Memphis seems to be a disowned city with no state to truly back it..

[mzloolue]

Oh come on, Memphis is the redheaded stepchild of Tennessee.

Y'all can point out Memphis' shortcomings all day and all night, but it really doesn't make any difference.
Do you really think that politics in the whole rest of Tennessee is pure and unselfish?

The truth is that the rest of Tennessee is different from Memphis.
Memphis is historically part of the cotton belt.
So, we have a different culture.
More ethnic, more bluesy, and more black.
We have a different accent than the more rural white enclaves.
We eat different foods.
If you look at the USDA zone maps Memphis is in an entirely different temperature zone than the rest of the state.

The thing is that we are very different from them.
And Memphis scares them.

They are afraid of hot, black, soulful, big city Memphis.
They don't like it and they don't like us.

When I travel and people ask me where I am from I never say Tennessee.
I say Memphis.
And nine times out of ten, even in Europe or the Caribbean, people know Memphis.
"Ah", they will smile, "Tennessee".
"Exactly" I will say.

What Memphis is suffering most from is not the HeeHaw and Hayseeds folks.
Memphis has a giant inferiority complex.

Yeah, we need jobs and we need money.
Decent jobs.
But it is nothing we can't fix.

[Kabluey]

I think it started with civic ego and jealousy, with race as a smaller influence (you just can't escape it despite my desire to). When sibling rivalry arises, the egos involved often prevent either side from admitting they contributed to something they believe the other started first. There has been a tug of war especially between West and Middle Tennessee, but these tugs have existed since the beginning (hence giving a nod to all three grand divisions).

Why is Memphis apparently isolated/neglected? A confluence of factors that isn't helped by the low civic self-esteem. There is another thread that asked What has changed, and many said, nothing. What a LOOAAAD OF CRAAAAAAAAAAAP! The change in city leadership, regardless of politics, cannot be understated. But that is for another thread. When people spread the impression of a Memphis that only a hyperbolic caricaturist would believe, and you sprinkle in the self-fulfilling beliefs that natives and boosters of other regions want to see realized, a bias can be fed.

Reasons for suspicion? I am sure the other divisions may have reasons and examples for mutual suspicion, but quickly off the top of my head there are three that have come to mind -- the NFL pursuit, and (IRRC) the lack of legislative support for improvements to the LB compared to the support for a new stadium in the home of the legislature later on leading to the only expansion city in that round not receiving a team, although all five states did (if the legislative process is inaccurate, I am glad to be corrected); a longtime refusal to give the Univ. of Memphis its own BOR, instead of lumping it with all non-UT institutions; the curious lack of competitive state/legislative support for entertainment projects that Memphis has led the state in (film), leading to an apparent disappearance of an industry that was fledgling, but promising, at a time that the brand Memphis was ripe for the tapping -- two TV shows and two major motion pictures (at least three of those would have been based in Memphis with incentives competitive with other states).

There very well could be other reasons for the above than a resentment or ambivalence toward assisting Memphis. #1 is over. Memphis has a come a long way since they were begging to host one NFL game a year in exchange for supporting the Oilers move -- Adams gave Memphis (and subsequently several of his own players as well as the Buffalo Bills crowd, lol) the proverbial finger several times, including at once even before they carpetbagged I40 that first time. With the new governor, #2 might change. #3 is particularly troubling because it's the one area of entertainment that Memphis showed the most immediate promise. And while five to ten years ago, Memphis could land not just "based in Memphis" films, but ambiguous location films, now you see actors, directors, and producers saying, "I wish we could have filmed in Memphis, but we got more money from other states" (obv. paraphrased). I just wonder why except to suffocate Memphis' leadership in this industry? That's the jaded skeptical part of me talking.

Because of the egos, because of ambivalence if not hostility in the attitude of the citizens of other divisions, I just would not be surprised if the incentives will become competitive again once the other two divisions can land those locations. Conspiracy theory? Possibly. But that's the lack of faith I have in the fair treatment from the capitol of Tennessee government.

That's not to say everyone and everything is hopeless. Memphis' local leadership has not shown this much promise in a long time. The unity between city and county, Democrat and Republican, in the leadership position has been refreshing and has led to several tangible results. I don't know if the rest of the state will ever appreciate this improvement, but if they can't, eff them. The two mayors are improving the quality of life (most astonishingly to me is the scope of the realization of the bicycling initiatives -- the Greenbelt, the Greenline, getting a city path and G'town path to MEET, creating on-road bike paths, and the possibility of expanding the bike paths to the 55 bridge), improving the corporate citizenship (tho '11 ended with uncertainty for two), and reaching out toward the rest of the region. Metro Memphis is better than it was two or three years ago, and shows seeds of even more potential. Heck, crime even decreased for three straight years (not sure the final numbers for '11 -- hopefully the trend continued).

I am also hopeful for Haslam's tenure. It appears he's willing to attend to some wishes of several Memphis and West TN groups, including the above-mentioned independent board for U of M.

And, to be fair, there has been recent state support for several Memphis projects, including Electrolux. So it's not absolutely no support, but nor has it been unflinching. Maybe once the capitol caught up with, surpassed, then achieved a (for-now) insurmountable lead over the Herenton-hampered Memphis, they thought now they could throw the west a bone or two. Just kidding, lol...

Preconceived notions are hard to change. From all sides. But I am seeing seeds of change in the capitol. It would be better if they fully supported Memphis' film pursuits as much as they have improved their support in Memphis' industry pursuits.

I think it helps that the city and county mayors are making other progress on their own even without the support of their state. Get behind us, or get lost.

[Kabluey]

To be fair, when I mention the civic ego and jealousy, it wasn't one-sided. But as another poster has mentioned, the other divisions aren't arbiters of supreme and irreproachable conduct. There's a lingering attitude of disdain about who Memphians are. Part of it (not all of it) is from ex-Memphians. The self-loathing. The acceptance of being treated/judged poorly.

I am proud to be from Memphis. Proud of her potential, proud of her achievements (particularly recently). Despite her flaws -- most of which can be improved.