They have to be the way they’ve been kicking poor ole Cleveland! It’s like Scrooge never saw the light and decided to piss on little Tiny Tim.
Forbes hasn’t been too kind to Cleveland in the past, so of course they had to top previous dubious distinctions by labeling it America’s most miserable city.
I’ll refrain from a full fledged argument against the honor as other bloggers have responded better than I ever could.
Obviously I don’t agree with Forbes’ assessment, especially since I have been to Alabama. I say that as someone who knows the bad rap Cleveland constantly gets and tries to stay away from harshly criticizing other cities that people warmly refer to as “home.” But I saw an Alabama gas station with the Ten Commandments typed out on computer paper and taped to the window, as if it were some sort of office memo. Not the most welcoming for anyone other than conservative Christians. Cleveland has the rock and roll hall of fame. No matter how much you want to hate on Cleveland, it isn’t Alabama, nor the most miserable city in the country.
Forbes points to our crime, lack of jobs and fleeing population as reasons we’re miserable. First of all, show me a city that basks in the glow of an economic recession. Second, what city doesn’t have a street you don’t want to turn on? Lastly, people go where jobs are, no matter how much they love a place. Distinguished magazines, such as Forbes, routinely shitting on a city, such as Cleveland, probably isn’t the greatest way to lure companies to set up shop. so of course Cleveland is lacking in that department!
As a current resident of Chicago (still a Clevelander at heart!), I definitely can’t buy your asinine ranking system. Chicago is the tenth most miserable city? Bullshit. I wasn’t miserable in Cleveland I’m not miserable in Chicago. Yeah, Chicago has a high sales tax, but I don’t buy stuff, look at my receipt and go, “Gosh! I sure am miserable now!” It sucks, but the people make the city. Chicagoans, but moreso, Clevelanders have great folks living there.
New York City? Granted I’ve only been there once, but given that people keep flocking there makes me think it isn’t THAT miserable. Do people like paying higher taxes? No! But it doesn’t turn people into a puddle of sad.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that somehow you took into consideration weather and sports teams when deciding a city’s level of miserableness. After noticing Ohio pretty much owned the list and was – for the most part – joined solely by other Midwestern cities, it seems Forbes isn’t a fan of the snow. Honestly, I’m not nuts about it either, but I’ll take that over earthquakes, floods and hurricanes any day of the week.
If Forbes needs more proof that Cleveland isn’t the nation’s most miserable city, beyond yet another blogger’s angry rant, I point you to the comments of the Forbes article. For the most part, Forbes has drawn the ire of angry Ohioans, and rightfully so.
I’ll admit Cleveland has areas where it needs to improve, but Clevelanders are some of the most resilient people you’ll ever meet. I assure you, they’re up to the task.
Finally, I’ll end on an immature note. I say this with all due respect even though you disrespected my state by putting a whopping FIVE cities on your list. Forbes, you can blow me.
8 comments
j
February 19, 2010 at 8:46 pm (UTC -4)
Fuck you dude. You keep talking shit about Alabama like you’re so much better than the people down here. Do you realize how much fucking technology is rooted here, especially in Huntsville?
Fuck you and all your kind. Just like you talk shit about how conservative and generally unwelcoming the state of Alabama is, you cast yourself into the same group of close-minded, unwelcoming people by broadcasting your own adherence to stereotypes.
Joe B
February 22, 2010 at 9:38 am (UTC -4)
I don’t know if I “keep talking shit about Alabama,” as this, I believe, is the only time I’ve mocked Alabama on this site. But I’m glad to hear that Alabama has plenty of “fucking technology” rooted there. Cleveland would surely benefit if we could get some fucking technology.
Your point that I cast myself into the same group of close-minded, unwelcoming people by making fun of Alabama is a fair point. However, I wasn’t making fun of Alabama based on stereotypes, I simply wrote out an experience I had with Alabama – the Ten Commandments memo story in my original post.
Cheers!
mike@suckstobeyoublog.com
February 26, 2010 at 9:04 am (UTC -4)
Yes, forbes is the most miserable mag. But there’s no reason we can’t make their lives more miserable.
Joe B
February 26, 2010 at 11:57 am (UTC -4)
That’s the spirit!
j
March 3, 2010 at 6:23 am (UTC -4)
Don’t let that one experience color your perception of an entire state and its people. I’ll be the first to admit we have some truly oddball, ultraconservative “let’s go play with snakes” people – but they are a minority.
I’ve not read any of your other posts, so I don’t know if you denigrate Alabama on a regular basis. But the way you incorporated the experience you had, and the tone in which you wrote it, really was offensive. You seemed to believe all of Alabama was “that way.”
Joe B
March 3, 2010 at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
We did run into more than a handful of those characters, leading me to believe that it’s not quite a minority. Perhaps it is statistically a minority in that it’s less than 50% of the state, but still seemed like a large minority.
That said, no this site is not dedicated to my one trip to Alabama and it certainly wasn’t meant to offend. Although, I suppose I wasn’t trying NOT to offend anyone either. I’m sure the state of Alabama has it’s gems as does any location in the world.
As an Ohioan, you learn not to take offense to out-of-state folk using your home as a punch line. Every state/city will be a punchline, so long as New York City, LA and Chicago exist.
Enda Kearley
February 1, 2011 at 2:23 am (UTC -4)
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Kermit Haggin
February 1, 2011 at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
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