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I'm glad to see southerners finally being genuine about something.
Why is fakeness such an insult? I love being fake. Remember, next time you're down here and someone holds the door for you, it would be proper protocol if you gave them a favor in return, lest ye be lynched.
The American Southwest was part of New Spain, then, briefly, Mexico, and for a much longer time now, the United States.
The Hispanic culture of the state of New Mexico, for instance has a lot more to do with rural 17th century Spain and 21st century U.S., than Mexico which has its own conflation of Spanish, and more importantly, Mexican indigenous (Native) culture.
The American Southwest was part of New Spain, then, briefly, Mexico, and for a much longer time now, the United States.
The Hispanic culture of the state of New Mexico, for instance has a lot more to do with rural 17th century Spain and 21st century U.S., than Mexico which has its own conflation of Spanish, and more importantly, Mexican indigenous (Native) culture.
Same thing with Texas. People killl me with the we need to give Texas back to Mexico. Between 1600 and 2011, Mexico only had Texas for 15 of those years. Texas was under Spain for nearly 130 years. So unless anyone makes a big deal about those 15 years, its incorrect to believe that the history of this state was shaped by Mexico.
Murder rates are actually higher among whites in the South than other states. For more data (and there is actually research on this, not just idle speculation), check out this:
and browse through some of the papers. (Sorry I couldn't provide direct links, Google went back to stupidly not allowing you to copy links directly from search results).
Hospitality is filtered through culture, so what may be viewed as hospitable in one culture (holding doors, for example) may not be a requirement of hospitality in another culture. This was actually what got me started thinking on this. Mexicans (and some other Latin American cultures) and the Southerners I've met seem to have a similar sense of affability and friendliness about them.
I'm not talking about the most devout element of the population, which will exist anywhere; I'm talking about the general culture. My experience primarily is rooted in the southeastern part of Mexico, which in addition to being traditionally Catholic, also has a huge number of Protestants, mostly Evangelicals, as well. All my Mexican friends say "God bless you" regularly and when I ask them how they are, say "Good, thanks to God", which is rare in Minnesota, but apparently talk like that is quite common in the South. They have an abbreviation for it, "DTB" (Dios te bendiga"), which they use online, and at least one person that I chat with uses the abbreviation "GBY", her attempt at translating the phrase to English - which is correct, but I've never seen that until I started talking to her.
I've never been asked this by a Southerner, but I know a lot of people have remarked that Southerners, soon upon meeting them, ask where they go to church. And you have to admit, popular religiosity, which characterizes Mexico, is more widespread in the South than it is anywhere else. Up here in Minnesota, we are often religiously devout, but we mostly keep it to ourselves; in the South, it seems like (as you said) people are more willing to talk about it.
It's true that this is based off a stereotype, but I've heard too many people say this to think there is nothing to it.
To be honest, the only place in the South I've been to is Tampa, Florida, which is not even the real South (it certainly does not feel like it, and according to my Tampa friends, the South starts further north in Florida - which I thought anyway). However, I created this thread wondering if people with more experience in the South (and in Mexico) see these similarities and what they think of them.
So you've never been to the South and yet you are trying to categorize us?
Why does everyone think that when Southerners meet somebody they ask them "where do you go to church?" Can we put that to rest. That never happens. That would be absolutely strange. That question doesn't come up unless the conversation is about church, then somebody might ask it.
Why does everyone think that when Southerners meet somebody they ask them "where do you go to church?" Can we put that to rest. That never happens. That would be absolutely strange. That question doesn't come up unless the conversation is about church, then somebody might ask it.
Why does everyone think that when Southerners meet somebody they ask them "where do you go to church?" Can we put that to rest. That never happens. That would be absolutely strange. That question doesn't come up unless the conversation is about church, then somebody might ask it.
But...but...but...people just can't miss an opportunity to belittle others to make themselves feel so superior!
I agree with you it needs to be put to rest. I love the south for many reasons (religion being one reason) but that isn't the way it is at all.
Mexican immigrants are generally quite nice. At least the fairly recent immigrants (<10 years) or Mexican-Americans from strongly blue collar communities that are mostly Mexican-American.
Americanized Mexicans, for the most part, are aggravating, ill-mannered a-holes, in my experience.
These have been my observations all over the U.S., but I just see it more in California b/c there's a much greater Hispanic population here than any place I've lived or visited.
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