[FLGulfcoaster]

In my opinon the dividing line is Hillsborough County, it creates a clear dividing line across the state. Anything across or north of Hillsborough County is southern culturally to a degree. People will probablly disagree with me and claim that Hillsborough County is not southern. Go to Mango, Florida and talk to the people there. They have southern accents and would look at you crazy if you told them they weren't southerners. Also as soon as you roll into the county they have that giant confederate flag. I'm not saying that all of Hillsborough County or other counties in Florida that are across or north of it are completely southern in culture, I'm just saying they are atleast partially southern in culture.

I think people believe that Florida is not southern because the bulk of the state lives in South Florida which has a lot more of its own feel mixed with Latin American and northeastern/midwestern transplants. I think there is more culturally Southern counties in Florida than not, however these counties are not very populated for the most part. For example, Bradford county, FL is very obviously southern culturally but the entire county only has 28,000 people. Where as Miami-Dade has 2.4 million people.

Another thing to take into consideration is proximity to the coast. Inland areas (besides Orlando) tend to be much culturally southern because they don't recieve a lot of transplants generally. Counties like Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee are technically in South Florida but since they are very rural they are more southern than their costal counterparts. Recently those inland areas are being rapidly populated by Hispanic migrant workers so that will change the culture of the area.

[Pooring Footers]

Originally Posted by bugguy

I think Florida is just a suburb of New Jersey

Yes, to an extent. I think S FL is a "suburb" of NY/NJ, but thank God not all of FL is the same way.

[Liberty911]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Florida should just rename it's self....SOUTH NEW YORK

Now THAT name change would make me move from where I am in So. Fla.

Some of my neighbors fly the confederate flag in my neighborhood. Of course, go 25 miles south into WPB and it's unofficially New York Florida. I can't wait till season ends. . .

[Pooring Footers]

"Florida should just rename it's self....SOUTH NEW YORK"


So many of the areas definitely have that feeling, from the attitudes, the driving, etc.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Pooring Footers

"Florida should just rename it's self....SOUTH NEW YORK"


So many of the areas definitely have that feeling, from the attitudes, the driving, etc.

Maybe South Michigan, or South Ohio. It is very difficult to drive to the west coast of Florida from NY, or anywhere on the eastern seaboard. We have done it. It takes FOREVER just to get out of Florida.

[cpt757100]

Thats the problem you yankees move down here to Florida and do not want to be called a southerner so you claim that Florida is not in the south... Well, you can always move back up north if you dont like the southern people or move down to miami either one is fine with us...... I read just yesterday that Florida will go ahead and issue the Confederate Heritage license plates in the middle of 2010. Now you tell me Florida is not a southern state....... Most Floridians love the fact that this state was part of the Confederate States of America and that the yankees never captured Tallahassee....... If you dont like it yankee go home!

[MiamiRob]

^ that's funny since most of the Atlantic coastal areas of Florida were built & developed by Yankees/Northerners. Henry Flagler (founder of Standard Oil) who owned the Florida East Coast rail line from Jacksonville to Key West was a Yankee born in Hyde Park, New York. Julia Tuttle who founded Miami was from Cleveland. So please don't deny the Yankee heritage of our state either.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Crazy Virgo Child

Nonsense!?!? LOL… call it what you will but nobody ANYWHERE else does gold teeth and big rims on old cars like Florida does. And that’s great that you feel unhampered by the social scene in Florida, I on the other hand found the social scene in Florida for blacks severely lacking quite and frankly boring. Miami may be known for nightlife, but as far as blacks go, neither Miami nor anywhere else in Florida can see Atlanta even on a bad day. And you’ve never been called a Yank in Florida??? Where do you live in FLA and do you leave your house??? Yank is a common slang term especially in Miami for an American born black person, when I used to live in NMB I was called that quite often. I also made a number of Haitian and Jamaican friends some of whom I still go visit to this day and they use the term almost endearingly, so am I to assume that I know more about Florida than you and you live there??? And what does ancestry have to do with anything homie???? Here in Atlanta 3/4 of the blacks here are from the Midwest, Cali or the east coast, so ancestry does not have a place in this argument. Bottom line, bruh Florida is southern, I don’t car how yall perceive it, the simple fact your from Florida means you can’t give an unbiased opinion. So I’m going to tell you as a Chicago native who has lived in Florida and other places in the south, Florida is Southern!!! Nothing wrong with it, but it is what it is.

Definitely agree with you... I grew up in Florida but have lived in Chicago and California... its definitely southern north of orlando, and miami blacks are the same as jacksonville blacks. I also find it boring socially...
Atlanta is definitely more progressive than the rest of southern black culture.
I was talking to a black neighbor today and he was talking about getting outta here and definitely advised it and think he'd like it better outside.

Originally Posted by cpt757100

Thats the problem you yankees move down here to Florida and do not want to be called a southerner so you claim that Florida is not in the south... Well, you can always move back up north if you dont like the southern people or move down to miami either one is fine with us...... I read just yesterday that Florida will go ahead and issue the Confederate Heritage license plates in the middle of 2010. Now you tell me Florida is not a southern state....... Most Floridians love the fact that this state was part of the Confederate States of America and that the yankees never captured Tallahassee....... If you dont like it yankee go home!

wow...that kind of ignorance is what I'm talking about right there!

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by cpt757100

Thats the problem you yankees move down here to Florida and do not want to be called a southerner so you claim that Florida is not in the south... Well, you can always move back up north if you dont like the southern people or move down to miami either one is fine with us...... I read just yesterday that Florida will go ahead and issue the Confederate Heritage license plates in the middle of 2010. Now you tell me Florida is not a southern state....... Most Floridians love the fact that this state was part of the Confederate States of America and that the yankees never captured Tallahassee....... If you dont like it yankee go home!

Suppose you were born, raised, and lived your life for decades in the south. You move up north and are there for several years. Would you be a northerner now? Of course not. You are a product of where you were born, raised, and lived most of your life. Nobody up north would suddendly expect your to merge into their "culture". It is much more of a you live your life the way you want, and I will live my life the way I want. We are much more tolerant of different "lifestyles", simply because there are so many more of them.

This seems to be something unique to the south. I didn't experience this in the Midwest either when I lived there.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by TANaples

Suppose you were born, raised, and lived your life for decades in the south. You move up north and are there for several years. Would you be a northerner now? Of course not. You are a product of where you were born, raised, and lived most of your life. Nobody up north would suddendly expect your to merge into their "culture". It is much more of a you live your life the way you want, and I will live my life the way I want. We are much more tolerant of different "lifestyles", simply because there are so many more of them.

This seems to be something unique to the south. I didn't experience this in the Midwest either when I lived there.

I think I am the opposite to this...

I never really bought into the southern culture myself, though I was raised here (north florida)... not sure I am a product of it, just kind of "dealt" with it. My moms side of the family was from Chicago, my dads side from Massachussetts...relocated though to Alabama, both sides came down here because of naval stuff then decided to stay for the weather... I mean, my grandfather went to Northwestern...not exactly southern. My dads side, definitely some STRONG southern in some of my family, talking south poor rural alabama in the 50s and 60s... maybe even some inbreds somewhere. Definitely had some KKK members in my fam...Family reunions, could be kind of damn scary. Many super religious to the point of scaring me...

So for me I know it all too well, but never really knew how different it was outside and why I didn't fit in well until I got OUT of the south and thrived, made tons of friends, etc.

Although I genuinely like a lot of the people I think they are just influenced by the society around here too much and sadly, pretty ignorant.

I am back here for awhile after being gone for 5 years, and older now, I definitely notice the societal differences MUCH more, and can't wait to leave.