[native9]

The following are the primary reasons why I cannot tolerate Oklahoma and why I want to leave this WRETCHED state ASAP:

1. The weather is SO EXTREME especially during winters & summers.
(from "furnace to freezer" & vice-versa within 6 months!)

2. The so-called "friendliness" that other posters describe on this site
about Okies, is largely superficial and not genuine( I speak from exp-
erience). They will smile and act friendly, face to face but when
they think that you are not listening, they will speak ill, even
hatefully of you!

3. I am REALLY FED-UP with the sports obsession, i.e. OU & OSU,
and recently the new NBA team coming to OKC from Seattle.

4. Oklahoma leads the nation in obesity(and a host of other health
problems - smoking/dipping tobacco, drug abuse,diabetes, etc.
I believe it is in the Top 10 - maybe Top 5! unhealthiest states!

5. It is often referred to as "The Buckle of the Bible Belt". This des-
ignation is not only misleading, but FALSE and HYPOCRYTICAL!
Oklahoma also leads the nation in divorce, child abuse, spouse
abuse(wife beating) etc.,

6. The rich that live here, keep getting richer, the poor keep getting
poorer. Oklahoma is a low-wage state. That is why there are so
many poor people here. Very few are able to get ahead financially!

7. Most Oklahomans depise and avoid change/new,progressive ideas
which would improve the overall quality of life in this state. Instead,
they choose to cling tenaciously to the old status quo, which has
made Oklahoma backward and stagnant culturally, economically, etc.

8. The State government of Oklahoma i.e.,the Legislature is corrupt,
lame and irresponsible to the tax-paying citizens of the state! For
example, they will spend millions of dollars on things that really don't
matter(such as license plate design upgrades) while making the
pathetic excuse that there's not enough money for Okla. state
employees to have a desperately-needed pay raise!!!!

9. I am also FED UP with the "country bumpkin", redneck, rabid sports
fanatic, "Hee-Haw", stupid and imbecilic cowboy-wannabe image
and mentality that permeates this miserable state!

10. Precious few states have a worse infrastructure than Oklahoma has!
The condition of Oklahoma's roadways and bridges is among the
very worst in the nation!

11. Oklahoma has a pathetic history, especially prior to statehood in
1907. The state came from land that nobody wanted, that is until
Uncle Sam decided to give it away for free! When this happened,
every vagabond, vandal, outlaw (and others)around rushed in to
get a piece of it! Hence the phrase " The Great Land Run of 1889".
I am ashamed to be from and reside in a state with this history!

12. I am particularly appalled at the treatment of Native Americans regar-
ding the poor quality of their lives in Oklahoma. Their lands in the
Southeast were stripped from them by Andrew Jackson and Uncle
Sam in the 1830's. They were then FORCED to re-locate to a barren
wasteland in the West which would later become Oklahoma. After
their arrival here, their tribal governments were disrupted, again by
Uncle Sam and opened up to non-Indian settelment, after which they
were treated as second-class citizens as were African-Americans and
other ethnic groups. Some people on this site have said that Okla-
homa dosen't have racism. I tell you this statement is FALSE! There
is much racism in Oklahoma. You don't see it because it is well
hidden but it is definitely present!!!!!

The above is a partial list of things that I despise most about
Oklahoma. Other things may be addded later if the topic arises in a discussion thread. To those on this website who are seriously contemplating moving to Oklahoma, a word of caution: It is your personal
choice to come here or not, but as someone who has resided in Okla. virtually my entire life;I would seriously and urgently warn against moving to Oklahoma!- for the reasons stated above plus others.

[flintysooner]

I can certainly see why you want to leave.
But why are you here now and why do you remain?
Have you lived elsewhere and where would you like to live?
Have you an education or training that will allow you to move?
Are you unable to move for other reasons?

I personally like living in Oklahoma. And I have lived elsewhere.

The weather is one thing I actually enjoy including the heat and the cold. I've lived in colder places and I've lived in hotter places. I'm not a big sports fan myself but I have friends who are. I also have friends who are not. We get along pretty well. The government doesn't seem much worse or much better than other places I've been. I've noticed all of us across the entire United States are becoming bigger. I think I read the Mayor of Oklahoma City is trying to raise public awareness about it and urging people to exercise more and eat healthier.

My family came before statehood but not for the run. My grandfather came on a horse with no more possessions than he could carry. But we have found many opportunities here. I am the first in our family to have a college degree. Education is still valued in my family as a way to both economic and cultural accomplishment.

You express concern about several issues that will require leadership and a lot of hard work by many individuals to improve. Just because things are hard to change does not mean it shouldn't be attempted. Perhaps with your passion applied to the problems you care about you can help change them.

Generally I have found people here in Oklahoma to be extraordinarily neighborly. But I have made good friends in the other places I've lived as well. That said though I never did find any perfect people and if I had I probably would have corrupted them myself pretty quickly.

I really do hope you find that perfect place for yourself to live and work.

Very best wishes.

[Chickrae]

My advice for you would be to leave. If you are not happy go to a state that would make you happy. Of course then we can get to the saying that "happiness comes from within" etc. Every state has it's positives and negatives. I have only been here 11 months and even though it has been a big change for me in every aspect of my life, I am enjoying it. I will say one thing, all I have ever met is friendly people here. I think it is awesome how people are for one school or another and I am glad we are getting the Seattle team too. I am not really an avid sports fan but the state I did come from had an NBA team and I thought it was great that everyone supported them. Good luck

[Annemieke Roell]

Don't let the door hit ya where the Godess split ya .....

[myevilalterego]

Native9,
You do seem profoundly unhappy and if that is the case, I guess you should move somewhere that you will like better. I do think you will find the same issues no matter where you go, but good luck.

[Goodpasture]

Magnificent post. I hope everyone who thinks about moving here reads it to their family. Thank you thank you thank you.

[mkfarnam]

I think the problem here is, for those of us who have compliments about Oklahoma, have other states to compare it with. For you having nothing but negative things to say shows that you have never lived in another state, so you have no comarison.
example: Oklahoma is a much bigger improvment compared to California for many reasons. To know those reasons you need to have lived in California. Some of the reasons are: "inviromental","cost of living",and others are gang related,.......and anyone who has lived there knows exactly what I mean.

[eddie gein]

Sounds like a Texan in disguise to me.

I have always been fascinated by natives #11. Oklahoma being "the land nobody wanted."

What is the difference between Oklahoma and the land that is in the states around Oklahoma that people "wanted"?

Good luck wherever you go. With your outlook you'll need it.

[karibear]

You really haven't been anywhere else, have you? If you think this weather is extreme, try interior Alaska - 90+F in the summer, 50 below zero in the winter. But then, parts of Montana are very much like that, too, and I would imagine Idaho and northern Minnesota as well. The only newcomers to AK I ever heard of who thought the Interior had 'nice' winters were from MN.

As for the rest, people are people no matter where you go. They'll either like you or not depending on how you present yourself. There are worse things to be obsessed with than sports - like stalking other people, for one.

Every state has dark places in it's history regarding whatever indigenous people pre-dated the settlers. You haven't studied any other states' histories, have you? Nor is the Land Rush peculiar to OK, there were homestead rights in most states at one time or another, and some of them went on until fairly recently. There are still to this day some towns that are giving land away to people who are willing to build and stay for a given period of time.

Divorce, child/spouse abuse? Did it never occur to you that without divorce, the incidence of child and spouse abuse might just be a lot higher? Who wants to live in their own personal war zone, anyway?

Go take a good look at the rest of the country before you start making judgment calls on how despicable you think OK is.

[TimC2462]

Well then...

I definitely would like to move to Oklahoma!!!!

I can match every negative you pointed out and probably more about the state of California. No state is perfect. My family loves California, but I hate it. Go figure.

Tim C.