Why is there still an Atlanta Vs. the rest of Georgia divide in 2009?

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

One of the big issues southerners as a whole have had to deal with (and this subject has been discussed in numerous ways in several other threads) is transplants moving to the south and then bashing the local culture. If the area was worth an uproot and a move, should not the area as a whole be seen as one to conform to instead of change? I remember a friend in Marietta being taunted on his southern accent by a native of Pennsylvania (it was our pastor actually) and his reply, "well the last time I checked, this was still the south. What accent am I supposed to have?"

I know this is not directly related to the OP, but this does play into a little of the tension between Atlanta and other parts of the state. Transplants still see Atlanta as too southern while non Atlantans feel their capital city is no longer southern. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Again, this point has been made in many other threads, but if transplants like the south enough to move there, then they should accept the culture and embrace as many aspects of it as they can comfortably manage. To come into someone else's back yard and then denigrate it generally does not lead one to be fawned over.

Saintmarks, the pastor's behavior as you described it seems very rude. As a transplant myself, however, I can say that striking the right note can be challenging at times. I didn't move to Atlanta because I "like the south enough to move there" but because my employer transferred my job here, and I preferred taking the transfer to finding another job. However, I'm not a southerner-wannabe. Some southern customs I find attractive and others, not so much.

My ancestors did not live in the US so I have no family connection with slavery, cotton picking, the civil war, the civil rights struggle, etc. Like all educated foreigners, I grew up with the straightforward notion that the historic treatment of blacks by whites in the US south was evil, plain and simple. Living here, of course I can see that the local people, of all colors, have to find a more nuanced way of understanding their family history. That makes sense, but it would be dishonest and presumptuous for me to get involved. It's not my history. I usually try to avoid comment - I quite agree that it's not polite to "come into someone else's back yard and then denigrate it", but on the other hand, I don't try to take on local coloration. I'll be glad to move on to someplace where culture and history are not so highly charged.

[gaflsc]

Originally Posted by reet4587

I've considered that one way to temper the anti-Atlanta attitude among many Georgians would be to move the state capitol to another city so that the clout (and the target of rural Georgian's anger) might be spread out a little. Rome and Columbus are two cities that come to mind as being places that could both support and benefit from housing the state capitol.

Rome & Columbus? How about somewhere more centrally located, like Macon...or Dublin?

[JoeP]

Rural GA already is very over represented in state government and the location obviously has no influence. In fact, I bet most rural reps like spending time in Atlanta.

[reet4587]

Originally Posted by gaflsc

Rome & Columbus? How about somewhere more centrally located, like Macon...or Dublin?

Macon would be a good location for the capitol. Their downtown could certainly use the boost -- it's got a lot of potential to be a beautiful downtown, too.

The area immediately surrounding the Atlanta capitol building is certainly not one of the nicer spots in downtown. Though the capitol building itself is certainly beautiful, I would not recommend the blocks nearby as a great place for out-of-owners to get a good view of Atlanta. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the rural legislators end up with a dim view of Atlanta solely from what they see near that building.

[suprascooby22]

Originally Posted by neil0311

It's a cultural thing, as well as the perception that the growth of Atlanta is responsible for "problems" and encroachment on once rural areas. Some of it is the generic big city versus "rest of the state" phenomenon, but some could be a cultural bias specific to rural southerners.

Let's face it, many rural Georgians would probabably admit that they would prefer an Atlanta that wasn't controlled by liberal minorities with suburbs that are full of "yankees" and other outsiders who are "diluting" the state's "southern culture." I'm sure not all rural Georgians feel that way, but I bet there are plenty that do.

That statement is also true to allot of native Georgians who grew up in Atlanta. While I am city and would never live in a rural part of the state I can understand their resentment because of allot of it is the same as what I hear from other native Atlantians. When you have places like the city of Atlanta and Clayton county as examples of what Democrats do when in control of an area it is logical to see the resentment from more conservative Georgians regardless of race and the fear of that spreading. Also most native Georgians would have to drive around Metro Atlanta all day just to hear a southern accent. That irks allot of people not only in Georgia but in the South. Add in the enormous increase of illegals into the state and especially Atlanta and it doesnt take long to see why some dislike everything about big city Atlanta. Lastly most of the state gets Atlanta's news channel regardless of where in the state they are. Just look at the staggering amount of crime that is shown daily and for that reason alone ALLOT of folks see Atlanta as a big cesspool.

[suprascooby22]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

One of the big issues southerners as a whole have had to deal with (and this subject has been discussed in numerous ways in several other threads) is transplants moving to the south and then bashing the local culture. If the area was worth an uproot and a move, should not the area as a whole be seen as one to conform to instead of change? I remember a friend in Marietta being taunted on his southern accent by a native of Pennsylvania (it was our pastor actually) and his reply, "well the last time I checked, this was still the south. What accent am I supposed to have?"

I know this is not directly related to the OP, but this does play into a little of the tension between Atlanta and other parts of the state. Transplants still see Atlanta as too southern while non Atlantans feel their capital city is no longer southern. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Again, this point has been made in many other threads, but if transplants like the south enough to move there, then they should accept the culture and embrace as many aspects of it as they can comfortably manage. To come into someone else's back yard and then denigrate it generally does not lead one to be fawned over.

Excellent post! I cant tell you how many of my friends that are from here have had to deal with people commenting on our accents. HELLO we are from here how else are we supposed to talk??

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

One of the big issues southerners as a whole have had to deal with (and this subject has been discussed in numerous ways in several other threads) is transplants moving to the south and then bashing the local culture. If the area was worth an uproot and a move, should not the area as a whole be seen as one to conform to instead of change? I remember a friend in Marietta being taunted on his southern accent by a native of Pennsylvania (it was our pastor actually) and his reply, "well the last time I checked, this was still the south. What accent am I supposed to have?"

I know this is not directly related to the OP, but this does play into a little of the tension between Atlanta and other parts of the state. Transplants still see Atlanta as too southern while non Atlantans feel their capital city is no longer southern. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Again, this point has been made in many other threads, but if transplants like the south enough to move there, then they should accept the culture and embrace as many aspects of it as they can comfortably manage. To come into someone else's back yard and then denigrate it generally does not lead one to be fawned over.

Another great post, St. Marks.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by luckysnap

It all happened in 1964.

Looks that way, doesn't it? Then again there are plenty of other historical dates in Georgia and by large the south's history that may cause some to still harbor resentment.

I just wish that people would get used to the fact that nothing is static. Don't fight change! Steer it along! Bargain with the change! You may just be pleasantly surprise at how much it works in your favor.