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You bet, and I think that's un-American. I think segregation is un-American, by race like it used to be or social class like it is now. Downing somebody and not letting them come up in society (not taking a Southern lawyer or law student with a country personality seriously because they don't adhere to an elitist idea of how to be) - I think that's un-American. I think what America stands for still exists on the ground in certain places, which is basically the geography of the "huge demographic" the original poster in this thread alludes to. I think the reason there is no term for said demographic is because said demographic is simply American. It's kind of like when people say, "if there's BET - Black Entertainment Television, why isn't there White Entertainment Television?" Well, it's because white is the majority - so the default or mainstream is WET. And I think the classic, all-American demographic being discussed feels the term 'American' is trying to be re-defined. And I would agree, it seems outsiders of that demographic do take issue with "American" being used to define said demographic. On the flip side, there have always been ethnic enlclaves in NYC and the NE and other areas that are just as 'American'. I think it's just nowadays that classic Americana demographic being discussed has lost its proportion of the population is is teetering on not being the majority anymore.
You bet, and I think that's un-American. I think segregation is un-American, by race like it used to be or social class like it is now. Downing somebody and not letting them come up in society (not taking a Southern lawyer or law student with a country personality seriously because they don't adhere to an elitist idea of how to be) - I think that's un-American. I think what America stands for still exists on the ground in certain places, which is basically the geography of the "huge demographic" the original poster in this thread alludes to. I think the reason there is no term for said demographic is because said demographic is simply American. It's kind of like when people say, "if there's BET - Black Entertainment Television, why isn't there White Entertainment Television?" Well, it's because white is the majority - so the default or mainstream is WET. And I think the classic, all-American demographic being discussed feels the term 'American' is trying to be re-defined. And I would agree, it seems outsiders of that demographic do take issue with "American" being used to define said demographic. On the flip side, there have always been ethnic enlclaves in NYC and the NE and other areas that are just as 'American'. I think it's just nowadays that classic Americana demographic being discussed has lost its proportion of the population is is teetering on not being the majority anymore.
Whites are already outnumbered by minorities in four states. I live in one of those states.
Yeah, except for maybe the parts where they go, ''you ain't from around here, are 'ya....?''
And your point is? There are certain demographics predominent all over the country. When someone outside of that demographic ventures into that demographic the radar goes up. I have been thru towns that were predominantly Hispanic and I have gotten that same look and I am sure they are thinking the same thing.
Whites are already outnumbered by minorities in four states. I live in one of those states.
I like it here. In fact, I love it.
See, when I was typing I wasn't speaking of race. It's not necessarily a race thing. There are plenty of blacks, Hispanics, and Natives that are part of the demographic/culture described by the OP. And there are plenty of whites who are NOT part of said demographic.
And I bet you do love Texas, it's one of the states with the largest population of the demographic the OP is alluding to. (I'm stuck in Kansas City, longing for somewhere further south or at least smaller/more rural.)
With all that said, it's surprising how many people don't realize how many black country people and hicks there are out there. Even here in Kansas City, that type of black person exists.
Here's my southern, hillbilly, redneck, cowboy family - on the farm in Arkansas, cooking a ham together in a big cast iron kettle for our Thanksgiving dinner.
Look closely.
Now. We're all gathered together in Arkansas, but when the photo was made a couple of years ago, we lived in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, and (random) Korea. My cowboy husband and I aren't in the photo - I was taking the photo and I don't remember where he was! LOL
This very southern family includes, in the generations shown:
Three successful business owners, five combat veterans, fluency in five languages, five distinct ethnic groups, two animal rights activists (and I do mean activists, not just animal lovers), three artists, three people with college GPAs of 3.5 or higher, four children who are under age 10 who are learning Latin, 55 years combined overseas living in Europe, South America, New Zealand, Africa, and Asia, and numerous college degrees and professional certifications.
We also go to gun shows, rodeos, Lynard Skynard concerts, hunting trips, small town Christmas parades, WalMart, church dinners and prayer breakfasts, and Friday night highschool football games. Oh, and art exhibits, video game expos, winery tours, classical music concerts, Ethiopian and Lebanese restaurants, and vacations to Europe and Asia.
But if you saw, say, my dad at WalMart in rural Arkansas, you'd probably think "What an old fart redneck." You wouldn't know that this man owns four homes, has a successful business, and has paid cash for every vehicle he's ever bought. If you saw my husband in the grocery store in Texas, you'd probably categorize him as oilfield trash, because you'd note his steel toed boots and coveralls. You might not realize that some of these good ol' oilfield boys are in the top 1 percent of wage earners - even though their boots are covered in red clay. You might look at one of my daughters while she's walking down the street in Louisiana, and assume, because she's got three little kids hanging on her and a couple of tattoos on her arms, and because she's a woman of color, that she's unmarried and on food stamps. You wouldn't realize that she's got a top secret military clearance and she's just home on vacation - she actually lives in England.
Stereotyping is ignorant.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to look up the directions to the next gun show. After that, I'm going to order that new Darius Rucker CD...and then I'm going to get online and price plane tickets to England for this spring.
This post tells everything you need to know about this thread, especially what is bolded.
There is a huge difference between all of those terms. I consider myself to be a hillbilly, but I am currently studying engineering. I am a hillbilly because of how I grew up. I grew up in a very rural area and didn't go to town hardly at all until I got my drivers license. There wasn't any organizing a backyard baseball team with the neighbor kids since only one other person close to my age lived close enough to ride my bike to or walk to. The term "Hillbilly" refers to being somewhat isolated in my opinion.
Politically, I'm Libertarian. Honestly, I think many of the people who identify as a "hillbilly" generally also hold Libertarian political views. I was raised in the bible belt in a mixed area that is culturally midwestern and southern at the same time. I am a Baptist. And still I am a Libertarian.
Many here throw the term hillbilly around as an insult. Whatever, I am what I am, but I'm not uneducated, toothless or bigoted.
Speaking of Darius Rucker....I'm more of a Charley Pride fan myself
Last edited by GunnerTHB; 01-17-2013 at 04:21 PM..
Originally Posted by ellemint
"There are a lot of stereotypes associated with the "hillbilly" culture of Appalachia, like Eastern Kentucky. But stereotypes are just that. There are a lot of creative, wonderful, sensitive, hardworking, smart people out in that neck of the woods. Also, poverty."
Quote:
Originally Posted by tamajane
Also, rampant drug use. You have to be careful when you want to be a country dweller where you go. I have a friend who got sucked up into the lower end hillbilly culture and it wasn't pretty.
Well yes. There is an epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Eastern Kentucky. I don't even know about meth. On the other hand, one of my "hillbilly" friends did let me try some genuine moonshine his grandfather had made---and all I can say is...wow. That can do some serious damage.
Originally Posted by ellemint
"There are a lot of stereotypes associated with the "hillbilly" culture of Appalachia, like Eastern Kentucky. But stereotypes are just that. There are a lot of creative, wonderful, sensitive, hardworking, smart people out in that neck of the woods. Also, poverty."
Well yes. There is an epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Eastern Kentucky. I don't even know about meth. On the other hand, one of my "hillbilly" friends did let me try some genuine moonshine his grandfather had made---and all I can say is...wow. That can do some serious damage.
There's an epidemic of SUBSTANCE ABUSE nationwide. And don't even get me started on how widespread binge drinking and heavy drinking is in general with people under 35. I'm not easily shocked and I'm shocked.
This post tells everything you need to know about this thread, especially what is bolded.
There is a huge difference between all of those terms. I consider myself to be a hillbilly, but I am currently studying engineering. I am a hillbilly because of how I grew up. I grew up in a very rural area and didn't go to town hardly at all until I got my drivers license. There wasn't any organizing a backyard baseball team with the neighbor kids since only one other person close to my age lived close enough to ride my bike to or walk to. The term "Hillbilly" refers to being somewhat isolated in my opinion.
Politically, I'm Libertarian. Honestly, I think many of the people who identify as a "hillbilly" generally also hold Libertarian political views. I was raised in the bible belt in a mixed area that is culturally midwestern and southern at the same time. I am a Baptist. And still I am a Libertarian.
Many here throw the term hillbilly around as an insult. Whatever, I am what I am, but I'm not uneducated, toothless or bigoted.
Speaking of Darius Rucker....I'm more of a Charley Pride fan myself
Myself I know surgeons, lawyers, artists and writers who grew up in the coal-mining country of Eastern Kentucky---Harlan County, Hazard County, Pike County (home of the Hatfields and McCoys), and places like Punkin' Patch KY (which is a holler) , places you can't even find on a map. Not to mention of course that there are many famous singers from that region.
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......what a great story THANKS for sharing. 
