Check out a New York Times story on Columbus

Unfortunately the article does not reflect favorably on Columbus. The writers made the community and citizens to look like a bunch of redneck hicks.
How sad. This article only confirms the stereotypes that are already portrayed in the media.

I have to agree with Scott.
New Yorkers,those in D.C.,Boston or East coast think they are better then the rest of us in the West.
When traveling to the nations capitol the business people acted like they were doing us a big favor.Pushy and very unfriendly.
I appreciate the people in the corn belt all the way to the Sand Hills and ranches.

Can we all say this story makes us all look like hill billies, drunks and sluts. EXAMPLES.... unruly goatee, where you can buy a beer at 10 in the morning. A BUNCH of the guys drove straight to a bar after being laid off, the most anti-union town on the planet, by 19 she had her first child. The man she is now with brought one child to the relationship, and together the couple have had three more. They are engaged but there are no plans for a wedding. These are just a few of bad comments about living in Columbus they made. Not the kind of publicity I would want.

I agree the article casts Columbus as a town of red-necked hicks. and that is the way an outsider from NYC views us. Remember that he is writing for his audience, high-brow, well educated who read the Times for a "world view." I didn't see or hear anything that was inaccurate. the reporter doesn't get out much 90% of the United States is similar to Columbus and not his world. I don't know how else the article could have been written.

I had a customer at work tell me she read this. She thought that Columbus sounded like a great place to live. Slower, safer, and a more basic way of life. She did ask if there was anything other then a Wal-Mart to shop at. Sadly my answer was, Omaha is only an hour away. About the time it takes her to go to work.

"The city's emphasis on business and unfettered growth is reflected in the stretch of strip malls on the road that bisects the town. the dozens of stores include a lot of fast-food restaurants, a Wal-Mart, a J.C. Penney store and check-cashing outlets."

well,what can you expect from a bunch of prudes....look at the carpet bagger from ark they elected senator...lol the article should be used for an english class...on how not to write...The article is insulting at times but at the same time alittle bit true....Other than the graffitti problem and the gangs coming into our schools,Our community is what I said....OURS....The sign Columbus open for business is one stupid sign in my opinion Because the traffic is going to make a 20 mile deteur to shop?.A lot of business are suffering from the viaduct closer anyway,How did the times pick columbus,or are they just jealous of our community....

I felt that the overall feel from the article paints a really good picture of Columbus. One that would make others envy us. I Think what everyone is not realizing is that the writer for the Times is not making this up as he goes, he is quoting those that live here. As far as the bar being open at 10 am thats just smart business. lots of people stop by the bar after work to socialize with co-workers and wind down before heading home, should this be any different for those who work 3rd shift, after all our morning is their evening. So I think that if you are offended and are going to lay blame, at least place it where it belongs, not on the reporter, but on those who gave him the information that is offending you

i too think it paints a good pic of the people of columbus. what i dont think it says accurately is low wages, terrible economic development, schools are on the decline, ect ect ect. Glad i'm just a hick from the country.

dont know why my last post wasnt posted i had some choice things to say about Behlen

I thought you could get a beer by 8:00 AM.

Once, while traveling, I was asked by someone from the east coast if we had radios here. I told him only the wealthy did. He asked if anyone had television. I said I had heard of that but wasn't sure what it was. Maybe I helped perpetuate the stereotype but I thought if you're that naïve to think we're that far behind the rest of the country then I just as well feed him some BS.

It doesn't paint a glowing picture of Columbus, but I don't think it paints a bad picture either. As it says, the layoffs that have happened here are a direct result of the nationwide economic crisis. But think of other parts of the country where the layoffs have been 10 times worse. Specifically Detroit. At least we don't have a problem with foreclosures and empty houses. Things could be much worse. It's not good that people have lost jobs, but I think the affected companies in town have done a good job keeping as many employees as they can.

There is nothing wrong with this article at all. The story is no different than any other small town. If you work overnight (graveyard shift) then many will go and have some beers because that is no different than the "normal happy hour!" The guy decided to go to workforce development becuase he thought of his family. That is great. You go to any other town anywhere in the United States then it will be the same story. We have tons of manufacturing companies and we are fortunate in one hand, but on the other hand, it brings trouble and crime. However you look at it, it describes a small town and if you took the state away from Columbus, it could be dang near any other town in any state that has a "Columbus" in it. Face it, our town is very blue collar and there is nothing wrong with that!

I don't think it was a bad article at all. So often you read these articles from big city newspapers and they paint small town life as hell. This writer didn't do that at all and didn't seem to bring any bias to the article whatsoever. He talked plenty about some of the good things the town has going for it even though the article was about layoffs and the poor economy.

Maybe I have also perpetuated the stereotype:
I was asked on a forum recently why I stay in Nebraska-my reply...we finally have indoor toilets, they put motors in the covered wagons, the Indians don't bother us near as much as they use to...we have control over our weapons, heck we don't even lock our doors anymore...why would I leave??
Had many replies...I had to do a little history research to answer some of the inquiries...LOL...actually it ended up, they were mostly jealous of how we live

You might be from Columbus if: It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase, 'One nation, under God.'


You might be from Columbus if: You've never protested about seeing the 10 Commandments posted in public places.

You might be from Columbus if: You still say ' Christmas' instead of 'Winter Festival.'

You might be from Columbus if: You bow your head when someone prays.

You might be from Columbus if: You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem.

You might be from Columbus if: You treat our armed forces veterans with great respect, and always have.

You might be from Columbus if: You've never burned an American flag, nor intend to.

You might be from Columbus if: You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be from Columbus if: You respect your elders and raised your kids to do the same.

You might be from Columbus if: You'd give your last dollar to a friend.

God Bless the USA !

"In God We Trust"

Ok, folks, this story pretty much did not tell any lies. Did it portray Columbus as hicks? What is a hick? The people that write those stories (and read) look at hicks and laugh...I look at them and laugh. I'd rather be a hick than an overeducated greedy dick. Columbus really is a good place to live...much better than New York City (but then, this is my opinion). Even the smaller towns outside Columbus are great (is Columbus hipper?). By the way, Telegram, where is my comment on "What outlying town is your favorite?? Are you still trying to translate it?

i got one for the new york joke
this is dont tread on me guest reporting for col. tele. im here with litle vinney. little vin wsa just released from his new york stock exchange position for suspected insider trading and imbezzlement along with accepting outragous bonuses and immoral trips at company's expence. lil vin what are you going to do?
"well a first ima gonna stop down at my local martini bar anda have me a couple of shaken not stirred martinis thena i za gonna have to go break the news to my mistress down in the bronxs shesa gonna take it hard i promised her weekend gettaway in the hamptons this weekend butta im gonna have to wait i cant put that on the credit card the misses is a on to us i think!!! you know what ima sayin. i'll just a work a little maic and she'll be alright. now for the misses...shes a gonna be a tough cookie on this a one, i promised her that we would be out of our 100th floor condo by christmas and into that penthouse but hey what can you do the economy is a you know what. the kids theyll be ok lil lil vin is just going to have to keep driving that ol 09 mercedes he aint got no job neither he trys reall hard though good kid .
ok vin im going to have to cut this short moving on im here with shanikwawinkwa. whats your story girl???
WELL you KNOW just doin my thing.
how has the economy effected you miss?
well its been sooo tough me and my 35 kids are hurtin with no insurance.
do you work miss?
HECK NO i got 35 kids to raise are you kiddin me. i get my money from my kids.
oh so your kids work miss?
HECK NO i get a check from all their babies daddies.
how many ahh babies daddy's are... there?
36
36? i thought you said you had 35 kids
i do 34 are accounted for but the other ones a toss up i'm goin find out on tuesday though which one it is i hope its this vinney guy i've been seeing he works on the New york stock exchange!!
really so thanks for the interview and good luck in court on tues.
court?
yes arent you going to court to find out the babys father?
HECK no im goin on maury

What's with all the vitriol by some of the posters toward New Yorkers? New York is my home now and has been for many years but I was born and raised in Nebraska. I know Columbus well and have been back many times since my childhood.

The great thing about New York is that you can take pride in being both a New Yorker and a Cornhusker and no one looks at you with distain. If anything, people who grew up in NYC are typically very curious and interested about life in Nebraska. No one considers me to be a hick and I am often surprised by how often New Yorkers will mention notable Nebraskans in these conversations like Willa Cather, Malcom-x and even Tom Osborne. (Yes, Nebraska football has a big following here too.) The issue, as I see it, is not the East Coast vs. the West. It's more like understanding and acceptance vs. intolerance and ignorance. Most people in Columbus and here in New York understand that we have to close this gap for the country to move forward. Dave, Tony, etc. -- NYC can be an incredible experience. You might want to check it out sometime. Who knows, you might also learn something too in the process.

Actually, the way the article is written is good...it will keep the East and West Coast garbage away from here. Sometimes its good to be known as part of Fly-Over country. :-)

james, my condolences on living in NYC.
I lived there for a while also. if thats "culture" you can have it. i've never been somewhere where people treat you as a novelty and ask you "simple questions" oh wait that happened in L.A, washington boston and everywhere i went in florida.

they didn't talk much about the other layoffs that have happened... some tied to the New York area, Madoff, etc..

Nothing like a bunch of "HICKS" that don't realize that are being exploited of the one life the lord gave them to live. They think there is nothing but Work, Drinking Beer and raising hell in this world. And when they get to be 60 year old, about 75% will not have a pot to piss in nor a window to through it out of. Do you call that responsible living?

James
Can you recommend a hotel near Central Park that's reasonably priced? Might visit there next summer.

Jay,

Lots of choices but here are a few thoughts—

If you are looking for something fun and unique, check out the Library Hotel. http://www.libraryhotel.com/ It’s in Midtown (Madison and 41st) but Times Square is nearby and the park is an easy cab ride (or walkable if the weather is nice). Grand Central is a block away if you want to try the subway. Every room is individually decorated with art and a collection of books that relate to the room's unique theme like history, languages, science, literature, etc. all based on the Dewey Decimal System. Breakfast on the 14th floor outdoor poetry garden is fun.

If money is no object, the Mandarin Oriental in the Time Warner building @ Columbus Circle is luxury at its best. If you are watching your wallet but still want to be adjacent to the park, consider the Essex House on Central Park South. http://www.jumeirah.com/en/Hotels-and-Resorts/Destinations/New-York/Jumeirah-Essex-House/ Great location, close to Fifth Ave. shopping. Btw—you’ll likely pay more if you want to be across the street from the park.

A budget traveler might consider the Holiday Inn Express in Midtown (41st and 5th Avenue) http://express5thavenue.com/ I had family stay there for the Thanksgivings Day parade and it was very reasonable and I was impressed with the rooms – European style down comforters, nice furniture, a good free breakfast. Anywhere in midtown is convenient to the park. I would avoid the big box hotels like the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. The rates may be okay but the hotels are really large w/ something like 2000 rooms so even getting from your room out to the sidewalk in these large hotels can take some effort.

Shoulder season (May) is a good time to visit. Rates are typically less and the weather is usually really nice. Enjoy. You’ll have fun. See a show, catch a Mets or Yankees game at the new stadiums, lots to do.

James, thanks for the help. We were actually thinking about going in May.

I was told the person who wrote this article was in Columbus for 3 or 4 days for the betterment of Columbus with his affillation with manufacturing. I guess I don't see anything wrong with the article and pretty typical of mid-stream U.S.A. Reading the article makes me think of with a chuckle of the Tracy Bryd song "Life Styles of the NOT So Rich & Famous" ....Honey, they are bringing out a TV crew..... so get out the Elvis TV trays and if the kids look dirty that's just fine........

We have our ups & downs here but I doubt the author would ever say it's not a good place to live. Being here for 3 or 4 days, he had to see that but of course that was not the topic of the article.

Oh great! Now everybody from the East Coast is going to want to move here.

i've been too busy drinking beer and popping out meal tickets to read this story but finally managed to sound out all the big words. hoo-dog!! that was tuff!! i think the portrayal of some was accurate but it did tend to generalize. look at some of the pictures! are there no nice middle class homes they could've gotten a picture of? the family was a nice example of hard workers contributing to society as best as they can. we are a diverse community like any other. we know that. i just feel that we were grossly misrepresented. typical!

The article was well written but albeit, a bit biased. To us it might seem like we come off as hicks, but I bet New Yorkers barely read it. I wonder why they didn't mention other businesses that are relocating like EGS/Appleton. I guess I'll learn to speak spanish. I wonder if the writer ate in any restaurant while here? Runzas are good, but Duster's serves Buffalo.

I believe he was at least taken to coffee at Grandma's in downtown Columbus. That is why he was confused that the theatre was turned into a mini-mall.

The article shows Columbus as it is. You can interpret it as 'redneck' if you like, but it's just the way Columbus is. If you don't think Columbus is redneck, you haven't lived anywhere outside of Nebraska with a population over 50,000.

I think this just showing the long lasting effects of the Bush Administration economic policies and the effects on the people who supported him.

If you think this makes us look bad you should of seen last nights episode of Bully Beatdown. Colt the bully is from David City Nebraska. wow what a tool

I think this is a well written article, and is absolutely realistic in its depiction of Columbus. I don't think the writer was making fun of the people of Columbus at all, though I can see where some locals might put their own take on it.
The fact that the writer spent four days in Columbus rather than one morning or afternoon, means that he was determined to depict life during the recession in a typical midwestern town.
Also, large cities are full of migrants from other states, including Nebraska, which is one of the reasons that midwestern states have low population.

I thought the article was as accurate as someone can get fora 3 day visit. he talked to Industry leadeers as well as the factory workers. Columbus is a great town to live in. I and fourth genreation in this community and I chose to stay here to raise my children who have chosen to stay here to raise their children As far as being a Red Neck I guess I'm not sure what that means. My husband and I have college Educations and we own our own business. I have family who lives in other parts of the county and they enjoy visiting here. where you live is not as important as how you live, in my opinion. Visit some of the Churches and meet some of the members. Or join as service club and get involved with the people who actually do alot of the things that make Columbus the community that it is.

i think it was an honest article. it reflects the essense of columbus. you would have to be quite a stoge to not think it's a hick town. the only prudes are the ones who live here in denial. sounds like some people are a little jealous.

i like the good folks of columbus. if you don't like regular folk, i'm sure no one will stop you from leaving.

Layoffs will continue, as long as our President and Congressmen do not understand capitalism. I cringe when I hear them come up with "plans" to "fix" different segments of our economy.

Our economy will rebound on its own quite well, when our government reduces its meddling in private enterprise and reduces the tax burden on its citizens. Ronald Reagan understood this very well.

Government is inefficient and wasteful of resources. There is no other way it can be.

The tide will soon change in Washington, but probably not soon enough for those laid off in this article. Fortunately, enterprising people of the United States always seem to move forward, creating a better world, despite what our government has in store.

RJ,

Oh, they understand Capitalism alright. They just don't like it.

Buying votes with taxpayer money is a grand way to stay in power.

Someday maybe we'll wake up.

I think it is an accurate description of Columbus, both good and not so good.

I wish we could slip the label of being a blue collar town and get some diversity when it comes to jobs.