Reviews & Comments
Jackson, MS
Negative Reviews about Jackson Laughable! -
7/17/2011Struggling hard not to titter at some of the negative views on here. Moved to Jackson MS for college about 15 years ago and loved the place so much I stayed on and have been here ever since. I'm black first of all, and coming from a city that was 3 million strong, loved the fact that Jackson was very relaxed paced, had loads of Southern Hospitality where strangers still smile and say hello to each other as they walk by (try that up North or in L.A!), no endless lines everywhere to access services, plenty of wide open spaces, greenery and large yards in homes, not traffic jams!, amazing Southern food and ah just the fact that its the capital city of the State that's birthplace of the Blues!! Yes we're segregated but whose fault is that :)? Long standing institutional racism perchance? The big change for the better came when Kane Ditto was kicked out in the upper '90s and Harvey Johnson began to clean up all messes and rectify hundreds of years of neglect in the "black" neighborhoods. Prior to that I remember the area around JSU looking like Beirut with caved in burnt out homes - some vacant for decades, still standing while then then all white areas of the city had their streets washed and polished daily and public curbs trimmed impeccably. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against white people - many of my friends are white Jacksonians, I just abhor all this racism stupidity that has held back not just Jackson but this great country for so long. But I've digressed. I bought a nice little bargain basement cookie cutter ranch style home in South Jackson (probably from one of the departing 'peeps' on this page :P) all cash for a song and it's been the best thing I've ever done. I have a modest business here that has been doing really well and that keeps the bills paid and allows for vacations from time to time. I've traveled the world and all over the USA especially over the past few years and trust me there is no place I love to come back to than Mississippi and Jackson in particular. I love the fact that the Beach (and the casinos!) are only a two hour drive away, I love the festivals like the Natchez Balloon fest, Riverfest and the Blues fests in Clarksdale. I enjoy road trips to Tunica and to Golden Moon. Driving the Natchez trace is a fantastic experience I recommend to my none MS friends all the time. Maybe only one or two drives in the Union eg the Pacific Hwy in California may be better. Ive been to Elvis's and Oprah's homes, gone fishin' on the Rez and on the Coast, the list of amazing experiences and memories I have of this place are too many to enumerate. Anyone who says there is no arts or entertainment in and around Jackson might need to get their head examined! I miss the now gone Subway Lounge and Schimmels (gone too) but there is always The Frank Jones Corner and the 930 blues cafe! When it comes to my favorite hobby - food - I love the variety available..did someone on this thread say Keifers!! From the hole in the walls to the tony upscale restaurants Jackson has it all. Of course there is crime (where on earth isn't there any?)so unless you are looking for an utopia that does not exist, Jackson is just like any other city - its has some bad and lots of good too. When do I plan to ever leave this city? Never! Hopefully as the negative people move out some of us can get to buy more cheap property (nice huge homes going for a pittance) so it's not such a bad thing that the "scared and paranoid" element move out after all :)! God bless.