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I'm a complete outsider here. I've driven through Mississippi once, and I had a flat tire. I pulled off the side of the road next to an off-ramp. I kid you not, I practically had a line of people pull off after me offering 'assistance'. I don't know if it was my Michigan license plate that did that, I have no idea.
I had people offer to change my tire for me, I had one person tell me that northerners have a bad impression of them, but they are really good people. (I never said anything about any of that whatsoever, I guess he felt compelled to say that because of my license plate). I was also brought to a gas station by an older white woman and her teenage black friend (big age discrepancy) - but they appeared to be two people who knew each other from going to the same church.
Anyways, in short, up north you seldom ever see any of that - none of it. You'd be flagging people down left and right, and few would stop, and if they did, they'd be a bit distrustful of you. I also found it interesting the black/white friends in the car...as that would appear odd or unusual up north.
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Okay, next part of my post.
MISSISSIPPI's reputation. Honestly, most places have bad reputations...but once they 'offer' something...i.e., jobs, quality of life, etc...people flock to them. People WANT to move places, they want to go somewhere new or different. Many southern states are attracting an immense amount of people from all over the country and world - i.e. North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas.
There is nothing about the name 'Mississippi' that stops a person from moving there. I think if it offered something, people would go.
From my research though, it seems to be mostly small little rural towns. Generally speaking, and I'm from a small little rural town in Michigan, people in small towns have a lot of family and relatives in their little towns. They are little self-sufficient farmers/teachers/small business owners/etc. People don't generally move to small little towns, and if they did, then they wouldn't be so small anymore either. They are also pretty much common and very similar regardless of which state, so to choose a small town in MS over a small town in whatever state a person is from, seems odd.
So, I think it leaves Mississippi with really only one possible destination place - Jackson, MS. I just looked up the population it's at 170,000 people. That seems like a small city to me. Personally, I long ago left Michigan, but if I were still living in Michigan, and I wanted to find a nice 170,000 person city to live in, I'd probably opt for something still in Michigan or nearby.
I think a city really has to be much bigger with a lot more to offer for a person to move from far away to a new place. So, maybe it really has a lot more to do with Mississippi's rural-ness more than anything, and I think most people are looking for either urban or suburban (around an urban environment that they like).
All that being said, I think BILOXI and the coastal area COULD really attract a lot of people, if it wanted. I have looked into it myself, but Katrina kind of ruined that. Plus, obviously the ocean would be the major attraction. But from everything I've read, the coastline gets better in the Florida direction..and Biloxi doesn't seem to offer anything more than I've read about the Florida panhandle, etc.
Anyways, just free thinking on the question of Mississippi...carry on
Interesting post, Tigerbeer. Your story of the flat tire flies in the face of the 70s song "Uneasy Rider", which told the story of another guy who had a flat tire in MS. His outcome was much different than yours! (Google the lyrics if you don't know them. The artist is Charlie Daniels). This is either a sign that MS has changed much since the 70s, or 'ol Charlie, a Southern boy himself, was spreading the same kind of stereotype MS'ans are trying to shed.
I don't like crack in my town but is the mayor,governor doing anything about that?
so since I can't do anything about it except not partake, I just live and let live.
that's real freedom.
No, that's just irresponsibility. Crack addicts need to buy crack. And since they can't work, the only way they have of obtaining money is by doing other stuff that drags down the community. "Live and let live" only works so long as everyone agrees to respect each other. Crack addicts tend to... not do this.
You ever been to Austin? It manages to be PLENTY weird with no rows of strip clubs, no strips of seedy adult book clubs (or even seedless), and plenty of family friendly stuff right in the heart of town. My friend and I were walking to dinner one night and passed by the park up the street from the capitol and they had a twenty foot high inflatable screen there and a park full of families and kids sitting out on the lawn watching "Chicken Run." Probably ten at night, well lit city park, and families out enjoying time together. No one was worried about getting mugged or having their kid abducted by some lech hiding in the bushes.
Safety is a state of mind. It's like security - it's not something you buy, it's something you get. Like that adult book store that didn't seem to bother you - it did others. It doesn't matter why. I don't want one near me and if you ever find me in a church it's probably just to admire the architecture.
but it's not just YOUR town. and if you don't frequent places like that, why care?
Because we live in communities for a reason. Freedom does not mean "do anything you want" even if you live on a commune. Freedom means having something worth protecting or freedom is meaingless because all you have hte "freedom" to do is look for your next meal or warm bed. Differnt communities have differnt values and priorities - and freedom in this case means having the freedom to CHOOSE the community that most appeals to you, or to speak out to help shape the community you prefer into one you more prefer. It doesn't mean hiding from the bad stuff and it doesn't mean complaining about what they tell you to complain about through the tv, it means actually being part of that community and DOING something to make it better.
I don't like crack in my town but is the mayor,governor doing anything about that?
so since I can't do anything about it except not partake, I just live and let live.
that's real freedom.
No, that's just irresponsibility. Crack addicts need to buy crack. And since they can't work, the only way they have of obtaining money is by doing other stuff that drags down the community. "Live and let live" only works so long as everyone agrees to respect each other. Crack addicts tend to... not do this.
you missed my point. If the powers that be care so much to shutdown a piddly adult bookstore that wasn't bothering anybody, why not shutdown the crack empire that has sprung up all over the city that's bothering everybody...
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You ever been to Austin? It manages to be PLENTY weird with no rows of strip clubs, no strips of seedy adult book clubs (or even seedless), and plenty of family friendly stuff right in the heart of town. My friend and I were walking to dinner one night and passed by the park up the street from the capitol and they had a twenty foot high inflatable screen there and a park full of families and kids sitting out on the lawn watching "Chicken Run." Probably ten at night, well lit city park, and families out enjoying time together. No one was worried about getting mugged or having their kid abducted by some lech hiding in the bushes.
Safety is a state of mind. It's like security - it's not something you buy, it's something you get. Like that adult book store that didn't seem to bother you - it did others. It doesn't matter why. I don't want one near me and if you ever find me in a church it's probably just to admire the architecture.
Yes, and let me tell you, Austin and Jackson don't even compare. not even in the same ballpark. and you will find an adult bookstore and strip club there.
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Because we live in communities for a reason. Freedom does not mean "do anything you want" even if you live on a commune. Freedom means having something worth protecting or freedom is meaingless because all you have hte "freedom" to do is look for your next meal or warm bed. Differnt communities have differnt values and priorities - and freedom in this case means having the freedom to CHOOSE the community that most appeals to you, or to speak out to help shape the community you prefer into one you more prefer. It doesn't mean hiding from the bad stuff and it doesn't mean complaining about what they tell you to complain about through the tv, it means actually being part of that community and DOING something to make it better.
Did you live next to that ONE adult bookstore in Jackson? down the street? behind it? if not, why does it bother you so?but the crack epidemic is like non-existent to some people in Jackson because they have no idea.
I used to live by JSU which was in the neighborhood behind but it didn't bother us. no pedos ran wild in our neighborhood and we were arguably the closest to that bookstore.
I'm no puritan but we don't need adult bookstores. I'm pretty doggone liberal but I've lived in lots of places and have never seen an adult book store improve an area. Never. Not in Ypsilanti, not in Wayne, not in Dearborn, not in Los Angeles, not in Jackson, not in Starkville, not in Cleveland, not in Toledo, not in Knoxville, not anywhere. People don't want to be near them, which means the entire area suffers. Would you want one moving in around the corner from you?
I totally disagree with laws limiting sellers to certain materials. So why do we need "adult bookstores" anyway? Maybe because no one wants to SELL said material in any other type of store?
Why do we need adult bookstores these days anyway? That's what the internet is for.
I'm not going to debate whether there is a need for adult bookstores or not, but I'll say that here and in Houston, porn shops, hookah bars, and smoke shops are all over the place and they don't bother anyone. The people who don't want need to go there. The people who are interest will go get what they need, no wall of shame and no reason to sneak. I don't understand the wet/dry county and no alcohol on Sunday deal up there either. People are going to find alcohol regardless and they are going to do what they want.
Would you say a Paleontogist was wasting his time dwelling on digging up dinosaur bones?
probably not. then why here?
You might not care about the reputation of Mississippi but I do. Well dont go digging up the past, that is where the most comes from.
When the last dragon was dispatched the slayers wept.
But most eventually put down their swords and took jobs with the state.
Those that remained spent their days
menacing shadows and ageing windmills.
I Live in Michigan, which like Mississippi has a huge image problem. I believe MS is cut down by the rest of the nation because of Hollywood. Every TV show, movie that ever shows MS depicts it as a racist backwater were toothless hillbillies wave the confederate flag. Having been to MS I know this is a bunch of bull, but most people who see this hollywood trash have never been there. The people of Mississippi are some of the friendliest I have ever met. Like all states it has its problems, but it has never deserved the reputation it has been given. My state is also badmouthed around the nation, so I know how irritating it is to listen to it. Michigan is depicted either as a bland dull midwestern place, or the slums of our largest city (Detoilet) are shown to the world as to show that we ALL live like that here. People who live on the east or west coast judge all southern and midwestern states as inferior and I get sick of listening to it. Anyone who has ever seen New York or California knows that those who make these judgements are not living in paradise themselves. These coastal states are crowded and dirty and the people act as if they are miserable. Oh and when they slam you for the flag of dixie, keep flying it. That flag represents southern heritage, freedom and states rights. Let them be offended. If I lived in Mississippi I would consider it a blessing to live there, rather than some poluted overcrouded place like New York, New Jersey or Californication land.
If the powers that be care so much to shutdown a piddly adult bookstore that wasn't bothering anybody, why not shutdown the crack empire that has sprung up all over the city that's bothering everybody...
You think the police don't try to do anything at all about the crack problem? This is as silly an argument as "they can put a man on the moon, why can't they...."
Because shutting down a bookstore means shutting down one store. It means at most a couple of legal battles and bang, it's closed and zoned out of town. You're not going to have ten more springing up to replace it. You're asking why they can squash one roach but not fumigate the house!
And talk about missing the point... did you not read the bit about me living on Farish? The hookers accosting me to whisper evocative promises in my ear? I got no problem with live and let live, but so long as prostitution is illegal and women are walking the street I want nothing of it in my neighborhood. Now, if they're sitting at home and screenign clients on the phone, making sure there's not a constant flow of traffic in and out of the neighborhood of drunks and stoners looking for a good time I'm fine with it - but when it brings in the other crap, not so much.
And I don't agree with the dry county business either. I think it's stupid at best, and frustrating these people still can't legislate without a bible in their hands. But I still like living here and I'm not moving out over that - I'll speak out as I always do and watch the mountain erode.
I Live in Michigan, which like Mississippi has a huge image problem. I believe MS is cut down by the rest of the nation because of Hollywood. Every TV show, movie that ever shows MS depicts it as a racist backwater were toothless hillbillies wave the confederate flag. Having been to MS I know this is a bunch of bull, but most people who see this hollywood trash have never been there. The people of Mississippi are some of the friendliest I have ever met. Like all states it has its problems, but it has never deserved the reputation it has been given. My state is also badmouthed around the nation, so I know how irritating it is to listen to it. Michigan is depicted either as a bland dull midwestern place, or the slums of our largest city (Detoilet) are shown to the world as to show that we ALL live like that here. People who live on the east or west coast judge all southern and midwestern states as inferior and I get sick of listening to it. Anyone who has ever seen New York or California knows that those who make these judgements are not living in paradise themselves. These coastal states are crowded and dirty and the people act as if they are miserable. Oh and when they slam you for the flag of dixie, keep flying it. That flag represents southern heritage, freedom and states rights. Let them be offended. If I lived in Mississippi I would consider it a blessing to live there, rather than some poluted overcrouded place like New York, New Jersey or Californication land.
I was following along with ya until I got to your last sentance! Let me put it this way, NY, NJ and CA are no more "polluted and overcrowded" than MI is "bland dull" or a "slum". Capiche?
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The dragons are long gone. Tilt no more.
