Letter: Eat up and leave Baton Rouge

Were I enroute to somewhere, and I exited I-10, and bought the morning paper, and saw big stud-horse headlines about robberies, rapes, stabbings, beatings, shootings, break-ins, corruption, malfeasance and the whole gamut of misbehavior, I would say to myself, “I don’t think I want to live here, do business here, work here, bring my family here or be out late at night.”

So, what are you advocating?

Postscript: But we do dine well. ...

Leon P. Miller

retired journalist

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by gumbo33 - 20/04/2013

Moved back to BR about 6 years ago and I must say It has grown on me. I love my area (geographical mid-city). It's quiet (but not too quiet) and close to everything so it's interesting and not sterilized like Zachary or some other ex-surb. Sure there are issues, but I can get around the schools (there are quite a few very good magnet/gifted schools actually) and the majority of the crime is concentrated to a few areas and certain types of people at night. You should expect this and other issues mentioned in EVERY major city in America with few exceptions.

2) Comment by gjnyc - 23/02/2013

The sad thing is Baton Rouge is the only city that has white flight. That is sooo 1970's

3) Comment by billynurse - 11/02/2013

Amen, ScotB.

4) Comment by Bouncer - 11/02/2013

Oh, duh....I get it. You're making a play on the title of the newspaper (The Advocate) with your last line, "So, what are you advocating?" (as in "promoting"). I don't think the paper is necessarily "promoting" anything. It just reports on some of the things that help to make Baton Rouge a bit of a cesspool. That's all. Having lived in a number of major metropolitan areas, I can tell you that wherever you go, there you are.

5) Comment by phil - 11/02/2013

retired journalist? I think I get the point but where on I-10 did you exit and in which state? Think I missed something in the letter? The truth is there probably are problems similar to BR all over, That might be the big problem. Are we all just getting so used to crime and corruption that we accept it as normal. Kind of like those peer cities for the CATS studies. If those cities are "jumping off of the cliff" should we also follow since that appears to be the norm? P.S. But we do dine well and ALSO love LSU football so all is well?

6) Comment by gary - 11/02/2013

Good friend of mine was down last summer from Albany, NY and we were traveling down Jefferson Hwy across Bayou Manchac and on to the Airline Hwy. I have a SUV that takes the bumps pretty well, however, he looked over at me in his serious frown and said - youse' guys must really have a speeding problem on this highway - I said well yeah - this is Louisiana - he replied I know that - but the speed bumps every 100 yards are kinda much - don't u think? So, Leon wanted to throw our great highway system in for you- with a true story. Your letter rings so true, but I ain't gonna leave.

7) Comment by DMJ - 11/02/2013

Boo to this guy. Every city has its problems. If you hate it so much, retire somewhere else. I hear North Dakota is nice...

8) Comment by arin - 11/02/2013

Go somewhere else. It's all the same. You don't hear about all the garbage that happens in other cities. Go to Houston, Phoenix, Jackson and other cities. All have their share of problems.

9) Comment by tradewinns - 11/02/2013

so, you prefer we lie?

10) Comment by Whatnow - 11/02/2013

"Don't worry so much about the crime. It's overrated." Twinkie1cat, just because you are living in a crime area doesn't mean that it's overrated. The man read it in the paper just one day. We see it everyday. Don't you read the crime section? Do you live with blinders on? Geesh! ScotB, PC sucks. Dr. Benjamin Carson was right in what he said at the National Prayer Breakfast. It was an awesome speech. What a role model for underprivileged kids. Better than what role models that they have now.

11) Comment by spqr - 11/02/2013

Make certain to enjoy the litter and uncut grass highlighted along the poorly pruned trees as you speed by and read the leaning green state signage. On certain cool mornings the smell of Exxon stimulates you as you drive in horrible traffic and listen to the radio news of more budget cuts, rising insurance rates, mob mall fights among our high school youth and continued out-migration of our best and brightest. Place a bet with your friends at your under-employed job about how many will be shot this week with the tie-breaker on how many actually are killed. But not to worry, LSU football conversations are only minutes away in a town with no real entertainment.

12) Comment by ScotB - 11/02/2013

Single moms. Dropping out of high school. Drugs. Liquor. Time in jail. Does that sound like Baton Rouge? Or maybe parts of Baton Rouge? There is no solution to a problem that you cannot talk about. And in our politically correct society, we cannot talk about it.

13) Comment by twinkie1cat - 10/02/2013

So come in for the parties and the food and the ball games, the magnificent Mississippi River and the wonderful birds and stimulate our economy. Then go to Grosse Tete (right off of I-10) and see our well cared for and much loved tiger. That much is good and the people, although conservative, are friendly. Don't worry so much about the crime. It's overrated. I live in the highest crime zip code in the city and have not be robbed or shot or even threatened once in 2-1/2 years. If you are not seeking drugs, you won't be likely to be shot either. The state government is a huge problem but Baton Rouge is a nice place to visit.