see overweight lowlives with mullets making racist jokes while drowning their sorrows in alcohol (as can be said about EVERY part of this nation, not just Scranton). However, I can also surround myself by vibrant, upbeat, intellectually-enriching people, as is also the case with EVERY part of this nation.

Some folks would simply prefer to look at the glass half-empty all the time. I enjoy drinking a half-full glass of Southern sweet tea every now and then. Yes, Mississippi, just like Scranton, has its fair share of problems. However, one must not let an area's downsides overshadow its positiveaspects. I have never been to Mississippi, but I'm fairly certain I'd fall in love with a lot of the historic architecture there and receive a hearty, warm welcome from folks just like the sweet woman earlier in this thread who just received a few rep points from me for being the ONLY Mississippian bold enough to stand up for their state at a time when it's "popular" to slam it into the ground.

We're all well aware that Mississippi has issues with poverty, education, and race relations, amongst other societal ills, but what good are we all doing by just poking fun and making snide remarks? None at all. All we're doing is turning off other would-be investors, tourists, transplants, etc. to MS as they read such disheartening comments. If more folks had Roma's upbeat attitude about what Mississippi can be instead of what her home state currently is, then just like Scranton it could finally start to turn itself around after decades of neglect.

Roma, I'd love very much to visit your home someday; it sounds wonderful. I, too, am taking a risk by investing in an older Victorian home in a sketchy city neighborhood in a few years after college to raise my family and try to improve the city's quality-of-life. It's folks like you who give me the resolve to keep on truckin' along despite all of the negativity I hear about my own town. Happy New Year!

SWB....as usual you post a dessertation lol but I whole heartedly agree with you.
I find MS a lovely state..had visions once of buying a winter home in Bay St Louis

[njkate]

Originally Posted by appalachiangirl

Gambling may bring a certain amount of prosperity to a region, but it can also cause problems for that region (possibly an increase in crime). Atlantic city is a gambling mecca but outside of the Boardwalk area and the fancy casino/hotels the city seems a bit run down. Not trashing it, just what I saw when I was there last year.

AC was like that long before the casinos...dumpy and lots of crime..of course casino revenue was supposed to help clean that up..but this is NJ one of the most corrupt states in the country....to keep it on topic I don't see that happening in MS

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by njkate

SWB....as usual you post a dessertation lol but I whole heartedly agree with you.
I find MS a lovely state..had visions once of buying a winter home in Bay St Louis

njkate - My next-store neighbor in NJ was thinking of moving to Bay St Louis to be near his cousin, but decided after a visit to his condo by the ocean in 2004, that it was not for him and he ended up moving to Portland ME (brrr--h). His cousin's condo did not survive Katrina. Who knows tho' - in 20 years MS could be the "new" NC. Poor SWB, he's depressed today -check NEPA, but in the long run maybe he's always had a good point to make. Oh, to be 21 again! The optimism of Youth!

[njkate]

Originally Posted by TheEmissary

njkate - My next-store neighbor in NJ was thinking of moving to Bay St Louis to be near his cousin, but decided after a visit to his condo by the ocean in 2004, that it was not for him and he ended up moving to Portland ME (brrr--h). His cousin's condo did not survive Katrina. Who knows tho' - in 20 years MS could be the "new" NC. Poor SWB, he's depressed today -check NEPA, but in the long run maybe he's always had a good point to make. Oh, to be 21 again! The optimism of Youth!

We had plans to go visit Bay St Louis as well as Ocean Springs MS
WE were meeting with the builders sales person regarding new homes in Ocean Springs..the builder was out of Slidell LA and then that witch katrina came rolling in.... It would of been nice and also close to New Orleans which I also love..so now we are looking outside of Savannah...looked at Myrtle Beach this past week..no way on the green earth could I live there

I still may try & talk hubbie into reconsidering coastal MS

Portland ME....never could I live there in winter

[BucFan]

Doesn't the constant threat of storms shy you away? I like MB, coastal GA, FLA and SC, too, but the insurance, and potential for hurricane makes me phobic about liking on the coast.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by BucFan

Doesn't the constant threat of storms shy you away? I like MB, coastal GA, FLA and SC, too, but the insurance, and potential for hurricane makes me phobic about liking on the coast.

The one factor about hurricanes versus other extreme weather is you have enough lead time to get the heck out!!!
I would want to be at least 5-10 miles inland.