Where Have The Real Georgians Gone??? (Atlanta, East Point: home, neighborhood, school)

[JoeP]

Did you not read my response? I say Merry Christmas back to them.

I did. I am still waiting for the logic to say that saying Happy Holidays means that one can't say Merry Christmas.

In I recommend looking at a calendar and you'll see that there are a few holidays at that time, so a greeting that reflects multiple holidays is perfectly fine. If someone greets in a manner to reflect one holiday, that's fine too.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by ClarityFuture

Am I the only one living in the great state of Georgia that misses my state? Over the past years and with the booming growth of Atlanta, this state is becoming everything I hate...With people flooding in from everywhere, our beautiful culture and herritage are being pushed out for a Wal-Mart sign.

People from the north and other areas moving in think we should do everything their way, and could care less about our roots, but when you go to their state and do the same thing, you're an ignorant redneck...What gives?

I for one miss the Georgia that I have known and loved for my entire life. I miss sittin' around talking to complete strangers over a cold Coke and not having my intelligence insulted for being a native Georgian that "doesn't understand progress".

Am I alone in these feelings?

I first moved to GA in 1982 (before leaving again in 1992 for 15 years), and back then, as a "yankee" I heard a lot more mention of it and people making comments. The funny thing is, before I moved to GA, I never gave it a second thought. I thought I was an American moving to another US state. Who knew that people in GA were still fighting the Civil War almost 120 years later? Sorry we made you stay in the Union, get rid of your slaves, and treat black folks as people.

I for one have never tried to change anything here in GA. I'm glad that some things have changed for what I think everyone agrees is the better. Exactly what "beautiful culture" has been taken from you?

What would you like to see the return of? Racism? Dog fighting? Poor education? Poverty? The rebel flag on the state flag? KKK marches in Cumming?

When you post feelings such as you did, and you blame your problems on others, you do kind of come across as bit of an ignorant redneck. Sorry about that.

[ClarityFuture]

So, according to you post, every peice of "culture" from Georgia in the civil war era was racism, dog fighting, poor education and poverty, the rebel flag and the KKK?

Well, as a northerner you obviously have no understanding of southern culture, just as I have no understanding of northern culture - being as I am not part of it. Do you think that the only reason the Confederacy was formed was because of wanting to keep slaves? I beg the differ. I'd also like to see some factual proof saying that the majority of people in that era were ignorant and living in poverty...

Personally I support the previous Georgia "rebel flag" and am not racist, and know several African Americans that feel that same way. You can't simply take one peice from a culture's history and say that it is the entire book. If you look at it that way, America as a whole can be considered an evil tyrant, but let's not go there.

Georgia is rich in culture and it certainly isn't because of lack of education or poverty. I don't see anyone "blaming problems" on anyone else. I have as much right to express my opinions as anyone else and never stated that they were "problems", but simply expressing feelings and opinions.

On that note, I would be happy to find an equal number of arguments against the north. I realize this is 2008 and we are one united union. I have nothing against a northerner, and didn't even call them "yankees" in my original post, that was all on you. It is common fact that when a massive amount of individuals from outside of an area move into the said area that the culture will be washed away, it just happens like that.

My post was only asking if there were any other individuals that missed the Georgia that we once knew...You know, people sitting around the town square talking and having a good time, not needing to even lock your doors at night, not feeling out of place for praying in public, having more wide open spaces, supporting more small businesses and not having to shop a mega establishments...It isn't solely because of northerners, no.

So, again I ask...Do any native Georgians miss the way things used to be?

[Buckhead_Broker]

Heck, the way I see it, my family came to this country in 1640. Most of those who came later are just visitors who've overstayed their welcome.

[IntownHomes247]

I'm a native Atlantan, and I definitely miss the Atlanta that I grew up in. Things have gotten too crowded, too chaotic, too uncivil. The city has grown blindly without regard to quality of life. I think often of moving away despite the fact that I've lived here all my life and most of my family lives here.

[ClarityFuture]

Buckhead_Broker - I'm with ya, my family shed blood in the American Revolution

IntownHomes247 - I completely agree...That charming southern comfort city of Atlanta is no longer what it once was. I'd still rather be here than anywhere else though...Georgia is home, always has been, always will be! Go Dawgs!

[Buckhead_Broker]

Clarity,

Yes, we'd been here for 136 years by the time the American Revolution took place. My 5th great-grandfather fought with George Washington. There are numerous letters in the Washington Collection at Univ. VA between the two of them. They remained friends for many years afterwards. I hear of people now whose family has been here for 100 years and think, Hmmm, when you've been here for 368 years, you can call yourself a native!

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by ClarityFuture

So, according to you post, every peice of "culture" from Georgia in the civil war era was racism, dog fighting, poor education and poverty, the rebel flag and the KKK?

Well, as a northerner you obviously have no understanding of southern culture, just as I have no understanding of northern culture - being as I am not part of it. Do you think that the only reason the Confederacy was formed was because of wanting to keep slaves? I beg the differ. I'd also like to see some factual proof saying that the majority of people in that era were ignorant and living in poverty...

Personally I support the previous Georgia "rebel flag" and am not racist, and know several African Americans that feel that same way. You can't simply take one peice from a culture's history and say that it is the entire book. If you look at it that way, America as a whole can be considered an evil tyrant, but let's not go there.

Georgia is rich in culture and it certainly isn't because of lack of education or poverty. I don't see anyone "blaming problems" on anyone else. I have as much right to express my opinions as anyone else and never stated that they were "problems", but simply expressing feelings and opinions.

On that note, I would be happy to find an equal number of arguments against the north. I realize this is 2008 and we are one united union. I have nothing against a northerner, and didn't even call them "yankees" in my original post, that was all on you. It is common fact that when a massive amount of individuals from outside of an area move into the said area that the culture will be washed away, it just happens like that.

My post was only asking if there were any other individuals that missed the Georgia that we once knew...You know, people sitting around the town square talking and having a good time, not needing to even lock your doors at night, not feeling out of place for praying in public, having more wide open spaces, supporting more small businesses and not having to shop a mega establishments...It isn't solely because of northerners, no.

So, again I ask...Do any native Georgians miss the way things used to be?

OK..so maybe I missed the point. What I can tell you is that nothing you are describing as "the Georgia we once knew" is uniquely southern or Georgian. Don't you think people in other parts of the country sit outside and socialize with their neighbors and have open space?

The issue seems to be your lack of affection for modern living and the busier lifestyle that has resulted from technology. People in New England (where I recently lived) are asking "what happened to the quaint New England we used to know" and people in other parts of the country are asking the same thing. The country and the world today are no longer separated by geographic and other barriers as they were in the past. The Internet, low cost air travel, multi-national commerce, higher levels of education and income, and other social changes and technological advances have broken down these barriers.

Many people like me enjoy the hustle and bustle and living in a modern society. I'm sure there are just as many who hate it and like you long for days past. The key is that this kind of transformation is what's happening all over the country and is not an isolated product of growth in Atlanta.

[GeminiGal]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I for one have never tried to change anything here in GA. I'm glad that some things have changed for what I think everyone agrees is the better. Exactly what "beautiful culture" has been taken from you?

What would you like to see the return of? Racism? Dog fighting? Poor education? Poverty? The rebel flag on the state flag? KKK marches in Cumming?

When you post feelings such as you did, and you blame your problems on others, you do kind of come across as bit of an ignorant redneck. Sorry about that.

Very NASTY, UNCIVIL comments ...

[ntdejene]

As a native Atlantan for about 5 generations i find it extremely irritable to hear all these half assed summaries about how horrible Atlanta is. People from Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan, and New York, be glad your down here you actually get to enjoy twice the warm weather you ever had. People from Texas, have you never been in the south before? I've been to Texas, very poor representation of the south. And you ridicule my state. This is what you people have turned the area into. The Atlanta i remember was one of picture perfect April Sunday afternoons at fulton-county stadium, Just warm enough to break a sweat but nice enough to keep cool in the shade. Taking drives down west paces ferry glimpsing at the dogwoods in bloom and elegant longleafs and loblolly's shading every corner of the street. Devoting saturdays to the Georgia Bulldogs, no matter what kind of year it was. Mild winter days pleasant for a picnic at piedmont park. Hearing that classic southern dialect only truly pronounced here(You Texans could take a pointer or two). If i was going to do something i'm "fixin" to do it. Watching the hills turn to plains on roadtrips to Valdosta, where spanish moss drapes everything in sight, and oaks as mighty as ever. Recreation was great, boating at lanier, stone mountain, One of the best places for Golf. I love everything about Georgia, i dont know where all this animosity is coming from but it seems like everybody else I meet loves it too. Georgia will never be Ohio, Michigan, The Northeast, or Texas, so quit trying to make it as if it were. We have our own culture and we are proud of it. The rudeness your refering to is probably the bad habit especially amongst native Atlantans, as being a little stuck up. Atlanta seems to be the city of exclusives and privacy. Its been in are history and many natives like to be selective when it comes to being social on a friendship level. If we dont like what we see why bother. But down right rudeness I find this hard to believe any native will be more than glad to help you get to where your goin or loan any stranger a hand in need, Hold the door open, and a nice greeting are typical. I guess its just a Southern thing, ya'll wouldnt understand.