How come the people in Kankakee try to distance themselves from Chicago so much? (Peoria: crime, unemployment rate)

[urza216]

Originally Posted by StarsandStripes79

Can you explain me why there are more people in Kankakee that are into southern culture compared to the rest of the Chicago area?

Anyone have the answer here?

*more white people

I think Englewood is more "dixie" than any municipality in Kankakee County except for maybe Hopkins Park.

The reason why white people are more drawn to southern culture is because it's more rural.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by StarsandStripes79

Can you explain me why there are more people in Kankakee that are into southern culture compared to the rest of the Chicago area?

Anyone have the answer here?

It is more rural than the rest of the Chicago area.

[StarsandStripes79]

Its still an Illinois town and technically in northeast Illinois. Why would you want to be southern? WTF?

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by StarsandStripes79

White rural America? Kankakee is 60 miles from Chicago. LOL

They try so hard to be southern. Redneck woman is a perfect example of that. The people in Kankakee try to distance themselves so much from Chicagoland culture and the suburbs. The people make fun of Kankakee for a reason. They think Kankakee is nothing but hillbillies. I've heard it first hand. People from Chicagoland make fun of anything and anyone that is south of I-80. Especially the 20 somethings who hang out in Lincoln and Wicker Park or the River North.

Bottom line is, when you live in Illinois, act like a northerner. Songs such as Redneck woman are not a northern song talking about sophistication. IF you live in Alabama, crank Redneck woman all day long cause you definately live a southern life.

I dont know why people in Illinois would want to call themselves rednecks anyway. Its a degrading word for uneducated poor white people who live in trailer parks.

Pick up trucks, country music, ya'll instead of you guys, mudding, and nascar were created by southerners. If you live in the North and do those type of things you are nothing but a poser.

I find it quite comical.

Also...... The woman that told me she was a southern girl. She really thinks she is southern even though she grew up and was raised in northern Illinois. She refers to her mother as momma. LMAO And she refuses to wear nothing but cowboy boots. She says Ya'll instead of you guys. If you talked to her you would hear this language she uses. Its very very bazarre why she tries so hard to be southern.

You're not listening.

So what if Kankakee is 60 miles from Chicago? What difference does that make. Its still rural America. And its rural America 60 miles from downtown Chicago. Period.

And yes, maybe you do have a few people that strongly identify with southern culture. Maybe some people had grandparents, etc. that came from Kentucky. But they are not trying to "distance themselves", thats simply the culture. Why on earth would you have a hard time understanding that rural American culture can exist outside a major metropolitan area.

And the South of I-80 if anything, is more a product of the older generation, back when there was no urban sprawl around or south of I-80. None of the younger generation really uses that at all.

Again, this is just rural America. And yes it exists plenty just beyond the edge of Chicagoland.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

It may be 60 miles from Chicago, but it is still a relatively low-populated, rural area.

Most of these things you describe are more a product of rural America than being solely "Southern."

Also, "Redneck Woman" is a song by Gretchen Wilson who, if I recall correctly, is also from white, rural Illinois.

Yes you are correct. Pocahantas, IL to be exact. About 60 miles east of St. Louis.

Gretchen Wilson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pocahontas, Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by urza216

The problem is that you're more likely to find a gangbanger in downtown Kankakee than a "redneck woman".. You're assuming this guy isn't making stuff up.

AGAIN - Kankakee is about 50 miles from Chicago State University in Chicago, Illinois. Why are you people just ignoring my posts and reveling in ignorance and nonsense some guy made up?

Maybe, but outside downtown Kankakee in the rest of the county, I'm sure is a different story. Most people "from Kankakee" probably grew up in the suburbs and rural areas around there.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by StarsandStripes79

Really? I didn't know having a confederate flag in your front yard hanging from your porch was a Northern thing. First time I saw this in Illinois was in Kankakee county. Iroquois county I've seen the same thing. What do you have to say about that?

Also seems like Gretchen Wilson is a poser also. Who in their right mind living in Illinois would be proud to call themselves a redneck? Are you kidding me here?

Lets see if you can answer me a question. How come people in Barrington don't do these things but people in Kankakee and Iroquois counties do them? Why are people in Barrington walking around in J Crew and people in Kankakee shop at Farm and Fleet? Why? Cause Kankakee is in Northern Illinois and so is Barrington. So explain to me why even though they come from the same part of the state, that Kankakee county people are so much different than the people who live in Dupage County?

My gosh your posts get more unbelievable the more I read through it. I can't believe these questions you are asking. Wow.

Because Barrington and DuPage County are frickin less than 30 miles from Chicago white collared, with major business centers there, of course its going to be different. Every metropolitan region is going to have a lot of variation!

[LakeShoreSoxGo]

Originally Posted by urza216

That's what I say. You're the one from the NW suburbs who really has no idea what you're talking about. Have you ever been to Kannkakee? Have you ever even been to Richton Park or Matteson? Clearly you are talking out of your *** then..

And yes, Gurnee is seriously NOWHERE to me. It's far far far away from anywhere I'd ever have any bussiness being if it wasn't for Six Flags. I could take a flight to Florida but I guess I'll spend that time driving to Gurnee instead.. When I get to Skokie, I already feel like Christopher Columbus and then Gurnee is like the new world. What brainiac thought of the idea to put Six Flags all the way out there?

I'm from the north shore and live in the NW burbs now. So unlike you, I have not lived in the same corner of Chicagoland my whole life.

I don't care if you think Skokie or Gurnee is "nowwhere". It is part of the contigious urban developement that makes up Chicagoland. Kankakee is completey surrounded by farmland and the people talk like people from Kentucky.

[linicx]

I would be willing to be there is a lot more poverty in Kankakee than there is in the North Shore area or the NW 'burbs. Cook County is a world apart from the rest of the state.

Illinois is an Ag state. Most towns 50 miles outside of Cook are surrounded by farms providing [1] it is zoned for agriculture and livestock, and [2] the soil is good enough to produce bushels rather than 1 acre family gardens.

I haven't been in Kankakee for many years. If people sound like they came from Kentucky they probably did. I don't know that speech by itself is indicitive of anything in particular.

Originally Posted by LakeShoreSoxGo

I'm from the north shore and live in the NW burbs now. So unlike you, I have not lived in the same corner of Chicagoland my whole life.

I don't care if you think Skokie or Gurnee is "nowwhere". It is part of the contigious urban developement that makes up Chicagoland. Kankakee is completey surrounded by farmland and the people talk like people from Kentucky.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by linicx

I would be willing to be there is a lot more poverty in Kankakee than there is in the North Shore area or the NW 'burbs. Cook County is a world apart from the rest of the state.

Illinois is an Ag state. Most towns 50 miles outside of Cook are surrounded by farms providing [1] it is zoned for agriculture and livestock, and [2] the soil is good enough to produce bushels rather than 1 acre family gardens.

I haven't been in Kankakee for many years. If people sound like they came from Kentucky they probably did. I don't know that speech by itself is indicitive of anything in particular.

But not NEARLY as much of a world apart as Will County or Dupage County is from Peoria County.