Posted on 12/29/2005 4:38:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Ditto...I know you're right because, as we've discussed before, we live in the same area of town.
No racial tension whatsoever, successfully integrated neighborhood for going on 30 years.
Here's an interesting article about the neighborhood (wondered if you'd seen this on the city's website)
http://www.stpete.org/nnlak.htm
I believe that you already know the answer to that question.
Oops! I guess I should read the entire article before making smart comments.
Black on white hate crime? What a racist concept! (sarcasm alert)
When we moved here, we were a bit leary. I've never lived anywhere where I was in the minority -- not only in my neighborhood, but in local shops, etc. I had heard news of racial tension in St. Pete, so it was a bit scary. But I can tell you that in the 20 months I've lived here, I have never experienced any problems. I love my neighborhood. The Publix where we shop is one of the best run grocery stores I've ever been to in my life! My neighbors, black and white, take pride in their neighborhood, their yards and homes. (Ours is probably one of the worst.) As far as schools, Pinellas County has school choice, so you can go to any school... but we homeschool. We homeschooled before we came here, if you're wondering; it had nothing to do with the neighborhood.
Pinellas County and St. Pete do have some unique problems. It is the most population dense place in the state. We are locked on a small peninsula -- no room to expand. We paid 3 times the cost of our house in Orlando for this house, a large but old fixer-upper. (Large means 2500 square feet on a 1/4 acre lot). The value has probably increased 20% since our move. Taxes, utilities, everything here is much higher. The cost of living is skyrocketing, but many of the jobs are low-paying service industry jobs. It doesn't matter how hard you work, it's becoming more difficult to live in this area. It is especially difficult for retirees on a fixed income and low income families. It is not as if affordable housing is a short drive away, either, or that we have wonderful public transportation. Not that this would in any way excuse violence, but I can imagine being frustrated. This is a wonderful community, but we definitely have some problems to address.
I don't know about the rioters, but my neighbors are intelligent, kind, hardworking people. They value education, family and community. If I could afford to move to a ritzier community on the beach, in the north, or on the islands, I wouldn't do it. I am very happy where I am, and I am so glad our children are growing up in this community. And that is the honest truth!
Most of your city's real estate is now owned by the Scientology team...over 40%. It is the htq for that organization which I will never call a church.
Pinellas is home to the Woodside Hospice where Terri was put to death by starvation and denial of water or fluid.
Tom Cruise who comes to your community regulary to troll for future scientologists, is in NYC right now helping out a scientology conferance that is trying to help people who believe they were hurt, healthwise, by the toxic aftermath of 9-11.
As a recruiting plan, the scientologists have a conferance going there in which they are teaching those who believe toxins are making them sick to drink liters of cooking oil and take saunas religiously and, of course, sign up for the scientologist plan to rid one's body of alien negatives brought about by the volconic expolsion of a bad alien years ago whose body parts have inflicted all of the human race and cause all suffering.
From what I understand of their "thinking," if you are poor you don't have the power to be racist.
Try figuring that one out past the obvious vote getting wedge it provides.
I enjoyed your post.
I went to Diston Jr. High and to Boca Ciega H.S. back in the sixties.
I don't know what it is like now.
It used to be the old folks capital of the world but now the downtown area seems to have fallen into PC hell.
And you're going to paint a whole community as evil because Terri Schiavo died in Pinellas Park? Do you hate every community in which (or near which) a dispicable act has occurred? I think you'd better head for Antarctica -- not a lot of sin occurs there, I expect.
It's not perfect. No place inhabited by sinful man is perfect. But it is a nice place to live, there are good and loving people here, and the winning the title of hate crime capital of Florida is a bit misleading.
>>"The real issue is disparities."
Amen to that. Disparities in fatherlessness, education, self control, intelligence, work ethic, marriage.....
This crew doesn't respect anyone, yet they think they deserve respect.
Any time the government subsidizes something, society gets more of that thing. Therefore, we need to stop giving the "poor" money. Lack of money is not the problem, but a lack of morals and discipline make the "poor" perpetually poor.
Pure and simple, it's the entitlement mentality that has affected many minorities and about all of the aged.
A lot of the development is good and useful, especially for tourists and the very wealthy, but it is driving up property values and costs, and displacing smaller businesses. (Gulf Golf on Treasure Island is closing -- looked really sweet, but with property values the way they are, I can't blame the owners for selling.) The condos -- very high priced -- draw the most ire. I think it's typical of what many Florida communities are facing.
There is no way for a free republic to survive after having accepted "hate crimes" as legitimate law.
That's what I've been reading.
So many places aren't the sleepy little towns they once were.
The bad comes with the good, I guess.
But the problem I outlined still remains.
>>"The real issue is disparities."
That was from sgtbono2002's post, not mine. But I agree with the posts by both of you.
Oh, and nice username. I tend towards the FAL side on that one, though both the M1A/M14 and the G3 are fine pieces of hardware as well.
I also explained my thoughts on why those disparities exist.
Getting tired of hearing this BS.
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