Dont Move To North Carolina!!!!!

[Rwarky]

I agree. North Carolina is overrated.

[celtcat]

I have been reading a lot of these NC posts for mere amusement, I suppose, seeing as I had no desire to move there in any case...

My amusement turned to disgust pretty quickly, though, when I heard about the open racism. EVERYTHING ELSE ASIDE, that is horrible, and no one can justify or defend it. That is not just "local attitude" - it is sick, and not excusable. And anyone who tries to say that the confederate flag doesn't represent supporting racism... rationalize it all you want - most people will never believe you.

And - I have never heard of southerners not having access to services etc. because they are from the south when they move north!!!

I am truly shocked such prejudices still exist in this day and age. I am originally from Canada, so I had no real idea about these long-standing attitudes with the North and South.

[JWilliams]

Originally Posted by celtcat

I have been reading a lot of these NC posts for mere amusement, I suppose, seeing as I had no desire to move there in any case...

My amusement turned to disgust pretty quickly, though, when I heard about the open racism. EVERYTHING ELSE ASIDE, that is horrible, and no one can justify or defend it. That is not just "local attitude" - it is sick, and not excusable. And anyone who tries to say that the confederate flag doesn't represent supporting racism... rationalize it all you want - most people will never believe you.

And - I have never heard of southerners not having access to services etc. because they are from the south when they move north!!!

I am truly shocked such prejudices still exist in this day and age. I am originally from Canada, so I had no real idea about these long-standing attitudes with the North and South.

I feel I should chime in. As with witnesses to a crime, two people will observe the same event and come away with two different stories.

I am from Canada as well and just wrapped up a five year stint in Alabama, not far south of where the KKK was born (I checked that town out in Tennessee and it's an absolute dump, but I digress), churches were bombed, and Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat.

You know what? It's not a racist hell hole and I highly doubt NC is any worse. I would presume that NC has less racial issues, in fact. Granted, I'm not saying racism is dead, and it's likely the circles I was in that influenced my observations, but in five years I personally witnessed no racial events from whites to blacks and the only friction I did experience was from some blacks to whites, specifically in the services industry, where some (though a minority) of blacks do not like to serve whites. I am sure that if I was black I would have experienced the same thing, but these are subtle things and no more extreme than I think racial interaction is across the planet any time different races are mixing.

And no, the Confederate Flag does NOT represent racism. I lived in AL and pressed the issue after seeing a truly massive Confederate Flag erected on the highway between Birmingham and Montgomery within the last couple of years. Although people outside of the South like to think it represents racism, a respect for slavery, etc. it doesn't, it is merely indicative of "Southern Pride". You have to understand that some Southerners STILL carry a chip on their shoulder about Yankees and they're still sore over having lost the Civil War. I know it sounds ridiculous--it is. But the Confederate Flag is merely saying "I'm from the South, not the North. I love the South." It is a soutern flag, not a northern one. Remember, too, that the Civil War was not so much about fighting slavery but merely continuing in Southern ways. I know the simple textbooks of our youth promote it as an altruistic anti-slavery campaign, but it was not, that was merely an ancillary benefit of the north beating the south.

Is there racism? Sure. Are there some of the biggest hicks you can imagine? Sure. But most people are not that way.

In regards to denial of services, I imagine it has happened, but I'd never heard of it. People from the South see Canadians as a person would see an Alien. There is no animosity, but merely curious interest, but we never got a single iota of flak about it.

IMO, the long-standing friction between the south and the north is 99% carried by those from the South. Although people from the North dismissively refer to people in the South as rednecks, it's not really something they care to exert any real thought on. I can't see many people in the North having any genuine animosity for those in the South, but those in the South on some minor levels do have it for the north.

[anika]

I was also considering Ashville, N. Carolina and have been researching across the map. Southerners have there long family roots and are resentful of people coming into their community and developers who ruin their environment. I live in S. Florida where alot of people are transplanting to the Carolinas due to overdevelopment, poor environment planning and catering to the wealthy. I was raised in Manhattan and spent summers in the Catskills. I also have been looking at Upstate, NY. My concern is the job market and affordable housing. I would like to be 2 hr. distance from NYC. I miss my roots, NY attitude and energy, also artsy, liberal, Woodstock coming of age baby boomer! I got stuck in S. Florida to raise my 3 children, single parent and took care of my parents. I am 55, an only child and it sure feels scary. I also have looked at Ithaca, NY.,and Fort Collins,Colorado (very cold) any info would be greatly appreciated.
Anika

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by anika

I was also considering Ashville, N. Carolina and have been researching across the map. Southerners have there long family roots and are resentful of people coming into their community and developers who ruin their environment. I live in S. Florida where alot of people are transplanting to the Carolinas due to overdevelopment, poor environment planning and catering to the wealthy. I was raised in Manhattan and spent summers in the Catskills. I also have been looking at Upstate, NY. My concern is the job market and affordable housing. I would like to be 2 hr. distance from NYC. I miss my roots, NY attitude and energy, also artsy, liberal, Woodstock coming of age baby boomer! I got stuck in S. Florida to raise my 3 children, single parent and took care of my parents. I am 55, an only child and it sure feels scary. I also have looked at Ithaca, NY.,and Fort Collins,Colorado (very cold) any info would be greatly appreciated.
Anika

Perhaps Woodstick and/or New Paltz, NY?

[MrTudo]

I would like to be 2 hr. distance from NYC. I miss my roots, NY attitude and energy, also artsy, liberal, Woodstock coming of age baby boomer!
Anika[/quote]


Ahh yes, me too. But, on second thought, Delta is running specials and after a few days of being in the city, the words that come out of my mouth are usually "take me to the airport!"

But some of the memories are good