Is there any friendly people in Montana? (Billings, Bozeman: home, schools)

[ElkHunter]

JoeJoeMan,

I'm a boomer. I have 7 kids. But I have to agree with you to a point. I have the greatest respect for this country, but I grew up dirt poor on a farm. The part I agree with is that there is no "Respect" for this country to follow on. Oh, I have it, but my kids don't. They are in a time that "Everything" is owed to them. I'm just not sure how that come about.

Give me a piece of land in Montana, I'll make it work. Give my kids a piece of land in Montana, they'll turn it into a go-kart track.

Was it my fault? I often wonder.

[jimj]

The other problem we have now is no one (or very few) is willing to show their moral compass and the ones that do are shot down for being "intolerant". What happened to the days where people were afraid of what the neighbors would think? Where you didn't dare do things because you'd be shunned by the community. I've noticed if you take a stand for what's right YOU are labled the troublemaker and antisocial. It started in the 60's with the peace/love movement and evolved into anything goes for anyone,anytime. God knows we wouldn't want to offend the person dating his sheep! He's just living the "alternative" lifestyle! My son has an aquaintence in school who walks around spouting how great it is to be a communist and how much he likes the Hugo Chavez and Castro and how bad the U.S. is. Now this is a kid who is 16 years old, wears a communist Russian flag pin on his shirt and NO ONE challenges him! Well to be honest I have on a couple of occasions by debating him but he just sails through school.... We had a german exchange student that thought it was just fine to wear a t-shirt that denounced Bush on the front and said "F..." the United States on the back.
He wore it all day until I pointed it out to his debate coach and explained how offended I was that someone who is a guest in my house thinks it's ok to come in and insult me and if that's the way he feels he needs to return home at the first opportunity.
The coach was shocked and couldn't figure out how he made it throught the day without being told to take it off but I know how, most of his teachers are on the same page as him.
He was told by the coach BTW that it's probably not a good idea to continue wearing that shirt because it could get him hurt in this mostly conservative town.
The point, other than a foriegner coming here and doing this is when did we get to the point where people think it's ok to SELL this tripe?

[PatriotFan]

Don't most of your schools have policies that prevent students from wearing disruptive clothing? Most schools have such a poilcy to prevent that kind of behavior.

I am a teacher, and any kid who wears such clothing is asked to either turn it inside out, cover it with a jacket or some other item of clothing, or replace it. If the kid refuses, that is considered an act of definace for which a student can be suspended or even expelled depending on the gravity of the offense.

[truckingbronco]

The schools all have dress policies.

[jimj]

As trucking said we do have policies but that requires that someone send him to the office for it...

[PatriotFan]

Originally Posted by jimj

As trucking said we do have policies but that requires that someone send him to the office for it...

That's true. It can't be enforced if someone is unwilling to recognize the problem.

[rangerider]

/Just wanted to chime in with NativeMontanan and montanahogrider:

This is a great thread, and as a newcomer to the forum but not to the state I would like to offer my experience on the people here.

I am not a native, but have lived in Montana since 1982 and was here on and off between '79 and '82. No family here, one or two friends, and some pretty lean times. I knew when I first saw this country that there was no place else for me to be. I got a whole lot of lessons on what was and wasn't acceptable right off, and also got the message that it was best if you used your ears a lot more than your mouth. I put my shoulder down and started working at about anything I could; harvest crew running from Texas back up here every summer, years running the night shift grooming at a ski area, some odd jobs, logging, ranch and farm work, construction, and now both a wage earner and business owner. Throughout all this time, I have found that there was a tremendous amount to gain by studying the folks who have been here and made it a long while - they know the lay of the land where they live, and the smart ones will let you in on the best of Montana if you are willing to listen. The biggest challenge will be figuring out who is who, as some of the best don't come off as being the friendliest right off. Some refuse to change with the times, others are at the forefront of change, but the common denominator is they are doing things in a smart way, are proud of where they live, and will pull you out of a snowbank in their Sunday best. Don't mistake aloofness for rudeness - some just like their privacy. Time will tell if they feel like talking or not.

There are a pile of people from one end of Montana to another who will do about anything for you, and will talk your ear off just for saying hello. I will say, with prejudice, that after having been all over the western US, some of the best folks I know are right here. Some of us have attitudes that a sharpened a bit after fighting ever rising taxes to pay for government services we don't need or want, 80 hour workweeks to keep said taxes paid, bitter cold, and snow up to our keesters seven or eight months a year. Personally, I don't care what color you are, your political or religious beliefs, how much you make, what you drive, where you're from, your previous life (if any) etc., etc. What I care a lot about, and what I think most Montanans do care about, is how you respect others and the state we live in. It's been said that you can learn more about someone by observing how they treat the waitress in a local diner than having them regale you with their life's story. The area of the state I'm living in is growing like a weed; the friendliness that was here when I arrived is not the same now - a bit strained, as it were. It has changed into a place that I'm considering leaving at some point; I want to move back to Montana, as it were. But even with a more jaded opinion of newcomers, I still make sure that I initially treat everyone even up - my Dad started me on that when I was a kid, and I intend to keep that near to my heart. He would say that there isn't anyone you can't learn something from, be it better or worse.

Okay, that almost qualified as a soapbox, but hopefully fell short of a rant. BTW, here's the code on the backroads wave here:

One digit, usually index finger - "Known you all my life."
Two digits - "I'll pay my feed bill next week."
Three digits - "You're not local, but hi anyway."
Three missing digits - "Hi, I'm a dally roper."

Always drink upstream from the herd.

[sweetinmt]

I'll have to remember that one digit, two digit, three digit, no digits wave guidelines.
Thanks for the inside information on that.

By the way, what area in NW Montana do you live in? I thought about moving farther west in Montana so might be good to know where to avoid.

[rangerider]

By the way, what area in NW Montana do you live in? I thought about moving farther west in Montana so might be good to know where to avoid.

Um, southwest MT, the Gallatin Valley, to be a little less than exact. I did spend some time in the NW part of the state in the late eighties working as a sawyer. Things were a bit different then; I remember lots around Flathead Lake were selling for a buck a running foot. Try getting anything for that price now.

I liked it up there, the climate is wetter and the winters are a bit cloudier, especially around the lake; really interesting weather patterns in the winter. I spent a lot of time down the Swan Valley; it's a nice spot and at that time Seeley Lake and the surrounding country were just starting to get "discovered". The winters are long and pretty snowy; I met some great folks around there and got to see some real pretty country. Different mountains to ride and hike in compared to here - lots more and bigger trees, sometimes you don't see out for awhile. The lake area is really something for those that have a green thumb; amazing results for fruit, vegetables, and foliage.

The skiing is superb if you're into that. Big Mountain is some bigger and they like most others in the state are trying to get away from being a backyard ski area. However, there's a nice mix of areas around there; I tend to favor going up to Turner Mountain or over to Lookout if I want to take a drive.

I haven't visited up there for about two years now. I do have some friends that bought some land on the west side of the lake and need to go up and help him get part of it cleared - much too thick with deadfall and doghair pine. Will be interested myself to see what has changed lately.

Depending on what I wanted to do and how I was fixed, I might nose around the Swan a little, and maybe a bit west of Missoula or around Plains, too. The Ronan and St. Ignatius area is pretty, but I think it's gotten built up. If you really want to get lost and stay away from all the development west of the divide, head up to the Yaak. I don't think it's been hit much, and from what I saw around there years ago it's a good place to notch out a spot without a lot of company. It's a different existence up there, but really appeals to some folks. But things may have changed there, too...good luck.

[stacyLynn]

LEAVEMEBE... Are you from California?

Yes? There is your answer..

No? You must live in Bozeman.