Why Are So Many People Moving To North Carolina? (Charlotte: transfer, standard of living)

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

You don't have to be a native to feel bad about what's happening to the land in North Carolina. I appreciate the forest, the buildings, the mountains. I don't want to change anything. As much as we would love to live there I don't thing we'll be able to because of the taxes, but don't say only the natives love the land. I respect the feelings of the natives but I hate living in Texas and I am going to move but most likely to eastern Tenn.

[Scotia]

[quote=cornbread;235772]

Originally Posted by KathyC0611

[i][b][i]

Well, now that you ask, there is a civil war being fought here, but not the kind you're thinking of. It is more of a culture war where people are moving here (invading) who don't care about the Southern heritage or way of life and would really love to change it with their enlightened cultural views. They don't like the mess that has been made of their own states so they decide to spread the love around, but just can't bring themselves to accepting our way of life down here. Just look at the disdain they have of the "Bible Belt". The truth is they would like to loosen up that belt a couple of notches. They don't care about the land or even the people really because they don't have any roots here. Many would almost prefer every spare piece of land be turned into a strip mall or subdivision (or maybe an entertaiment complex since it's so boring down here). So the newcomers are looking to start little enclaves or colonies of like minded people so their sensibilities will not be offended or their superior intellects can thrive. But inevitably their desire to help us poor Southern people gain cultrue and understanding gets the better of them and they start trying to change us again. The viscious cycle repeats itself over and over. The more visible results of this invasion is that our state is becoming one huge parking lot surrounded by a massive subdivision. One poster on this site talked about the endless forests in N.C. Well, maybe in the national forests, but everywhere else you go the trees are being cut down or bulldozed for new houses. All this amounts to "progress" for those that are flooding down here. Hope this helps you gain some insight into the mind of a True Southerner (and no, this is not a cry for help, except if you can help us by not coming here).

'Just look at the disdain they have of the "Bible Belt."'

The words in that book were intended to unite not divide.

"The truth is they would like to loosen up that belt a couple of notches."

I'd say they just want to avoid getting beat over the head with it; And alot of Southerners feel the very same way.

[twingirls2boys]

Originally Posted by Carolina_native

You miss the point.

If you live in a house surrounded by the life you have always lived, farms, small town, but then seemingly overnight your home is surrounded by shopping centers and subdivisions, you very way of life has changed, how would you feel?

Do you have a home town? A house or land that has been in the family for generations is now suddenly gone thanks to development?

But I guess if I complained it would be whining right?

I think cornbread was making the point that probably 80% of the people here now are new, they dont have roots here and could care less if a historic building here is torn down, or what land a shopping center is plopped onto, terrible traffic, overcrowded everything.

Maybe Im going on a limb, but I feel if we were speaking of your home and family roots you would feel differently.

The ONLY thing constant in life is change.

Deal with it or become bitter and angry.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by cornbread

I am trying to bring this message to as many of you "would be" Tarheels as possible. We don't need any more people. In most places here the infrastructure doesn't support the people we already have. The department of motor vehicles doesn't have the money to fix the roads, much less build more of them. The schools are bursting at the seams and it seems like all they talk about is building more. Why are these problems occurring? People keep moving here. North Carolina is now one of the worst areas in the country for urban sprawl. Houses on top of houses in cookie cutter subdivisions are being built with such a lack of individuality that if they didn't have the address listed on the mailbox you'd probably drive around for days trying to find your house. All the fields that used to be covered in crops are now sprouting houses (so much for the grass being greener on the other side). On top of all that, we now have one of the worst problems in the country for illegal aliens, especially since our state doesn't have an immigration court to deal with the problem. And I also saw a reply that stated that our government seemed to be pretty clean. Boy, where have you been? We've got a governor who has raided the rainy day fund, back room deals taking place (ala Jim Black, Speaker of the House), etc.,etc. I love N.C. because my roots run deep here (since at least the 1700's) and I hate to see what's been done to my home state. So, yes North Carolina used to be a great place to live and unfortunately now we're paying for it in many ways.

New state motto - "North Carolina - You don't know what you have until you lose it"

Worst problem in the country for illegal immigration??? Try CA, Texas or AZ!!!

You can't escape corrupt gov't no matter what state you go to either. Even so, if you are lucky enough to have good system now, don't count on it staying that way or maybe it just "seems" good, but what do you really know? Sounds like a crazy factor for deciding where to live anyhow.

It pisses me off to see people griping about the "people" that are moving to NC. Maybe if your city or state leaders didn't allow the entire state to be transformed into one big strip mall and treeless HOA communities, there wouldn't be homes for the newcomers to move to or strip malls to shop at.

The trend all over the country is that people are fleeing ugly overpriced megalopolises and moving to what are nicer places *for now*. If these new "hot spots" don't take action to keep their cities/states from turning into the same exact thing everyone has fled from, there is no real hope.

You can't blame the newcomers, though... you can't stop them from coming. And you can't blame someone for wanting to leave behind a disgusting overpriced crime ridden area for something nicer.

When your city/town gets too much for you to handle due to the massive influx & POOR CITY PLANNING, you may leave for someplace nicer... only to the HORROR of the residents that have been there for 30 years.

I'm just saying to point your blame in the right place, blame the developers and those city officials/policies that allow them to stick up endless clone shopping centers, cut down trees, & stamp out housing...

Don't blame the newcomers... why don't you take all that anger and put it to use where it will matter.

[Ms.Charlotte]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

You don't have to be a native to feel bad about what's happening to the land in North Carolina. I appreciate the forest, the buildings, the mountains. I don't want to change anything. As much as we would love to live there I don't thing we'll be able to because of the taxes, but don't say only the natives love the land.

So true! I'm not a native, but I don't want to see the changes here. I do understand the frustrations of Southerners. There are, however, many of us who do respect the culture and are quite happy being in the "Bible belt".

You won't recognize us because we don't stand out.

And you can't blame newcomers for the strip malls and big boxes. We're not asking for them. The developers are just greedy as always.

As far as culture and history, this country is filled with historic towns and buildings. Most of us have tremendous respect for history, Northern OR Southern.

[Upstate Dave]

Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte

And you can't blame newcomers for the strip malls and big boxes. We're not asking for them. The developers are just greedy as always.

Huh? Greedy developers MAKE people shop in the stores?

I respectfully disagree. Our society is awash in consumerism... and the general "we" do want the malls and big boxes. If we didn't,,, we would not give them our money.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by Upstate Dave

Huh? Greedy developers MAKE people shop in the stores?

I respectfully disagree. Our society is awash in consumerism... and the general "we" do want the malls and big boxes. If we didn't,,, we would not give them our money.

If you build it "they" will shop whoever "they" are. Bet it's not just the transplants that shop in these stores.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by Upstate Dave

Huh? Greedy developers MAKE people shop in the stores?

I respectfully disagree. Our society is awash in consumerism... and the general "we" do want the malls and big boxes. If we didn't,,, we would not give them our money.

Honestly, everyone needs a place to shop... but does everyone need to see the same exact stores where everyone sells the same exact thing down to the brand names every couple miles?? What a waste of land! Over by me, there are 4 drug stores on one intersection. A CVS Pharmacy, Longs Drugs, Walgreens, and an Eckerd.

I laughed my @ss off when I saw them breaking ground on the undeveloped corner and wondered what new business was coming to the area and come to find out they decided to put an Eckerd up where there were ALREADY 3 other drug stores... C'mon seriously!

And sadly, everyone knows the story of Wal-mart moving into town and destroying the economics of the mom & pop store that can remind us of what it was like 10 or 20 years ago. But obviously, enough residents of the cute little town that opposed growth didn't want to pay MORE to support old Ma & Pa SO Ma & Pa along with all the character & history are now out of business while Bland clone Wal-mart stores that look identical no matter where you are rake in the dough from all the whiners that say they didn't want them... go figure...

This is why I say you can't leave it up to the people. Something needs to occur at a higher city planning level...

If you build it, THEY WILL COME, whether they want to or not!! And the greedy developers know it!!!

[Upstate Dave]

Originally Posted by cmist

This is why I say you can't leave it up to the people. Something needs to occur at a higher city planning level...

If you build it, THEY WILL COME, whether they want to or not!! And the greedy developers know it!!!

The day is coming.... either the Rapture... or the fall of America to those that "know better" than the people...

[Ms.Charlotte]

Originally Posted by Upstate Dave

Huh? Greedy developers MAKE people shop in the stores?

I respectfully disagree. Our society is awash in consumerism... and the general "we" do want the malls and big boxes. If we didn't,,, we would not give them our money.

Are you telling me if they put a grocery store 1/2 a mile away from my house, I should drive an extra 5 miles to the next one, just to take a stand?

I don't understand that mentality. Newcomers aren't looking for more strip malls, big boxes, or drug stores (what's with the Eckerds and CVSs by the way?). But they are being built anyway. My point was, they are being built for the newcomers, but you can't really blame us. I wasn't trying to make a case against big boxes or strip malls in general.

Our newest Wal-Mart is FILLED with Southerners, by the way. I've yet to hear a NY accent there.