In a post on Reddit’s popular r/AskReddit forum, a user going by u/af1xd asked Reddit to choose the worst state in America. With close to 30,000 comments and 55,000 upvotes, the thread came to a startlingly unanimous conclusion: Mississippi is, according to Redditors, the worst state in the US by a landslide.
Top commenter u/asianpeterson, with over 32,000 votes, jokingly argued that the post should have been, “What is the worst US state, and why is it Mississippi?” Other commenters agreed, saying that the post could have been better off as “the second worst state after Mississippi.”
Why Do People Believe Mississippi is The Worst State?
Other Redditors offered evidence for Mississippi being the worst state. u/RedBeardedMex, a truck driver with 15 years of experience in his field, cited poor quality roads as a primary reason for his dislike of the state. Other reasons he gave were poor regulation leading to facilities that are badly maintained and the drab and uninspired architecture. He also stated that “[when] construction zones are finished and cleared, they’ll leave the construction speed limit signs up so they can legally ticket you even though there’s no more construction.”
Several commenters raised the point that Mississippi is ranked 50th out of all 50 states in terms of quality of life, education, and health care, while u/mahoujosei stated that Mississippi has the “[highest] poverty rate, lowest life expectancy, [and] poor infrastructure.”
The Redditors opinions are backed by data, according to World Population Review, an independent company with the aim of delivering demographic and population data in easy-to-understand formats. In an ongoing report, states are awarded points based on a rating scale of 35-65 points, based on “healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and the natural environment.” Mississippi is ranked dead last with 39.77 points and has consistently been at the bottom of the rankings since 2017.
Commenters also remarked on the racism in Mississippi, with two separate commenters saying that while visiting Mississippi or talking to persons from Mississippi, they encountered instances of white people openly using racial slurs for Black and Asian Americans.
u/Cathef claimed that while living in Mississippi for work in the 90s, they had trouble renting a house because the neighborhoods were segregated, and landlords in the “white” part of town “did not know us and were afraid we would mingle with black people.”
“I worked at a staffing temporary agency,” u/Cathef went on to say. “I actually had a bank that called and needed a receptionist for a few weeks while theirs was out. The manager came out and said, ‘do not send me a (hard R word again.) I quit that job, too. At the time we did not have children, but I was told there was a white school and a black school. I asked how in the world they could get away with that! I was told, “The white school is a private school, and we keep the tuition high enough that the blacks [can’t] afford it”.
Some Social Media Users Defended The State
While almost everyone agreed that Mississippi was the worst, others sought to enlighten Reddit about the redeeming qualities of the state. u/Obvious-Dinner-5695 said that while they agree Mississippi has a lot of downsides, the low cost of living was enough incentive to keep them living there. In addition to the low cost of living, u/DiscoMetalGirl mentioned the Natchez Trace as a good reason to visit Mississippi.
According to the National Park Service, Natchez Trace, which runs through Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, is “a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states. It roughly follows the “Old Natchez Trace,” a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, ‘Kaintucks,’ European settlers, slave traders, soldiers, and future presidents.”
Redditor u/Infinite_Push_, who claimed to be a teacher in Mississippi, stated that family ties keep them from leaving but that “[there] are some good things about this state, but there are definitely plenty of bad things too. We are not all small-minded and hateful. There is a ton of good art and music. There are also highly educated and intelligent people here. We have some beautiful rivers and creeks, hardwood forests that have been doggedly protected, and quirky little pockets of charm.”
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u/doooom argued that Mississippi has a lot to offer, particularly in the Gulfport Beach area. They stated that Gulfport gave them not only a nearby beach but also access to casinos and a short drive to New Orleans. The problem, the Redditor said, is that “[there] are so many things in Mississippi that are good, but […] the people who live there don’t even appreciate it.”
They went on to say that Mississippi “was the most clannish place I’ve ever been. No one wants to make new friends or […] do anything. I’ve never seen people be so powerfully apathetic.”
Other States Cited As “The Worst”
Other Redditors made the case that Mississippi was not the worst state.
One commenter, who has since deleted their account, believed Ohio was the worst, saying, “Most of the astronauts have come from Ohio. There’s something about that state that makes people want to leave the […] planet.”
“There is a reason they don’t call it ‘Greatlahoma’ or even ‘Goodlahoma’,” u/vitium said, jokingly putting forth Oklahoma as the worst state.
“I lived in Alabama for a summer job, back in the northeastern hills,” said u/Fake_Southern_IL, positing Alabama as the worst of the worst. “Neighbor’s adult son trespassed on my land, shot a snake, and tied it to my gate. There’s more subtle ways to let me know I’m not welcome.”
Do you agree with Reddit? Is Mississippi the worst state in the US or do you think some other state should take the crown?
This article was produced by TPR Teaching. This article does not necessarily represent our own opinions and views. Source.
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