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Pretty much only the Eastern shore and parts of Southern Maryland.
Western MD is also very friendly.
Louisiana's violent stats are heavily skewed by the inner cities of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport. People in Baton Rouge and NO area noticeably warier and more guarded because of the crime issues. The outlying areas have more of the traditional Southern hospitality though its not as prevalent as in the past especially with the younger generation. Many people in South Louisiana's smaller communities blame Katrina evacuees for changing the entire atmosphere of their communities, leading to the more guarded existence described above. There IS truth to how SOME of these evacuees have increased crime and poverty.
But, most of the state's very safe compared to places like Maryland or New Jersey. In fact the New Orleans and Baton Rouge suburbs feel safer than Baltimore's suburbs since there's less Section 8 housing being forced on the suburbs and less public transportation connecting the inner city and the suburbs. I used to live in Baltimore County, MD and there was an increasingly bad problem with people moving out from the city and increasing crime rates. Now I still keep in touch with friends in the area and they're constantly sharing news stories on Facebook about homicides, drug related crime and gang activity in previously safe areas. Just last week 2 people were shot and killed a half mile from where I used to live. My suburban community in Louisiana sees less than 5 murders a year and very little property crime. The homicides that do take place here mostly deal with domestic disputes, alcohol issues, etc not gang violence or drugs.
Suburbs in northern cities tend to have a lot of low income areas populated by the undesirable element and by illegal immigrants. Mass transit development can promote this kind of thing. Here in the Baton Rouge metro and in the New Orleans metro as well, if you can't afford a car, then you don't live in the suburbs.
Of the regions I've lived in, West Virginia was the most open and trusting of one another, and then Louisiana. Baltimore was full of mistrust and tension (increasingly so in the past few years) while there was also a yuppie element that was very uppity and too good for anyone else.
In terms of my travels, New Jersey is openly rude and nasty. Seattle was polite but not as openly friendly as the South, though people weren't as suspicious and guarded as urban areas of Louisiana and Maryland.
Location: Appalachian New York, Formerly Louisiana
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Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70
Western MD is also very friendly.
Louisiana's violent stats are heavily skewed by the inner cities of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport.
Bossier city, Lake Charles, and Monroe also have above average crime problems.
I know Bossier is right across the river from Shreveport, but it is still another city.
A lot of Livingston Parish is openly hostile to blacks. Not was; is. Though again, a lot of that is because the blacks from Baton Rouge have not made a good impression on the rural folk.
Louisiana is much better/nicer inside the "borders" of Acadiana and away from the cities, if you ask me.
Too bad about Jersey coming off that way. Where'd you visit? There are friendlier pockets in Jersey. Particularly the northwestern region. Mostly farmers and small town folk, despite the proximity to the NYC sphere.
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