Monroe-haters (New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport: house, live, move)

[Fensterkind]

Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71

Shabby and run-down? No. Its not. I'm sorry that Lakeshore is dying.. Monroe is not. Jobs are now plentiful.

Anyone looking at the page for Monroe on City Data can see that this statement isn't supported by the facts. If jobs are plentiful, why is the unemployment rate listed there as 12.8% for citizens 25 and over? If so many people are gainfully employed, why is the percentage of people with income below the poverty level listed as 32.3%? Booming economies produce rising populations, yet Monroe has had a 3.6% decline in residents since 2000. No, there's nothing to support your assertion.

As for the town not being shabby and run - down, all anybody has to do is look at the photos submitted for Monroe to see what it looks like. Some neighborhoods are nice, but you often have to drive through squalor to get to them.

[Fensterkind]

Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71

I talked to my friend who lives near Lakeshore Elementary and he knows nothing of what you're talking about.. He's lived there a LONG time as well.

I can only assume then that he thinks Lakeshore is supposed to smell like that.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Fensterkind

I can only assume then that he thinks Lakeshore is supposed to smell like that.

[Louisiana'sLegend2]

Lol, wow. Shout out to a person like Fensterfind to resurrect the single most important thing that happen to this site sense colored fonts, Da Legend. Monroe, Monroe, Monroe, are we still hating on the magnificient, magnetic attractivness on Might Monroe, LA? Haven't I placed Monroe in a bag of powdered margerine and put it in your skeptical microwaves and still made it pop? Not to mention in the process making it buttery? It very popular to hate something that you once didnt care about, not because you hated it, but because it was a style to dislike something that did you wonders. Who didnt want to live in Lakeshore and have a lake for a back yard? Who didnt want to be a big shot in the historic district in the beautiful Garden District, what about Town and Country, and Swartz? What about the New elite neighborhoods like Finks Hideaway, Frenchmen Bend, and Cypress Point? I been gone for a lil while, away from this site and people are still looking at stats for support that have been proven inaccurate over and over again, the city of New Orleans is a perfect example of inaccurate stats like crime rate, population, and employment. I live here in Monroe and make a living so how can you speak against my word anyway. Are you people calling me a liar, you think I cant be bias or something? I call it what it is, just with an optimistic and postive outlook of my city. You say trashy Monroe, I'll match in opposite and show you a classy Monroe. I invested countless hours in promoting all the good that Monroe has to offer to let any of you try and Monroe-hate. Jobs AREplentiful again, progress IS being achieve through different outlets of education with all the secondary and career schools around town, including the construction of the bigger Delta Community College. How dare you point out a slight flaw in monroe like foul smells thinking it would change the minds of potential tourists and residents, thats just like saying dont go to LSU because they had serial killers, rapist, and crime all over campus in the past. Another example is dont live in New Orleans because of the murder capital of the nation. People know this stuff but why are positives still coming out of BR and NO, its because the emphasis is on the positive overall outlook, which keep making people come back and continue to move there.

So no reason to hate, didnt work for you, oh well move to Cheyenne, Wyoming. I bet there unemployment rate is extremely low considering the fact that "many" people live there.

[SacalaitWhisperer]

I've been to Wyoming.

Not really the kind of place to move for a job.

West Monroe, people... WEST Monroe!!

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That smell on Lakeshore Dr is par for the course.

[Louisiana'sLegend2]

Originally Posted by SacalaitWhisperer

I've been to Wyoming.

Not really the kind of place to move for a job.

West Monroe, people... WEST Monroe!!

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That smell on Lakeshore Dr is par for the course.

Oh please even if, "if" the myth is true that Monroe has an foul smell, then trust and believe West Monroe has the major funk of the area. That mill is the king of stankery. Monroe people, Monroe! More jobs, more indepedent restaurants(not chains), more history, has a real downtown not an historic alley. Only a certain peoples can live in West Monroe, but Monroe everyone can live in Monroe without getting ran out like they can in West Monroe.

Look at it this way Monroe is to New Orleans as Gretna is to West Monroe......catch my drift? St. Louis/East St. Louis? Before you can talk West Monroe to have to at least become Oakland to our San Francisco, instead of being Port Allen to our Baton Rouge. West Monroe, your our scape goat, a change of scenery close by thats it. Alot of chain restaurants, cute, a Tinseltown, yea. Still no public transportation, no major events, jobs outside the mill and your High School is your only highlight. West Monroe you are just an extension of Monroe with a west in front of you. We only come over there to take pics of our dowtown. But thanks for employing me because i work over there, but you still stank.

But I love you my little West Monroe, your growning up, but you nose is still running and so is your mill with makes you skunky!!

[Teddy X]

Originally Posted by Phil75230

1. Not a large diversity of personality types (aka, not many people who think outside the local mainstream - far too high a percentage of "ordinary average folks" who are overly worshipful of traditional values)


4. Excessively macho prevailing culture (especially in the small towns)

5. Excessively conformist culture (related to most of the above); indifferent, if not scornful, toward people who walk, talk, act, or think differently from the local mainstream.

Sooooo True!!!

Especially #4 and #5

Thats the reason why im gettin out of Monroe. A.S.A.P. and moving to Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Los Angeles, St. Paul, etc.

For the simple fact that too many people plexing (Hating) for no apparent reason and even your own family at that. And im a big black man thats 300 pounds and 5'4!!!

[aab7855]

I come from the opposite end of the spectrum, lived most of my life in New Orleans but just finished college after 5 years in Lafayette. I knew really nothing about Monroe until I went to Laffy; I knew about 15 or so people from Monroe going to UL, and they were all incredibly friendly. I went up there a few times and it was okay. I found West Monroe (where its further out) to be less desirable than Monroe proper, but the downtown area was fine. I think that someone from the outside wouldn't care for Monroe too much. I went with an open mind and knew people and enjoyed a few different things.. the campus was cool enough. [I really enjoyed watching my Ragin' Cajuns put on the UL-Monroe warhawks haha. Nice stadium!] It just seems like a place that doesn't have a large amount of transplats, is in the deep south (MUCH more "southern" culturally than New Orleans), is very religious/conservative.. take it for what it is. I'm not really any of those but I had a good time with extremely friendly folks. I'm not one of these purists who thinks Monroe is in Arkansas or Shreveport is in Texas, but know that the cultures are different. Anglo-Saxon Protestants in the North of the state and French/Creole/Cajun/Italian Catholic South sure do make an interesting state. If New Orleans is too much, you may like Monroe. If Monroe isn't enough, you may like New Orleans.

[irmabelle]

I hate Monroe! I have lived here for over 30 years. I managed to escape twice and totally regret having to come back. This town has nothing to offer. The schools are under average, the pay scales are horrible, the entertainment is nothing to brag about, and the politics... I better not say it.
I am a camping and fishing enthusiast, but I don't enjoy it in this state. It's either too hot and humid, too wet, or too cold. And I don't enjoy worrying about snakes while hiking. As far as fishing and swimming, I prefer clean, clear water.
I could go on and on, but instead, I will say something nice about Monroe.
I'm thinking... Oh yeah, it's a nice place to see in the rear view mirror. I am working on seeing that view for the last time.

[JimLFT]

Originally Posted by irmabelle

I hate Monroe! I have lived here for over 30 years. I managed to escape twice and totally regret having to come back. This town has nothing to offer. The schools are under average, the pay scales are horrible, the entertainment is nothing to brag about, and the politics... I better not say it.
I am a camping and fishing enthusiast, but I don't enjoy it in this state. It's either too hot and humid, too wet, or too cold. And I don't enjoy worrying about snakes while hiking. As far as fishing and swimming, I prefer clean, clear water.
I could go on and on, but instead, I will say something nice about Monroe.
I'm thinking... Oh yeah, it's a nice place to see in the rear view mirror. I am working on seeing that view for the last time.

Thirty years.

This alone, in all honesty, says a bit more about you than anything about Monroe. Reasonable people can understand that there are those who will not like Monroe. But, the same can be said for just about any other locale on this planet.

But, thirty years! Just WHAT sort of circumstances would...."imprison", for lack of a better word, you to such a miserable existence for such a significant part of your lifetime?? Three MONTHS is my own personal record (city to remain nameless out of respect)!! But, I was lucky and had options, where it seems that you didn't.

Best of luck to you, and I hope you find that sweet-spot fishing hole. I've found mine, but the water ain't exactly clear...