Resistance against "Yankees" (Charleston, Welcome: sales, employment, schools)

[sbohandley]

Hey Meks,

Thanks for the note here. I am the last person to take offense at someone slagging me. In Vermont I was called a "hoser" all the time. This was in reference to Bob and Doug Mackenzie's routine on the "Great White North".
I think one reason is that Canadians would get upset with a Yankee label is because people in europe refer to Canadians as Americans all the time. You could say, this identity crisis has sparked some extra sensitivity.... Just as southerners are proud of their identity so are Canadians. In my home town of Halifax, NS there are buried American soldiers from the war of 1812 (that Canada is very respectful of) that got into a tussle with the guys pictured below. If anyone thinks a Canadian is a Yankee, just show them this and ask them what the similarity is!
I understand what you say that people are still going to call me a Yank regardless. It doesn't bother me when people refer to me as this, but when I tell them the difference and they still insist on calling me one is when it gets annoying. People from the south are not yanks either, I am sure there are many that would get annoyed if others kept referring to them as that as well.
I agree with what you say about other countries wanting America's help and slamming them when it is convenient. It is funny this is brought up. My wife and I stayed at the Sheraton in Myrtle Beach this past weekend where we saw a thank you monument to Canada, which we greatly appreciated seeing. Take a look at the picture below with my wife and and read the monument inscription. Yeah, there are countries that want help and give nothing in return. But, remember there are countries that are willing to return the favor...

The plaque reads:
In Grateful Appreciation to the people of Canada
For their steadfast friendship and especially their courage in rescuing six United States diplomats from sieges in Iran. January 1980
From the people of the Grand Strand
South Carolina

[SCBeaches]

I never saw that plaque before...awesome! Thanks for the pics. I happen to love Canada. Just spent 2 weeks in the Canadian Rockies last summer and fell in love with Banff!! Went whale watching in Vancouver (Straits of Georgia), swimming in Kelowna, hiking and rafting in Banff, slept in teepees on a First Nations reservation near Head Smashed In Buffalo, walked among dinosaur remains in Drumheller and visited the museum, toured a Hutterite community, walked on glaciers, etc. I accompanied a group of middle school children and had a blast! I also used to live about an hour from Windsor/Ontario (30 years ago) so regularly went shopping there. Have also visited various parts of Quebec - Montreal, etc. The #1 thing I admire and respect about Canada is the cleanliness...no litter and extreme dedication to recycling. The U.S. could take some lessons....

Great White North, eh? Now that brings back some memories!

[pvjd]

I had never been to Canada even though I lived in VT for several years. Always wanted to go, just never had time. Seeing these pictures and hearing these stories about it really makes me wish I had gone when I had the chance.

[wordzgirl]

[quote=meks;2448016]

Originally Posted by sbohandley

no offense but it doesn't work both ways, I have no intention of ever visiting Canada... there's enough places I haven't seen yet right here in my own country thanks, and that keeps my fellow Americans at work

and you're in a S.C. thread as well, so this is our Rome...

I used to live about 350 miles from Toronto, Canada and the same distance from Washington, D.C., and I have to say that BY FAR Toronto was the much better place to visit - low crime, beautiful architecture, clean, safe, multicultural. I never ever felt unsafe in Toronto, a city that has almost 3 million residents. And, back in the day, the American dollar used to buy $1.50 Canadian. I wish I could say as much about our nation's capital.

I realize I'm way off topic here, but I'm just sayin' that if you're betting dollars to doughnuts (or loonies to beignets), parts of Canada are much nicer that parts of the U.S.

But Charleston is absolutely lovely, and I have to pinch myself almost every day, I'm just so happy to be here

[debmik]

Originally Posted by robertcoppock

Lenniel,
Your ignorance is excused. Yes, anyone, from anywhere, that has to ask these questions, is probably a yankee.

Southerners are a warm and Hospitable people. We love to welcolme people from all over to come and VISIT! The thing that southeners do not like are people from other places who wish to come to our beautiful south and try to change it. We have had enough of carpetbaggers to last several generations. The modern version of Carpetbaggers, such as yourselves, are worse than their predicessors, wishing to destroy the last refuge of refinement and replace it with your version of a homoginized, PC , Big Box world of wich you left. We are uninterested in how much money you have. We are interested in what kind of person you are, and what you can add to our society.

You say that you "understand there's even still some soreness from the Civil War." Acually you don't. Did a bunch of hoodlums come to your Great Grand fathers house and burn it down along with all his neighbors. Did they try to destroy their culture, and tax the hell out of him, running his family off of their ancestrial land? Are you treated as slow or ignorant? No, the answer is probably not. The fact of the matter is we have. For many generations we have endured the snide comments about Southerners and have even come to love and utilize a little something we call Country Dumb (and if you have to ask what that is, you will not survive here). Why even you yourself have felt superior enough to stand in judgement of a group of people without any knowledge of their culture. Yes, even you have felt it okay to base all of your unfounded and snap decisions on one BBQ restaurant's paraphanellia. You went out for a meal and decided that southerners were and I quote you
"really ignorant, close minded". Really? You feel so far superior to us simple folk that you can catagorize an entire region of the country by that small sampling of the South? What should we Southerners think of you Yankees. Are you all cannibals like Jeffrey Dahmer? Do all of you treat people like Leona Helmsley? Do all Yankee men have gay lovers like the governor of New Jersey? Are you starting to see my point?

Would Charleston be considered still to be 'Old South? Charleston is the Grand Dame of the Old South! She has Survived the war of Northern Agression, The plage of carpetbaggers, huricanes, and tourism . And yet she stands tall allowing people to indulge themselves in her eternal and holy beauty. Mt. Pleasant is populated by people from all over the country whom have moved to SC not just for the sand, sea, and sun, but to bask in the grandure that IS the low country.

I think that it is apparent from your statements about the bbq joint in some southern state that was unmemorable where you were obviously appaled that your best bet for moving south is Florida!!!

The thing about being a Southerner, is that it does not matter what your social economic background is, we all come together in a way that an outsider would never understand. We love to celebrate our differences. We relish our gullah friends, and celebrate their wonderful cuisine. We love the refinement of the Grand Homes South of Broad, and everything in between. It is the richness of our diversity that truly envelopes the low country that we feed upon like to sweet nectar of life.

And another thing , the confederate flag is a historical tribute to the Conferetate States of America, which was proudly started in Charleston harbor. The only thing racist about that flag are the yankee skinheads which have stolen the proud symbol to represent something truly ugly.

Thank you for clearing things up for me. You are an elloquent writer.

I live in Las Vegas and there are so many sterotypes that people assume of Las Vegans too.

I have been doing a ton of research in where to move my family and your beautiful state has really caught my eye, especially in the Mt Pleasant area for the schools.

I am hoping to find a place I can grow old in, contribute my time and talents to, and have my children and grandchildren grow up in, that has fresh air, patience for those who are different, and appreciation for what they have. Along with a rich history and love for our country.

Any ideas on what or how we could add something special or that is needed in your community?

[debmik]

I definitely agree with you on the cleanliness of Canada.WOW it was incredible, found it hard to find trash anywhere. We we're there last summer and I was too was amazed at their recycling program.

We are thinking about moving to the Mt Pleasant area, I see they have some pretty good schools there. Do you know much about sports programs out there? I have three childrenand they love to play baseball and football. Just thought I'd ask, you seem to know a lot about the area.

[Treefriend]

The same kind of sprawl is happening everywhere, not just S Carolina.

Too many people.

[sbohandley]

Yeah, I am no socialist. However, capitalism seems to be one big pyramid scheme. Society needs more people tomorrow to pay for the debt today. Capitalist businesses need an increase in population to increase their profits.

[Treefriend]

I agree, it is unsustainable. But anybody with a brain could figure that out.

[sbohandley]

You are right that anyone with a brain could figure that how, but how many people have brains?

Thinking is the hardest work there is, that is why so few engage in it.
Henry Ford