Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I don't depend on outsider income where I live (and it's crazy here in the fall). but I'm smart enough to realize that it benefits my neighbors and community, so I welcome it. I have the ability to see the bigger picture and beyond my own backyard.
And as soon as we say that we do not rely on tourism for our incomes we get accused of being snobs. That train is never late.
Quote:
I don't depend on outsider income where I live (and it's crazy here in the fall). but I'm smart enough to realize that it benefits my neighbors and community, so I welcome it. I have the ability to see the bigger picture and beyond my own backyard.
Benny tourism does not benefit my neighbors, or my community. Talk about snobs, some how only the shore towns are supposed to revere the benevolence of the tourist. Manasquan existed as a pleasant middle class community well before people started spending their summers here. We also get along quite well in the winter without all the so called "benefits" of having those kinds of tourists.
If the drunken idiot crowd suddenly ceased to coming to our area, a handful of bars (neither owned not patronized by locals), a couple of ice cream shops, and a few souvenir shops, etc. would close. Again, nothing my neighbors or community would miss. Maybe you are unaware but their are plenty of middle class towns that get by just fine without kissing tourist butts. But some how those of us who have the ocean nearby are incapable of making a living without the tourists?? Makes ZERO sense.
And as soon as we say that we do not rely on tourism for our incomes we get accused of being snobs. That train is never late.
Benny tourism does not benefit my neighbors, or my community. Talk about snobs, some how only the shore towns are supposed to revere the benevolence of the tourist. Manasquan existed as a pleasant middle class community well before people started spending their summers here. We also get along quite well in the winter without all the so called "benefits" of having those kinds of tourists.
If the drunken idiot crowd suddenly ceased to coming to our area, a handful of bars (neither owned not patronized by locals), a couple of ice cream shops, and a few souvenir shops, etc. would close. Again, nothing my neighbors or community would miss. Maybe you are unaware but their are plenty of middle class towns that get by just fine without kissing tourist butts. But some how those of us who have the ocean nearby are incapable of making a living without the tourists?? Makes ZERO sense.
Problem is some of the so called locals think they personally own the freakin ocean..last time I checked they didn't...
Problem is some of the so called locals think they personally own the freakin ocean..last time I checked they didn't...
And if you read my first post you would see that I said "of course everyone is welcome to the beach ".
I NEVER said I own the beach. Happens every time this comes up. Anyone who objects to the idea that people who live in shore towns should kiss the ground the tourists walk on is immediately subjected to the exact same litany:
1. "You should be grateful because we support you"
No you do not, my income, my neighbors income, indeed the majority of people who live in my town work in non-tourist jobs just like everyone else in NJ. Then comes...
2. "Your snobs" or "Well your family/friends/some random person makes a buck of the tourists, so you should be grateful (even when they come destroy our beaches)".
Pointing out that we work in the NYC, or for non-tourist based businesses is not being snobbish, its factual. Most people work for non-tourist related businesses in this state. Sure tourism brings in a bunch of part time, seasonal, summer jobs but again not everyone or even most people rely on that for their incomes.
3. "You think you own the beach"
Right, despite the fact that I prefaced my very first post with "everyone is welcome at the beach". I don't own the beach, I am not interested in keeping anyone from going to the beach. What I started with, and continue to state, is that my family, my neighbors and my community do not NEED the tourists anymore than the towns that don't have water on one side. I am not grateful for the tourists, since a significant minority of them are obnoxious, disrespectful, and they do not benefit my community in anyway. For the majority, who are kind, respectful, and treat our town as they would like their own to be treated, I am indifferent. For the others, again, I hope they never come back.
And if you read my first post you would see that I said "of course everyone is welcome to the beach ".
I NEVER said I own the beach. Happens every time this comes up. Anyone who objects to the idea that people who live in shore towns should kiss the ground the tourists walk on is immediately subjected to the exact same litany:
1. "You should be grateful because we support you"
No you do not, my income, my neighbors income, indeed the majority of people who live in my town work in non-tourist jobs just like everyone else in NJ. Then comes...
2. "Your snobs" or "Well your family/friends/some random person makes a buck of the tourists, so you should be grateful (even when they come destroy our beaches)".
Pointing out that we work in the NYC, or for non-tourist based businesses is not being snobbish, its factual. Most people work for non-tourist related businesses in this state. Sure tourism brings in a bunch of part time, seasonal, summer jobs but again not everyone or even most people rely on that for their incomes.
3. "You think you own the beach"
Right, despite the fact that I prefaced my very first post with "everyone is welcome at the beach". I don't own the beach, I am not interested in keeping anyone from going to the beach. What I started with, and continue to state, is that my family, my neighbors and my community do not NEED the tourists anymore than the towns that don't have water on one side. I am not grateful for the tourists, since a significant minority of them are obnoxious, disrespectful, and they do not benefit my community in anyway. For the majority, who are kind, respectful, and treat our town as they would like their own to be treated, I am indifferent. For the others, again, I hope they never come back.
Unfortunately that is true and they give all the people who go to the beach a bad rap...one of the reasons I don't step a foot in Seaside Heights during the summer way too many loud, rude, unruly people
Wow guys. This was supposed to just be a quick question, not another "butbutbut bennies r teh bad!!!11!!" "rawr we're not all bad!" "But teh beach and teh drunk and obnoxious oh noes my shore!!!!!" "we all have a right to it shut up!" flame war. Hahahahah. Well thank you for the information and I'm glad to see the benny-bitching is still alive and well.
Problem is some of the so called locals think they personally own the freakin ocean..last time I checked they didn't...
Thank you. Half my family lives in beach communities - Point Pleasant Beach, Brick, Long Branch year long. I know a thing or two about locals and 'bennys' and spend a great deal of time down the shore (btw, it's "down the shore" when you're heading south towards the beach towns, if you're going to the beach you're simply going to the beach. "Down the shore" is a very general term. If you lived north you'd say it, too). I know how welcoming some locals are, and I know how downright snobby others are. Point is, no, you don't own the beach or the ocean, I don't care if you have lived there all your life or are a recent Jersey Shore area native, you need to give tourists/day trippers/renters/visitors/those with family who are locals the same respect you ask of them. No one's better than me because they live near the beach and I don't. I know plenty of beach towns like the back of my hand. I sense this attitude from a lot of locals. Especially the ones who feel the need to have the stickers on their cars reading "local" in big bold letters. Why do we all need to know you're a local of a beach town? Does it really make a difference? Do I put a sticker on myself saying that I live 20 miles from Manhattan? Who cares. There are plenty of wonderful locals, don't get me wrong, like my own family for example but the snobby locals are just as bad as the obnoxious bennys.
Speaking of, I hate the obnoxious bennys. I'm not like that. My family members from Pt. Pleasant have told me awful stories of the things visitors do on the beach - one foreign family - literally they were foreigners - brought a goat onto it (my uncle joked, the sign says 'no dogs' but it doesn't say 'no goats'! hehe). Others get wasted and throw up everywhere in broad daylight. It's disgusting and these people are an awful representation of every 'non-local' but many locals need to have a better attitude about those who take time (and spend money, sorry but it's true) to visit their town. And I'm more than a day tripper or a vacationer (shudder). No offense, but if I want a vacation, I head farther from my home than the beaches of NJ We can all love (and know) the beach whether we live there all year or not. And yes, tourism is important to the beach areas whether your family has lived there for 150 years or not.
Last edited by JerseyGirl415; 05-30-2013 at 11:13 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
but the snobby locals are just as bad as the obnoxious bennys. 
