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Carolina Girl, I think you read a lot into an innocent question. So many of you seem to feel insecure about our perception of Southerners. If we thought you were a bunch of backwards "rednecks" would we be so interested in living there?
And why is it the most offensive comments have come from the "natives"? I don't understand it at all. Find me one slightly offensive post from a Northerner and I'll find your 3 or 4 throwing the word "Yankee" around and ranting about us.
Where we're from, no one talks about what religion you practice or where you go to church (if you go at all). So it's just natural to be worried that we might be looked down on for not being religious. Are you going to honestly say religion isn't a huge part of the fabric of NC? Come on, I was only down there for 2 weeks and many people I had conversations with asked, "Have you found a church yet?" I don't mind the question. I look forward to a strong Christian enviroment. But try to understand it might make someone not used to it just a little uncomfortable.
Ugghh, I'm so over the bashing we get. It gets old trying to defend ourselves. Guess what? What you are experiencing with an influx of people, we've been handling for YEARS. No one likes it, we just deal with it.
Bashing is something we've lived with since before the Civil War. WE are not insecure. We are just tired. We are tired of the influx. We are tired of the rudeness, we are tired of the "clustering", thanks carolina girl, I like that description. We are tired of our newly overcrowded roads, the triggering of so much development, the overburdened schools because of mostly northerners coming in like it's the promised land. You aren't living with the problem IMO, you are getting the heck out of there in droves and bringing them all down here. The frustration you are detecting is a straw that has broken the camels back backlash.
Being insulted over and over is not something that we will just sit back and take without comment sooner or later. Southerners may be nice to you because that's the way we were raised but you better believe when southerners get together, they are not nice about how they feel about our region being taken over by all the transplants. I can't name you one southerner that is sincerely happy with the situation. Resentment will be there whether you detect it or not.
If you think that we can't detect bashing from many of these post by northerners, then it just shows how blunt Northerners are without realizing it. It's obviously an accepted norm from your area. So when we are backed into a corner over and over, about religion in this case, we tend to get fed up with the stereotype. If one is afraid of the religion aspect maybe one would be better off staying where nobody ask about it. It's a fact of life down here.
I have respect for anyone's culture and greater respect for trying to maintain heritage. But I have to disagree with you when you say you are being bashed in this forum. I think if your read posts from myself, and most everyone relocating, you won't find too much negativity. Some of the questions may seem ignorant, or tiresome, but most of us are trying to get as good a feel as the area as possible. We didn't have this wonderful opportunity years ago. We get to ask actual residents what to expect. That's a wonderful thing!
We, for the most part, have been falling all over ourselves to assure the natives that we are NOT like the stereotypical Northerners. I don't know why-you will resent us no matter what.
It's laughable to say we are not living with the problem. My area in particular has been living with the exact same problem for 20 years. I know you may think we live like animals here, but my entire county was nothing but gorgeous horse farms with quaint downtowns, and wonderful beaches. Now we are in a sea of subdivisions with overcrowded schools, outrageous taxes, traffic nightmares, and ridiculous housing costs. I'm not living with the problem? I had to move out of my neighboring town because the liberal politicians have let it become overrun by illegals. A town that was formerly a beautiful, place filled with old Victorian homes and Historic churches is now becoming a cesspool. I am close to tears every time I drive through. Don't tell me I don't live with it. This is a nationwide problem, my friend.
I can understand how the thought of your home turning into that is a nightmare, but you can't blame the people who want a better life for their families. Just as you are offended at being stereotyped, don't you think we are?
I will be Carolina Girl's neighbor soon. She may very well be sitting next to me at church one Sunday morning. I could be the one who gives her a warm smile and "Good Morning". She would probably admire my 3 young children who are incredibly sweet and well mannered. She would never know me to be anything but a Carolinian until she heard my slight Jersey accent. By the way, no one says "Joisey". I hope when she, or anyone else hears it, they don't make any judgments. And if they do, it's their loss.
"It's laughable to say we are not living with the problem. My area in particular has been living with the exact same problem for 20 years. I know you may think we live like animals here, but my entire county was nothing but gorgeous horse farms with quaint downtowns, and wonderful beaches. Now we are in a sea of subdivisions with overcrowded schools, outrageous taxes, traffic nightmares, and ridiculous housing costs. I'm not living with the problem? I had to move out of my neighboring town because the liberal politicians have let it become overrun by illegals. A town that was formerly a beautiful, place filled with old Victorian homes and Historic churches is now becoming a cesspool. I am close to tears every time I drive through. Don't tell me I don't live with it. This is a nationwide problem, my friend."
Perhaps 'living' was a poor choice of words. Dealing is much better. Everything you have described in this paragraph can be said from our viewpoint.
A better life for one's family is one thing, what we deal with down here is the outspokenness that we don't know anything about anything, and "the way we do it in MY NORTHERN STATE" is so much more intelligent. And this is pretty much on a daily basis, especially if one is thrown in an office setting or has a neighbor that is a northern transplant. Outspoken is really an understatement.
You won't hear that sort of thing from me. Heck, I would certainly NOT want to have my new home become what I am now leaving.
Most of the blue-state types leaving Mass. are actually going to NH. The New Hampshirites are not crazy about it -- I can tell you that. A large number of folks I have spoken to who are going south are empty-nesters who don't want to rock the boat.
Well, the Southern Baptists are the largest Christian denomination in North Carolina, but the Catholics are well represented across the state. I live in a small town with a population of around 11,000. We have one Catholic church and one Catholic school for pre-kindergarten through the 8th grade. The larger the area the more you'll find. Of course, Belmont Abbey College is located in Belmont, NC. and has been in operation for 130 years.
Here's a list of parishes mostly in the eastern part of NC.
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