Does anyone live somewhere that others have a negative opinion about?

[HeatherHH]

Well, I don't see Alabama, and Birmingham specifically, getting a lot of good press. I love it here. I live south of Birmingham, and we have terrific school systems and very nice neighborhoods. There are so many areas near me with very large houses that our economy must be going pretty well. It is a wonderful place to raise a family. We also have world class healthcare here.
Not to mention we are where Bo Bice and Vanetta Flowers are from!

If you live up north or out west, I bet these are not the things that come to mind when you think of Alabama.
(why yes, we do have indoor plumbing)

 

[brerrabbit]

Well I live inTexas where of course as everybody knows we all ride horses to work and have oil wells in our back yards. Many non Texans consider us all crackers and rednecks (a thread you may remember from some time ago). But I must admit we don't have it near as bad as others that have posted here when it comes to stereotypes. About the worst bashing we have taken in the last few years about being from Texas is a result of the guy currently in the white house. But as I have said before, "George Bush is not a Texan!"

 

[Microcell]

And we're right behind you! Baltimore. The #2 most dangerous city to live in, following Detroit. At least our cities earned their reputations, right? I mean, the crime rate is indeed sky high.

Seriously, when we were in WDW and people asked us where we were from, the response was nearly always....."Oh." Like, they couldn't think of anything nice to say.

I would have said, My sister lives there, and it looks like she moved up in the world!

I currently live in Kansas City and people look at me like I am sheltered and podunk. Kansas City has really grown!

When I had to move here from Detroit, my father (who was taking us here) got a giggle from my best friend and I holding each other in despair, both of us crying and my friend saying "Oh my goodness I can't beleive you have to live in KANSAS!!!" to which I said "I know!" .

His response was "You will be happy to know we just got indoor toilets just last year."

 

[malibuconlee]

Well, I'm originally from Peoria, Illinois...

I just moved from SE Iowa and I had to laugh when I read your post. The "thing" for bachelor parties in that area is to drive to Peoria to go to the clubs there for the weekend. My brother and his best friend were so funny talking about it when they got back last year.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

While I don't live in Houston-proper, it too has a bad rep, but to be honest, most of it is deserved.

It's gotten way worse since Hurricane Katrina. Our crime rate has sky-rocketed, due to criminals that were released in Nola and are now on the loose here.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Well I live inTexas where of course as everybody knows we all ride horses to work and have oil wells in our back yards. Many non Texans consider us all crackers and rednecks (a thread you may remember from some time ago). But I must admit we don't have it near as bad as others that have posted here when it comes to stereotypes. About the worst bashing we have taken in the last few years about being from Texas is a result of the guy currently in the white house. But as I have said before, "George Bush is not a Texan!"

Yes! I remember the first time I went to Cozumel and went horseback riding. The guy in very broken English asked me where I was from. I mentioned Texas and he goes, "Oh, then you good cowboy!".

'Fraid not! Give me a nag!

 

[HOGFAN]

Here in Richmond. some people think that because it was the Capitol of the Confederacy that we are a bunch of backwood rednecks. It is a beautiful city with quite a few (yes confederate) monuments and dont attempt to rewrite history like some folks would like us to. It is culturally diverse, good schools, and a great place to vacation and live. 2 hours to the beach, 2 hours to the mountains and 2 hours to d.c.

 

[TTFN]

That's right, HeatherHH. Those of us in Alabama also have shoes and can read. We also have beautiful mountains and beaches. We have a great state park system and great universities. (The politics here can get a little weird, though.)

 

[Andrea]

i live right outside of atlanta... and there was just a break in on the tv about some escape person that killed 2 people so far is out on the loose about 30-35 mins from my house yikes

 

[LSUmom4kids]

How about New Orleans? We had a very high crime/murder rate for a long time. Then Katrina either "killed" the bad guys or relocated them - for now. But they will be back...

I don't think anyone will forget seeing Post-Katrina all the "looters" we have here who stole "electronics and clothes" because they "were hungry" and FEMA wasn't here to help them! (Don't get me started!!)

There are a lot of "good guys" living and working here too! Please come visit - we need the business!

 

[delilah]

I live in a small community south of Indianapolis. The attitude of some of the people around here is just freaky in terms of negativity attitude. We live actually in an unincorpated area with some of the most extravagant and nice homes in the area. Where we live, you can get alot of house with your money. There are actually some people in the area who don't want our unincorporated area to be annexed to the small town which is already our mailing address, because it is a "hick town", as opposed to the town just south of Indianapolis and north of where we live (literally within spitting distance), because it is a "nice suburban area". But, in fact, the older part of this "nice suburban area" has alot of problems with crime and drug trafficking. And, what difference does the town name make, anyway? It won't move our house one single inch.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Well, I don't see Alabama, and Birmingham specifically, getting a lot of good press. I love it here. I live south of Birmingham, and we have terrific school systems and very nice neighborhoods. There are so many areas near me with very large houses that our economy must be going pretty well. It is a wonderful place to raise a family. We also have world class healthcare here.
Not to mention we are where Bo Bice and Vanetta Flowers are from!

If you live up north or out west, I bet these are not the things that come to mind when you think of Alabama.
(why yes, we do have indoor plumbing)

I'm so glad to hear that. DH and I want to move to Alabama when we retire and I'll admit that lots of people don't think too positively about it. We live on the Border of Texas and Mexico, you know, that area with illegal immigration rampant, "border violence" (think Nuevo Laredo, right up the road), the highest percentage of people living below the poverty line in the country, so our press is pretty bad. Companies around here have such a
hard time recruiting engineers and schools have a hard time recruiting teachers from other parts of the country. As soon as some people hear, "You'd live in the Rio Grande Valley", some of them run the other way!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I live in a tiny town (1600).... something I swore I never would do. I can understand people not caring for small towns because I am one of them! Give me the city anyday, but my DH is here and therefore so am I!

 

[kydisneyfans]

I live in Kentucky and still have my original teeth.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

Well, I'm originally from Peoria, Illinois...

oh man, me too! but at least the rumors are true about Peoria.

 

[Nancy]

I live outside of Buffalo...we have a bad reputation for having tons of snow...not true. I think we only shoveled twice this year. South of the city gets the snow, the city and north get hardly any.

Some of our reputation is true though, people are moving out...high taxes, high electric, high gas, control boards running the city and the county...it's a mess.

 

[MinnieM3]

South Carolina..... I think everyone thinks we're ignorant inbreeders who speak with awful accents and have no education past 8th grade and all have a brother or friend named Bubba.

 

[beckmrk04]

I live in IL, just east of St. Louis, and people are always like, OMG you live in East St. Louis?! Noooo.... I'm pretty sure if it were bigger it would compete with Detroit, but alas, there are towns in IL east of East St. Louis. Still small, still Midwest, still deserving of most of the typical small-town Mid-west stereotypes... ie- we live for county fairs, we all belong to a 4-H club, Wal-Mart is classy shopping but for a REALLY good deal go to Dollar General... You know.

 

[beckmrk04]

South Carolina..... I think everyone thinks we're ignorant inbreeders who speak with awful accents and have no education past 8th grade and all have a brother or friend named Bubba.

That's not fair... I also hear you have good BBQ!!!

 

[clarabelle]

Yeah....Canada.

Americans often think we are either A)Snowbound year round B) Cowards for not participating in the Iraq War (guess they forgot about Desert Storm and Afghanistan) or C) Dependant on government handouts because we have "free' healthcare. "Free" my eye! We pay a pile of personal income tax for the security of not having to "schedule" an illness.

I have never thought any of that -except for the snow!
Honestly -I hope those people are in the minority. I have never heard any "Canada Bashing"