Why is Missouri so southern?

[Smtchll]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

Cape is really the invisible dividing line between the the South and the Midwest in SE Missouri. The 2 counties north of there, Perry and Sainte Genevieve, are thoroughly Midwestern, trust me on that. It may look similar to Nashville, but having grown up in Sainte Genevieve, and having lived in the Nashville area, I can tell you that the mindset is MUCH different.

How so? I can't really tell the difference between a Midwestern mindset and a Southern mindset. I can't see a difference in values & attitude, especially in the rural areas. I'm sure there's a difference, but I don't know what it is. Even in St. Louis, the people didn't strike me as much different from the people in Memphis. Of course the accent was different, but people were still friendly and hospitable. That's why I liked it so much. To me, Nashville and Memphis feel different.

[cyrano]

Originally Posted by rickflair58

Missouri wasn't a slave state it remain neutral.

History fail.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by Smtchll

How so? I can't really tell the difference between a Midwestern mindset and a Southern mindset. I can't see a difference in values & attitude, especially in the rural areas. I'm sure there's a difference, but I don't know what it is. Even in St. Louis, the people didn't strike me as much different from the people in Memphis. Of course the accent was different, but people were still friendly and hospitable. That's why I liked it so much. To me, Nashville and Memphis feel different.

I think a lot of people tend to confuse rural culture with Southern culture. Many people in rural Missouri and Tennessee drive trucks, go deer hunting, fishing, and four-wheeler riding. People also do those things in rural Michigan and Pennsylvania...states that aren't Southern at all. While visiting rural central Pennsylvania a couple years ago, I was surprised how much it reminded me of the Ozarks in Missouri, despite being several hundred miles away, and located in a solid Yankee state.

As far as the Southernness in Missouri, I do seem to notice more rebel flags flying every time I head back down to the Ozarks. Some people in southern Missouri self-identify as Southerners, some self-identify as Midwesterners.

I've personally found that Kentucky reminds me more of Missouri than any other state I've visited. Other states like Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia feel nothing like Missouri. Missouri is on the dividing line between the Midwest and the South, and has many cultural aspects from both.

[Hillman]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

I think a lot of people tend to confuse rural culture with Southern culture. Many people in rural Missouri and Tennessee drive trucks, go deer hunting, fishing, and four-wheeler riding. People also do those things in rural Michigan and Pennsylvania...states that aren't Southern at all. While visiting rural central Pennsylvania a couple years ago, I was surprised how much it reminded me of the Ozarks in Missouri, despite being several hundred miles away, and located in a solid Yankee state.

As far as the Southernness in Missouri, I do seem to notice more rebel flags flying every time I head back down to the Ozarks. Some people in southern Missouri self-identify as Southerners, some self-identify as Midwesterners.

I've personally found that Kentucky reminds me more of Missouri than any other state I've visited. Other states like Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia feel nothing like Missouri. Missouri is on the dividing line between the Midwest and the South, and has many cultural aspects from both.

Only two Southern Flags I fly





hillman

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

I think a lot of people tend to confuse rural culture with Southern culture. Many people in rural Missouri and Tennessee drive trucks, go deer hunting, fishing, and four-wheeler riding. People also do those things in rural Michigan and Pennsylvania...states that aren't Southern at all. While visiting rural central Pennsylvania a couple years ago, I was surprised how much it reminded me of the Ozarks in Missouri, despite being several hundred miles away, and located in a solid Yankee state.

As far as the Southernness in Missouri, I do seem to notice more rebel flags flying every time I head back down to the Ozarks. Some people in southern Missouri self-identify as Southerners, some self-identify as Midwesterners.

I've personally found that Kentucky reminds me more of Missouri than any other state I've visited. Other states like Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia feel nothing like Missouri. Missouri is on the dividing line between the Midwest and the South, and has many cultural aspects from both.

Very true. Even in California, towns in the Central valley part of the state have a midwestern feel to them.

[sixtwobaldguy]

I think many people try to feel better about themselves by putting down others. When they come to MO with the mistaken belief that throwing out "redneck", "white trash", etc will make everyone around them applaud their brilliance and it fails, they get mad and vengeful and assume "MO folk" must be ignorant, slave owners. "What's wrong with them? Why don't they act just like the people on TV?", they ponder. Perhaps, it's because we are using our brains rather than drinking Obama's coolaid. Perhaps, it's because we refuse to apologize for being straight, white, or Christian? Perhaps, we have crazy beleifs that living in low crime areas and spending time with our loved ones is a good thing. Perhaps, it's because some of us, gasp, vote Republican! I guess we are all just a bunch of evil southerners, so go a head and leave all this cheap land and low crime (excluding a handful of areas) here for us to enjoy to ourselves

[jbhershey]

I think it has to do with the Mason Dixon Line...

[Alicia Bradley]

Put me firmly in the Missouri=Southern state camp!! (And I'm not going to stick around to fight with you all who have a big problem with this. )

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by Alicia Bradley

Put me firmly in the Missouri=Southern state camp!! (And I'm not going to stick around to fight with you all who have a big problem with this. )

[stlsmoore]

Originally Posted by Hillman

Only two Southern Flags I fly





hillman

So you don't fly the flag of the country you live in at all?