Why is Sussex County so eccentric? (Wilmington, Seaford: fit in, home, living in)

[doctorjef]

OK, so this thing with the Sussex County sheriff exceeding his authority and being unresponsive to County Council and members of his own Republican party has been going on for months now, with the sheriff explicitly defying all legal opinion and administrative directive to the contrary. But this is just more weirdness out of Sussex County, with its racist Nazi wannabes adopting a section of highway (yes, I realise their permit for that came from the State rather than the County), its Rush Limbaugh wannabe local radio talking head, the insistence that public meetings start with the Pater Noster/Lord's Prayer, which is duplicitously claimed to be not a specifically Christian prayer?

[longnecker]

Long before this Sheriff tried this Sheriff Reed tried almost the same thing. He even had lights and sirens on the sheriff's cars.
I just came back from a very family oriented Christmas Parade in Millsboro most of the FAMILIES there seemed to enjoy living here in slower lower.

[James420]

If I had a nickel for each time I've been called a "Yank" in Sussex county, or told "Bless Your heart" I'd be rich. Heck at a local eatery in Bethany last weekend our waitress asked "Where Y'all from", we told her Wilmington and so I asked her and she grew up in Laaaurel with that southern twang, we cracked up. There is a contingent of residents in Sussex county that believe they are southern, like Alabama, or Mississippi southern. Look how the county votes, I think its funny. It won't stop me from moving there though. The Nazi stuff is everywhere, goofs in all states. As I've said before Delaware especially lower has a large Pagan 1%er gang as well, and that is something you don't hear about in other states because Delaware is so small.

[doctorjef]

Well, in the case of the sheriff he's apparently in opposition to what the Republican leadership , i.e. the leadership of his own party, is telling him, as well as what has long been established by the state AG's office, and certainly doing something that isn't being done in the other two counties. His immediate predecessor was doing standard DE sheriff duties, and apparently prior the last Republican sheriff in office in Sussex, earlier Sussex Co. sheriffs hadn't been trying to expand their roles into areas outside the normal remit within Delaware. So basically, does it just boil down to a bunch of flatland hillbillies and rednecks west of Rt 1? Like guys who want to play Dukes of Hazzard? Frankly, I think it may be legitimate to expand the role of the sheriff's dept, but to do so would require some specific legislation and/or judicial ruling, together with appropriate law enforcement training and certification for these people. New Castle Co., however, doesn't really need this, since it already had a county police force. The Sussex Co. sheriff just comes off as a rogue, rather than someone trying to follow appropriate processes.

[pete lynch]

Why does everybody NOT from Sussex county think we are all hicks and hillbillies?
"a bunch of flatland hillbillies and rednecks west of Rt 1? Like guys who want to play Dukes of Hazzard?"
You don't know what a real hick or hillbilly is, apparently. The only reference point you have is old tv shows about country people.

[doctorjef]

I'm just questioning if that's the conclusion to be drawn from James420's post. Sussex does seem out of step with the rest of the State, even given that Kent is more conservative and rural than New Castle. Sussex is the only place you have lawsuits brewing over Christian prayer at County Council meetings, sheriffs defying every other relevant political authority in their county and state, a clerk of the peace who makes a big deal over his opposition to officiating same-gender civil unions, etc. What conclusions are to be drawn from this pattern?

[beachliz]

Interesting thread! I will chime in now and come back later after a few more people post...and DITTO on longnecker's post. I typically comment on threads like this since I spent the first 11 years of my life in NCC and the past almost 26 years in eastern Sussex. I experienced life in two counties which are both very unique and different. Both counties have their positive and negative points.

As you all know by now, I've lived in Delaware all my life and my father's side has farmed both New Castle and Kent counties for over 300 years. I never really fit in up in north Wilmington (I'm too "hayseed", I suppose) and still, to this day, it does not feel like "home". Eastern Sussex is my home and I am always happy to return after a trip out of county. However, Brandywine Hundred will always, always be my hometown regardless of how out of place I feel when visiting kin up there. I have so much family and historic ties up there, it almost overwhelming. Even discovered some kin right on this forum .

I do agree that it's a bit silly for Sussex Countians to consider themselves southerners and/or Confederates, as I have stated before in other threads. I suppose many were absent in history class when there was discussion on which states were and were not part of the Union . However, (historically) there were many Southern sympathizers in Sussex. I suppose this mentality has carried on through some generations.

James420--I really chuckled when reading your post! My husband's entire family has lived in Blades and west Seaford for many generations, and they all use southern slang and terminology. He doesn't, but he's always been the black sheep of the family. He does, however, have a TRUE southern twang, however subtle. A true southern accent is different from what you hear in Delaware. Even other native western Sussex Countians ask my husband where he "got that accent". He was raised around his paternal grandmother, whose entire family was from Appalachian Tennessee--TRUE southerners and hillbillies, not wannabes like the ones around here. My husband laughs at the so-called Southerners around here because they they try to hard to be something they are not. Don't get me wrong...I love living in quiet, peaceful areas, farms, pick-up trucks, dirt bikes, four wheelers, bonfires, guns, the outdoors, flannel shirts, and many other aspects of southern life...but I am not a southerner. I am a native Delawarean. Actual southerners will say the same (including the Tennessee side of my husband's family).

Anyway, before I ramble on anymore, I am going outside to enjoy this beautiful day. I'll post later on after a few more people comment.

[longnecker]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

I'm just questioning if that's the conclusion to be drawn from James420's post. Sussex does seem out of step with the rest of the State, even given that Kent is more conservative and rural than New Castle. Sussex is the only place you have lawsuits brewing over Christian prayer at County Council meetings, sheriffs defying every other relevant political authority in their county and state, a clerk of the peace who makes a big deal over his opposition to officiating same-gender civil unions, etc. What conclusions are to be drawn from this pattern?

Well reading your post I finally see what your problem is with Sussex. Those of us who don't hang out on Baltimore Ave and raise families here choose to be here.

[doctorjef]

longnecker, you are really grasping. That's not my problem with Sussex. I'm already legally married in Canada and thus our marriage will automatically be recognised in DE as a civil union come Jan 1st. I don't need the Sussex Co. Clerk of the Peace to officiate a union for us. Indeed, Sussex County has quite a few clergy who will happily officiate civil unions, so I doubt any same-gender couples will even desire to use the current clerk of the peace for that purpose. The point is: the clerks of the peace in Kent and New Castle didn't throw up any objections, but the clerk in Sussex had to have a public crisis about whether or not he would discharge his duties under the laws of the State of Delaware. That to me seems one of a piece with the brouhaha over prayer at the Sussex Council meetings (a conflation of civil government with personal religious belief), a county sheriff who seems to think he's above the historic understanding and legal definitions in Delaware of what sheriffs do, and any number of other similar scenarios coming out of Sussex County.

Don't y'all feel slightly embarrassed? It's too much like Rick Perry and the other bozos who run Texas.

[longnecker]

I'm not grasping Dr Jeff. You are the one attacking my home. Do any of these things effect you personally that you need to post negatively about Sussex? Maybe you should try the Jersey Shore this summer. Or maybe they are not as laid back and accepting as Sussex. Well Whatever!! y'all have a nice day.