No One Likes us!- Staten Island (New York, Newark: live, mall)

[PortRichmonder]

Originally Posted by StuddedLeather

Agreed especially since we're so close to each other.
It's not even like a Coast Vs Coast thing.

It's crazy to me, I'm an East Coast guy but the northeast has my heart the most.

Ehh, I don't really mind Jersey. I probably defend the state more than anybody I know. That doesn't mean I'm in love with it though or would want to be a resident of it.

I think 90% of the NYC v.s. NJ debates come from New Yorkers being elitists though, paired with our tendency to complain just for the sake of complaining. I hate to admit it, but would Jersey have the undesirable reputaton it has if it neighbored ANY other city in the country? Think about it...

[Looking2BeFree]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

Yo, OP, where are you? What do you think of all this? (And I maintain that anyone who whines and moans about any of the five boroughs isn't demonstrating what we would call a New York attitude. Shameful, that's what it is!)

People from New Jersey, please confine your observations to that side of the river. Mainly because you aren't going to change our opinions, and we realize we're not going to change yours.

I'm here, I posted a few pages back- Maybe that will help you understand the situation.
I didn't mean for this to turn into a NJ/NYC debate- IDK why that even happened. I like NJ, though I prefer NYC, and much rather live in Brooklyn or Manhattan- but if I was to be banished from living in the state of NY, Hudson county is a dandy alternative. I just wouldn't have "living in NYC" bragging rights anymore(which, apparently, some people live for)

How shameful is it that many of the "New Yorkers" strut around, disregarding Staten Island, and push it on Jersey? Is that the NY attitude you're referring to?

[johnny come lately]

Originally Posted by D_R160

my only issue to SI is the tolls, and the fact you need a car to get everywhere in staten island. Maybe its just bad luck, but every time i took public transportation in SI it turns out to be a disaster!

Did you take any of the multitude of Express buses into Manhattan or Brooklyn? Did you take the Staten Island Rapid Transit to the free Ferry into downtown Manhanttan? Did you take any of the local buses to Brooklyn, or throughout the rest of the borough?

I have difficulty understanding what was your problem.

[RUBIES77]

Originally Posted by Looking2BeFree

I apologies for making it seem worst than it is on the island. I was just in the heat of the moment after a bad day.Staten Island has been my home for ever, I don't hate it- It's just a hard place to like. Todt Hill is wonderful, but I'm usually all over.

The one MAJOR thing I should of mentioned in my OP was that I'm gay. Staten Island is notably conservative, and many of the people tend to be very close minded. Hate crimes against gays is common here, and I've been tormented about it in the past.
I'm not expecting a place to be totally cool with gays, but Staten Island is a resounding "HELL NO" as far as- "is it a good place for gays?".. I guess it's better than the Bronx.

Apologies accepted. Yes, Staten Island is conservative, and so is New Jersey, unless you live in Jersey City, or Asbury Park, where lots of gays live. However, with the Hollywood input and with all those sitcoms dealing with gay issues, Staten Island is also changing. People realize that any one of their children can be gay. But, it will take sometime, to be as liberal as Manhattan.

Judging by your user name, "Looking2BeFree," I am just wondering if your dissatisfaction with life has to do with perhaps your still being closeted? Or feeling trapped within your own body, wanting to be a female, and afraid of the reaction within your family members, if you decide on surgery ?

I am not gay, or have any members within my family that are gay, but I feel for the gay people, and the injustices that are committed against them. After all, I am a mother, and if one of my children turned out to be gay, I will open my arms to he/she and accept it, and to hell with the rest of the family, or friends, if they cannot accept it. That is their choice to make.

I think that in order for you to feel free and be happy, you would need to come out of the closet, and accept the consequences. If your parents love you, and I am sure they do very much, they will accept you for what you are. And your friends, well, you will keep some, and lose some, which will show you, your true friends.

As far as society in general, it will take some time, whether you live on Staten Island or not. It is difficult to change mindsets, only time and exposure can do that. About the only place you would feel really accepted and comfortable, would be a city like San Francisco, which is mainly a gay city, Los Angeles, and Manhattan. All three are very expensive cities to live in.

I wish you only the best and ..............Happy Holidays,

[SINY2NC]

I agree with the original poster. I have been out on Staten Island 20 yrs. I spent 20 in Queens and 20 here. I am doing everything in my power to GET OUT. Yes, the guido influence is abundant. The mall is a cess pool and the prescription drug abuse is terrible here. Getting Dr. Felix Lanting off the street was good, but there are other pill pushing dr's as well. I live on the South Shore where the parents use weed in front of their children and outside, and take Xanax, percocet, oxys etc.....Staten Island has the highest rate of prescription drug abuse in NYC and second in NY State only to Sullivan County (look it up). We have the most city workers living in our borough...think that's great? Nope. That means every cops kid doesn't get a summons, a ticket or arrested and the cycle continues and continues.....Tottenville HS is a known pill school as are the other HS on SI. I'm so sorry I ever moved here. People are rude, competitve, mean spirited.....I walk my dog every day and step over blunt papers and dime bags. Nome Ave near the mall, known drug spot. You can buy anything there....the boogy man here is the white upper middle class pushing pills to your kids....God help us.

[SINY2NC]

Not to mention all the pill addicted kids stealing their parents, friends, neighbors jewelry and selling it to all the jewelry stores in the mall.....watch the news, advance and read inbetween the lines folks, it's all drug abuse......if you need some dope, hang out in the back of the mall by Applebees.

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by SINY2NC

I'm so sorry I ever moved here. People are rude, competitve, mean spirited...

Wonderful rant, but really just a lot of generalizations. Mostly what I'd expect from someone who had never set foot in NYC, but only goes by what they've heard. You'll find that people are pretty much the same wherever you go. Yeah, some cities and towns might have better reputations than others, but the people living in them are just the same. There's nowhere to hide.

[SINY2NC]

I was born in Manhattan, lived 20 yrs in Queens, 20 in Staten Island and have worked in every borough except the Bronx. You ever visit other places besides New York City? People are much nicer, they have communities where they help one another. I've never lived outside of NYC and it just gets worse and worse here.

[proroc]

Originally Posted by SINY2NC

I agree with the original poster. I have been out on Staten Island 20 yrs. I spent 20 in Queens and 20 here. I am doing everything in my power to GET OUT. Yes, the guido influence is abundant. The mall is a cess pool and the prescription drug abuse is terrible here. Getting Dr. Felix Lanting off the street was good, but there are other pill pushing dr's as well. I live on the South Shore where the parents use weed in front of their children and outside, and take Xanax, percocet, oxys etc.....Staten Island has the highest rate of prescription drug abuse in NYC and second in NY State only to Sullivan County (look it up). We have the most city workers living in our borough...think that's great? Nope. That means every cops kid doesn't get a summons, a ticket or arrested and the cycle continues and continues.....Tottenville HS is a known pill school as are the other HS on SI. I'm so sorry I ever moved here. People are rude, competitve, mean spirited.....I walk my dog every day and step over blunt papers and dime bags. Nome Ave near the mall, known drug spot. You can buy anything there....the boogy man here is the white upper middle class pushing pills to your kids....God help us.

Native islander here and that pretty much sums it up.

[tommyc_37]

Originally Posted by RUBIES77

Apologies accepted. Yes, Staten Island is conservative, and so is New Jersey, unless you live in Jersey City, or Asbury Park, where lots of gays live.

New Jersey is conservative? Compared to what? Certainly not the rest of the country.