This summer for an English class I wrote a brief paper about how my town, Seymour, Tennessee, is the best to live and grow up in; I’ve lived in this town since I was 5, and today I am going to give you the honest truth, the state of our community. This town is wonderful but there is some cold, hard truth that people don’t seem to realize is happening without this address, young people, the future, WILL be driven out of this town. This statement may not be applicable for all people.

People here are rude; I know this is a pretty general statement and rude people are everywhere but with a small town like this where everyone knows everyone rudeness does not go unnoticed. It’s the rudeness that is worse because we know these people, they’re not just some stranger. These people are rude to everyone and this includes children. Like when a photo was posted on a community Facebook forum about the high school yearbook, grown adults destroyed the book with their words. The book was made by high school students and the community offered no support for its own youth. The youth that is the future of the country. They don’t realize how this impacts a young mind and confidence. It is sick that people thought this was okay. People also always find something to complain about with restaurants and posting on Facebook to the point that businesses start to struggle. These people are all talk and no action, they cowardly hide behind the internet.

Close mindedness; One thing about living in a vastly Conservative area is that people tend to be very resistant to change and close themselves off from new and different thoughts. For example when the local “landmark” gas station was bought and the community turned into an uproar because the new owners were from a different country; the owners were even referred to as the “Talibanes”. These people completely shut themselves off to what America is about, entrepreneurship and immigration. People resist our community growing and size and tourist becoming permanent residents. The fact is that change is going to happen and there’s no way to possibly stop it. Let what happens to happen and just embrace it.

The State of the Community is that we have lost our southern mindset. The mindset that we shouldn’t be rude the other, we should live by the golden rule, and support our youth. The results of this will be seen when young people graduate from high school and move as soon as the opportunity is given, businesses will start to suffer, and the community will become even more unhappy. As a young person, I encourage you to think about what has been said; consider the consequences of your actions. The bottom line is that the youth is most important, we are the future and our spirits deserve to not be broken by adults that have nothing better to do. Strap on a smile and remember that life is short.

This address is to bring awareness to the state of our community and some statements may not be applicable for all individuals.