This was strange, any truth to it? (Knoxville: how much, middle school)

[jimj]

Hiknapster suggested I post this here as well so here goes....
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My wife (who tends to obsess on things) had a customer last night who moved here from Nashville area just recently. My wife asked why they left TN (since we are going there) and she was told " We left because we were constantly sick there" and then the lady said "The indians who used to live here had a bunch of diseases and many died and left the illness's in the land so people who live there now get sick all the time".
Personally I think this is rediculous and told my wife as much, and then reminded her that everyone has some reason for leaving any area and could have just gotten ill from allergies or any of a million things besides, we are looking near Knox which is definately not Nashville.
I can't wait until these people have been HERE (MT) for a winter and a full fire season and see what they blame on being here......

[alleycat]

People believe all sorts of things from tarot cards to astrology to the Da Vinci Code to voodoo to stepping on a crack and breaking your mother's back . . .

I know a lot of folks in the eighties, quite a few in their nineties, and have known a few that lived to be over 100; all lifelong Tennesseans. My grandfather and grandmother lived to about ninety and I don't think they went to the hospital in their lives. I have never spent a day in the hospital myself (if it was up to me I never would). Maybe some of us are immune to the Indian curse! ;-)

[hiknapster]

I had him put his question on here waiting for your response, alleycat.

I think it's a hoot!

Methinks that woman is going to find bigfoot in Montana, ghosts in Louisiana...

She might want to adjust the meds...

[mbmouse]

Hehehehe, that was a good one.
Ut oh, I am married to a Native American Indian (mostly) I hope he doesn't make me sick!
LOL!!

[alleycat]

I guess we can add that one to the list of standard questions.

Is it hot and humid in the summer?
Are there mosquitoes and snakes?
How much are the taxes?
Will we be accepted?
And . . . do people get sick from the Indian curse?

[jimj]

My wife wondered why I was looking at her like she had two heads! I actually had to stop myself and think before responding so as not to trivialize her concern which would lead in the obvious direction. What floored me was people spreading this tripe to others and believing it themselves......
No, it couldn't be your lifestyle that caused the illness or heredity... It had to be those darned <insert people here>.

I just thought I would post this to see if:
A. I was losing my mind and it was true.
B.Thought y'all might get a chuckle out of what some former residents are telling us up here.

[hiknapster]

I don't want to sound rude, but who the heck would believe such a thing? Are people really this ignorant? No wonder this country is the laughing-stock of the world.

The Native Americans became ill, often, when the white man showed up. The natives had no resistance to their diseases. A lot were wiped out.

At least that's what I learned in middle school.

And that certainly would have no affect in this century.

[AlisonL]

I have a cold and sore throat. Guess I must of picked up an old indian germ when we visited TN in 2004. LOL
Thank you so much for the laugh.

[mbmouse]

Well heck, there are folks that are not from here, nor never been to TN, KY, AL and believe that we don't have running water, inside plumbing, teeth, clothes stores and all family trees don't branch. There are folks in TN who have never been anywhere but here that believe everyone gets mugged in NY city, everyone in FL is rich, the sun is always shining and no one has to work because they are alway as the beach.
So yea, a lot of people believe the stereo types and old wives tales. Sad but true.

[Turkey Creek Tom]

I hear that many people after moving to Tennessee get an illness called "Big Orange Fever" and some get it so bad their blood turns orange. This is state wide but especially true for people in East Tennessee around Knoxville.