Imagine a fictitious freshman in high school covered in pimples, vertically and horizontally challenged, with thick glasses and ratty shoes.

To others around him, though, he is seen as kind and funny, with quick wit and plenty to offer. No matter how many times he is reminded of how wonderful he is, all he sees are the pimples and the shoes.

Now imagine that self-esteem-challenged student is a state, call it Mississippi. Those around this state can see the positives, the warm and caring people, the history and culture, natural beauty from forests to fields of cotton to miles of beaches.

Those in the state, though, see nothing but pimples. They see the state’s terrible civil rights history, being poor and fat, last in almost everything positive and first in most things negative. It’s a self-esteem problem on a massive level.

The Mississippi Development Authority recently released a new logo asking visitors — and maybe those here — to Find Your True South. It coincided with a story reporting that 200 people surveyed at a Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce luncheon said negative perceptions haunt Mississippi.

Whose negative perceptions: visitors’ or our own?

We must advance past the past. What occurred here 40 and 50 years ago was deplorable. But would it not be better to highlight the advances, especially in race relations, this state has made since?

Mississippi has more black elected officials than any other state; impossible to fathom 50 years ago. If we could only highlight those facts instead of the incessant turning back of the clock, it might help.

It might help to have some pride. Nothing is more disheartening than traveling down a serene country road to see the right of ways littered with trash. Prideful people do not live like that.

Mississippi is no Utopia. There is no such place on this Earth. As a whole, we don’t have much money and surely should do something about the overall health of the people. But most importantly, we have to stop beating ourselves up all the time. We have to be able to see the great things in this state that others see — the parks, the beach, the wildlife, the culture and the people.

Mississippi has a self-esteem problem. As long as so many see nothing but the pimples and old shoes, that problem will fester into eternity.

•

Sean P. Murphy is web editor. He can be reached at smurphy@vicksburgpost.com