[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by wvtraveler

Melbourne has more in common with Little Rock than it does Manhatten. That's not what I meant though.

One metropolitan area isn't what constitutes a whole state. Florida as a whole has a very, very large Southern contingent and feel to it. The bottom part is largely transient, but there is a lot more to it than that. Again, I lived there for a very, very long time. I spent a majority of my life there. I've lived and worked in north, central, and south Florida. My experience wasn't limited to a few visits here and there to some vacation resort for a couple of weeks, or some home I bought in a city and retired to when I was old.

I wonder where you hung out, because it wasn't in the cities. I too have lived all over Florida, and have yet to see this "southern contingent". Most floridians (in fact, every Floridian I have ever asked this to) is quite proud of their regional culture and don't like being called "southern".

[Pincho-toot]

Originally Posted by Happiness-is-close

I wonder where you hung out, because it wasn't in the cities. I too have lived all over Florida, and have yet to see this "southern contingent". Most floridians (in fact, every Floridian I have ever asked this to) is quite proud of their regional culture and don't like being called "southern".

What exactly is a Floridian culture, I implore you? I mean the culture of Floridians who have had an upbringing in Florida, not transplants, and not those who came as immigrants as adults, I mean "Flogrown." Do you know what stands out about Floridian culture? The ocean. Floridian culture like true-blue Floridian culture is one of sailing, fishing, being out in the sun, at the beach. The people with "Salt Life" bumper stickers are the ones who truly embrace Floridian culture. Floridian culture, as in, a culture unique to Florida, that can't really be duplicated in another state. A culture of the sea, sailing and fishing. A parrothead lifestyle, that's a Floridian culture. It is unique, correct. But how is it not southern?

Floridian culture isn't one that really cares about left-wing yuppieness, to be honest. I know people, Florida born and raised, they drive these huge pick up trucks, tote slogans like "Salt Life" and "Flogrown." They love sportfishing and drinking. They don't seem that similar to most people in New York. Though I know there's lots of people in the coastal Carolinas who are into that lifestyle. You keep going on about how liberal Florida is, like if it was Boston or San Francisco. I know Florida isn't the reddest state but, its pretty red lol It's actually very conservative, the Cubans too. Mexicans in California are very liberal, but Cubans in Florida, very conservative. Especially my family.

(Note, I'm also not saying that all Floridians have to be into sailing and fishing, but you talk a lot about "Floridian culture," and I just wanna point out that just like the essence of pure Texas culture is one of ranching, rodeos and cowboys, the essence of Florida culture is a guy wrestling a tarpon into his boat on a hot sunny day.)

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by wvtraveler

Melbourne has more in common with Little Rock than it does Manhatten. That's not what I meant though.

One metropolitan area isn't what constitutes a whole state. Florida as a whole has a very, very large Southern contingent and feel to it. The bottom part is largely transient, but there is a lot more to it than that. Again, I lived there for a very, very long time. I spent a majority of my life there. I've lived and worked in north, central, and south Florida. My experience wasn't limited to a few visits here and there to some vacation resort for a couple of weeks, or some home I bought in a city and retired to when I was old.

The political map alone will prove that you're wrong. The i-4 corridor is politically moderate, and balances out the red panhandle and blue south fl. Fl is the biggest political battleground every presidential election, and likely will be this time around too. Fl is more politically like nc or va than ar, ms, or la

I'm a lifelong native who's lived from Jacksonville to Miami

[wvtraveler]

Originally Posted by Happiness-is-close

I wonder where you hung out, because it wasn't in the cities. I too have lived all over Florida, and have yet to see this "southern contingent"..

I lived in West Palm Beach, Ft. Walton Beach, Panama City, and Gainesville. I worked and have traveled to way more than that, including every major metropolitan city in the state. If you've really lived "all over the state" and have never seen Southern culture, I'm left to wonder where you've been hanging out.

[wvtraveler]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

The political map alone will prove that you're wrong. The i-4 corridor is politically moderate, and balances out the red panhandle and blue south fl. Fl is the biggest political battleground every presidential election, and likely will be this time around too. Fl is more politically like nc or va than ar, ms, or la

I'm not going to argue that. I'm not saying Florida is 100% Southern, it's not, and I've said as much here already.

What I will argue is that there is a significant Southern culture in that state, and dare I say predominate in many cases, outside of the large metropolitan areas in the lower third of the state.

[Nema98]

It's Florida, CULTURALLY southern. Not part of the West.

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by Nema98

It's Florida, CULTURALLY southern. Not part of the West.

Spare us.

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by wvtraveler

I lived in West Palm Beach, Ft. Walton Beach, Panama City, and Gainesville. I worked and have traveled to way more than that, including every major metropolitan city in the state. If you've really lived "all over the state" and have never seen Southern culture, I'm left to wonder where you've been hanging out.

Tampa, st. Pete, Miami, ft lauderdale, orlando, naples, ft. Myers.

I've lived (or hung out a lot) in all those cities. I think you need to go up to Atlanta and see what real southern culture and people are.

[wvtraveler]

Originally Posted by Happiness-is-close

Tampa, st. Pete, Miami, ft lauderdale, orlando, naples, ft. Myers.

I've lived (or hung out a lot) in all those cities. I think you need to go up to Atlanta and see what real southern culture and people are.

Every one of those are large metropolitan cities, mostly in south Florida. It's pretty clear to me now why you think and feel the way you do.

I lived in Atlanta too funny enough, I know what Southern culture is, very well. It extends far beyond Atlanta. Hell I see it all the way up here in West Virginia...and I saw plenty of it in Florida.

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by BadgerFilms

What exactly is a Floridian culture, I implore you? I mean the culture of Floridians who have had an upbringing in Florida, not transplants, and not those who came as immigrants as adults, I mean "Flogrown." Do you know what stands out about Floridian culture? The ocean. Floridian culture like true-blue Floridian culture is one of sailing, fishing, being out in the sun, at the beach. The people with "Salt Life" bumper stickers are the ones who truly embrace Floridian culture. Floridian culture, as in, a culture unique to Florida, that can't really be duplicated in another state. A culture of the sea, sailing and fishing. A parrothead lifestyle, that's a Floridian culture. It is unique, correct. But how is it not southern?

Floridian culture isn't one that really cares about left-wing yuppieness, to be honest. I know people, Florida born and raised, they drive these huge pick up trucks, tote slogans like "Salt Life" and "Flogrown." They love sportfishing and drinking. They don't seem that similar to most people in New York. Though I know there's lots of people in the coastal Carolinas who are into that lifestyle. You keep going on about how liberal Florida is, like if it was Boston or San Francisco. I know Florida isn't the reddest state but, its pretty red lol It's actually very conservative, the Cubans too. Mexicans in California are very liberal, but Cubans in Florida, very conservative. Especially my family.

(Note, I'm also not saying that all Floridians have to be into sailing and fishing, but you talk a lot about "Floridian culture," and I just wanna point out that just like the essence of pure Texas culture is one of ranching, rodeos and cowboys, the essence of Florida culture is a guy wrestling a tarpon into his boat on a hot sunny day.)

florida is still developing its culture, as only a third of the people living here are like me, born here.

Florida is mostly catholic, with diverse ancestries across Europe, the Carribean, and Latin America. Most of our family fought for the UNION, or they hadn't even arrived in America yet.

Florida is live and let live and mind your own business. None of that "where do you take your kids to church" crap that southerners love to throw in people's faces.

Florida is boating, off shore fishing, theme parks, wearing sandals to your favorite bar or nightclub.

I can't speak for your family. I know a few fiscally conservative Cubans, and I know ZERO socially conservative Cubans. And increasingly young Cubans are fiscally liberal as well. Southerners live and breath social conservatism.

Florida is a place where people come to reinvent themselves. In this sense, it is very similar to the west coast. You can move here and be free of the shackles of whatever past you might have, including "southern". Take the trans lady who cuts my hair. She left Tennessee because she didn't want to live in the "south" anymore (her words), so she moved to Florida to be free of her family and community discrimination.

Also I want to bring up the importance of Spanish culture in Florida. Florida was historically part of the Spanish empire. This cultural legacy remains. St. Augustine was founded by the Spanish. Tampa received large numbers of Spanish and Cuban immigrants in the 1800s, laying the foundation for the city's culture. Miami is the most Spanish major city in the country. Spanish influence on floridas culture has never been stronger than it is today, with dozens of thousands of Spanish descended immigrants coming to the state from a diverse array of countries. Some people mentioned Orlando as southern??? The largest ancestry in Orlando is Puerto Rican and it is the most rapidly growing community. Florida drifts more and more towards its own identity. No southern state has this type of culture, and in Florida it is everywhere.