A little life-lesson about Maryland (Peoples Republik of) from an ex-Marylander.
*Born/raised in Hyattsville, MD. (DC/Metro area). Moved to St.Mary's County
(SoMD) when I got married because of crime and high taxes. (State, County
and City taxes). Things were better for a while, then crime, development and
taxes came to St.Mary's. Was a victim (several times) of property crimes in
St. Mary's. Police respose was lacking. The "demographics" were changing,
and family values and respect for others was disappearing. This was the 1970's
*Moved to Calvert County, Md in the 1980s and into a gated community for a
(hopefully) better situation. More taxes, plus the gated community fees (which
escalated yearly), again police and other services were lacking and the gated
community let itself go down hill. I even got on the community board and tried
to make things better, but special interests and politics (state and county)
prevailed.
*Meanwhile state taxes (income, property and sales taxes as well as other
"taxes" called "user fees" and the like continued to escalate and the welfare
state population in MD increased as well. Crime went through the roof, the
schools went into the toilet, public safety is a joke and the average citizen
has no rights whatsoever. (You got to get a friggin' PERMIT to add an elec-
trical outlet in your OWN HOME! Just ONE outlet!) You have to pay the
State for EVERYTHING! Taxes on your income, "user fees" for public facilities
that are ALREADY paid for with your TAXES (such as boat ramps, parks, etc.)
*When you drive on MD roads you pay one of the HIGHEST prices in the
Nation for gasoline because of State Fuel Taxes! The State Police (aka...
"revenue collection agents") spend more time writing tickets for small stuff
and less time actually working on REAL traffic safety (and FORGET any anti-
crime work or timely response to emergencies!)
*When you go to a shopping center or most any other public place, you take
your life in your hands because in The People's Republik of Maryland the
criminal has MORE RIGHTS than YOU do!
*Oh! By the way! As a Texan, you should appreciate THIS! In MD you CANNOT
defend yourself or carry a weapon for protection! IT'S THE LAW! Doesn't
matter if you have been a victim of a violent crime or anything else! The
average law-abiding citizen CANNOT defend themself in MD without 'infringing
upon the rights' of the criminal! Women are routinely victimized in MD with
no support from the justice system or laws. The schools are rampant with
gang activities, even in the "good" counties such as Montgomery and Howard
where the incomes are higher and people carry more political sway. It's on
the news daily! Yet the Governor and the State Legislature ROUTINELY do
NOTHING to stop this! This is why so many people don't want their children
in MD schools!
*MD's school system has been on the scholastic decline for at least 20 years
with no end in sight. Thanks to "enlightened" teachers who are more concerned
with salary negotiations than with performing to their job descriptions plus
the interference of the Democratic State Government which dictates that
the schools should teach about such things as "alternative life-styles",
"proper contraception methods" , and "cultural diversity and appreciation"
while basic skills such as Reading, Writing, and Mathematics are left behind.
Don't believe me? Go to ANY business in MD and see how many "high-school
graduates" can make change or read product information. Listen to MD
newscasters (TV "journalists") and how they report on "Kids" "busting up
stuff" and how people "disrespect" each other and how one should work
on thier "cred", etc. This is on network TV! (For the record" PEOPLE have
CHILDREN and GOATS have KIDS.) You can even drive the MD State roads
and see NUMEROUS ROAD SIGNS mis-spelled! THIS should indicate how the
schools are in the "Free State". BTW...Don't even THINK of saying things
in MD such as "Merry Christmas" as THAT is "infringing upon the rights of
others"! It's even an OFFENSE to do this in schools! (And it is enforced MUCH
more actively than things such as weapons and fighting!)
*TAXES! MD has the second HIGHEST tax rate in the Country! And it has the
second LOWEST service rate in the Country! Check the stats! The governor
has jsut increased the sales tax rate and has raised property assessments
over 400% in most cases! The counties in MD follow right behind the State
as they are allowed up to 50% of the rate of State taxation. And if you live
in an incorporated city you will get hit for ANOTHER 50% rate! yet at this
moment the State is $1 BILLION + in the hole! MORE tax hikes are planned!
Several Counties (such as Baltimore County and Prince Georges County are
bankrupt and have instituted hiring freezes and service cutbacks...even in
public safety services!)
Over 75% of the tax revenues collected in MD go out to "entitlement programs"
for the people who don't choose to work and whose main form recreation is
replication. (After all, you get "more money" every time you have another
child!)
*After living through the 1990's and into the "new millenium" in the "Free
State", I and my wife finally reached retirement and our families had all died
off. We also became a statistic again by becoming victims of VIOLENT crime!
We went to court (with SEVERAL other victims of the same criminals ... poor
"misguided" "kids") where these "children" proceeded to OPENLY LAUGH at us
in court with NO repercussions and were LET OFF with ADMONISHMENTS!
These same "misguided" "kids" later attempted to KILL a State Police officer
during the commission of a FELONY crime! They STILL were returned to the
streets because the courts felt it was "cruel and inhuman" and "detrimental"
to confine them to jail!
*In 2003 my wife and I finally completed our escape plans, sold our home,
packed our belongings and LEFT the "Free State" and haven't looked back!
Our grown children are still behind TRYING to raise their families in MD and
make a decent living that they can have a PART of to buy homes and food.
At least one of our children is making plans to escape in the near future to
our location because they, too, want their children to grow up and survive
in a better place.
*We now live in another state where we enjoy a MUCH better standard of
living, people are friendly and honest, crime is VERY much lower due to a
better level of police protection and also FAMILY VALUES in our area! We
have MANY community events, the school system is in the upper 25% in the
Nation, taxes are MUCH lower compared to what we paid in MD, and a
greater portion is returned to the local areas! I also enjoy property rights,
the freedom to protect and defend my home and family, and development
is limited sensibly by the local government which is run by local people who
actually have a stake and a say in how things are done!
And before people here start wondering...I retired with over 40 years in
public safety! So I have a SLIGHT idea of what I'm talking about!
...
[/QUOTE]
I was born and raised here on a tobacco farm. Been here 50 years now. I love St. Mary's or should I say loved St. Mary's until just here lately. Everyone knew everyone back in the day and even if you didn't you were taught and used manners on the roads and just in everyday life as in holding the door open for someone, saying thank you, being pleasant to people, pulling on the side of the road for funerals out of respect. You didn't lock you doors because you didn't have to. You don't see much of this this anymore and it's very sad to of watched all the changes that have taken place throughout the years. Everyone is in such a big hurry to get nowhere and they don't care who they hurt in the process.
) and not get bothered or really have to worry about many cars driving around even... You really get the best of both worlds back there (you could even walk out to the stores I mentioned if you really wanted to...its not more than a couple of miles probably...but personally we just took a drunken walk to sheetz and picked up some breakfast 
and yes...I understand that walking intoxicated on the shoulder of the road is a bad idea...it is not something i'd do on a regular basis lol.)
I lived in MS. for 20 yrs........My Mother/Grandmother/Pa-paw born and reared in Tallahatchie Co.........You want to debate MS. history?..
