Okay... how's the racism? (Lexington, Louisville: wedding, theater, university)

[ptwiger4u]

Originally Posted by WilsonG

Western KY is a wonderful area to live. Lots of country and great people. Hopkinsville has some beautiful country for farmers or people who just want to live outside the hustle and bustle. It's just about an hour drive from Nashville TN or Evansville IN. It's closed to several lakes like Lake Barkley. We are near the Ft. Campbell Army Base so we have a very diversified group of awesome people here.

Don't get me wrong the people you meet down there are nice. But in this "diversified" area where are the black owned businesses. I traveled through Hoptown often. The town is mostly black and many are veterans.
Why don't you see black managers at many of the businesses. All veterans get benifets that would make it easier to own a business. You mean to tell me none wanted to open a business in that small town. The only two black businesses I remember seeing was a used store on Pembroke road and a record or DJ shop on 41A. Military personell and their close family members and retired military minorities seem to do well in the area. Other don't seem to do so well.

[RICKYY]

Originally Posted by NWS

Still on this racism subject can anyone tell me about Leitchfield?
It is just north of Bowling Green. I found a small farm that I'm intersted in.

Yeah, I can tell you about it but since your post is over a year old, you will probably not see this. I am white and was born and raised there, my father was a local business man and one of several bootleggers because Grayson County is a dry county. My father was born and raised on a farm about 50 miles south of Leitchfield and he and my grandmother are buried in Leitchfield.

I have been reading this thread with great interest and just had to respond. I am amazed at what people who appear to be living in Kentucky are telling people who are thinking about moving to Kentucky. They may be right about the big cities, Louisville and Lexington, I wouldn't know about that, but when it comes to those small Kentucky towns out in the middle of no where, they don't seem to have a clue. For a stranger to drive into one of these small towns, they seem so nice and quiet, the people are oohh so friendly. They have no idea what lies below the surface. They are small closed societies whose families have known each other since the civil war. I can walk around Leitchfield and everybody will stare at me, then an old man will say "aren't you so and so's boy"? I say yes and then everybody relaxes and is my friend, I left there over 30 years ago. For someone moving from say, Berkeley, Ca, you might as well be moving to China because the cultural differences would be the same.

I joined the Navy when I was 17 and have lived on the West coast all of my life, you could not pay me to move back to Leitchfield. I have 7 brothers and sisters and most of them have migrated to other towns in Western Kentucky and Southern Indiana. I stay in touch with them and if you think they are looking for diversity, you would be oh so wrong. They like their lives just as they are and they are all very upset with the illegal mexicans and will not hire or interact with them at all.

I have a couple of brothers who still live in Leitchfield. I was actually there in Dec06 to visit relatives, show my 19 year old son around and visit dads gravesite. I had not been back there in 13 years. Not a damned thing had changed. People in California think those small towns are like Mayberry, Wrong! They are full of people that starting at the age of 16, chew tobacco, drink whiskey straight from a half-pint bottle in their pocket and go to Louisville and E-town to get drunk and race up and down those narrow two-lane country roads like idiots. At least one of them gets killed every month. They still hunt coons at night with dogs, poach deer, have a shotgun on a rack in their pickup and have mud on their boots all year round. Most of the guys I grew up with were like that and they are still like that, that is just the way life is around there.

They also watch the news and surf the internet and know what is going on in the country. If you are white, straight and conservative, or what they consider "normal" you will be fine and they will treat you with respect and offer you a "drank". Sag your pants, put a piece of metal in your face, obscene words on a t-shirt, you will have a big problem and I am not talking about just stares. I was told of several incidents in the past couple of years when people who had moved there from more "progressive areas" had offensive clothing torn off, piercings removed, etc. There have been confrontations with inter-racial couples at gas stations passing through who were told to keep moving and don't stop until they were out of the county. There are some very bad dudes in those towns and on the farms around them.


They are very concerned with "diversity" coming to their area. In their words "that is not going to happen here" and everyone I talked to said the same thing. The sign on the edge of town says the population is 3100, it has said that since I was a little kid.

There are no racial problems between the small number of local blacks and the whites because they know each other, understand each other and have all lived there together for 150 years, they get along fine. But I remember my Father and Grandmother talking about a black man raping a white woman when my father was a boy and they hung him and burned down several houses in the area where the blacks lived. The blacks fled into the countryside for a few days and then returned to their homes. I guess everything was OK after that.

I cringe when I see other posters telling liberals/minorities/inter-racial/bi-racial, people/families to come on down to their little town in Kentucky. They will have nothing but problems because they will not be accepted or tolerated. I know my post sounds harsh, but this is my personal experience and opinion. I really feel some are painting a rosy picture of a fantasy dream land that I sure never saw. I have lived in Kentucky and Southern California so I have seen both societies and cultures. My family members and friends in Kentucky and Indiana are good people but they are very different from people in SoCal and in no way will they accept or tolerate behavior that is accepted in other areas of the country. They feel that some people are trying to bring the same behavior with them that caused them to want to move to the midwest in the first place.

Make sure you know what you are getting into before you make the move! I will apolgize in advance if I have offended anyone, it was not my intention.

[Off Topic]

Originally Posted by RICKYY

I cringe when I see other posters telling liberals/minorities/inter-racial/bi-racial, people/families to come on down to their little town in Kentucky.

OK, that was harsh! Actually, I think more honest than harsh, although I can tell why you went into the military instead of the diplomatic service!

The thing is, I have a difficult time disagreeing with anything you said. My experiences are very similar. Some small towns near a college (Danville, for example) may not be as bad. And I don't want it to sound like it's "all Deliverance, all the time" in small Kentucky towns. But for anyone to say that in most small, isolated Kentucky towns that gay or bi-racial couples will be accepted is just not accurate, imo.

To me, these boards are worthless if people aren't willing to honestly speak their minds. So I commend you for doing just that. There are certainly exceptions to the rule, but what you portrayed is still the rule in too many small towns.

[nlschr0]

I also agree. I certainly haven't been in every small town in KY and have no way of knowing what each one is like. But I have had experiences in several small towns that have shocked me (a white female) with their level of bigotry, prejudice, and small-mindedness.

I am also a little dismayed when I read the Pollyanna platitudes that "people in KY are all warm and friendly - just be yourself and be ready for people to just be curious before they accept you". Whether a person/family is considered different because of race (non-white), ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation, immigration status, etc - there are many places where they will not be accepted with open arms and a welcome wagon from the local community.

It's certainly not unique to KY, and it certainly isn't a "rule" for all of the towns across the state. But it is one thing for a white, native, Baptist family in an area to say that everyone is warm and friendly. It is entirely different to experience that from a different side. And if you are coming from an area that is truly more diverse and accepting (CA, NYC, etc), you will be in for a shock in some of these places.

I agree that these boards are for the open and honest communication about the pros and cons of each place. KY has its benefits, and there are many warm and caring people and lovely areas across the state. But implying that everyone in KY is open and accepting to all diversity - to just "come on down" - is a lie and does a disservice to all of those who are still fighting prejudice and discrimination in their daily lives.

[RNP]

Originally Posted by NWS

Still on this racism subject can anyone tell me about Leitchfield?
It is just north of Bowling Green. I found a small farm that I'm intersted in.

I am from Leitchfield, born and raised there. As for racism in the city, it's not bad, but that depends on what race you mean. African-Americans are still looked down on a bit in the actual town. You don't really see many, however the population is growing as i noticed in the past few years. If you are meaning hispanics there isn't much racism either. There was a mexican restaurant opened a few years back and because of that I think the racism towards them as calmed down alot. Plus there are a lot of Mexicans who come to Leitchield on the weekends to shop. My father works on a farm and I helped him one year, and most of the farmhands were Mexicans. Any other races, such as Chinese are accepted well too. There are been and influx of Chinese restaurants opened in the past few years, at once there was only one whereas now there are three. Of course there are many older residents of the town who still don't believe in interracial marrige/dating, but times are changing and so are people's opinions.

I don't really see a problem in the schools either. I attened all my school after 4th grade in Leitchfield and there was never any racist activity against anyone there.

Overall, we are good people. Sometimes the ideas about lower education and things along those lines are true, but it's not the picture most people get of barefoot kids and overalls. It's actually quite nice and the country side and farms are amazing!

[angel23]

Can anyone give a view on SW KY, the Hopkinsville area and maybe 20 mi surrounding areas? We are a concerned with racial tensions, drugs, crime?

We are considering moving to the areas of Clarksville, TN to Hopkinsville (n to s) and unsure of areas that are east to west. We want a town that has a storefront type downtown, some shopping, decent roads, fair taxes...yeah mayberryish.

I hate to say this, but we are a white family from FL, have 2 children and don't want to expose them to meaness. For the record, we don't have a problem having friends of other races, but we do want to live in a low crime, middles to upperclass community. I don't want to have to worry about traveling my neighborhood and getting car jacked or robbed. I mean no offense to anyone, I just don't know how else to say it other than just straight forward.

Thanks.

[Floridahater]

Originally Posted by angel23

Can anyone give a view on SW KY, the Hopkinsville area and maybe 20 mi surrounding areas? We are a concerned with racial tensions, drugs, crime?

We are considering moving to the areas of Clarksville, TN to Hopkinsville (n to s) and unsure of areas that are east to west. We want a town that has a storefront type downtown, some shopping, decent roads, fair taxes...yeah mayberryish.

I hate to say this, but we are a white family from FL, have 2 children and don't want to expose them to meaness. For the record, we don't have a problem having friends of other races, but we do want to live in a low crime, middles to upperclass community. I don't want to have to worry about traveling my neighborhood and getting car jacked or robbed. I mean no offense to anyone, I just don't know how else to say it other than just straight forward.

Thanks.

Didn't you know that it is only white people who are racist? Live in SCA or FL for awhile and you will see that racism is indicative of all racial backgrounds. I witnessed kids beaten in school in wonderful and tolerant SCA as a teacher for the simple reason that they were blond and blue eyed. They got it from both sides. I understand your sentiments. Hence, the reason that I left CA and now want to leave FL--crime, gangs,etc.

[Miss Blue]

Yes you certainly are straightforward...I didn't know that all white people were nice, law abiding citizens...If you study history I believe you will be surprised to learn that the term racist usually applies to white people..You know, the klan, the skinheads, the Aryan nation, etc..FYI I have lived in SE Ky for 30 years and have seen crime, druge, etc, but to my knowledge not any racism..So I believe you will be safe here

[angel23]

Crime and drugs come in all races. My post was trying to express being concerned about living in that type of area, not color denomination.

Living in FL I have found its not by race that all the crimes happen, but usually very poor neighborhoods. Thus you will find lots of drug and gang involvement and poor school systems. I also feel uncomfortable living with the KKK next door to me or unkind to neighbors. I have no desire to live with either extreme. I do enjoy a more "middle of the road way of life.

We're a fair minded family, we like to be part of our community, help our neighbors and such.

Again, sorry if I offended anyone, not my intention. I want to have the most honest view of where I am looking to put down roots.

[Miss Blue]

Thanks Angel ..Apoology accepted.. for myself anyway..I think sometimes we unintentionally send out wrong signals