NORTHERN NASTY AND NICE (United Way ranks quality of life: Southern states are the worst)

Providence Journal ^ | 11/22/01 | Robert Whitcomb

[LarryLied]

Despite the "friendly" Sunbelt's purported ease and opportunity, the "unfriendly" North continues by far to have the best quality of life.

The United Way now reports that Minnesota (of which I am genetically half a native, which may undermine the good data here) is the best state, in economic well-being, education, health, civic engagement, safety and the environment. Having visited this Midwest Finland, I am not surprised. And I find New Hampshire's Number 2 rating apt, too, having inhabited that rocky realm of rectitude, responsibility and (usually) reasonableness for four years.

Ditto the others in the top 10: Connecticut (even with Hartford!); Massachusetts; Vermont; Maine; Wisconsin; Iowa; New Jersey, and, yes, even Rhode Island, hardly a state at all!

Meanwhile, the bottom 10 are all in the Sunbelt, the worst New Mexico, and then Louisiana.

Maybe it's mostly the weather. The North's bracing and wildly variable climate energizes people and encourages planning and careful citizenship. And it's probably better for you, because cold is bad for bugs. Even the post-war wave of air-conditioning hasn't let previously soporific Southern schools, offices and factories overcome the North's paradoxical climatic advantage.

And Northerners tend to be less mobile, and so less likely to slide into that appalling anomie in which the American Dream is pursued by folks wandering the roads in search of pots of gold that turn out to be tin, and leaving no forwarding address. But then, it is easier to wander about where the weather is warm. Thus the pervasive trailer parks in the Sunbelt, and enough social problems to make you ask if the Sunbelt's growing national power is a good thing. (Don't show this to my Tennessee relatives.)

[#3Fan]

Now tell me where I attack or make bigoted comments.

Post #33. You said you didn't want people moving there. If you didn't mean Northerners, who did you mean?

[antienvironmentalist]

Look, we fought the Civil War to keep the country together. If we had split apart, which is what the south wanted, then either England or France would have made short work of us. It had nothing to do with slavery and even Lincoln admitted that. Until you understand that we fought it to save the Union, not to free slaves, then you will always have problems with the North. Just remember, most of us could really could care less.

[#3Fan]

Another distinction without a difference. Lincoln freed the slaves in the South by Executive Order...since he thought he was the President of the whole United States, he could just as easily have freed the slaves in the North.

No he couldn't. The North was not in rebellion.

He didn't because it was not a matter of principle as you Northerners like to claim, it was a matter of economics, for both the North and the South. And it was Lincoln's way of punishing the South.

Oh baloney. The North was a more powerful industrialized area as proven by the Civil War. Keeping down the South didn't prop up the North. South Carolina made it abundantly clear in their Declaration of Secession that Lincoln had an hostility to slavery.

[#3Fan]

I agree with nobody's perfect. Must leave cuz wife is on her way. Nice coversating with you and everybody else.

Thanks and you too. If it makes you feel any better, I have no intention of leaving my state. :^)

[Snow Bunny]

Guess I am weird but give me a mountain cabin anytime !My dream is to live in one, get enough supplies to last the winter and FallGuy of course .....heh heh....> Our animals and I will be one very happy soul. Way up in the mountains, and maybe a friendly Ranger stopping in for some homemade soup and bread along the way.

Then post to my hearts content, write childrens books and make friends with the bears and deer. giggle.....

Then fly in for a celebration of friendship all my friends for a holiday with sleigh rides. Yep, nice dream and ya never know.

Love all of you special people.

[Eaker]

You must live in one of the BIG towns!!!

I live in little old Houston.

;<)

Eaker

[McGavin999]

Then why is it that the folks in the north are moving south? Just look at the population shift over the last couple of decades.

[#3Fan]

Roger that. But I still wonder how you know there are no illegal aliens where you live. At least around here they don't wear signs.

Everyone up here (WHERE I LIVE...:^)...) is very American looking, with Illinois accents, midwest attitudes, midwest character. If there are illegal aliens, they're good actors. :^)

[#3Fan]

A point on which we agree.

Finally. :^)

[Savage Beast]

Nope. It's not a trick. And I'm not a Southern hospitalitist either. I don't think. What is that anyway?

[#3Fan]

I'll never tell.

For each his own. I prefer trees.

[Cleburne]

Guess all our clean air is deadly. And I always thought mild winters make life miserable (if you like to ski I suppose). Oh, BTW, its in the upper 70's here in South Mississippi right now. There was a reason youse' guys fought to keep us in...

[WOSG]

We did something better: renamed the Florida Turnpike the Ronald Reagan Turnpike. Liberals from the Northeast driving down to retire have been known to have strokes when they see the signs.

Brilliant! Absolutely briliant!

[Eaker]

This thread is a slam on the South. The South is being defended. If you cannot stand the heat don't start a fire!

Eaker

TEXAN, and DAMN proud of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[#3Fan]

I read the other day the word "Yankee" meant meddler and it sure hasn't changed since the War for Southern Independence. They're still meddling.

Doesn't it suck when you find a cash cow of filthy lucre like slavery but people won't let you perpetuate it?

[JD86]

I don't care what you personally think because you're an anti-North bigot.

You are protesting too much and your prejudice is showing.
Let us review the postings...I didn't go all the way back but in #60 you referred to the Southerners as "bigoted posters" in #77 you brought up slavery in #91 you wrote to me (when I had never made any comments to you or about you) about my "self-righteous hypocrisy". Since you started the posts to me...and commented on my comments to others...why do you find it unreasonable that I would comment on your responses to others? Now you are involved in the "you started it first" which is most often seen in children...and it is your response to everyone who objects when you call Southerners names. To disagree is one thing, to call your opponent bigots and self-righteous hypocrites only shows you cannot defend your position without resorting to name calling.

[#3Fan]

You Sir are a liar............we did not draw first.

Go back and read the first part of this thread and count the number of anti-North posts before there was a response in kind.

[Fred25]

I mean Socorro county now has an ordinance that you can't hook two single wides together with plywood.

LOL! That’s silly, especially with some complete houses being made out of straw bales, chicken wire, and adobe mud.

I think maybe the “plywood” law has to do with physical appearances.

[Phantom Lord]

One of the few things I miss about the north is deer season. The deer here in NC are like large dogs compared to the deer in NY. But down here I can take 5 bucks a year with my gun license. In NY you get 1.

[antienvironmentalist]

Great, upper seventies. We have something called summer for that. It's that time of year where you southerners go inside and wait for it to cool down. OBTW, skiers and snowboarders do hate those mild winters. We want snow, lots of snow.