Quote:
Originally Posted by DownSouth88
People tend to think of Mississippi and Alabama as the most backwards, redneck states in the country. On some levels, Louisiana is sometimes grouped in with these states, together marking the three true "deep South" states in the country (since Georgia has been taken over by Atlanta and is progressing quickly with loads of transplants). Other people tend to think of Louisiana as "it's own country," or as something of an anomaly in the South, not fitting in with "traditional" Southern culture.
I don't want anyone to think too much or to over-analyze this question; go with your gut. Do you consider Louisiana to belong to the same group as Mississippi and Alabama?
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Why ask? Please, define traditional southern culture. I think that I like southern culture. However, I'm not certain that I know what it is and is not.
I don't know anything about LA. I went to Ft. Polk in LA. for the Joint Readiness Training Center, when I was in the Army. The ladies in the mess hall certainly sounded "southern" to me "northern" ears. I was introduced to creamed beef and grits at Ft. Polk. If I could go there for breakfast everyday, I would! It was that good! The ladies serving the food were so nice. They couldn't care less about rank. Everybody was "baby." I've mentioned in another thread that I liked to be "sugared" and "honeyed" when I'm in an eatery. Is that "southern"?
As a child, I certainly had my fill of trips to MS. Star, MS, to be exact. Sitting under a shade tree, listening to my Pa Pa tell stories, while eating unprocessed peanuts or watermelon.
Btw, peanuts are definitely a legume. Good times! Then, my cousins would finally come home and we would go to Jackson for put put golf, go carts, an arcade, or the zoo. For sure, we had a good time!
However, there was a rooster, that would stand outside of the window and sound off. He would do this every morning, without fail!
Funny thing is that my cousins accused my brother and I of speaking "proper".
I lived in Memphis for five years, as an adult. I love me some Memphis! Memphis has a great vibe.
I grew up watching kung fu & samurai flicks. However, weapons of the sort were illegal in IL. I can't describe my delight when I touched a Tai Chi and Ninja sword for the first time. The first time I laid eyes upon an authentic pair of nunchucks. I did this in Memphis at Dach Oriental Imports.
It was also in Memphis that a woman told me that she encourages her children not to speak w/ a southern accent. Her sentiment was similar to yours. I understood. However, I did not agree.
I live in GA now. I have an Atlanta address. However, we're in Chamblee or Tucker.
We are in Dekalb county for sure.
Has GA been taken over by Atlanta? Probably about as much as IL has taken over by Chicago. Believe me, there is a lot of IL outside of Chicago. I'd say that most of IL wants NOTHING to do w/ the city: Chicago.
Other than gassing up in Birmingham, I know nothing about AL. However, it did look and feel southern to me. That said, I dug what little I saw and felt.
The South: it is not a culturally homogeneous place. My experience has taught me that the further I got away from any heavily populated area, the more rustic, country, quaint, backwards, etc., the people and places became. The more they became fearful of outsiders. I'm commenting about the whole of the U.S.
Do I lump LA, MS, and AL? Yes. I would not exclude GA. I'll tell you this: I respect the hell out of the person who does not try to tone down his or her "southernness". The Neelys and Paula Deen come to mind.
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