If you were to move, how important is a red state?

[blackforest]

You are correct. The link I posted above did account for robbery as it weighed violent crimes. Thanks for pointing that out. Here is the link again.

The Most Dangerous States in the United States - WorldAtlas

 

[JanR]

blackforest:

Robbery is a crime against property, not bodies.

Let me interject here so that you can understand the logic of including robbery with violent crimes, as most states do. The crime against property has other names; larceny, theft, burglary. Larceny, or theft is the only true crime against property. Burglary is a hybrid, as while it may be just against property it might involve the risk of physical harm. Here, Burglary of a vehicle is a misdemeanor; of a building, it is a low felony; of a habitation, it is a serious felony. The close the crime gets to hurting people, the more serious it is.

Robbery, on the other hand, can only be charged when done directly against a person. It must involve either injury to the other person, or deadly threats. That is the element that makes it a violent crime. It is possible that some states have a different definition that might make it possible without violence, but I would not know that.

Robbery and other property crimes have an effect beyond mere stealing of material possessions. The sense of being violated is very human, and affects the victims directly. The trauma of that is a form of emotional and psychological violence against the person. Violence isn’t limited to physical injury – victims are injured on several levels of their being. Our lawmakers should take that into account when determining the degree of culpability for people committing these crimes.

 

[JMMJ]

I could never live in a solidly red area. I could live in a deep blue area of a red state, though, I suppose.

I love diversity and I am liberal and progressive.

 

[AlNg]

. Here is the link again.

As a group. the New England states Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode island are near the bottom of the list, being the most safe states in America. Provided you are OK with the New England weather, (which can be severe), your best bet for safety is to move to a New England state.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Well, a big one, is that states in the midwest and southeast tend to be much less expensive, and you get more land for less money. Seems like a win to me.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

Well, a big one, is that states in the midwest and southeast tend to be much less expensive, and you get more land for less money. Seems like a win to me.

Assuming you want more land. If we’re talking about people who move when they retire, the last thing a lot of them want is a lot of land to maintain. My dad always says when he retires they’re going to sell the house and buy a condo somewhere within walking distance of stores, restaurants, etc. At some point you zero desire to go mow a huge lawn or shovel a driveway.

 

[Sarcelle]

That’s true.

I am not white so I worry if I will be accepted or not.

I’m sure lots of folk there are lovely but it only takes a few to ruin the experience.

I’m also worried about sundown towns, although I hear you can find it in blue states too.

I lived in a red state before, Indiana, and while people were polite they remained aloof. They weren’t racist, at least most of them weren’t. They preferred to socialize with those they grew up with. The friends I had made there were transplants themselves.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Anne1964:

Cold climate with snow

I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to live in an area that doesn’t get snow. I don’t think I’d like it. Something would be missing.

Some years we do not get snow, or only flurries at the airport or out in the country. Agreed, there is something missing in those years.

And when we do get more than a dusting of snow, the town shuts down. Nobody knows how to drive in it. Like Br’er Rabbit who was “born in the briar patch”, I learned to drive during one winter when it snowed heavily, so I’ve got it down pat. But it’s not you that you have to worry about… it’s the ones who don’t know.

Though I do not live there currently, the metro DC area is utterly hopeless and helpless where snow driving is concerned. When we had THE BIG ONE (1996), I just stayed home, walked to the 7-Eleven for beer, and baked bread.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...izzard-of-1996-that-paralyzed-washington-d-c/

 

[RhodesianSon]

I would never move to state that firearm restrictions greater than what federal law requires.

 

[Fets]

I’ve recently moved back to the red state I grew up in, from a blue state.

I’m really a big subscriber of the Benedict Option. So, let me answer in that context.
Even the reddest U.S. state is still relatively secular, has legal abortion, etc. What I’m getting at, is that Americans are not ‘my people’. Orthodox Catholics are my people. I do feel more comfortable with my neighbors in a red state, than my neighbors in a blue state.
But, if my red state neigbors use contraception, are steeped in U.S. culture (pop stars, Tik Tok, sexual jokes and humor). … I had some roommates like this. They are not my people, is what I’m getting at.

Through the lens of the Benedict Optoin:

1. Moving facilitates the breakup of the family, fuels individualism, destroys communal bonds, etc.
2. If you could move to a place which had a Catholic community which helped you grow your faith, helped educate your kids, etc. You would probably move there.

Our parishes SHOULD be such places, but sadly often they are not. The Benedict Option is a solution to a problem that is doom and gloom. But the really positive thing I’m trying to say is: If Catholics lived in truly intentional communities like Acts 2:42 describes. If Catholic parishes/ communities actually looked like they used to. We could move to any state and be just fine. My Italian ancestors came all the way to Cleveland, OH via New York. They lived in an Italian Catholic community. Those people looked out for each other. They started businesses with each other, got each other jobs. Helped their own widows (see: Knights of Columbus). Neighborhoods and communities don’t mean that nowadays. Except in a few places where they’ve tried to. To be honest, this is what Amish and Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods look like. And, of course, their neighborhoods really do resemble what neighborhoods were like 100-150 years ago.

Interestingly, I would say the People of Praise, which Amy Coney Barrett is from is one such one. I enjoy living in a red state more than a blue one, but all 50 states lack real Catholic communtiies. I’ll be a lot happier when I can find a place to live like that.

 

[Peeps]

Stay away from my state, Illinois.

We are in huge trouble financially. You can look up the details online. Basically, because of a State Constitutional Amendment that was passed in the 1970s, our state worker pension fund MUST be maintained at a high rate, and at this time, we don’t have enough people working to maintain it–but it HAS to be maintained according to the Constitution so that the State Workers can obtain the pensions that they were promised–so our taxes are sky high, and much of that money goes to the pension fund, NOT to maintaining roads, helping schools, etc.

It’s a joke in the states surrounding us (and a sad joke for Illinoisians)–you know you’ve crossed the Illinois state line when your car starts rattling and you fear that you’ve broken an axel. The roads are that bad. Also, many of our bridges are in dire need of repairs, so if you have fear of crossing bridges, that fear may be justified in the Land of Lincoln (Illinois nickname).

Seriously, the tax burden on the middle class in Illinois is awful. And it is a dangerous state, with a high murder rate not just in Chicago, but all over the state. I just read a list of the ten most dangerous cities in Illinois (my city is #1–yay!–oh, wait…waah! )

But Illinois is beautiful, and the topsoil layer is some of the most fertile in the entire world. The fields of corn seem endless, and the rivers, and the forests, and the fairly temperate climate (we get everything–snow, ice, rain, hail, tornadoes, derachos, fog, heat, extreme heat–but it doesn’t last long, and we have many beautiful, sunny, temperate days). And our history is a proud one–we are the State most beloved by Abraham Lincoln, and that’s something to be proud of. And Chief Blackhawk lived along the river near where I live–that’s is also something to be proud of–he was an amazing and brilliant man.

But the tax bill–ouch! If you want to live near Illinois, try Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, or Wisconsin–you can cross our border anytime (and experience the thrill of our bumpy highways!).

 

[Servant31]

I lived in Utah for a while, it sounds like it would hit most of your list. From Salt Lake you could be hiking any weeknight after work (especially the periphery, and especially the east. Of course dark in the winter).

Im not sure about the taxes compared to elsewhere, but there is a certainly some gun culture (but not like when I was in the south ).

The liquor laws could get wonky. The air quality in the winter can get really bad, but there is snow at least, and the fall is short but gorgeous! Catholics are approximately 5% of the population so…be ready . But if you like mountains, they are gorgeous.

 

[Anne1964]

Thanks. I have visited Utah several times and it is beautiful. I’ve been to Salt Lake City and Moab and driven to the Grand Canyon from Salt Lake.

 

[Servant31]

Oh cool. Moab is so neat. I did the canyonlands drive and it was one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon but it’s definitely on the list. I’m assuming is was impressive?

 

[Jen7]

I could never live in a solidly red area. I could live in a deep blue area of a red state, though, I suppose.

I love diversity and I am liberal and progressive.

So you could never live in a red state because it’s differs from your views but you love diversity?

 

[AlNg]

I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to live in an area that doesn’t get snow. I don’t think I’d like it. Something would be missing.

Absolutely right. And a large snowfall is an ideal time to get a little exercise and make money by shoveling people’s sidewalks and driveways.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

So you could never live in a red state because it’s differs from your views but you love diversity?

To be fair, he/she said they didn’t want to live in a solidly red state, presumably meaning a place that was overwhelmingly conservative. That’s not the same thing as saying they want to live in a place where there are no conservatives (which doesn’t exist anyway.)

It’s weird to me that people keep talking about red and blue states as though every state isn’t purple to some degree. You can find very Republican parts of Oregon and California and very Democratic parts of Alabama. Not to mention that there are a lot of states (obviously, based on the election) where Democrats and Republicans are almost 50/50.

 

[Jen7]

True, but I do think there’s an overall “feel” to some states. Not to mention laws can be rather different by red vs blue. I homeschool and will always prefer a red state for that reason. The laws are remarkably less strict in red states and I enjoy that freedom when structuring my kids’ curriculum.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

True, but I do think there’s an overall “feel” to some states. Not to mention laws can be rather different by red vs blue. I homeschool and will always prefer a red state for that reason. The laws are remarkably less strict in red states and I enjoy that freedom when structuring my kids’ curriculum.

Fair point. I guess I’m thinking more about the cultural element and the overall “vibe”, which is I think more about urban/suburban/rural than about which way the state as a whole votes in presidential elections.

I also just don’t like the implication in the question that people can’t get along unless they live in some kind of political monoculture. I live in a pretty blue area of a state that’s gone blue the last few elections. No one hassles each other about politics. People who put up Trump signs in their yards are visibly the minority, but no one steals the signs or vandalizes the house or otherwise harasses them. There are plenty of gun owners. The Catholic diocese leans conservative and TLM is offered regularly. (I just picked those two issues because these seem to be criteria for some people.) It’s not like every “blue” area is Berkeley or every “red” area is rural Alabama.

 

[pnewton]

I lived in Utah for a while, it sounds like it would hit most of your list.

Utah is wonderful. It would be probably the only state I would strike for religious reasons though. The whole separation of Church and State doesn’t seem to apply there with the LDS as powerful as they are. That’s okay I guess, if one is a Mormon.