Why do people from other parts of Lousiana have so much animosity towards New Orleans? (Shreveport: violent crime, school)

[NativeSon504]

Okay I live in Lafayette which is a nice place but sometimes I get aggravated by some of the negative comments directed towards New Orleans itself and/or people who are from New Orleans. Does anybody ever experience this?

[rburnett]

All the time.

There are some parts of the country that I'm not too fond of, but I don't go on their message boards, bash them and tell everyone not to go there. It seems to be a regular occurance around here.

[NativeSon504]

Well I get aggravated with people from other states who try diss NOLA but I REALLY get aggravated with people from other parts of LOUISIANA who try to diss NOLA. It just sounds like when there talking it almost comes across as jealousy and envy, like their in some type of competition with NOLA. I here that junk often here in Lafayette.

[aab7855]

We're the big, bad city basically. They wanna come party here but they're often quite terrified. But among people who graduated with me (UL Lafayette 2009) and in the years onwards, they seem be flocking here for jobs. Maybe that exchange will lessen the tension. Also in their defense, a lot of sketchy New Orleans people went to ULL (I don't mean Katrina migrants). All my friends were from Acadiana when I went to school over there.

[NativeSon504]

I feel ya aab7855. But tell me what you mean by alot of sketchy New Orleans people went to ULL?

[annie_himself]

This is always the case with the largest city in the state, for example, Miami, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles/San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, etc. Especially when the city is politically against the rest of the state and hold much of the power.

[aab7855]

I don't know, I just didn't meet a lot of people from New Orleans over there who were cool. Maybe I'm a snob or something. I just ended up hanging out with people from the region. A lot of really bright people from Lafayette wanted to stick around so they went to ULL, whereas it seemed like a lot of the New Orleans people went there because they didn't have better options. I chose to go there and I thought I had an awesome education, so I'm not trying to slight it or anything. I don't feel like anyone where I am from (Uptown, yeah I know it's stuck up) thinks good things about ULL, they're tied to Ole Miss, Bama, LSU, Tulane, etc.

[wastinaway]

I often feel the same way about Shreveport-Bossier, but I have to tell you I feel NO animosity toward New Orleans. I don't go down there as often as I'd like, but I love it. Had Katrina destroyed it entirely, it would have taken a part of me away.

[hdwell]

Why no, I haven't seen anyone say from north La bash NO on this board. I never have and I know what an interesting city it is. Maybe I haven't read the NOLA forum enough and someone I never see on any of the others may be bashing the city. They have problems if they do that, that's for sure. To h*** with em'!

[NativeSon504]

Personally I feel like the media has played a major role in how people across the state and country view us. I know we have had a bad reputation for corruption, crime, poor education etc. but man after Katrina the media was potraying us like we where the second coming to Iraq and all these folks drank the kool aid. I know my beloved NOLA isn't perfect and has many things she needs to get better at doing but I think she is moving in the right direction (just need to work harder on reducing VIOLENT CRIME especially) even if its small steps. For those out there who may find this hard to believe NOLA folks in GENERAL are some of the most down to earth people you will ever encounter. Can I get a AMEN?