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I notice you're in the Houston area. That's on the Gulf, so I understand. I lived in Fort Worth, and I have never been east of Dallas, except for maybe one time, and that was most likely to go to New Orleans.
I grew up in California thinking the South was a redneck wasteland. Then, in my early 20s, I lived in Virginia, which admittely is South lite, but still South. I fell in love with this region. I live in the Atlanta area now. I'm not sure where I will end up for good, but it will definitely be in the Southeast, hopefully somewhere along the coast. The people, the food, the weather, the terrain, the diversity of climates and terrain ... the South has a lot going for it. BTW, I'm a liberal democrat. Politics aren't everything.
Maybe it's me, but I have a hard time considering Texas a southern state. Certainly there are southern influences, but I don't consider it a southern state, but more part of the southwest.
SW is a more directional, pop culture term.
The US has always been divided as follows:
This one takes a wacky twist on it:
http://www.d83.org/Teachers/dukhan/images/gradelevels/4th/usa-regions.gif (broken link)
It lists Texas, LA and Ok as the southern states because they are truely south. Houston is more than 600 miles from the west coast or the east coast. Nothing SW about it.
This one shows Texas as the best description I think there is, South central:
I notice you're in the Houston area. That's on the Gulf, so I understand. I lived in Fort Worth, and I have never been east of Dallas, except for maybe one time, and that was most likely to go to New Orleans.
I've never spent enough time in Dallas but I consider it southern.
There are 4 kind of people who generally think this way. I do not mean to offend anyone with this post but this is what I have observed from being a original GA peach and living up north (Brooklyn NY for two years in high school which I must add was quite an experience)
1. People who have NEVER been to the South: These types of people would not have any direct contact with the south. Meaning no family, relatives, association, visits, etc down here. Generally their only experience with southern culture and people is through what they see on TV or in a movie. Also learning about the south while in school textbooks and other sources. I have found that school textbooks make the false accusation as painting all white southerners with a broad brush of us as being racist, still even to this day.
With this information, often they will have a bad taste in their mouth about the South and may not even wish to visit down here. Some of these individuals constantly bash the south when they clearly know little about southern people and our own unique culture. Sure you can read all the books in the world pertaining to the south, but to feel and fully experience true southern culture (or any culture for that matter) you will have to physically be here and interact with the natives. We don't bite.
2. People who have only visited the South: For those who did visit the south, whether it was the first time, just visiting family & relatives, or just vacationing find that the culture is not for them. They may find it enjoyable to visit but not to live. Granted that some touristy big southern cities there tends to less southern in general. For example Miami, Atlanta Myrtle Beach. And that is okay. But this has been said time and time again that the south is not a monolithic region. Being one of the largest regions in the USA, from the mountains of western North Carolina to the bayous of southern Louisiana, you can visit either one and find that the culture is VERY different. There are similarities but the culture has it distinct differences. Each southern state seems to have their own style of southern. For me everytime I visit North Carolina it just feels different or has a different vibe from when I am at home in Georgia, I can't really explain it in words, but it just feels different.
If a person absolutely dreads visiting their southern relatives who "live in the sticks" then yes, they would often complain about how much they hate it here and how things were so much better than where ever they came from.
3. People who moved here from outside the South, and hate it here: If you are reading this and it applies to you then I hope you are able to move to another region or state that you feel more comfortable with. People should always do their research when moving anywhere. They are a few transplants here smoe happy with lilving down here and some not so happy. The most common rants include but are not limited to healthy eating options, car dependecy, politics, no diversity, this being the Bible belt, heat, and of course how we behave and do things.
4. People who hate everything about the South: Just doing a simple Google search will land you on countless forums and blog posts where people are bashing the south. These rants have to be some of the most foulest things that I have ever read. This is when I start to question if the person even actually has lived or currently lives in the south because I have read some of the ridiculous claims on these sites.
For some I guess the South is a region that a person from outside can either love, hate, or just don't even care for. Or a combination of etiher one.
I am proud to be a southern girl and could never even imagine living anywhere else outside this region. I would never give up my heritage or culture for any other.
I live in the South. I have lived in the South continuously since age 6. I spent some time in the Pacific Northwest. My own view of the South has been shaped partially by parential influence and my own experiences.
My own experiences has been this. I feel that I haven't fit in very well. I have had issues. I have met some nice people living in the South. However, I haven't had an easy time. To me it never really felt like home.
I feel the South gets hated on because of the Loooooong History of Hatred and Discrimination most of them have towards people that they feel does not fit with their culture........
Also the large number of ignorant socially retard southerners that have hatred towards certain states like Maryland, Delaware, and DC to the point that they deny the Fact that they are Southern States.........
It seems that the consensus for down south hate is the Civil War and the Republican party. In reality, the split up of the Dems in 1860 is what helped a Republican victory for Lincoln. 1860 was the year that pro-slavery Dems held their convention in Charleston SC while anti-slavery Dems held their convention in Baltimore MD.
What's happening today...
We have America's first biracial president planning his reelection convention just 10 miles from the South Carolina state line in a county that he won by 62%. Whites are the single largest ethnic group of this southern city, yet the mayor (a black man) is eager to welcome the president to town next year (and so are the democratic whites that voted for Obama).
The future...
Hopefully the events of the present will be how the south is judged from here on out. Yes, the history is very ugly, but the present and the future are bright.
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 05-31-2011 at 07:56 AM..
I feel the South gets hated on because of the Loooooong History of Hatred and Discrimination most of them have towards people that they feel does not fit with their culture........
Also the large number of ignorant socially retard southerners that have hatred towards certain states like Maryland, Delaware, and DC to the point that they deny the Fact that they are Southern States.........
No one hates those states, and DC is a city, not a state. And no they are not southern. And before you call us retarded, learn some proper grammar.
No one hates those states, and DC is a city, not a state. And no they are not southern. And before you call us retarded, learn some proper grammar.
It's best you don't respond to mk because he's going to keep going and going. Just let him rant on until he's tired.
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