An amusing conversation - Riverside related (Jacksonville, Memphis: hardwood floors, best neighborhoods, credit)

[jaded_seconds]

I had this conversation with one of my sister's friends that I met over 4th of July. Since we were both on the topic of Jacksonville neighborhoods I thought I'd share this with people here. Some background on her is that she's in her mid 20's, was raised by a conservative family in a Mandarin suburb and states she will never step foot into Riverside. Here's the snippet of conversation about neighborhoods:

Her: "I hate Riverside and all that historic crap. It's so old. Everything is going to fall apart soon. And not to mention the crime! That place is a hellhole."
Me: "I have to disagree. It has charm, it's walkable, diverse, convenient to dining and a publix, there are beautiful parks...."
Her (she cuts me off): "And what's with all these people in love with wood floors!? It's not comfortable at all. That's all they have there!"
Me (sarcastic): "I'm sure it's not deserving of its ranking as one of the best neighborhoods in the nation."
Her: "Damn right. It's a terrible neighborhood. I also hear there are a lot of homosexuals there. I don't want to be anywhere near those hethens. Southside is a much better neighborhood for so many reasons!"
Me (rolled eyes): "................."
Her: "I'd rather live close to the St. Johns Town center. That's the most happening place in Jacksonville. Southside is pretty much the new downtown of Jacksonville. No one goes to our downtown.
Me: "I have to agree with you on Southside being more of a destination than the real downtown currently. ...But just curious, why do you like the southside and that surrounding area so much?"
Her: "I can drive everywhere so conveiently.... food, groceries, malls, movie theaters! Everything is new and not falling apart. The Town Center is the place to be. Anyone and everyone goes there. The safety is another huge asset to southside, I don't want gays or thugs at my doorstep. I don't want to get out of my car and be raped! I don't care if Riverside is a top neighborhood or walkable. I don't care if it's "pretty." Frankly, I think it's ugly. I also think to much diversity is a bad thing. I don't want to walk anywhere I might be mugged. In southside I can raise a family one day in a great school. Not in Riverside. My children will be drug addicts or die in a shooting if I were to live there."
Me: "I think we won't see eye to eye in this conversation when it comes to Riverside... so I'm going to go back to grilling now. Bye."

[fsquid]

That's the great thing about America though. She is free to live in Southside and you are free to live in Riverside. I grew up in a neighborhood like Riverside in Memphis and my friends in high school would say the same things about where I lived.

[bativac]

I have a house with wood floors and my wife's parents said something similar. "When are you guys putting in carpet?" What are you, insane? Covering up 60 year old wood flooring in fantastic condition with CARPET?!

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. And to your sister's credit, Riverside does have some shady areas and when I was a kid, there were definitely dirty places and spots with drug problems. Meanwhile the Southside was seen as the beautiful exciting bold new city. At least when I was growing up, in the 80s. Baymeadows was trumpeted as the hot new place to be...

[jwolfer]

She is one of those who wants to live in a nice gated community and feel safe. But there are Homosexuals everywhere and she might even see a couple walking around the town center

[fsquid]

Originally Posted by jwolfer

She is one of those who wants to live in a nice gated community and feel safe. But there are Homosexuals everywhere and she might even see a couple walking around the town center

only a couple? You haven't been in Banana Republic lately.

[madcapmagishion]

Originally Posted by fsquid

only a couple? You haven't been in Banana Republic lately.

My wife and I took our #2 grandson to Cheesecake Factory last Friday night. After having taken #1 there a couple of weeks ago, and what #1 likes the others want...LOL... After dinner we walked on down to the Apple store to look at a new iPad. And it was like being at a Diana Ross concert after party there were so many gay and lesbians strutting around. Hand in hand and doing all the kissy face stuff. #2 asked why those guys were kissing and all I could think to say is "They're ummm real good friends ya know" We go to Riverside regularly and love it, sure I have seen gays there, but never so many at one time or so demonstrative of their affection for one another in public anyway. It kind of seemed like at Town Center it was more for shock value than anything and in Riverside its just more subdued and not so in your faceish(does that make sense?) Anyway #3 wants to go to Cheesecake Factory(go figure) when its his turn next week so we will see what its like again.... But then again maybe what jaded_second's sister's friend doesn't want to see is filtered out by those rose coloured glasses that she must wear on the south side. HMMMM!!! must really suck to be only 20 something years old and already so close minded about things in general.

[ssclulow]

The conversation and opinions of sister's friend is typical of many young, immature people in their 20s. Their worldview is very, very small because they believe the whole world revolves around them. Sometimes I wonder if there is any reasonable grey matter at all between their ears.

[Crimjustice]

I use to have the same feelings about riverside, avondale, and 5 points area back when I was 16 which wasnt that long ago( Early 2000's)... But living in a cookie cutter community ( Julington creek, Palencia now) my whole life made me the "gated communites", golf carts, soccer moms, arrogant people who think they are rich but have 2nd and 3rd mortg. just to buy that new car.. Traveling has also made me fond of history and culture. I love riverside, avondale , 5 points, and ill throw in san marco also. I feel the same as madcapmagishion about town center area vs the above mentioned. Yes I see alternative life style people in riverside and 5 points but they dont "flaunt" it, or have to let everyone know they are homo-sexuals.. For the most part at the town center its tweens wanting everyone to look at them because they are over medicated and over caffeinated college kids..

[jwolfer]

Originally Posted by jaded_seconds

I had this conversation with one of my sister's friends that I met over 4th of July. Since we were both on the topic of Jacksonville neighborhoods I thought I'd share this with people here. Some background on her is that she's in her mid 20's, was raised by a conservative family in a Mandarin suburb and states she will never step foot into Riverside. Here's the snippet of conversation about neighborhoods:

Her: "I hate Riverside and all that historic crap. It's so old. Everything is going to fall apart soon. And not to mention the crime! That place is a hellhole."
Me: "I have to disagree. It has charm, it's walkable, diverse, convenient to dining and a publix, there are beautiful parks...."
Her (she cuts me off): "And what's with all these people in love with wood floors!? It's not comfortable at all. That's all they have there!"
Me (sarcastic): "I'm sure it's not deserving of its ranking as one of the best neighborhoods in the nation."
Her: "Damn right. It's a terrible neighborhood. I also hear there are a lot of homosexuals there. I don't want to be anywhere near those hethens. Southside is a much better neighborhood for so many reasons!"
Me (rolled eyes): "................."
Her: "I'd rather live close to the St. Johns Town center. That's the most happening place in Jacksonville. Southside is pretty much the new downtown of Jacksonville. No one goes to our downtown.
Me: "I have to agree with you on Southside being more of a destination than the real downtown currently. ...But just curious, why do you like the southside and that surrounding area so much?"
Her: "I can drive everywhere so conveiently.... food, groceries, malls, movie theaters! Everything is new and not falling apart. The Town Center is the place to be. Anyone and everyone goes there. The safety is another huge asset to southside, I don't want gays or thugs at my doorstep. I don't want to get out of my car and be raped! I don't care if Riverside is a top neighborhood or walkable. I don't care if it's "pretty." Frankly, I think it's ugly. I also think to much diversity is a bad thing. I don't want to walk anywhere I might be mugged. In southside I can raise a family one day in a great school. Not in Riverside. My children will be drug addicts or die in a shooting if I were to live there."
Me: "I think we won't see eye to eye in this conversation when it comes to Riverside... so I'm going to go back to grilling now. Bye."

I bet you she even goes to a mega church somewhere.
To do some scripture/BCP quoting

"Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith.
THOU shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Maybe she should read her Bible a bit more

[projectmaximus]

chattin with your sister's friend in her mid-20s. This started off so promising...

I'm fine with her dislike of hardwood floors and her desire to drive to things that look like they won't fall apart. It's just sad that she's so intolerant of people not like her.