Why do many folks have so many misconceptions about Florida?

Myths:

1) Only old folks live in Florida. (Not true. Many many young folks live here and many are moving here and raising families similar to the situation in California decades ago. This place is lively! Although my parents do live across the other side of the state from me in a retirement city.)

2) Nothing exists in Florida except for beaches and Disney. (Not true. Once you start to hang out where the locals hangout, you find that Florida has an old deep rooted culture.)

3) Our politics are messed up completely. (Actually this one is true! Carl Hiaasen is right! Our growth is largely unmanaged down here and along with that comes alot of crazy crazy people hanging out and running for office. Kind of like the wild west of the east. Unregulated.)

Florida residents, can you think of any more myths? Please share.

How about that the mosquito is the state bird? lol j/k
I love Florida, always have. It's been my happy place since I was 9. Love all the backwoods flora & fauna, the wildlife is incredible, and speaking of which, I love Carl Hiaasen, too. What a "sick puppy"!

well lets put it this way..the idiot liberals in miami and dade that wanted the do over didnt exactly put a positive spin on things.

The place is overrun with alligators.

I'm not from Florida but, I would like to share some thoughts. I think some folks have misconceptions due to so many Cubans living in Florida. Right or Wrong, Florida has become known as "Little Havanna" to the Central States. I know it sounds racist but, it's true. I think this adds to the misconceptions. I also think people tend to go by what they hear on the news or read in the newspapers. Honestly, the news media focuses on the elderly generation that resides in Florida. They also focus on the fact that the crime rate is higher in Florida again, the news media plays a big role in this. Those who think nothing exists in Florida probably never got the chance to leave their own home town. I also know that some people focus on the weather that Florida is known for --the Hurricanes. I know, being from Illinois, people don't understand how or why people insist on living in Florida when Florida gets devastated by Hurricanes year after year. I, on the other hand, having been a bill collector at one point in life, am reminded of a conversation I had with one of your fellow Floridians. The individual told me, he would rather live in Florida with the Hurricanes knowing that they would travel in one direction rather than live in Illinois where we have Tornadoes that are known to turn in a split seconds notice. In concluding, I would say the answer to this question is simply a misunderstanding of the cultures, climates, and the societies that Florida has to offer.

Almost every city, it seems, leans politically one way or the other. (That could be me, though.) Depending on where you live: Lots of wildlife, lots of natural springs, rivers, lakes and alligators, mocassins, rattlesnakes, and mosquitoes, lots of rednecks, trailers, Victorian houses, McMansions and farms. And superior oranges. Nowhere is more than 60 minutes away from a beach. Granted, it may not be a nice beach, but a beach nontheless. Lots of bands get their start in Florida. If I can think of anymore I'll come back to it.