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If you are an educated person who speaks without a southern accent ....
Well isn't that special.
Implying correlation between education and accent is a surefire way of winning friends in the south.
As to the rest of your post, can't say too much as I don't live there, but it looks like your education didn't do you much good in choosing where to buy.
Bet you didn't visit the place at random intervals over a two or three day period to see and hear what the neighborhood sounds and looks like in the middle of the night or on a Saturday afternoon. Or, if you did, bet you didn't drive a couple of blocks away in all the cardinal directions to make the same observations.
Bet you didn't knock on a few doors and ask your potential neighbors, first, what they liked about living in the neighborhood, then, what they didn't like about it.
People down here like to talk, and if you're paying attention, you can learn almost as much by what they don't say as by what they do say.
Bet you didn't spend time eating a meal or two in the neighborhood restaurants in a place where you could overhear and observe the locals unobtrusively.
People are pretty relaxed at mealtimes and might say something they wouldn't otherwise say if they weren't concentrating on their meal.
Bet you didn't stop at all the closest convenience stores to buy a pack of gum or a RC "co-cola" and a moon pie, not because you wanted or needed that stuff, but to judge the reaction you got from the locals when faced with an educated person speaking without a southern accent.
Ah, well, I'm sorry you've had these problems, but look at the bright side; you have experience in buying a house, and experience and common sense along with your education is quite a formidable combination.
First off, the crime rate isn't low in Paragould at all. I moved here just 8 months ago and during my short stay here I have had my vehicle broken into twice, my mail stolen, my tools stolen off my patio. Someone even stole my birdhouse. When my car was vandalized I made the mistake of calling the police who started off by asking me, "well now what did you do to make 'em want to damage your car." Much of the crime isn't reported simply because everyone knows the futility of doing so. Drug use is a huge problem here and a probable cause of all the property crime.
If you are an educated person who speaks without a southern accent and you do not have a substance abuse problem then think twice about moving here.
If you do decide to move here then you better get use to the smell of your neighbors burning toxic trash, the sound of slack jawed locals asking, "You aren't from around here are you?" It takes awhile to realize it isn't a question but an accusation. Then there is the extremely loud sound of BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! music that drones on day and night. So if you like really loud rap music then come on down. Then there is the constant barking of dogs everyone here has a dog.
Paragould is a small place for small people (Think culturally or mentally but not physically because there are a lot of fatties here). The only thing big here besides the corruption is religion that borders on fanatical obsession. If you don't belong to a church then you are looked at like a space alien.
And to anyone that wants to say," if you don't like it then why don't you move?" My reply is look at my FOR SALE sign sticking up proudly in my front lawn - that is if someone hasn't stolen it!
AMAZING!!!
my thoughts exactly...although I am a bit of a religious dude.
I escaped from there seven years ago because of those very same reasons you just mentioned. I cannot imagine raising my children in such a place. Someone said it was just the east side. No. It is the whole town. I know every nook and cranny, and the meth, the crime....it's everywhere!!! Center Hill included. Don't get me wrong, it's not Trenton, NJ, or even Detroit, for that matter, but for crying out loud...with all the other places in the world to choose from!!??!!
AMAZING!!!
my thoughts exactly...although I am a bit of a religious dude.
I escaped from there seven years ago because of those very same reasons you just mentioned. I cannot imagine raising my children in such a place. Someone said it was just the east side. No. It is the whole town. I know every nook and cranny, and the meth, the crime....it's everywhere!!! Center Hill included. Don't get me wrong, it's not Trenton, NJ, or even Detroit, for that matter, but for crying out loud...with all the other places in the world to choose from!!??!!
I can go ANYWHERE at ANY hour in Paragould..and never have to worry about getting mugged..or worse..I frequently run very early in the morning @4 am..no problems..and I proudly raise my children here in Paragould..I love it!..and as I have reminded folks..if you dont like it..there are two highways leading out of town..Hwy 412 and Hwy 49..crime everywhere? lol..I dont think so..
zoinks!
didn't mean to make sound THAT bad. I just thought it was nice to see someone else who shares in the pain and frustration I went through when living there. No, there aren't muggings or drive-by's. Just the infestation of meth, mostly. Addicts steal from their own families, and the addicts are everywhere.
Living in that town was a very difficult and generally horrible time of my life. I'll freely admit that a lot of my problems were caused by myself, but there's something about that place that keeps a person down if they are not willing to conform to the standards set by the locals. I don't like trucks, I don't like NASCAR, I don't like country music, I don't think minorities are bad people, I don't think the South is the greatest place ever, I don't even believe Southern Hospitality exists, at least from what I've seen in Arkansas. The snotty, "I'm better than you because I'm a proud redneck" shtick didn't do much to win me over, either. I DO NOT think there's anything wrong with people liking country music and pickup trucks, it takes all kinds...
Not everybody in Paragould is bad. There's a lot of fine folks there. I even considered buying a place and staying there, but it is a place that I have no business being in.
I took 412 west out of town.
zoinks!
didn't mean to make sound THAT bad. I just thought it was nice to see someone else who shares in the pain and frustration I went through when living there. No, there aren't muggings or drive-by's. Just the infestation of meth, mostly. Addicts steal from their own families, and the addicts are everywhere.
Living in that town was a very difficult and generally horrible time of my life. I'll freely admit that a lot of my problems were caused by myself, but there's something about that place that keeps a person down if they are not willing to conform to the standards set by the locals. I don't like trucks, I don't like NASCAR, I don't like country music, I don't think minorities are bad people, I don't think the South is the greatest place ever, I don't even believe Southern Hospitality exists, at least from what I've seen in Arkansas. The snotty, "I'm better than you because I'm a proud redneck" shtick didn't do much to win me over, either. I DO NOT think there's anything wrong with people liking country music and pickup trucks, it takes all kinds...
Not everybody in Paragould is bad. There's a lot of fine folks there. I even considered buying a place and staying there, but it is a place that I have no business being in.
I took 412 west out of town.
I understand now that you explained yourself why u didnt like it here
For someone who, "can't say too much as I don't live there you sure do go on and on.
I never made a correlation between accent and education but it is very true that as soon as I opened my mouth everyone knew I wasn't from Arkansas, and they treated me like a foreigner in my own country.
I will not debate how highly eduction is valued in Arkansas the statistics on the attrition rates can do a much better job than I could. This is a rather sensitive subject for the residents in Paragould because as soon as someone assess that you are educated they immediately feel differently about you, and they become preemptively defensive.
I have lived in the most prestigious places that our fine country can offer and I have never encountered such condescension or attitudes of superiority.
I didn't have to come to Arkansas to obtain experience in buying a house - I already had that several times over (CPM & RE license), and in response to arguy1973 I did not live on the East side. My place cost above the statewide average and was considered to be in good part of town.
I stick by my cautionary warning to anyone thinking about moving there, that is, "Think about it carefully."
Moderator cut: edit
The fact that you can go anywhere at anytime in Paragould isn't really saying much at all once you think bout it. The crime in Paragould is staggering and would make national headlines if every crime was reported (many residents know the futility of doing this so they don't) and the police kept accurate statistics that they released to the public faithfully.
To the Arkansans living in Paragould who feel the need to rise to the defense of their much beloved community I say this.... I lived there so I have earned the right to comment. If you disagree that is your right - My God
people I lived in LA for 3 years and never once had my vehicle broken into - My vehicle was broken into twice in less than 8 months in Paragould. Moderator cut: edit
Last edited by Sam I Am; 04-07-2008 at 03:01 PM..
Reason: no - we're not going to name call
For someone who, "can't say too much as I don't live there you sure do go on and on.
I never made a correlation between accent and education but it is very true that as soon as I opened my mouth everyone knew I wasn't from Arkansas, and they treated me like a foreigner in my own country.
I will not debate how highly eduction is valued in Arkansas the statistics on the attrition rates can do a much better job than I could. This is a rather sensitive subject for the residents in Paragould because as soon as someone assess that you are educated they immediately feel differently about you, and they become preemptively defensive.
I have lived in the most prestigious places that our fine country can offer and I have never encountered such condescension or attitudes of superiority.
I didn't have to come to Arkansas to obtain experience in buying a house - I already had that several times over (CPM & RE license), and in response to arguy1973 I did not live on the East side. My place cost above the statewide average and was considered to be in good part of town.
I stick by my cautionary warning to anyone thinking about moving there, that is, "Think about it carefully."
Moderator cut: edit, orphaned
The fact that you can go anywhere at anytime in Paragould isn't really saying much at all once you think bout it. The crime in Paragould is staggering and would make national headlines if every crime was reported (many residents know the futility of doing this so they don't) and the police kept accurate statistics that they released to the public faithfully.
To the Arkansans living in Paragould who feel the need to rise to the defense of their much beloved community I say this.... I lived there so I have earned the right to comment. If you disagree that is your right - My God
people I lived in LA for 3 years and never once had my vehicle broken into - My vehicle was broken into twice in less than 8 months in Paragould. Moderator cut: edit
I don't like trucks, I don't like NASCAR, I don't like country music, <agreed on minorities>, I don't think the South is the greatest place ever, I don't even believe Southern Hospitality exists,
Wow!!!
Isn't that kinda like hating water and then buying a houseboat to live on?
I've been to Paragould a hundred times, and I've never had a single problem.
Northbound...I'm educated..double degreed. When I worked, I made good money, and I try to be friendly to everybody. However, I'm probably your worst nightmare as far as being a neighbor.
I live in what you would term as "the middle of nowhere". Rural, man. On a big ol' hill with other hill folks. We got rich, and we got poor, and we're all the same. We visit, have BBQ's, drink together, buy a tractor or implement from one another, do all deals on the shake of a hand, love our mamas, and get a tear in our eye during the Star Spangled Banner.
Get the drift?
There ain't no crime here, and we don't call the police. Years ago, I remember, somebody was coming onto somebodys farm hunting, was told to leave a couple of times, and the third time the owner caught him, he just said, "There's a lot of abandoned well shafts around here, and I don't want to see you fall in one".
Point made.
So......an ol' boy from "way" out of the neighborhood buys a parcel of land in the area for hunting purposes. He don't come and see nobody. Doesn't wave when he passes you by. He's only there during season and once in a while to do a little improvement on his shack.
Then he went over to a neigbors house and angrily accused the neighbors kids of riding their four wheelers through his acreage and "tearing up" his bushes (in-the-woods?). Accusations were made until the neighbor had to tell him to leave.
Well, long story short, he ended up having a lot of problems. Stuff would go missing a *lot* from his place. He had a flat down the road, and it seemed a number of neighbors chose that time to go out and drive slowly *past* him as he changed it, etc.
He sold.
Now, I ain't condoning what happened there, and I ain't condoning what happened to you.
Ya know, I'll guarantee ya, the south is the easiest place in the world to make real friends, and the worse place if you make enemies.
You probably could have gone to one of the *many* towns that are primarily northerners that live in the town, and only asscociate with other northerners, and done just fine, but when you're in Rome, bud, dontcha think you oughtta do wht the Romans do?
As I mentioned in another thread, I've got a bumper sticker that I never put on that says, "Welcome to the south. Now go home".
Sorry you never got to see Arkansas.
Your money is probably needed more up north, anyway.
Isn't that kinda like hating water and then buying a houseboat to live on?
I've been to Paragould a hundred times, and I've never had a single problem.
Northbound...I'm educated..double degreed. When I worked, I made good money, and I try to be friendly to everybody. However, I'm probably your worst nightmare as far as being a neighbor.
I live in what you would term as "the middle of nowhere". Rural, man. On a big ol' hill with other hill folks. We got rich, and we got poor, and we're all the same. We visit, have BBQ's, drink together, buy a tractor or implement from one another, do all deals on the shake of a hand, love our mamas, and get a tear in our eye during the Star Spangled Banner.
Get the drift?
There ain't no crime here, and we don't call the police. Years ago, I remember, somebody was coming onto somebodys farm hunting, was told to leave a couple of times, and the third time the owner caught him, he just said, "There's a lot of abandoned well shafts around here, and I don't want to see you fall in one".
Point made.
So......an ol' boy from "way" out of the neighborhood buys a parcel of land in the area for hunting purposes. He don't come and see nobody. Doesn't wave when he passes you by. He's only there during season and once in a while to do a little improvement on his shack.
Then he went over to a neigbors house and angrily accused the neighbors kids of riding their four wheelers through his acreage and "tearing up" his bushes (in-the-woods?). Accusations were made until the neighbor had to tell him to leave.
Well, long story short, he ended up having a lot of problems. Stuff would go missing a *lot* from his place. He had a flat down the road, and it seemed a number of neighbors chose that time to go out and drive slowly *past* him as he changed it, etc.
He sold.
Now, I ain't condoning what happened there, and I ain't condoning what happened to you.
Ya know, I'll guarantee ya, the south is the easiest place in the world to make real friends, and the worse place if you make enemies.
You probably could have gone to one of the *many* towns that are primarily northerners that live in the town, and only asscociate with other northerners, and done just fine, but when you're in Rome, bud, dontcha think you oughtta do wht the Romans do?
As I mentioned in another thread, I've got a bumper sticker that I never put on that says, "Welcome to the south. Now go home".
Sorry you never got to see Arkansas.
Your money is probably needed more up north, anyway.
this may be one of or the best posts ive ever read
'preciate ya!
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magrack is a little too sensitive
