The national press and its virulent anti-Southern bias.. (flag, world, country)
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The nation tends to believe the stereotypes about the South, but there are also stereotypes about other areas of the country that are just as bad. Californians get a bad rap, as do people from New Jersey and New York. No stereotype is accurate because not every resident of an area fits it. Not long ago I was watching the national news and they were interviewing people in rural Idaho in mobile homes. If anyone would qualify for the term redneck, these people would. Also, if you have ever watched any of the toddler pageant shows check out the moms from Pennsylvania. They would qualify too. I guess there are all types of people everywhere. I am Southern and proud of it. It is a place where people look out for one another, and our lives move at a slower pace.
If you're being honest about it, the South didn't do much historically to help their image relative to how they're portrayed in the media. And those images are burned into the psyche of people that have never seen or can even imagine such hateful behavior by man to his fellow man.
And the documentaries and movies just keep coming....which doesn't help. Watching movies like The Help, Mississippi Burning, Selma, or documentaries that come around every Black History Month aren't helpful either. It's also a fact that Southerners have a tremendous persecution complex and are indoctrinated in victimology politics.
All that aside, i don't see any real anti-southern predisposition in the media as it pertains to news stories. The flag and shooting in S.C. is simply the news du jour.
It'll all be forgotten by next year when the next American obsession takes flight.
Interesting. And what might the next obsession be, I wonder. What will be seen as the next big societal change that the SCOTUS needs to rule on? What special group will dema d recognition and "equality" next, and toss kerosene in the fireplace? I can think of a couple of, truly, noble groups of people, that have been pushed into obscurity, their lifestyle almost done away with, lively hoods diminished and so on. A couple of the larger ones, many are applauding this diminishment of. The American Farmer and Rancher is a biggy.
Environmental groups and "animal rights" types would see these lifestyles relegated to history, no matter the cost. On, its OK to import all our food from China, Russia, South America et all, but growing/ raising it here is intolerable to them. Out of sight, out of mind? Anyway, my actual point, behind this, is we have far bigger concerns than the "issues" being given so much noteriety. I believe our food supply to be a bigger concern than both face and sexjal orientation issues, combined.
Its as if we are being told, "no, no,...don't worry about THAT! Look over here!" We all need to be seeing rainbows, and unicorn, and dancing faerie folk, throwing glittering dust in the air. Breathe the dust, and we can all have gossamer wings. Meanwhile, beyond the borders of the magic forest, the sky is on fire.
A fanciful analogy, yes, but hopefully, our next big obsession will have .more importance than the ones we have bad our heads turned to.
I see them reporting actual events that put the South in an unfavorable light. The press isn't staging those events but they have a tendency to sensationalize stories to maximize viewers/listeners/readers. They don't limit sensationalism to stories about the South, though. So no, they don't have an extreme anti-Southern bias. The reality is that the South still cultivates a fair number of violent, ignorant racists who tend to behave in ways that make headlines.
And if you think that this is only in the south, you might try and keep up with the news occasionally. FWIW this happens all over the country, and to put it on one region is ignorance.
I don't think the press has a particularly anti-Southern bias. They have a bias against anything that isn't NYC, DC or LA.
The problem is that what passes for Southern culture these days. Do you think Duck Dynasty, Blue Collar Comedy, Honey Boo Boo and Bro-Country are truly representative of Southern Culture? It may not be, but it's the aspects of it that have been popularized through mass media to the rest of the country.
And frankly there are some very negative parts to southern culture that we have spent the past 150 years ignoring or whitewashing. The reframing of the war as a great lost cause against the tyranny of the federal government instead of an effort by a landed gentry to co continue a system that enslaved other human beings is the biggest. Venerating a false past while embracing a cartoonish version of our "culture" is something we've done to ourselves.
Don't blame the media because the masses like to watch Duck Dynasty and Honey boo-boo. IF people didn't watch these shows (and show up in DROVES to defend Duck Dynasty) - they simply would be off the air. Thank Goodness Honey Boo Boo didn't last.
i agree with your point about whitewashing the war. Just be honest about it.
I grew up in the heart of dixie. A lot (not all) of the stereotypes are true. Guns, God, and religion are HUGE. Intellectual pursuits ~ not so much.
Few in my class went to college. This was a long time ago though and my town was quite small.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desertdetroiter
If you're being honest about it, the South didn't do much historically to help their image relative to how they're portrayed in the media. And those images are burned into the psyche of people that have never seen or can even imagine such hateful behavior by man to his fellow man.
And the documentaries and movies just keep coming....which doesn't help. Watching movies like The Help, Mississippi Burning, Selma, or documentaries that come around every Black History Month aren't helpful either. It's also a fact that Southerners have a tremendous persecution complex and are indoctrinated in victimology politics.
All that aside, i don't see any real anti-southern predisposition in the media as it pertains to news stories. The flag and shooting in S.C. is simply the news du jour.
It'll all be forgotten by next year when the next American obsession takes flight.
True that. It's news until the next story comes along. Mississippi Burning was one awesome movie and certainly it was not flattering to the south.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Georgianbelle
The nation tends to believe the stereotypes about the South, but there are also stereotypes about other areas of the country that are just as bad. Californians get a bad rap, as do people from New Jersey and New York. No stereotype is accurate because not every resident of an area fits it. Not long ago I was watching the national news and they were interviewing people in rural Idaho in mobile homes. If anyone would qualify for the term redneck, these people would. Also, if you have ever watched any of the toddler pageant shows check out the moms from Pennsylvania. They would qualify too. I guess there are all types of people everywhere. I am Southern and proud of it. It is a place where people look out for one another, and our lives move at a slower pace.
What about poor West Virginia??? They take the brunt of everything it seems like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber
Interesting. And what might the next obsession be, I wonder. What will be seen as the next big societal change that the SCOTUS needs to rule on? What special group will dema d recognition and "equality" next, and toss kerosene in the fireplace? I can think of a couple of, truly, noble groups of people, that have been pushed into obscurity, their lifestyle almost done away with, lively hoods diminished and so on. A couple of the larger ones, many are applauding this diminishment of. The American Farmer and Rancher is a biggy.
Environmental groups and "animal rights" types would see these lifestyles relegated to history, no matter the cost. On, its OK to import all our food from China, Russia, South America et all, but growing/ raising it here is intolerable to them. Out of sight, out of mind? Anyway, my actual point, behind this, is we have far bigger concerns than the "issues" being given so much noteriety. I believe our food supply to be a bigger concern than both face and sexjal orientation issues, combined.
Its as if we are being told, "no, no,...don't worry about THAT! Look over here!" We all need to be seeing rainbows, and unicorn, and dancing faerie folk, throwing glittering dust in the air. Breathe the dust, and we can all have gossamer wings. Meanwhile, beyond the borders of the magic forest, the sky is on fire.
A fanciful analogy, yes, but hopefully, our next big obsession will have .more importance than the ones we have bad our heads turned to.
I don't see animal rights as a flight of fancy. Our horrendous industrial farming practices are definitely on the list of things to do. No reason a rancher has to go out of business and no reason to torture an animal all of it's life and then provide a a brutal death. A LOT of young people are vegan and vegetarian.
I don't see race relations or marriage equality as 'flights of fancy' either.
Of course, we all have our causes and things we think are important and worthy of fighting for.
The southern US shenanigans are not only a national disgrace but an international disgrace as well. In international media the US is portrayed as a progressive cutting edge country at the forefront of world achievements. Many visitors to the US are shocked to discover that many parts of the US and especially the south are so neanderthal.
The southern US shenanigans are not only a national disgrace but an international disgrace as well. In international media the US is portrayed as a progressive cutting edge country at the forefront of world achievements. Many visitors to the US are shocked to discover that many parts of the US and especially the south are so neanderthal.
The southern US shenanigans are not only a national disgrace but an international disgrace as well. In international media the US is portrayed as a progressive cutting edge country at the forefront of world achievements. Many visitors to the US are shocked to discover that many parts of the US and especially the south are so neanderthal.
Why do you live in Georgia if this is the way you feel? Go to other rural parts of the country, and let us know what you find. There are ignorant people everywhere, even in the larger cities.
The problem is that what passes for Southern culture these days. Do you think Duck Dynasty, Blue Collar Comedy, Honey Boo Boo and Bro-Country are truly representative of Southern Culture?
No. And I don't know anybody who watches those shows.
You don't see the racial unity in the north to this extent.
The most racism I ever experienced was in Boston and I've lived and traveled all over the USA.
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