Resistance against "Yankees" (Charleston, Ravenel: buyer, gated, safety)

[usc_gal98]

Originally Posted by moneill

"Being southern is not a frame of mind. It's a way of life. And those who are not southern will never get it or understand it, but we do."

The same can be said about being a 'northerner' or a New Englander.

I love living in the south but I'm proud of my heritage as well. I'm of French-Canadian heritage and have lived in Bermuda, Toronto, ATlanta and eventually Charleston. I think that gives me a unique perspective that someone from the south, north, east and west will never understand. I guess we each have as uniqueness that someone else may not understand.

I am not knocking your post here but really want to stress something. The poster that I responded to asked a question "what does being southern mean" and "what is southern heritage"? Then he/she procedeed in a degrading manner about laughing about southern hospitality.

First off, let me stress to you that I am also proud of my heritage. My family has been in South Carolina for many, many, many generations. My heritage would be dutch/scottish but I am a southerner to the core. Every person in my family that came here in the begining has lived, died and been buried on this land. We even have a family cemetary.

Everyone outside of the south may identify with something that makes them feel unique and able to relate to where they come from, including their heritage. As a respectful person, I would never say that their heritage was bull or did not exist.

By you being french/canadian and living all over the world, it does give you an unique perspective on other places. By me being born and raised here along with my family, it gives me a unique perspective on South Carolina and being southern.

[SCBeaches]

I agree with USC_gal. Wherever you are from (usually means "born and raised") is what/where you most identify with....it is part of you and you are part of it. Most of us tend to be proud of our roots and can relate to the culture, sense of place, traditions, foods, people, history, etc. of our childhood home/birthplace. Someone who was raised in New England has as much a pride in the New England way of life as a Southerner has with theirs. Even when you move away, you always identify with that place where you grew up...you are an "insider" and probably have family that goes back generations. It's where you have a sense of belonging and feel privy to things only a native can feel. Midwesterners have their own, Northwesterners have their own, etc.

We can all move from state to state and adapt to new places as best as we can, but we will never be considered a "true Southerner", "true New Englander", "true Midwesterner", etc. if our roots aren't there.

**I'm sure there are some people who moved so many times during their childhood, that they don't consider anyplace "home" other than where they are living at the moment - that's a different situation from what this thread is discussing.

[Sportygal21]

Home is where the heart is! This is America, it is known to be a "melting pot" of people. This is the United States, yes United! and the wonderful thing is we are granted freedom to live where we want and do as we choose. It doesn't matter so much where someone is from, no locale is necessarily better than the other, just a bit different with unique and wonderful attributes, as well as adverse(cold winters, humidity, hurricanes, tornados...) For "Northerners" moving south, it usually is because of warmer weather. No matter what region someone moves to, if they are going to be a productive law abiding citzen, then more power to them, and they should be welcomed because they will help out the economy in their new neighborhood .

It is sad this thread is soooo long and everyone spends so much time on this. I hope to be treated well with respect and dignity, not because of where I am from or not for that matter, but because it simply the right thing to do. And we all should want and aspire to do the right thing, follow "the golden rule", it will make this a better world to live in and we all need that now perhaps more than ever.

Peace on earth and goodwill to y'all and you guys too!

God Bless the United States of America !

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

I agree with USC_gal. Wherever you are from (usually means "born and raised") is what/where you most identify with....it is part of you and you are part of it. Most of us tend to be proud of our roots and can relate to the culture, sense of place, traditions, foods, people, history, etc. of our childhood home/birthplace. Someone who was raised in New England has as much a pride in the New England way of life as a Southerner has with theirs. Even when you move away, you always identify with that place where you grew up...you are an "insider" and probably have family that goes back generations. It's where you have a sense of belonging and feel privy to things only a native can feel. Midwesterners have their own, Northwesterners have their own, etc.

We can all move from state to state and adapt to new places as best as we can, but we will never be considered a "true Southerner", "true New Englander", "true Midwesterner", etc. if our roots aren't there.

**I'm sure there are some people who moved so many times during their childhood, that they don't consider anyplace "home" other than where they are living at the moment - that's a different situation from what this thread is discussing.

.

That view is the definition of Southern culture and the antithesis of mainstream American culture. Not a good thing or a bad thing, just a thing. "Restless Nation" is an excellent book on the subject.

[usc_gal98]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

I agree with USC_gal. Wherever you are from (usually means "born and raised") is what/where you most identify with....it is part of you and you are part of it. Most of us tend to be proud of our roots and can relate to the culture, sense of place, traditions, foods, people, history, etc. of our childhood home/birthplace. Someone who was raised in New England has as much a pride in the New England way of life as a Southerner has with theirs. Even when you move away, you always identify with that place where you grew up...you are an "insider" and probably have family that goes back generations. It's where you have a sense of belonging and feel privy to things only a native can feel. Midwesterners have their own, Northwesterners have their own, etc.

We can all move from state to state and adapt to new places as best as we can, but we will never be considered a "true Southerner", "true New Englander", "true Midwesterner", etc. if our roots aren't there.

**I'm sure there are some people who moved so many times during their childhood, that they don't consider anyplace "home" other than where they are living at the moment - that's a different situation from what this thread is discussing.

Exactly. I could not have said it better myself.

I do not have anything against notherners, midwesterners or new englanders. I have something against someone who belittles the traditions, custom, and culture of another.

[Tinabean]

Sporty Gal, the universal message of love and respect for all is a wonderfully Utopian idea. However, I believe this thread is about real-world interaction between cultural transplants in today's imperfect world. If people from other areas are looking into this thread to gain an understanding of how smoothly they might transition into this area, it is fair to speak the truth as we know it from our personal perspectives. Everyone speaks about a person's God given right to move wherever they like as long as they pay taxes and abide by the law. Well...yes that is a true statement. But no, no person is obliged to go out of their way to express friendliness, kindness and an extra dose of courtesy. I like to think, and I have been told by family and friends from other areas, that we in SC go further in trying to geniunely help our neighbors if we can. Now before you start firing off the e-mail missiles, this is certainly a subjective statement based on anecdotal stories. But...my point here is this..... there are quite a few of us here who DO NOT LIKE ARROGANT TRANSPLANTS WHO MAKE IT THEIR MISSION TO COME AND CHANGE OUR ATTITUDES, OUR LANDSCAPE, OUR CULTURE AND OUR BEHAVIORS TO BETTER SUIT THEM. Yeah, I hear you about the melting pot thing and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA thing. But get this, diversity is very good. Homogeny is not something to be aspired to. Yes, it is important that politically we maintain our solidified allegiance to our great nation. But politically, religiously, culturally a homogenous population would be doomed to failure due to lack of creativity and innovation. People with different attitudes and cultures may move into the area and that's wonderful if they are contributing citizens. But don't ask us to lay down all that is unique to our culture in order to make them feel more comfortable. Won't happen and shouldn't happen. And by the way, Texans have a reputation for being just as passionate about their culture. Hip hop was built around a cultural preferences for self expression through music and clothing. We are not unique in our stubborn attachment to our cultural expressions.....we are just better at it than most

[moneill]

Arrogance of any kind is inexcusable.

Ahhh -- but you see the water gets muddy -- is it arrogance or stubborn attachment. You see transplants don't really mean to change the south, it is just that they are stubbornly attached to their culture <G>. I'm sure somewhere in Seattle Washington someone from the south is trying desparately to extol the virtues of sweet tea and some native is who is stubbornly attached to his coffee thinks that person is just arrogant to think that northerners need sweet tea.

(Although I prefer my tea unsweetened, I can't imagine my life without tea as prepared in the south).

I think most of the transplants on these boards that CHOOSE to live in the south aren't interested in changing. They love it here but do miss some of the treasures from their home town areas. Doesn't mean they want a deli on every block in Charleston....or their fave pizza joint...just that they miss it.

[moneill]

Oh dear I know its time to put this thread to bed (well at least for me) as I'm typing the last post a song started going through my head

"Don't go changing to try and please me.......I'll taje you just the way you are." YIKES.......I don't even care for Billy Joel.

[Geechie North]

For anyone in California, or elsewhere, laughing or bewildered at this thread, let me assure you that the emotions/hate expressed by many Southerners is very real.

It all goes back to those intertwined facets of Southern culture: The Civil War and racism. Contrary to what you were probably taught in US History (although that's changing; PBS had an excellent piece last year called "The Civil War" (go figure.) that chronicled the true process.) the Civil War didn't end at Appomattox.

To synopsize the events, as they are trivia for most Americans: there was the military campaign (Dec. 1860-65) which ended in complete victory for the North. This was followed by a guerilla war/political movement which had the dual aims of forcing Northern ways out of Dixie, and reenslaving the blacks. It culminated in the stolen election of 1876 wherein Rutherford B. Hayes was given the presidency in exchange for withdrawing the last Federal troops from SC, Louisiana, and a few other unreconstructed and lawless states. The result of that was a "Solid South" that was an autonomous region within our nation, and which was not overthrown until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's.

This is the source of the anger, and "the resistance against yankees" that has powered this thread long beyond its rightful death.

[Tinabean]

Please don't label me angry or as having a hateful attitude because I have an opinion that differs from yours. How "hateful" of you to reach back to the tired, old civil war references in an attempt to apologize for others with whom you differ. Why else would you try to tie my comments specifically to that period with a strong reference to racism? I won't speak for anyone else in this forum but I will tell you this....my beliefs have nothing to do with a long ago fought and lost war. My issue is with people who believe there is something innately wrong with South Carolina, and specifically, Southerners with strong opinions about the future of our beautifully diverse state. We don't need you to "fix" us and I won't stand for you apologizing for me.