LOVE : HATE

Seriously stop being a baby it happens every year.... EVERY YEAR!!!!! Next time have some common sense before you start bashing Charleston or just move the heck out of dodge, I am sure we will not miss a whiny little puddin like your self. Have a great day sweetheart!

Sad for a tourist town to advise anyone not to be out after midnight. What good is the beauty, history and ambience when it is not safe to enjoy it? When was the last time the news did not have a story of shooting, abduction, chase or some other violent crime.......is everyone letting their tribal instincts take over.

"is everyone letting their tribal instincts take over"
Welcome to the south. As a part of the country that was settled by mainly Scots and Irish, the clan or tribal instincts never left. That's why this back ass part of the country is still afraid of "Cranky Yankee[s]."Southerners were beaten by them and told they had to be Americans. Now southerners piss themselves whenever they are told to get an education or not look like idiots in public.

del1234 - what city in America advises females to go out alone after dark and especially at midnight or early mornings? Now that I'm older and have kids I understand what my dad meant when he said "nothing good ever happens after 12am". Honestly I wouldn't want my daughter or wife or mother walking around Anytown, USA alone after dark, although I would warn those that feel brave enough to give my 65 year old mother a "try" see if her aim with a .38 special is still accurate.
Oi2d - your comment makes absolutely no sense at all, and yes I may be a complete idiot but I don't understand your point. Why is it that Southerners don't want to be told what to do...isn't it the homosexuals in CA that have been raising the issue that they can't be told what to do, or the union workers in MI that don't like being told what to do? Again I don't truly understand your point so I'm grasping at straws for comparisons here. But we as people don't like to be told what to do, true?
Mad Employee Complainer - hey it's Christmas time and EVERYTHING moves a little slower. Lines at Wal-Mart, traffic, old people on 3 wheeled scooters and most other living things slow down and enjoy the season. We are a tourist town and we like our parades, shows, events, expos and all things "touristie". Unless this is your first year in Charleston then we would have to forgive you for your complaining and bitching because you might not have known there was a Christmas parade downtown. If this isn't your first year then DUH, we have the same parade every year! I'll bet there were signs located along the roads that were closed that stated when, where and what times they would be closed and the news mentioned it multiple times over the last few weeks.
Here is a thought for all of us, including me because I get pissed this time of year when I'm in a hurry and granny is just trying to get to the mall to buy something for the kids...slow down and think God (your special entity) that you live FREELY in a country that lets you celebrate this time of year in whatever fashion you wish. So it took you a little longer to get to work, did you get fired? Did you receive a suspension without pay? Were you beaten and hung from a tree? Enjoy the walk and the freedom you have to walk and work and thank whichever entity you want that your streets are not filled with soldiers and tanks that cause you to be much later than a few minutes!
We have all forgotten our freedoms and take for granted just how good we truly do have it in life.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for all readers!

You live in the best city in the world..idiot. Cry me a river lazy a$$, heaven for bid you have to walk 20 minutes away...Oh no, exercise! When I worked downtown, I had to rollarblade from the HT on Bay street all the way to the Franke Building, even during Hurricane Floyd weather. It was hilarious! You're a miserable fool who will not be happy anywhere..just leave Charleston, we don't want your negative energy anyway.

FROM ONE YANKEE TO ANOTHER:

I'LL EXCUSE YOU THIS TIME,BUT IT'S
ASS-HOLE BACKWARDS,DID YOU FA-GET ????

@Whoa-up, I won't call you an idiot, but I was commenting on the quote about tribal instincts. As far as California homosexuals, there is a difference between not wanting to be told you do not have the rights of a "real person", and not wanting to be told not to make an ass-hat of yourself on a public stage (Joe Wilson), or pay to keep the populace educated (Arthur Ravenell). So while you may not "like"to be told what to do, sometimes there are things you are told to do be cause they are good for society (use a turn signal).
@ Smiley Sunshine Nice Southern Hospitality. I wonder why the city known for those California Homosexuals (San Francisco) was rated as a nicer place than Charleston.

List of other ass backward things:
Where are the street sweepers????? Maybe we should encourage Tow-truck drivers to clean up the road after the many many accidents around here. Next time you’re stopped in traffic on 26 or a red light take a look around and notice all the debris from accidents. Hang arrow signs up with the traffic lights so you know which lane you need to be in when turning. Many major intersections only have the white arrow on the road pavement which you can’t see ahead of time when there are cars covering it. Previously from NY and NJ I was shocked to see the state of the roads and highway systems here. 1 work Horrible! There is no need for it. I’m not bashing the south either because I will mention that on a recent trip to Nashville their roads and highway system were top notch enough put this place to shame!

Oi - thank you for the clarification but i would have to argue it is the people's right to act like idiots (Joe Wilson-even if he did speak the truth)(Love+Hate commenter) just as the homosexuals feel under current law a "life partner" is entitled to benefits. We all scream "our rights" when things are not working in our favor and forget about "our rights" when our tiny little world is good and peaceful. We are deffinitely a greedy/needy bunch.

Smiley Sunshine - while I see the reasoning behind your question I would like to pose one to you (and I'm not from the north) but without all the tourist and relocated notheastern and mid-western people where do you think we (the entire state of SC) would get their money? The south has never been a wealthy bunch (funding was not there during the great war of the states thus our reason for loss) but the carpet baggers from the north have always had money and plenty of it. So I say welcome them to town and thank them every time they eat out, buy a home or shop at local stores because without them we would still be dirt poor driving on dusty dirt roads around Park Circle.

Vam - street sweepers??? Instead of sitting in the car and wondering where all the crap came from why not pick it up. Most of the street sweepers have been parked due to money or better yet the lack of. I would much rather volunteer to help clean up road ways and water ways and spend street sweeper money on our kids in classrooms. Yeah we know teachers all have a great life with summers off but does the general population know that Dorchester Dist II is making teachers take 6 days off without pay this year. Our kids still have to learn but we are going to force our teachers to do it without pay...FUCK a street sweeper and get off your Star Bucks drinking ass and pick up the trash. And as for the roadways and how difficult it is to move around this city...yeah all I can say is Jersey Pike. Talk about a complete abortion...and dirty!

"to my knowledge nothing was ever mentioned to me".
Seriously?
That about sums it up right there. You are a moron. And any transplant living here by their own free will and still complaining about how ass-backwards things are here is also a moron. Find somewhere more to your liking and STFU.

@Whoa Joe Wilson actually did not have the right to do what he did. He did not have the right to insult the office of the President, he did not have the right to interrupt the president during the presidents address to congress (effectively like interrupting a judge in court), and he did not have the right to embarrass the state of South Carolina in front of the rest of the world.
Perhaps you should spend more time learning about your rights are, and not what you believe you are entitled to.

Oi2dWrld-I assume you're posting from Charleston, and I'm sure you're tired of hearing "if you don't like it here, leave, etc. etc.", but seriously, why are you residing in this "back ass part of the country"(your words)?? Could it possibly be because where you are from sucks even worse? You are the ass-hat if you choose to live somewhere that you seem to despise so.

Whoa-up. Why am I bent out of shape about the roads and the lack of maintenance???? One word PRIDE where is Charleston's Pride???
Starbucks is overrated I prefer Dunkin! As far as kids and school there's another one to add to the list. Not sure who's to blame for that mess.

@world School.

Oi2dWrld-So you came to what you consider an "ass backward" town to further your education. Oh the irony.

Oi - again people have the right to act as they wish and there is no law that will or can dispute that. BUT there are laws that when broken by people acting or doing things some term idiotic that have consequences. One may think they can driver I26 at 100mph and if they wish to do so then go ahead, but the law says if you exceed XXmph you will receive a ticket or more. Joe Wilson has the right to speak, although it was at an inappropriate time and if you will kindly re-read my post to you I never said I agreed with what Mr. Wilson did but he does have the right to speak, true? Seriously, embarrass the state of SC...why does everybody feel that he has embarrasses the entire state? If that's truly the case then the President embarrassed the entire nation as he felt compelled to bow before the prince of a Middle Eastern country or the Asian PM on his last trip abroad. It is absolutley absurd! Where did you see in my post that I said anybody was entitled to anything except for the reference that "life partners" feel entilted to certain things not currently recognized by law? The only reason I use that case is because it was stated in the very first post. So maybe you should go back and read what people are entitled to vs what our rights are. Other than under man made law we have but 1 right/entitlement after birth...DEATH!

Vam - the PRIDE in Charleston is there, although reading most of these post and the "letter" that started this discussion one would not believe so. But you speak of PRIDE and I ask you "do you have this PRIDE and what have you done to show it"? If you see trash have you stopped to pick it up or do as noted in your first post and point a finger at another group and ask "why didn't they do it"? We all have an obligation to leave this world as we found it or better but we don't and instead point fingers and think it's always somebody else's responsibility and I too am guilty of this on occasion. As for the schools, we all are guilty of failing the next generation and their education...we as a population place a higher importance on athelets and actors/actresses instead of on education! How does somebody doing what started out as a fun past time in the backyard (football, baseball...) become a multi-million dollar requirement as a professional? If that is the case then all the little girls that played house as kids should be paid the same as adults when they become that stay at home mom or the boys that played cops and robbers should get a multi-million dollar contract to be police officers.

we can argue rights and entitlements all day everyday and we all have our opinions thus no one person will ever win. But in the end many will lose and it looks like we are on the fast track to that loss and I for one find it disheartening and sad. And again everybody points fingers and blames current presidents or past presidents or their neighbor or the gay couple down the street or the white trailer trash in rural America but the blame looks all of us back in the mirror every morning.

my whole problem is the crime and stupidity here. the first thing thing it seems that people do here is grab a gun or strike someone. don't be out late by yourself or......why can't someone walk the downtown at night, sit out late in a cafe and enjoy life. so much potential and charm is lost in Charleston with the violence and crime. how can such a small place rank on the most violent cities list??

The original comment and all of these others are pretty ridiculous. I feel ridiculous having wasted my time reading all of this, and, as I write, I ask myself why am I responding to it??!!!