Just another report from Monterey, Tennessee

First a perspective. Monterey is located in east Tennessee on the upper Cumberland Plateau. It is a nice place to live. Almost most humans up here are white, mostly I would guess from Scotch-Irish descent. Racial prejudice is tough against blacks (which are few up here), unless they excel in football. High school and middle school sports are a big deal, including girls basketball. There are even a lot of college girls scholarships to college if they are good in basketball. In geography terms, Monterey is about halfway between Nashville and Knoxville, TN. The altitude here is around 1900 feet, so it is cold here, too.

The drug problem here is horrible. Having lived elsewhere, my guess is that we locally are about average, which is a sad state of affairs.

Let me define the local drug problem, as I see it. Some girl (age 40) gets an inheritance check for $25,000, and goes through it in three weeks. A lot of pills around here go for like $80 dollars a pop (about six months ago). Many are dying early, so that appears to be a self correcting problem.

Now the good news. Compared to some other places I have lived, this is an OK place. My local county and city property tax bill is about $4800 a year.

Now the bad news. A lot of people live off the government dole, and maybe even some charity stuff.

The obvious, to me, debate, is this local "poorness" do to inheritance or even circumstances , or just plain laziness, like go get a job like most of humanity tries to do. In the meantime, just breed kids and let the government pay for it (like a once a month check).

Here at Monterey these days, I think there are a lot of low life and also well intended humans who rip us off as well as compromise to exist on the government dole. Now that upsets me, mostly about the kids they breed.

So I wonder locally how helping poor people works out in the end. Right here being a tough love kind of person is my choice, both in those I vote for and how I might contribute. Of course most don't like it.

For sure I will not, or hope I don't help contribute to maintain somebody's drug habit, especially if they exploit their kids. I offer as evidence, up here of course, going to the Crossville Flea Market and observing the women who are chubby, pierced, and tattooed, all getting in vehicles better and newer than I can afford. Now that upsets me.