Leaf Us Alone

Raina Kelley is unfortunately a perfect example of the type of narrow minded folks who believe their opinions are the only ones that count. My way or the highway. If you don't agree or are aligned with their taste, then you must be stupid, weak, or let's just invalidate who they are. When someone gets such a disconnect from their surroundings/environment, it is bound to create a myopic cynism of everything. We are surrounded by beauty throughout this wonderful country of ours and we have a resposnibility to civility and tolerance for our neighbors and "tourists" who come to explore our neighborhoods and states. Ms. Kelley's article reads more like a disenchanted disconnected teenager. Please consider having more inteeligent articles in your magazine in the future.

Poor New England. So many leaves to rake. Too bad you aren't from Pennsylvania (we have beautiful fall leaves, too!). We have modern technology to move the leaves from our yards to the street.... we use leaf blowers and lawn mower attachments. Guess you're so mean-spirited because you live in the dark ages...

What a grouch. Get over yourself and enjoy the beauty. We all have to rake leaves...and shovel snow--and midwest winters are far more snowy and cold than yours. Wow, walk through a forest of crunchy leaves and look at the reds and oranges and yellows and relax.

New York is not New England. The New England states are: ME,VT, NH, MA, RI, CT. We are taciturn, not 'grumpy'. I was born & raised there & we always welcomed tourists! I grew up raking leaves, jumping into piles of leaves, walking in leaves! I love the smell of leaves and the colors- I have lived all over, and there is no place like New England!

I have lived in New England all my life. Not all of us are grumpy. It is a shame you don't feel like sharing. If you don't like the leaves...move. I don't mind raking. I am sure it will help me reach old age. Maybe you have seasonal change disorder or some other such nonsense.

Having lived in New England (Worcester, MA) for several years now, I can honestly say that the author's attitude and tone is a widely-held trait of most New England residents - from New York, Connecticut, MA, Maine, Vermont......they're all the same: crabby, bitter, anti-social whiners. They just don't like one another up-here. I've been 'all-over', and I don't know if its the weather, the Liberal Politics, the education levels, or the isolation. They don't care for tourists much, either.

I have also lived in the South for many years. They hate tourists there, too. Especially the hated 'Yankee', whose manners, culture, attitude, and hospitality are all severely lacking. Southern culture is also sorely lacking the same traits, but self-reflection is not a strong Southern characteristic. Southerners don't like other non-Southerners much, either, and aren't too shy about saying so in mixed company. The 'War of Northern Aggression' (code for the Civil War) is still being fought in the hearts of the Old South.

I have been to Hawaii, as well. They hate and resent the tourists there, too. In fact, the locals will steal anything that isn't tied-down or locked in a safe. They have no problem stealing from any unattended beach blanket, rental car, or unattended hotel room. Local teenagers regard Larceny as some kind of national pasttime, validated for letting the "Howlie" white Mainlanders come to the islands and desecrate their land. Hawaiian Police turn a blind-eye, for fear that crime statistics might scare the tourists away - if people were aware how prevailant robbery was on Hawaii, they would be wise to stay home.

I have been to Sicily, Crete, and Okinawa Japan, too....they hate American tourists there as well, for a variety of reasons. US Marines raping local girls, Communists opposing the 'West', America's alliance with Turkey....the grievances go on and on. Its getting to the point where I don't want to travel ANYWHERE, as there are few places a person can go and feel wanted.

sorry I posted that a thousand times - thought my computer froze up

Every region that I've lived in from Wisconsin to Michigan, from Vermont to Massachusettes has a tourist season and people in each reason feel like their the only put-upon natives in the world who have to put up the intrusion. Face it, we're all tourists at some point and at some point most of us are hosts. It's obnoxious to grouse about it. Ms. Kelley, you live in a beautfiul area, share it with some aplomb instead of painting all New Englanders as persnickty jerks (as a note most New Englanders that I've met have been nothing but welcoming.)

Every region that I've lived in from Wisconsin to Michigan, from Vermont to Massachusettes has a tourist season and people in each reason feel like their the only put-upon natives in the world who have to put up the intrusion. Face it, we're all tourists at some point and at some point most of us are hosts. It's obnoxious to grouse about it. Ms. Kelley, you live in a beautfiul area, share it with some aplomb instead of painting all New Englanders as persnickty jerks (as a note most New Englanders that I've met have been nothing but welcoming.)

Every region that I've lived in from Wisconsin to Michigan, from Vermont to Massachusettes has a tourist season and people in each reason feel like their the only put-upon natives in the world who have to put up the intrusion. Face it, we're all tourists at some point and at some point most of us are hosts. It's obnoxious to grouse about it. Ms. Kelley, you live in a beautfiul area, share it with some aplomb instead of painting all New Englanders as persnickty jerks (as a note most New Englanders that I've met have been nothing but welcoming.)

Dang, and people tell me I have a negative attitude. I don't blame Raina for not liking the leaves. They are beautiful when they change colors, but I hate how they fall off and leave trees bare. This is all basically her opinion, and she has the right to state her opinion, What I don't understand is why she's lashing out at tourists.Just because she doesn't like her state doesn't mean others can't come in to enjoy the area. She would love the eastern part of Colorado that is all plains and no trees. All the tourist attraction goes up to the western part of the state..

I'm visiting New England later this month and intend to get my fill of fall foliage, maple syrup and apple-picking. I'm well aware that your neck of the woods isn't known for its hospitality. But we all have our own gripes about tourists. I for one bristle whenever Yankees come down here expecting a Bonanza reenactment and ask me why I don't own a horse. But instead of writing bitter editorials in Newsweek, I will do what my mother raised me to do - smile, say "Hi there, y'all" and move on with my life.

I have worked in the hospitality business for 20 years now. I am dismayed by the lack of journalistic responsiblity on the part of Ms. Kelley, and of Newsweek, for publishing this article. Perhaps Ms. Kelley should have done due dilligence as a "journalist" by doing a little research prior to publication. She is probably unaware that the largest industry in the State of Maine is tourism. Every year, hundreds of thousands of "outsiders" bring MILLIONS of tax dollars into our state. Countless Maine residents rely on the income a job in hospitality brings; housekeepers, reservationists, wait staff, banquet staff, shop keepers and tour operators all benefit from those visitors who stay in our hotels, eat Maine lobster, and buy Maine made products. Our Maine fishermen, and other vendors, rely on their partnerships with hotels and restaurants to make a good living. These "outsiders" have filled my hotel for the last three weeks straight! I only wish they could be enticed to come here during January! Ms. Kelley, I respect your right to free speech and recognize Freedom of the Press. However, your article is irresponsible, and detremental to an industry which many in New England hold as their livelyhood. For those of you who think the response to this is overblown, then please read some of the comments posted below. Readers from Hawaii to Long Island are writing that they are content to stay away from New England, based on Ms. Kelley's negative thoughts and feelings. I can only hope that most people who read this article will recogize it only as the caustic, meanspirited ramblings of a malcontent, and will come visit our hospitable, and lovely region, despite her efforts to keep the "outsiders" away.

I love the sound of crunching leaves.......
and I am glad she has a voice just too bad I can't here her over the cruch of the leaves!

As a Vermonter, I would be glad to see people like you move down to New York City. There you won't have to worry about leaves, but there will still be many tourist around looking up at the sky. Then you can write another article about a different group of people you don't like.