Is Mississippi particularly welcoming to Northerners? (Jackson, Tupelo: fit in, rental, how much)

[pizzaman4749]

Hey,

Being from California, I'm not really a yankee, but I talk different from some of the folks around here. There are a lot of transplants living here. Mostly because jobs have had people transferred here. If you like a slower pace of life and a place where people trust you up front, then this is for you.

Southerners will embrace you with open arms, but they aren't very happy when you do them dirt. Where I'm from, you have to earn someones trust. Here, they give it to you, but will take it away if you're not the real deal.

Madison is the upscale area of Jackson. Madison, and Rankin counties are your best bet. Stay away from Hinds County. Rankin has the lowest property tax and vehicle tax. Hinds flat out robs you.

Look at where you are going to work and then pick a living area. The commute here is not as difficult as other major cities, but can be a pain. If you have kids, and want them to have a good education and have them in a racially mixed enviornment, then Rankin and Madison Counties are for you. Stay out of Canton and Jackson, when it comes to schools. The only exception would be Clinton. Great High School facility (brand new). Their athletic section rivals most colleges.

Good luck. One piece of advice, though. Never say, "Back home, we do it this way....." That doesn't work. If you come here, take the time to make it your home. It's as good as any other place to live.

[bad_as_dana]

Originally Posted by darhe3425

If I say some Mississippians are ashamed of their history, maybe those who claim not to be ashamed were not in that group who were victimized. A great deal of shame still exist in many people of places in Mississippi, so be for real.

Proud member of the Corinth UDC Chapter #333. Not ashamed of anything.

[darhe3425]

When I first moved to Mississippi, I encountered the same kinds of questioning I got when I moved here: "Why would you move to Mississippi?" They were indeed thinking of the bad reputation that MS had, (has) in other words "racism exist there but not here" I'm not naive, I'm aware that this is America everybody grows hear some or all of their family members make negative statements about other races or groups of people. I chose to live here because my people came from here and I have the right to live here and make observations, comments, or criticisms of this I live in, thats my right as an American citizen, like everyone else. The problem then is that SOME Mississippians chose to still do embrace "old south" mentalities, such as that of my first LANDLORD, who said "well, you're in the south now..." when I insisted he fumigate my apartment building for cockroaches. Yes, I'm in the south...does that mean I'm not entitled to decent standards of living? What kind of reply is "you're in the south now" Live as the rest of us,...and don't compain, or speak up. Put your hat in your hand and walk out backwards. No, m'am!

I just say thank god for new generations. I'm proud of the 20 somethings coming along. They may yet have Mississippi lead the nation in reconciling this much what still taints still, this region of the U.S.A.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by darhe3425

When I first moved to Mississippi, I encountered the same kinds of questioning I got when I moved here: "Why would you move to Mississippi?" They were indeed thinking of the bad reputation that MS had, (has) in other words "racism exist there but not here" I'm not naive, I'm aware that this is America everybody grows hear some or all of their family members make negative statements about other races or groups of people. I chose to live here because my people came from here and I have the right to live here and make observations, comments, or criticisms of this I live in, thats my right as an American citizen, like everyone else. The problem then is that SOME Mississippians chose to still do embrace "old south" mentalities, such as that of my first LANDLORD, who said "well, you're in the south now..." when I insisted he fumigate my apartment building for cockroaches. Yes, I'm in the south...does that mean I'm not entitled to decent standards of living? What kind of reply is "you're in the south now" Live as the rest of us,...and don't compain, or speak up. Put your hat in your hand and walk out backwards. No, m'am!

I just say thank god for new generations. I'm proud of the 20 somethings coming along. They may yet have Mississippi lead the nation in reconciling this much what still taints still, this region of the U.S.A.

I think you're exaggerating a bit. You can move to just about any state and hear "why would you move here". I've heard people in states like Michigan and Ohio say the same thing. As for what your landlord said, I think he probably meant you should get used to seeing bigger and meaner bugs in the south. Because of the heat and humidity they just get bigger here, that's just the way it is. He was probably just telling you not to be so squeamish, because no matter how well you fumigate, you will still see an occasional bug. I know that and I'm in my 20's.

[oldenfatt]

I wonder who told the imports to Mississippi that they were somehow due an apology or explanation for the fact that we In Mississippi have not attempted to discard our own culture and values in favor of theirs? Why do so many on this forum feel the need to perpetuate the media's myths of Mississippi second-class status by making those apologies? I never owned a slave, burned any crosses, or looked with passion on any of my female relatives. I am not known to consort with anyone who did, and I strongly resent the implications that I hold any responsibility for the past actions of others.

Please do not confuse a reluctance to engage in debate over the relative merits of Mississippippi culture to an acquiescence to the superiority of your ideals. For many of us, it's just very tacky to point out how rude you are being.

[Willy99]

I am a tenth generation Mississippian whose ancestors populated Mississippi's oldest county, Wilkinson, many years ago. I recently made the move out to Austin, TX for various reason, including the destruction of my property due to Hurricane Katrina. I applaud oldenfatt on his comments and wholeheartedly agree with them. My father always told me that we Mississippians are lucky to have such a negative view of our state because that seems to keep people away and keep our wonderful state a "secret," so to speak. I spent the first 25 years of my life there and I always had shoes, plumbing, friends of all races, colors and creeds, etc. I am well educated from a wonderful liberal arts university and someday plan on returning to Mississippi to live out my years. A quick anecdote: I recall being about 12 years old on a visit to the Smithsonian in DC. There was an interactive display where you had to choose which state you were from on a touch-screen. After I had chosen Mississippi, a girl behind me exclaimed to her friend "See, I told you they wear shoes!"

[willdufauve]

Originally Posted by oldenfatt

I wonder who told the imports to Mississippi that they were somehow due an apology or explanation for the fact that we In Mississippi have not attempted to discard our own culture and values in favor of theirs? Why do so many on this forum feel the need to perpetuate the media's myths of Mississippi second-class status by making those apologies? I never owned a slave, burned any crosses, or looked with passion on any of my female relatives. I am not known to consort with anyone who did, and I strongly resent the implications that I hold any responsibility for the past actions of others.

You don't have to wonder anymore. I'll try and explain it to you, based on my time living in Texas. To a large extent, northerners don't understand or know southern culture and vice versa. The north won the civil war, then totally forgot about it. The south lost the civil war, and never will get over it.

It always amazed me how many otherwise sane and modern southerners I met in Texas who still talk about Sherman's march to the sea like it happened to them personally, and just yesterday. It always amazed me, living there, how many Texans are both envious and contemptuous of New Englanders, when we don't think about Texans very often at all.

In New England, we learn history about the Pilgrims, Puritans, the British redcoats v. the colonists, and the Boston Tea Party. We don't know about MS. In Texas they never hardly heard about redcoats, and their history begins and ends at the Alamo.

Try not to be so defensive. There's a meeting in the middle.

[Willy99]

Huh? Where in Texas were you? My mother and grandfather are both native Texans, I have many family members who live here in Texas and apart from my recent move here a year ago, I visited often. I've never heard anyone here speak about Sherman's march. The Alamo, well, that's a different story. The root of the "culture shock" problem in the south as opposed to New England is that people aren't moving to New England in record numbers. The south-eastern part of the country, to be more specific Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, are growing at a startlingly rapid pace. I think your sweeping generalizations about people in Texas "never hardly (hearing)" about the redcoats says quite a bit and, not to be offensive (or defensive), is utterly laughable.

[blueeyes30]

Originally Posted by willdufauve

You don't have to wonder anymore. I'll try and explain it to you, based on my time living in Texas. To a large extent, northerners don't understand or know southern culture and vice versa. The north won the civil war, then totally forgot about it. The south lost the civil war, and never will get over it.

It always amazed me how many otherwise sane and modern southerners I met in Texas who still talk about Sherman's march to the sea like it happened to them personally, and just yesterday. It always amazed me, living there, how many Texans are both envious and contemptuous of New Englanders, when we don't think about Texans very often at all.

In New England, we learn history about the Pilgrims, Puritans, the British redcoats v. the colonists, and the Boston Tea Party. We don't know about MS. In Texas they never hardly heard about redcoats, and their history begins and ends at the Alamo.

Try not to be so defensive. There's a meeting in the middle.

People I know don't sit around and talk about how they dislike northerners or talk about the Civil War. The only time I hear about negative things about northerners is when a bad encounter has occured, as in making fun of the accent or some comment about inbreeding or the lack of shoe wear. It's also not a recent thing that the national perception of the South is not good. If you don't think some southerners have a hard time up north, or some northerners look down on southerners, then you are sadly mistaken. Besides, the current migration is from north to south and west.

[willdufauve]

The part of Texas I lived in was Hays County, in Hill Country, not far from San Marcos. I traveled with a band from one end of Texas to the other, and I worked in every kicker bar from Austin, Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Odessa/Midland, Brownsville, Corpus, lot's of little towns like Marfa, and so many places I can't remember half of them.

The southerners I referred to talking about Sherman's march were mainly from MS, LA and Alabama, that I met while I was living in Texas. I wouldn't have met them in the north.

I had a lot of conversations with Texas people who had visited Boston for the Tall Ships and such, had been on a whale watch, visited the Tea Party Museum, etc. and were very interested in talking to me about the similarities and differences between Texas and New England.

I found they knew very little about new England but were curious and wanted to learn, just like I came to Texas knowing very little about the Alamo, the King Ranch, the oil wildcatters like the Cullens, and other aspects of Texas life but wanted to learn.

So I base my comments on having lived in Texas as an adult for a number of years and having traveled it many times over, and met and talked to hundreds of people there.

We even had a club in Austin called "The D**n Yankees", which is what a lot of Texans liked to call us, because that's how some Texans are.