Florida Crackers

[Fulanito de Tal]

Recently, I've been made aware of the Florida Cracker Community pride. I was in Ft. Myers and saw many cars with stickers on them that say "Florida Cracker" (example: http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+florida-cracker+bumper-stickers). The term is used for white people whose family has been in Florida for several generations. The pride comes from being a "real Floridian" as opposed to people that moved here more recently from places like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Also, as stated before, they are white, so not a bunch of lazy, mooching, genetically inferior black people (sarcastic, of course). I cracked up when I saw my first Florida Cracker sticker and got my friend to look at it. She was from Ft. Myers thought it was normal and explained to me what the sticker meant.

Anyway, to me it seems racist and xenophobic.

Also, if there was a competition as to what family has been in the Ft. Myers are the longest, I think it would be someone from the Calusa tribe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calusa).

This leads me to the following definition.

Ignorance: the white man's bliss.

[Raúl Duke]

Puerto Rico

Do you mention this because you're thinking of me? :wub:

Or are you thinking of the community in Orlando?


Recently, I've been made aware of the Florida Cracker Community pride. I was in Ft. Myers and saw many cars with stickers on them that say "Florida Cracker"

I've seen a few, and mostly only in SWFL.

This probably has to do with the fact that northerners are moving into SWFL.


She was from Ft. Myers thought it was normal and explained to me what the sticker meant.

Over time you just get used to the absurdities of SWFL (Ft.Myers)...



Also, if there was a competition as to what family has been in the Ft. Myers are the longest, I think it would be someone from the Calusa tribe

The Calusa as a group are...to my knowledge, non-existent. The Seminoles however claim continuity, in a way, and are also perhaps the longest cultural group in this region.

In reality, this sticker and all it entails doesn't really mean much for long. SWFL for the most part is a cultural back-water despite small efforts into making some cultural scene (I can probably think of 3 examples/cases but they're all small and/or dead). More and more northerners are coming, or were, and are in a sense replacing these "Florida Crackers" so they'll be gone and/or "assimilated"/influenced by the northerners.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Florida is probably one of the least favorite states.

[Tablo]

Same here. I really can't stand Florida, particularly Southern Florida.

[the last donut of the night]

florida is quite literally the dick of the country

[Bright Banana Beard]

I am so glad that I move out of Florida. Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Pine Ridge, and Naples are one big clusterfuck that deserved to be stink into the ocean.

Seriously, who the fuck let those suburb lives on when it is so fucking costy?

[Os Cangaceiros]

My grandfather lived on Pine Island for a while. We'd drive into Cape Coral and the other surrounding cities often...god, what a depressing place.

[Il Medico]

The west coast is just as bad, people.

Also, I'm technically a Florida cracker, as I was born in the state.

I want out, damn you Grand Rojo, I'm jealous. :(

[Raúl Duke]

I'm so ambivalent being here...it's not like I'll ever be trapped here though.


Same here. I really can't stand Florida, particularly Southern Florida. I think a distinction should be made. South-East Florida could be "ok", or is relatively better than South-West Florida. In the South-East, I particularly am ok with Miami to some degree and towards the Palm Beach area. Although I do dislike Ft.Lauderdale, perhaps irrationally. It's as clustered and crazy high-ways like Miami and is probably like Miami but not as "unique." I also heard Boca Raton is a shit-hole.

For the South-West, one could say that Naples and certain areas like downtown Ft. Myers are "interesting" but obviously that's a stretch and it depends. Naples is only interesting if you have a lot of money. In general though, SWFL is a sad depressing place. There was a time, I heard, that in Cape Coral there was a small local music scene happening due to churches allowing themselves to be venues but that's no longer the case anymore and thus cape coral is certain cape coma. Lehigh Acres is famous for all the wrong reasons a suburb would ever want to be famous and is a shit-hole. Some parts of Cape Coral actually look like Lehigh Acres.

I hear rumors that parts of Orlando and St. Augustine is cool. To some, Tampa is nice but I'm skeptical. They say Sarasota is good for surfing and/or can be kinda a hippy haven but I also heard reports that it's awfully dull. However, the rest of Florida is also seemingly boring and north Florida, particularly the panhandle, is seemingly hell.

Also, for some reason I always think that in the end California is similar to Florida...therefore I'm not really interested in moving to the west coast. In the future, you'll probably see me in either NYC, NJ, or somewhere in New England (Providence, Boston, Vermont).

[Bright Banana Beard]

Lehigh Acres, I literally cried when I went there, thanks God that I was the one driving the car.

[Fulanito de Tal]

Do you mention this because you're thinking of me? :wub:

Or are you thinking of the community in Orlando?


I didn't know you were Boricua til now. I went to the tax collectors office in Lehigh and saw a good proportion of what I though were Port-o-Ricans. Is there not a large community of Puerto Ricans in the Fort?


I like Florida, specifically Orlando. I think it depends on whom you hang out with. If you stick to the white people, it can get a bit snobby and judgmental, especially college students (that may be any US state). But, if you diversify your crew, it is pretty nice. I ride bike down a long trail here and 80-90% of the people smile or say hi. In contrast, I spent a summer in Illinois and felt completely out of place there. I noticed people in Illinois were VERY friendly to my face, but they seemed hypocritical. For example, people would say, "We should do something this weekend." Then, the weekend would come and nothing would happen. Maybe it was the town I was in and my Floridian cultural lens not understanding what the people really meant, but I still prefer Florida.

[Il Medico]

I hear rumors that parts of Orlando and St. Augustine is cool. Orlando has the theme parks and St. Augstine has cool ol building, otherwise they're shit.
To some, Tampa is nice but I'm skeptical. Tampa is better than were I live now, but thats just because its a city. Ybor City is actually a really fun place though. Downtown St.Pete and Clearwater beach are also other fun places over here. But otherwise its pretty shit.
They say Sarasota is good for surfing and/or can be kinda a hippy haven but I also heard reports that it's awfully dull. Meh.

However, the rest of Florida is also seemingly boring and north Florida, particularly the panhandle, is seemingly hell.

Basically, everything north of Brooksville is utter shit, that is where FL actually turns into a southern state. Crystal River, Inverness, all of it. terrible. Ocala is like Caricature of shitty 1970's Fl, same with Gainsville. The Panhandle sucks too. There nothing decent till you make it to Atlanta basically.

[Who?]

New York, now that's a real state.

[Tablo]

New York, now that's a real state.
Fuck New York. Alabama is where it's at!

[Il Medico]

Alabama is where it's at!
If by 'it' you mean utter misery. Only state I've been to that sucks even more than FL.

[Tablo]

If by 'it' you mean utter misery. Only state I've been to that sucks even more than FL.
That's cause you haven't been to any of the good parts.... fuck you're right. D:

[Raúl Duke]

Orlando has the theme parks and St. Augstine has cool ol building, otherwise they're shit.I've been told there's pretty cool people in Winter Park/etc and/or maybe a local music scene.

Also, the only reason why I was told Augustine was pretty cool was in relation to Flagler College.


I spent a summer in Illinois and felt completely out of place there. I noticed people in Illinois were VERY friendly to my face, but they seemed hypocritical. For example, people would say, "We should do something this weekend." Then, the weekend would come and nothing would happen.

I get that here...in Florida. lol but it's usually because of transportation issues.


I didn't know you were Boricua til now. I went to the tax collectors office in Lehigh and saw a good proportion of what I though were Port-o-Ricans. Is there not a large community of Puerto Ricans in the Fort?


Not that I know of...

I'm not the regular Puerto Rican though...

[Catmatic Leftist]

Chicago is pretty nice. But it's too cold.

[Who?]

Fuck New York. Alabama is where it's at!

Whatever dude, you guys don't have Vampire Weekend.

[Raúl Duke]

New York, now that's a real state.


Fuck New York. Alabama is where it's at!


Chicago is pretty nice. But it's too cold.

I thought this was a thread about Florida.

Personally, I think the north-east coast area is where it's at.

I remember one poster here once said that Russia was "the Florida of Europe."
Mostly in reference to the fact that in Florida, particularly last year, there was a lot of dumb criminal news stories and other shenanigans.

[Fulanito de Tal]

I think we should all realize that without Florida, we would not have been able to make fun of the 2000 presidential elections. So obviously, Florida is the best state as measured on any parameter by any scale.

Meters -- Optimum amount of them
Density -- Floats flush right with the ocean
Self-esteem -- It's so good, we need cops to help persuade suicides
Fountains of youth -- The only one
Lightning -- Highest amount of strikes
Miami Riots of 80 and 82 -- Only Florida has Miami, FL
Time-Space-Rice&Beans -- We've got five dimensions, one of which is actually two dimensions

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

yes florida is shit
all of it tbh
is this news to anybody?
some of the most hideous and flagrant racial segregation and bigotry ive ever seen was in nw fla (deep south part of the state)
all of it is shit tho
the worst of mcdonaldization, neoliberal, sunbelt, new right, suburban sprawl, raeganomics, gentrification, gusanos and everything disgusting about the united states

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

except the miami heat which are the bomb

[Blackscare]

Fort Meyers is a good place to be drunk.


Clearwater is less shitty though, and that ain't saying much.


Clearwater has a place in my heart :blushing:

[Raúl Duke]

lol, Clearwater...
I never been there...but isn't that the place where there's a few scientologists running wild?

[Bright Banana Beard]

Have anyone lived in Miami? How is life there? How easy it is to do drugs and go to club afterward and how often? I have seen many Miamians love Miami and I don't get it. I guess it have to do with knowing a lot of people as they were born and raise there. Personally for me, I do not like Miami as it is one big giant clusterfuck or half-suburb/ half-urban and it is not very walkable as they claimed it is.

[Fulanito de Tal]

^

I grew up in Miami til I was 18 y/o and will never live there again. The traffic is horrendous, the crime is out of control, and the people in the streets are rude as fuck.

Drugs are SUPER easy to do depending on what city you are in. In Hialeah, you could walk down a side street while smoking a joint and nothing will happen. You'll probably have a harder time doing that in Coral Gables. Coke is almost as abundant as Coca-Cola (lol). Acid is harder to get. You can get ecstasy at a club if you know how to find it. Regardless, with the right contacts, you can get anything delivered to you anywhere in the city for cheap compared to other Florida cities.

It's hard to meet knew people in Miami as people are on the defense there. They don't trust others unless they have known you since they were young or you were introduced by someone they trust.

[Tifosi]

Daytona isn't a very nice place. Went to the beach, the area next the beach wasn't the best place to be, just a mess. Some dude got attacked by a shark, just a piss poor place to go.

[Il Medico]

lol, Clearwater...
I never been there...but isn't that the place where there's a few scientologists running wild?
Please son, Clearwater is where that shit began. If you get anywhere near their head quarters you better get out your floaties, cause you'll be swimming in em'.

[Raúl Duke]

I grew up in Miami til I was 18 y/o and will never live there again. The traffic is horrendous, the crime is out of control, and the people in the streets are rude as fuck.

hahaha, I have the same impression. I mean, Miami is "unique" but it's really shit in terms of traffic and rude people.


Personally for me, I do not like Miami as it is one big giant clusterfuck or half-suburb/ half-urban and it is not very walkable as they claimed it is. __________________

QFT

Ft. Lauderdale is about the same.


I have seen many Miamians love Miami and I don't get it. I guess it have to do with knowing a lot of people as they were born and raise there.

They love Miami because...they're just the stupid people in Miami probably. lol