Hattiesburg - Good place for liberal minded person?

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by Calhoungrad

Mississippi liberal?? I WISH!! It's the bible-belt personified. If you have a liberal opinion and express it, someone will probably want to "tar and feather you and ride you out of town on a rail". I consider myself liberal in that I think people have a right to make decisions for themselves and should be able to express their preferances, or at least be able to "agree to disagree" without being beat over the head with someone's bible. Being a Gnostic, believing that legalizing marajuana is the most reasonable answer to the drug wars, believing that abortion is up to the person that's pregnant, and ideas along these lines can make you the object of a witch hunt. Why can't people just think and believe according to the dictates of their own conscience and values and let everyone else do the same?? No one has to atone for my misguided notions except ME. Seems logical and reasonable to me. What do the rest of you think??? jbd

I agree with you. Mississippi, as a whole, is definitely much more conservative than liberal, but the ratio is growing stronger every year for the liberals. The older generations are dead set in their ways and lean hard on the "good ol' boy" mentality, so a lot of the culture has to do with with who you know rather than what you know. But, as time goes on, that mentality is slowly fading away, leaving more room for open-minded thinkers, so I can only see Mississippi progressing in the near future, which is a good thing!

[Scotslass]

When you guys say its conservative do you mean as like drinking is frowned upon? Going to pubs/bars/clubs? Not attending church is seen as being a non believer?

I am just curious because i like a drink on the weekend after working my butt off and i dont go to church. I am fairly open minded and try and get on with everyone i just wonder where the line is drawn.

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by Scotslass

When you guys say its conservative do you mean as like drinking is frowned upon? Going to pubs/bars/clubs? Not attending church is seen as being a non believer?

I am just curious because i like a drink on the weekend after working my butt off and i dont go to church. I am fairly open minded and try and get on with everyone i just wonder where the line is drawn.

Ask a different person, you'll get a different answer. To me, conservative first brings to mind "less government" is good, "more government" is bad. "I can spend my money better than you can." As for drinking, it has become socially acceptable in all the urban areas of the state, and I would guess 90+% of the entire state. The church is still very strong in Mississippi, and it can often be found in politics, schools, etc. I do not attend church regularly, but my mother does. I feel guilty for not going because of her, but I also have strong feelings with regard to organized religion and how it has become a business and treated such as. I know that churches build upon strong communities, which is a good thing, but I also find it hard to believe that God wants me to "buy" his faith. What I have to say to God and what he says to me is between Him and I... or at least that's how I see it at this time in my life.

[Arrowette]

I know I'm reviving an old thread here, but I can't resist.

Originally Posted by Calhoungrad

If you have a liberal opinion and express it, someone will probably want to "tar and feather you and ride you out of town on a rail".

This = hogwash. I've lived in Mississippi my whole life and have ALWAYS been liberal and I have never been shy about it. I've never been tarred and feathered. Hell, I canvassed houses for the Obama campaign in the most Republican area of the state - north central Mississippi - and the only reaction I got from conservative folks was, "Oh, that's so cute."

The voting data for Forrest county doesn't consider one thing: the huge student population, many of whom either (1) don't vote or (2) vote via absentee ballot in the county where their parents live.

Because, yeah, Hattiesburg IS a pretty liberal area - not quite as much as the Fondren neighborhood (Millsaps influence) but pretty damn liberal for the deep South. In fact, USM is the most liberal university in the state, but Millsaps College eclipses their liberalism. There's a thriving gay community in Hattiesburg, strong performing arts influence (you know those theater kids), many New Orleans and coastie transplants, biracial couples, heterogenuous race mix, etc.

Unless you're one of those people that can't handle interacting with people with different views, Hattiesburg is a great place to live. Many of my liberal friends from high school went to USM and never left Hattiesburg because they love it so much.

Also - no, Mississippi is not the most conservative state in the U.S. Try Utah or Idaho.

[poptones]

I think the problem here is no one can define liberal or conservative. Do you mean socially or economic? Do you mean "conservative" as a euphemism for intolerance of biracial or same sex couples? Are you defining people by one or two core beliefs?

My aunts believe you will burn in hell for simply BELIEVING abortion is a decision for the mother. Such thought crimes are not unique to either camp, socially conservative or socially liberal - at least when you talk about liberalism in its modern context. (Let's not forget more controversial social laws were passed under Clinton's watch than most any other modern president and that includes ol' mother Reagan and Shrub.) And I have never encountered someone who expressed a desire to "run me out of town on a rail" no matter what opinion I've expressed and, in case it's not already obvious, I generally have no problem speaking out with my opinion.

You will find liberalism and conservatism everywhere. My experience has been that if you are of a truly liberal mind - meaning you lean more toward Jefferson than Clinton and toward Franklin than Bush you'll find much in common with many folks in the state no matter what they call themselves.

[a_cmc_2b]

Having lived & worked in the Hattiesburg area for 15 plus years now, I would say that it is not the least bit Liberal. Mississippi would be the wrong state for liberal, you might want to try the New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, or Memphis areas.