Is Mississippi the last of Deep South culture? (Liberty: organic, live in)

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by smarino

There IS no more deep South culture. It's been replaced by worshiping the military and the police, ultra conservative and repressive fundamentalist, judgmental "Christianity" that has NOTHING to do w/ the teachings of Jesus, hatred for any group that is different from the nuclear family, rabid Rebuplicanism, racism, intentional and glorified ignorance, and generally, the whole area embarrasses me, as I am originally from Mississippi and used to be proud of it. Now I am ashamed of the South.

Other than rabid republicanism, everything you listed has between a part of southern white culture for at least the last 100 years. Really it's been that way since the end of Reconstruction and the rise of the Klan. How can you act like it's something new and different? When has the southern white culture ever not had these traits you've listed?

[southside89]

Originally Posted by cBach

If you look at migration patterns, FL/NC/SC/GA/TN/TX have been having many people moving from northern and western states and their culture is starting to change drastically. I hear even AL is getting some of it, to a lesser degree, and even parts of LA like New Orleans is getting hipsters and Lafayette is the "new Austin."

So, is it the case that MS is the only true southern state left? I'm thinking that it retains a very Deep South culture.

The whites that I know from MS all seem to have negative things to say about the economy, but have cherished memories of the food and the hospitality.

Also, having talking to African Americans in Chicago and other northern cities that have parents or grandparents that had lived in MS, they all have favorable opinions of an almost ideal low stress rural existence. Indeed, you see some blacks retiring in MS because they miss that rural atmosphere. This belies the fact that MS is prejudiced, which it is, but it seems that it may manifest itself differently than in the north?

I'm wondering if the only thing that is holding these people from returning is the economy? If there were good jobs in MS would it become a desirable destination? Or is this just romanticizing something that really is a terrible environment?

I've only been to Vicksburg, Jackson, Meridien, and the Gulf Coast, so I'm no expert. It seems, however, that MS may be the most underrated state in America?

Please comment if you are a MS native (either currently in state or out of state) and have insights?

Meridian

[southside89]

Originally Posted by cBach

So, is it the case that MS is the only true southern state left? I'm thinking that it retains a very Deep South culture. Also, having talking to African Americans in Chicago and other northern cities that have parents or grandparents that had lived in MS, they all have favorable opinions of an almost ideal low stress rural existence. Indeed, you see some blacks retiring in MS because they miss that rural atmosphere. This belies the fact that MS is prejudiced

Well, we the only southern state having a confederate symbol on the state flag and some school districts in the state are still segregated. Is Mississippi the only true southern state? yeah.

I'm not sure what African Americans you talked to up north, but the ones I know from the northern states (family & friends) still believed the negative stereotypes of this state even though they rather come down here to attend college especially historically black colleges (HBCU's) or visit family members.

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by Desert kid

I dunno. Large chunks of Texas are as Deep South/Texan as ever given these last 10 years politically.

But in Mississippi's case. Oxford. This last fall showed that the place has become hipster central.

Oklahoma, Arkansas, parts of Tennessee, and Alabama as well. Urban areas in the South are becoming diluted, but most of the rural South is as Southern as ever.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by southside89

Well, we the only southern state having a confederate symbol on the state flag and some school districts in the state are still segregated. Is Mississippi the only true southern state? yeah.

I'm not sure what African Americans you talked to up north, but the ones I know from the northern states (family & friends) still believed the negative stereotypes of this state even though they rather come down here to attend college especially historically black colleges (HBCU's) or visit family members.

I'm Black, and my father is from the North. His parents were from Mississippi. They left and my father was born in the Midwest. He has less than favorable views of Mississippi.

[green_mariner]

^I live in the Atlanta area. There are more people moving here from Mississippi than there are people trying to move there. I've never heard of anyone wanting to move to Mississippi, other than one person, who once lived in California.

[smarino]

Oh, there's plenty of prejudice and racism still, trust me. It's just that even today the races keep themselves largely separate, so those blacks that got tired of the Yankees up North and came back to their roots came back to THEIR roots, not white Mississippi's roots.

This whole Olde South thing is over. It's only a myth that seems to be taking a looooong time to die, as all things do, eventually. Southern pride has turned into being xenophobic, rigidly, judgmentally, fundamentalist Christian, and a long held racism that was simmering for decades. The current president has brought all that right out into the open, where it belongs. Lots of haters in the South. I'm from there, and from Mississippi, but all that was good is long gone in my book, and only the worst of the South survives now. I do like the manners and common courtesy, but that's surface. When I show up w/ my black wife, it's a whole different attitude from the majority of the population.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by smarino

Oh, there's plenty of prejudice and racism still, trust me. It's just that even today the races keep themselves largely separate, so those blacks that got tired of the Yankees up North and came back to their roots came back to THEIR roots, not white Mississippi's roots.

This whole Olde South thing is over. It's only a myth that seems to be taking a looooong time to die, as all things do, eventually. Southern pride has turned into being xenophobic, rigidly, judgmentally, fundamentalist Christian, and a long held racism that was simmering for decades. The current president has brought all that right out into the open, where it belongs. Lots of haters in the South. I'm from there, and from Mississippi, but all that was good is long gone in my book, and only the worst of the South survives now. I do like the manners and common courtesy, but that's surface. When I show up w/ my black wife, it's a whole different attitude from the majority of the population.

Oh, horsepooky.
There are more interracial couples around here than I can count and no one says one dang thing about it.
Could be, people are talking about you, not your race.

[U146]

Mississippi and Arkansas are among the last states I would ever want to live in. No true major cities, deep poverty, etc.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

Oh, horsepooky.
There are more interracial couples around here than I can count and no one says one dang thing about it.
Could be, people are talking about you, not your race.

Actually, the states with the highest occurrence of interracial marriage are:

Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Mississippi is not among those states.