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I don't know why anyone would get their panites in a wad over your post. You didn't say anything that has never been said before.
The only thing in your post I completely disagree with is your pizza talk. I have never heard of a place charging 32 bucks for two large pizzas; unless we are talking specialty pizzas or something. Oh, I don't know anyone that doesn't own a computer; not sure where that came from either.
Don't you think you could find that anywhere? Also, you singled out whites for these regressive racial attitudes, but your perspective might be widened a bit if you go for an evening walk around Gary, Indiana and see how you are treated.
I grew up in Detroit. I thought Detroit was horrible with racial tension. It seems very divided here. My husband had a friend from work come by. This gentleman is black. He wants to move out of south bend. My husband suggested he move to where we live. This friend from work said, "oh I dont think they want my kind out here." After this friend saw we actually do have black neighbors he was like, "wow, ya know...maybe I should think about moving out there after all."
My observation on this matter was not a lofty one.
Anyone who has been keeping up with NEWS recently would know that those trucks driving the streets are from California and it is directly connected to the President's commencement speech at Notre Dame University soon.
Those bold Pro-Life activists have only been driving around town with those vans for a few weeks. I agree with you that its over the line but remember the entire controversy regarding Obama at the University is completely politically motivated. I think those people driving around with those pictures is horrible as well but please do not make it sound like it is residents in the area because it is NOT.
Just because the Catholics are still in the dark ages doesnt give you the right to paint all the residents in this area the same. Many area residents are outraged over this and it's been reported daily on all the local stations.
Some say anti-abortion protests have gone too far | WSBT South Bend - Your Local News Leader | Local News (http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/44181332.html - broken link)
New Obama protesters in town with graphic images in tow (http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/43820087.html - broken link)
Those protesters have been doing it across the entire region to NW Indiana and into Chicago.
yes I have read the news reports but you might also want to read the blogs that accompany each story. This is when I get concerned. People voice their thoughts on the matters and it can be quite disturbing.
I recently moved back to Indiana after living for 16 years in Chicago. I grew up in NW Indiana. I haven't lived here long enough to really comment although I have noticed a couple of things in the few people that I have met. Note that this is just my observations in a very short time of being here so do not take it too seriously and I really do like living here again as does my husband (who has never lived in Indiana by the way).
1) Chicagoans are not pro communism and the only Chicagoan I persoanlly knew who was anti-gun is an extremely conservative republican from INDIANA. I never heard any of my neighbors or friends in Chicago say they wanted a gun or wish they could have one. I also never thought of owning a gun in Chicago (nor did I ever see one besides on police officers in my 16 years of living there) however since moving to Indiana we will be purchasing one for protection. The reason I say this is because we were in a gun shop trying to figure out what sort of gun we would get and mentioned to the store clerk that we just moved from Chicago and suddenly there was this outpouring of....Chicago is communist and stuff like that (from just about everyone in the gun store). It wasn't against us and we found it rather humorous but still......
2) Having grown up in Indiana I have started reconnecting with alot of my friends who are still there, which is most, and couldn't believe that some of them are grandparents (I am going on 38). I went to dinner with 8 of my friends and 4 of them have kids in serious trouble with the law, 3 of them have kids who are teenage parents and they all looked at me like I was some sort of freak when I said I do not have kids. All 8 started having kids before the age of 20. 1 doesn't know who the father of one of her kids is (she had her at age 16) and her other two kids have two different fathers. 1 is on welfare and has 4 kids. 3 get food stamps. All our basicly broke. This was something I didn't get before I left. They are all mostly from Whiting where at that time, hopefully this has changed, having kids was what you did, regardless of marital status or having a job, etc. Its like no one is teaching kids to wait a little while....Like until they are married and have a stable income. My parents had 4 of us on my dad's steel mill income and it was always rough but I think for the most part we were happy. My parents were very serious though about teaching us to wait until marriage and to get an education, probably because neither of them had one and my dad always worried about his options if he was ever to get laid off.
3) My husband is from Japan. Not Korea or China and no they are not the same nor do they speak the same language or know how to read each others languages. He also does not need to hear that you would never ever eat that raw fish they eat over there or how much you like Chinese food.
4) Not everyone in Chicago is a liberal and voting for Obama and/or owning a Prius also does not mean you are a liberal. Also I do think being progressive does mean accepting that not everyone shares the same views and thankfully we live in a great nation where we can express those views (aside from those horrible vans with dead babies on them that someone else mentioned). It doesn't automatically make someone a bad person because they are liberal and anyway shouldn't we get over all these labels and start working together. What good do they do but cause hate and division. I guess I am a bit surprised by some of the extremely anti liberal talk I've observed especially being in a college town.
5) Having a college degree and working in Chicago does not mean we are wealthy or things are handed to us....My dad was a steel mill worker (back when it was Inland Steel) and I worked full time and went to school at night to get my degree. Nothing was handed to me. We worked and continue to work (when we aren't laid off that is) for everything that we have and no we did not forgo having children to pursue careers. A couple of times now we have had people say ....you went to college didn't you.... in an accusatory manner which I find odd since as I mentioned we live in a college town and Notre Dame is an hour away.
6) Is it just me or do people drive really really fast?
7) and most importantly...no alcohol sales on Sundays....this one hurts cuz this city girl loves to have a beer sitting on my deck enjoying my peaceful surroundings.
**I do wish we had more jobs for college degreed individuals because I would love to stop this maddening commute into Chicago every day.
But....
I love that people in my area seem to be very aware of nature and want to take care of it. I also love all the birds and now find absolute enjoyment in feeding and watching them and this was mostly learned from my neighbors. I think its great that all the grocery stores and hardware stores carry bird feeders and food and the clerks know all about them and which feeders and food I need (and the fact that there are actually clerks who will not only help me but seem to want to). I also appreciate that my neighbor told us that those purple flowers we found so pretty are actually a weed called creeping charlie which neither of us had ever heard of and probably would have taken over our entire yard had we not be warned. I love that its peaceful where we live and kids can ride their bikes in the street and people wave to us when they drive by even though we do not know them. I love that we do not hear constant sirens and horns honking. I really love that we have deer in our backyard all the time even though it drives my dog insane. I love that people take pride in having the Indiana Dunes and it seems everyone we know takes advantage of the trails. I love that we don't have rats scattering all over everytime we go into our backyard (I'll take the racoons, deer and groundhogs over giant city rats any day). I love that everytime my husband is off work and at home for the day he calls to tell me how much he loves it there.
Sorry for rambling. I guess I am trying to say that I find some people regressive and backwards but not most and not really in a bad way (so far) however I believe you can find these people anywhere, including Chicago. Oh ya and I lived in Bucktown in Chicago which is an area with quite a bit of money yet we still did not have a recycling program when I moved a year ago and Valparaiso not only has a great recycling program but I'm told they will also pick up leaves and sticks and give compost for free. Now thats progressive in my book.
Also...after seeing all those photos in the sticky Indiana photo link I can not wait to do some exploring in the rest of Indiana. Even though I grew up here I had no idea these places exist. We try very hard to keep our hard earned money in our new home state!
Great post! I had to laugh about your comment regarding how fast people drive here. That was one thing I noticed right away. Most of the major streets in Mishawaka have speed limits of 30 mph. Not once have I encountered anyone actually driving 30 mph. Im starting to think its just a suggestion. US 23 is even worse and so is Capitol.
The gun issue...I lived in Detroit and never owned a gun. I was surprised at how many people here do own guns. But all these home invasions do have me spooked a little. Its pretty bold to break into someone's house when they are home. I have slightly entertained the thought of purchasing one but that is as far as I got.
Indiana has beautiful scenery. As a photographer, I have the most amazing shots of the area. Everything is soo green in the spring time. Its quite lovely.
I am not surprised by your comments regarding meeting old friends. I have noticed teen pregnancy is a problem. The cycle continues without proper education. My son has a friend and this friend missed a whole week of school. We thought this child must have been really ill. But we later found out his was kept home from school to babysit his cousin. This boy's teen sister needed to go on job interviews all week and no one was available to watch her baby. This is sad cuss my son's friend will likely end up being a drop out as well if he is staying home to babysit. I feel bad for his sister as obviously she needs a job to support her baby. Its a horrible cycle.
Compared to the coasts, most Hoosiers are amazingly backwards unless they live in Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville or somewere up near Chicago. Whenever the state announces the building of a new road, the state's powers-that-be will listen to the extremely few farmers in the area who protest and dont want it. Also, Indiana's economy is a bit outdated, focusing too much on old heavy manufacturing. Perhaps the reason is due to the low educational attainment. Too many people in the state government and Main Street are 'traditional' and feel uncomfortable about advancing the state's economy into the future. The state's economic profile doesnt change much. Hoosiers are just slow and dont like to adapt to change. And it shows as the state falls further and further behind. Whats scary is the many Hoosiers who dont care. They find complaining easier than changing it. Indiana's ills lie in the hearts of the 6.5 million Hoosiers.
Compared to the coasts, most Hoosiers are amazingly backwards unless they live in Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville or somewere up near Chicago. Whenever the state announces the building of a new road, the state's powers-that-be will listen to the extremely few farmers in the area who protest and dont want it. Also, Indiana's economy is a bit outdated, focusing too much on old heavy manufacturing. Perhaps the reason is due to the low educational attainment. Too many people in the state government and Main Street are 'traditional' and feel uncomfortable about advancing the state's economy into the future. The state's economic profile doesnt change much. It takes forever to do anything in the state--from widening roads and building new ones to constructing buildings to attracting new industries and jobs. Hoosiers are just slow and dont like to adapt to change. And it shows, as the state falls further and further behind. Whats scary is the many Hoosiers who dont care. They find complaining easier than changing it. Indiana's ills lie in the hearts of the 6.5 million Hoosiers. In a big way, yes, Hoosier culture is very backwards.
Hitler's birthday just doesn't get enough attention, does it?
Candidate speaks at Hitler birthday party / nwi.com (http://www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/04/23/news/top_news/docf6a35b9d5a72e89d8625743300832e52.txt - broken link)
California owns that title....and will continue to own it for the next millennia...EASY!
And the best evidence of that would have to be the SF Folsom Street Faire....hands down...
...see zombietime.com.....
But be forewarned.....the images will make you TRULY ill......and all that wonderful education....has led to THAT?.....mmmmmm something's not quite right here....(duh)...
Khali-porn-ya Uber Alles.....
(can't buy booze on Sundays???? So buy it SATURDAY....DOH!)
Last edited by Happy Cells; 06-13-2009 at 07:45 AM..
Reason: additional info
Hitler's birthday just doesn't get enough attention, does it?
Candidate speaks at Hitler birthday party / nwi.com (http://www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/04/23/news/top_news/docf6a35b9d5a72e89d8625743300832e52.txt - broken link)
This guy is a total whackjob, but that's just my opinion.
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which neither of us had ever heard of and probably would have taken over our entire yard had we not be warned. I love that its peaceful where we live and kids can ride their bikes in the street and people wave to us when they drive by even though we do not know them. I love that we do not hear constant sirens and horns honking. I really love that we have deer in our backyard all the time even though it drives my dog insane. I love that people take pride in having the Indiana Dunes and it seems everyone we know takes advantage of the trails. I love that we don't have rats scattering all over everytime we go into our backyard (I'll take the racoons, deer and groundhogs over giant city rats any day). I love that everytime my husband is off work and at home for the day he calls to tell me how much he loves it there.
Wt..?
