The Region Haters? Why?

[ROLEXrifleman]

So why does the rest of Indiana hate us so much?
I'm a Chicago boy transplanted out here 5 years ago and never even new nwi was called the region till I did my time at ILEA 2 years ago.

So why the hate?

 

[96firephoenix]

NWI = Eastern Chicago to the rest of IN

Reasons to hate... East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Not on EST with the rest of us... Lake county....

Just to name a few. Its not really hate of NWI, so much as it is the 3 cities I mentioned.

 

[ATOMonkey]

Too much Chicago in the Region.

 

[Rob54]

So why does the rest of Indiana hate us so much?
I'm a Chicago boy transplanted out here 5 years ago and never even new nwi was called the region till I did my time at ILEA 2 years ago.

So why the hate?

The Region votes the same as Chicago. Lake County is primarily Democratic and remains that way because of the 3 cities mentioned. We are the only county in the state that does not impose an income tax on ourselves. This could change! We have always had enough taxes from the big industries to sustain our needs, but recent legislation has imposed limits that make it harder to continue the "good life" that our politicians are used to. Finally and probably the biggest factor; our elected officials are viewed as crooked, and frankly, many have been indicted for dipping into the trough. Hard to change this image!

 

[Eric05]

I got to school with some people form the "Region". Mostly great people. I really do not like Chicago so I guess I avoid that entire area of the country.

 

[Kagnew]

Any area whose most famous product was Michael Jackson sure has my vote!

 

[Ginger89]

The midwest is just a hated place for being "boring." If you know where to look theres some amazing things in all of the states.

 

[CTS]

I've never heard that term before now and I've lived in the Fort Wayne area my entire life.

 

[pitbulld45]

Dont hate the Region just smart enough to stay away.

 

[mrburtreynoldsou]

I grew up in Michiana, and everyone hated the region.

 

[Rob54]

Dont hate the Region just smart enough to stay away.

The "Region" is not a bad place to live. There are jobs here...I always said that it smells like money, cause many people don't care for the smell of industries like BP, Arcelor Mittal, US Steel, Lever Bros., Cargill, and about a thousand smaller chemical plants. South end of the region is more agricultural and has somewhat less traffic. The Hyways can be a pita! Not unlike the Indy area. I stay out of Chicago as much as possible. The traffic and costs are outrageous! Here in Lake county we enjoy a low cost of living and lower taxes. This has attracted a lot of IL people to cross the border.

The rest of the state DOES treat us badly. Roads, bridges, major construction projects all suffer because Indy politics keeps our money. On the good side, we have Cabelas, Bass Pro, and Blythes.

 

[Kagnew]

I've never heard that term before now and I've lived in the Fort Wayne area my entire life.

Maybe that's because Fort Wayne isn't in the Region (aka the Calumet Region). It's primarily Lake County.

 

[nox]

Because every 'region rat' I ran into in college wouldn't shut up about being from Chicago when they were actually from Valporaiso or Crystal Lake, etc...

 

[Kedric]

I'd never heard of the term until I read this thread either.

 

[Expat]

Bunch of Region Rats....

 

[indiucky]

Funny accents?

 

[Leo]

I was a Region rat, raised by immigrants who worked in the mills. I spent about the same amount of years on the Illinios side of the line as the Indiana side. If you head east from Calumet city, Il, you will cross into Indiana without even knowing it. The same goes for ridge road leaving Munster into Lansing IL. There is very little difference between the sides of that line. There is however, a huge difference between that area and the rest of the state. I have not been up that way in a while, it used to be that things got rural and politics changed pretty quick south of Crown Point.

 

[chef larry]

So why does the rest of Indiana hate us so much?
I'm a Chicago boy transplanted out here 5 years ago and never even new nwi was called the region till I did my time at ILEA 2 years ago.

So why the hate?

I have been transplanted here since 1975 fron the south side of Chicago 63rd and western/ Marquette Park and Joliet. Don't miss the greater Chicago area one bit, how can anyone say this area is a part of the city when you drive thru Lake Shore Drive in Michigan City and Long Beach IN. and see 99.9% of the cars with Illinois plates in the driveways of multimillion dollar homes. Just how big are the region area lines ?

 

[roisigns]

When I was a kid, I had some cousins in Dyer. Those cousins introduced me to most of the seven deadly sins.

Two of my four cousins died of lifestyle related causes at ages 35 and 49. Too much drugs, smoking, drinking, adultery.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Because every 'region rat' I ran into in college wouldn't shut up about being from Chicago when they were actually from Valporaiso or Crystal Lake, etc...

This... I don't hate the region, but it does seem they like they always think theyre from Chicago.