[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

Couldn't the lack of negative reactions also be because of the fact that Southerners (at least good Southerners) are simply too polite to be openly hostile to strangers? I don't mean to imply that the South is bigoted (I was born and raised in Memphis--I love the South), but I'm also familiar with proper Southern manners and it seems like the people in the video were just doing what was polite, regardless of whether they were bigots or not.

I'm a native Alabamian, but I have travelled around the country, Southerners aren't any more polite than anybody else IMO.

[Georgianbelle]

Maybe just maybe Southerners are tolerant of others.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

I'm a native Alabamian, but I have travelled around the country, Southerners aren't any more polite than anybody else IMO.

It depends how you define polite.
I think, in general, Southerners are more formally polite in the old-school way. The use of sir and ma'am is an example. I feel like we are more informal in the West.
As for application to this: are southerners more "min your own business" types... I'm actually not sure. Perhaps compared to the northeast. I think the West can also be pretty passive-aggressive or indirect ("I'm gonna need you to come in on Saturday... mmkay?")

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

are southerners more "min your own business" types... I'm actually not sure.

Southerners are very good at minding your business. It has always bugged me because I'm not that type of person, I don't ask people questions that are none of my business, but many folks around here won't think twice about it. But really, they only do this because they know they won't get told to "eff off".

[bluebeard]

This is a sidetrack... but its my post so its ok!
America's Mood Map: Find Which State Matches Your Personality | TIME.com

[Georgianbelle]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

This is a sidetrack... but its my post so its ok!
America's Mood Map: Find Which State Matches Your Personality | TIME.com

I took this a while back and weirdly my match was Georgia!

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by Georgianbelle

I took this a while back and weirdly my match was Georgia!

I also took this a while back. My result was New Mexico oddly enough.

[EscAlaMike]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

I'm with you on this.

Look, here's the deal. When it comes to government, I'm pretty conservative. I'm all about limiting the powers of government whenever and wherever possible.

So I'm really trying to understand how so-called conservatives will be outraged about the expansion of government into areas such as healthcare, gun control, and a host of other arenas, yet are perfectly willing to use government to interfere in the most personal decision two people can make. I've yet to hear a satisfactory explanation for this. In fact, unless we're talking about a minor, I'm hard-pressed to understand why government should be in the marriage business at all.

I just don't care if two guys or two women want to be married. It's simply not my business. So why is it yours?

I agree with you here. The government does not get to define "marriage". It is none of their business. If two gays want to pretend like they're married, it's really not my business, or the government's.

The real heart of the issue is the income tax. If it wasn't for the income tax, then whether or not somebody was married would be irrelevant to the government.

The enactment of the income tax in 1913 really opened up a whole can of worms that we are dealing with now 100 years later.

I'll add to your critique of so-called conservatives who supposedly believe in limited government. When it comes to foreign policy, those same conservatives want a huge government that will get involved in other countries' internal affairs all around the globe.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by FSUMike

I'm not saying that the government gets to decide what happens in two consenting adults' bedroom, but the issue of the definition of marriage is quite another issue, and it is NOT the government's to define.

The government is the one who recognizes marriage. This is 110% irrelevant.

Originally Posted by Georgianbelle

Duck Dynasty is set in your state of Louisiana.

OMG I didn't know!

Originally Posted by Georgianbelle

Yes, it is. The family prays and show their christian beliefs everyday. There is nothing wrong with killing wild animals if you eat them. Also, people in other parts of the country have no idea what the South is really like. Many believe we walk around in cammo all the time, chew, spit, curse, and hate everyone different from ourselves. In reality we are usually very tolerant of differences in others. We believe in living our lives without interference and letting others do the same.

There is something wrong with killing animals out of sport. I like to hunt but it's certainly far from ethical when parents take their kids on hunting trips to go and kill animals for fun and take pictures with them. I can't agree 100% on the last part when people think they have the right to tell a couple of adults that they can't get married.

[pennquaker09]

Originally Posted by FSUMike

I agree with you here. The government does not get to define "marriage". It is none of their business. If two gays want to pretend like they're married, it's really not my business, or the government's.

The real heart of the issue is the income tax. If it wasn't for the income tax, then whether or not somebody was married would be irrelevant to the government.

The enactment of the income tax in 1913 really opened up a whole can of worms that we are dealing with now 100 years later.

I'll add to your critique of so-called conservatives who supposedly believe in limited government. When it comes to foreign policy, those same conservatives want a huge government that will get involved in other countries' internal affairs all around the globe.

I really think you have no idea what you're talking about. For my SO and myself, the issue of income taxes is almost irrelevant. We each pay a capital gains tax every year without us even having legal recognition. It's not about the money, we're going to owe the government whether we're married or not.

Marriage is a commitment to another person. It's a declaration of love and trust and intense friendship. That is the heart of the issue. We have the right as Americans to join our lives together legally until death do us part. I think a lot of people find it odd that some of us believe in the ideals of marriage, but I am here to tell you, we do. To say that we want to get married just because of income taxes is, quite frankly, insulting. We pay more to attorneys and accountants to prepare our taxes than a lot of people actually pay in taxes. So, yeah, we want to get married to get a break on our tax bill. Personally, I would be interested in knowing the tax burden of affluent gay couples. I bet we'd be a pretty powerful group if that information was out there.

Now, there are many more significant rights to marriage that we personally care about. We're lucky that we have the resources to legally craft our family, but some people are not that lucky. I am also thankful that my parents accept him as my husband and his parents accept me as his. Otherwise, we'd be up boo boo creek if something were to happen to one of us.

I don't normally go into detail about my kids and family on here, but we have 5 year old boy/girl twins and a 2 year old boy. The twins are in school. And, until they decide otherwise, we're sending them to private school. Like any caring and loving parents, we send our kids to one of the best in the Triangle area. The parents at their school has 100% participation from the parents. But, some can give more time than others, and I am fortunate that I can do that. I think, for me, having a M.Ed. makes me care not just about my own two, but all of the kids in the school. It is nothing for me to fill in for the math and science teachers in the upper or middle schools. Even if I have no desire to - because with three kids and a house to run, my plate is always full.

In the time we have been there, some of the families have formed a group for playdates and such. The parents that leave their kids with me, in my house, know their kids will be very well taken care of. They know that I have rules and guidelines and expect them to be followed, even if the kids are only 4/5. They also know that I feed their kids the same things I feed mine. My kids have no idea what a Happy Meal is. They've never had one. We don't eat fast food in my house. Some of them have been surprised to find out that when there is an organic option, I buy it and that I cook. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some may wonder why I mention this. The reason is, I take parenting seriously. I have found that a lot of people don't, but I do. My husband does too. We're not playing or as you say, pretending.

I hail from Mountain Brook. I am positive women there do the same things that I do. But, people are surprised that a man can do the suburban - soccer, dance, etc. mom/dad thing and do it well. For Halloween, we hosted the kids at our house. Some of the parents we've known for 2 years now and some just a few months. However, people are surprised that gay parents can actually be religious. My husband was raised Catholic and I, Southern Baptist. I will go on record and say that I do not identify as a Christian. I do, however, have convictions and I don't personally like to celebrate Halloween. It may be trivial, but there is this notion that we cannot instill values in our kids. I am here to tell you that we care about morals and values too. Once again, we're not pretending. I can go on and on here. The flippant attitude strikes a bit of a nerve.

I never imagined I was personally wired for parenthood or living a life of domestication. I was an only child for the majority of my years. I only had siblings when my dad remarried and I was leaving for college at that point. I grew up with people cooking and cleaning for me. I never had to do anything. I'm saying that marriage or, well, commitment made me change. I took the things I was good at and I applied them to my life now. I studied chemistry and math in college. I graduated Phi Beta Kappa and I had my pick of medical and grad schools. I was very dedicated and regimented when it came to my studies. I was organized because I was involved and active in college.

My parents, as amazing as they are now, were not always so. When I was younger, they blew monkey chunks. That is the best way I can describe them. They were absent. I was raised by a nanny to be perfectly honest. I am determined that my kids will have parents. I always thought *I* had a plan for what my life was going to be like. But the reality is so different. My friends have asked me if I regret not becoming a doctor or whatever, and you know, I don't. My kids, my husband, my life is my passion. It just kind of disappointing that our family is just a little bit less than because we're two guys.