How "Southern" is Charlottesville?

[Rhett_Butler]

Originally Posted by WVMountainMan

When people say southern on here it confuses me quite a bit.....That could fall into many categories..

Is Charlottesville coastal southern like Savannah, Charleston or even Richmond? No..

Does Charlottesville have a Deep South influence like Alabama? Aside from like the civil war stuff, No.

Does Charlottesville have more of a Southern Appalachian culture like Kentucky, West Virginia, or Tennessee? No. Not really.

However, Charlottesville does have a somewhat country feel to it. Don’t get me wrong, people do have Robert E Lee shrines there…..but so do people in Maryland. So I don’t know where I would put Charlottesville if I was to categorize the city. I think it would have more in common with Fredrick MD than let’s say Birmingham.

If you really want to live in an ultimate "Deep south southern fried southern" area then I would suggest looking more towards South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.

If I were to put a label on the type of "Southern" that Charlottesville is, I'd say it's along the lines of an aristocratic southern...... Lot's of "old money" in the area.

[AnnieA]

Old post but so to the point. I'll bet they still don't GET IT !

And to the person, if still around, about living other places and seeing a difference. I am southern native born, have traveled extensively and still love to return to the South. I am home. Did I see differences ? Yes. Did I often love what I saw ? Yes. Just as I loved what I did about my home territory.

I havent lived in Charlottesville but have visited. I loved it.

Originally Posted by Rhett_Butler

You are COMPLETELY striking out on the point of the statement though. Southerners like the way the south IS. They aren't even opposed to sharing it with a "yankee". The problem is that southerners DO NOT like the progressive lifestyles of the New England area, etc. typically. That's why they don't move there.

So based on this you still cannot fathom why it's a bitter pill for southerners to watch New Englanders move in and try to start dictating what needs to be done to make the south better (Translated: More like New England, just with warmer weather)??

Generally southerners are welcoming to people who come down and attempt to adapt to where they chose to move. They tend to be a bit less thrilled with those that move down and complain about the life-style and the way things are run.

I really do not see why that's so hard to understand.

So you think the south is "ewwwww"??? Well "What on Earth are you doing here then?" is the question southerners ask themselves.

It's a bit of arrogance to expect southern society to change to accomodate northerners when they relocate to the south. You moved. You adapt. PERIOD!!!

[ScranBarre]

As a Northerner who has recently moved to the South (well, I don't really know if you could consider Northern Virginia to be the "South" when the vast majority of the people here are either originally from elsewhere or have parents who were from elsewhere, but I digress), I can safely assure you that Virginia, as a whole, seems to be "ahead of the curve" on a lot of issues relative to the rest of the South (but still trails the Northeast). I'm not exactly thrilled that the people here approved a ban on both same-sex marriage and same-sex civil unions (especially since the latter can't be countered with any other lucid reason besides pure bigotry), but at least the folks in Northern Virginia were well-educated and socially progressive enough to be the only part of the state to oppose it, giving me hope that as the DC Metro Area continues to sprawl and spread its left-leaning influences outwards in a gradually larger radius that, over time, more and more Virginians will become "enlightened" as well.

I'm also thrilled here that there are bans on public smoking, texting while driving, and other societal ills. The police here are VERY pro-active instead of being reactive, as they are in many other states. Virginia as a whole may be "backwards," but there are still liberal bastions to be found like Northern Virginia and Charlottesville (and potentially Roanoke in another decade if more big city retirees and artists keep flooding into there as I hear they have been). I suppose the gist of what I'm saying is that there IS still hope for Virginia. Being pro-civil equality, pro-environmentalism, pro-healthier living, etc. need not necessarily mean that you must be a foaming at the mouth liberal Democrat. My ex-boyfriend and my current potential "flame" are both conservative Republican gays, as are several of my friends. The problem here in Virginia is that too many hard-lined Republicans are too narrow-minded to even ENTERTAIN listening to what we hard-lined Democrats have to say.

[Nebat]

ScranBarre, I've read many of your posts and agreed with the majority of them. I have to agree on some points about VA not being as progressive as some of the northeast states. Notice I say some. But I would hardly call it "backwards" as a whole. It's going to take a while unfortunately for rights to be granted to various groups, whatever they profess to be. But that's not just VA, it's pretty much the entire country! Some states excluded. I do get a bit pissed when people, generally from larger regions, think of VA as some kind of redneck, hillbilly, backwash place. The way some people talk, especially on the NOVA forum you would think everyone in the ROVA were racist sheep f'ing buck toothed hicks! Charlottesville is a good example of a place with a thriving LGBT community, though small because of it's size and there have never been any anti gay rallies that I know of. The town I live in, Staunton, I have seen many public displays of affection between members of the same sex, and there haven't been any riots. In fact no one even blinked an eye, and this was in a Wal-Mart store! I also see many people hanging out together with others of a different race or nationality either as friends or dating. And this is in just two smaller towns. Richmond, Norfolk/VA Beach, and Roanoke as a whole are very moderate to liberal areas. Just like PA where you're from, there is a fierce divide between the more urban areas and the rural areas. I've always thought both states were somewhat similar in political divides.(cities vs. country) Another point we also voted in the country's first black governor. And now the first black President. Wow, how backwards! I'm not attacking you personally ScranBarre, from what I've read you seem to be a stand up guy, but blindly calling a entire state bacwards because of one social issue is kind of backwards in itself.

[Valleybob]

Staunton is an obnoxiously redneck place.

[WineFoodMusic]

Question for Valleybob ---- why do you think Staunton is an obnoxious redneck place. Could you back up that statement with some facts please ----- otherwise it is just a sentence without any substance

[meskito]

Staunton has a Shakespearean theater, a pretty cool music scene, active gay community, and for a small town it seems to be very diverse and liberal.

Staunton is a small town. Does it have rednecks? Sure. Show me a town/city that doesn't. I've certainly seen mullets and flannel shirts up north - probably more than in most southern towns I've visited or lived. Just sayin.

[lyasgarden]

I live in California and am surrounded by liberalism. It has ruined our state and local governments. I'm not talking about gay marriage issues, I'm talking about huge tax hikes for unending social programs and "green" projects.
What I am looking for in a town is pride in being American, pride in our Constitution, and in believing that smaller, more localized government is always better than huge centralized government. I am heartened by the recent election of Bob McDonnell, and am hoping for lower property taxes and accountability in state government.
I have read pretty much all the posts here and on the other links, and I understand the job market is very tight in Cville area. BTW I have no idea what is so wrong about watching NASCAR...I personally don't watch it, but my husband loves the formula one races (yes, he is college educated). Anyway, as far as snobbery, we all have it, like it or not, and it comes out when we are out of our comfort zone. My personal snobbery is toward people who call themselves "progressive" but are really regressive and oppressive elitists who would like to see America look more like Cuba. I prefer not to live around too many of these idiots, on the other hand I love cultural events, farmers markets, concerts, and great parks to stroll in...could Cville be a good compromise?

[lyasgarden]

Originally Posted by Nebat

Another point we also voted in the country's first black governor. And now the first black President. Wow, how backwards! I'm not attacking you personally ScranBarre, from what I've read you seem to be a stand up guy, but blindly calling a entire state bacwards because of one social issue is kind of backwards in itself.

What does the color of one's skin have anything to do with whether they are a good choice for political office?

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by badger74

C'ville is what I would call high southern meaning it is more educated and wealthy and they value thinks like good horses, polo, beauty in homes and dress (conservative), and manners. They go to nicer more upscale churches, drive nicers cars, and don't drink beer or watch Nascar. They do love good liquor, fine food, and their college sports.

Charlottesville is to the Shenandoah Valley as
the Kentucky Derby is to NASCAR.