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I grew up in Virginia, and have met several people from Deep South states and Texas who tell me Virginia is not in the South. I have no idea on what they base this opinion, but I wholeheartedly disagree with them.
I grew up in Virginia, and have met several people from Deep South states and Texas who tell me Virginia is not in the South. I have no idea on what they base this opinion, but I wholeheartedly disagree with them.
Thats kind of why I posted the question. Whenever I tell people in the southern portions of my sales territory (AL, MS, LA, GA) that I handle the Southeast and they find out that includes VA and to a lesser degree NC they scoff at my considering them "southern." I personally don't get this issue with what is or isn't "The South." I just found it kinda strange that everyone seemed to have such strong opinions and where they come from. Virginia is the home of the Confederate White House and it would seem that the historical ties to the South would be a big deal, but I don't know. In Nebraska...we're just the Midwest. People in the Midwest don't seem to give a rats rear-end about who is or isn't in our region....so it just kinda confused me that such dispute exists in the South over who is or isn't "one of us."
You can disagree but the term New South is typically used to describe the Southern Atlantic states which includes Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia more than any other state in south. It's much more of an economic term than a cultural term but I personally use it for both. Richmond VA is constantly used as an example along with Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta.
Yes ,yes ,yes the infamous Wikipedia link...Im sure if you used a Mid Atlantic wiki link, it would say what it says. You do realize those links include DE/DC and MD who many on this board throw a fit over being "Northeast"? If its more of an economic term then cultural then what business is being conducted? Like I said VA has been using Mid Atlantic even before "NoVa" became such a popular place amongst Californians and foreigners.
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Originally Posted by adavi215
You realize I was speaking to a perception and not my opinion? The migration does play a huge part of why Southerners consider certain areas no longer Southern. People even in the state of NC that are in the rural areas consider Charlotte and the Triangle no longer Southern. Same with Atlanta.
Also the term New South stems from the Reconstruction era when different southern areas were differentiating from the agrarian and chattel slavery economy into more industrious economies. It's an old term.
I get it...country rural people in other parts of NC and GA think that CLT/ATL are loosing southerness. Truly I get it, I have lived in all these states even before they "blew up"...what they really mean is that those urban areas are becoming even MORE urban and are developing their own mental universes while leaving the country, rural, slow to progress/advance/develop areas of the state even FURTHER behind/out of the loop then they already are. Oh I get it. I also get that most people think south = slow, rural, impoverished and ignorant which is why they'll say Mississippi is the quintessential south instead of South Carolina, home to Charleston, one of the largest old South "true south" aristocratic cities in the 13 colonies. You are right you are talking about perceptions but they are usually derived from peoples miseducated stereotypical opinions. For every Northeastern/Midwestern/Western transplant, I'm sure there are 1000 more from intrastate and other surrounding Southern states in GA/NC. I get what youre talking about though.
I hear what you are saying "New South" is an old term used by certain individuals to desciribe xyz. I am saying ATLANTA specifically and Charlotte recently (I guess because ATL is their big brother/competition) are associated with this term. Atlanta kicked off its use in the mid-late 90s...that is when Atlanta started to become the Atlanta people see today. Virginia was referring to itself as Mid Atlantic before then and now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOVA_guy;34 281244
Most people who live in Virginia consider it the south with the exception of NoVA.
Most people from VA consider it the south until they hear deep south combatants yip yap and yipe about what the South is. And when VA cats go down to them places and realize how vastly different those folks are and folks realize how vastly different we are...they return with a different perspective on life "Bottom of the North TOP of the South" is what they say. And as far as this infamous nondescript "NoVA" nonsense...northern Virginia was just Alexandria and Fairfax when HAMPTON ROADS/Mid Atlantic business model of self promotion was already in full swing. That is to say northern VA was not the scale tipper or was it even as relevant as it has become recently. Also, "southern" is historical relevance...Mid Atlantic is functional reality...with or without northern Virginia, It is not an either or thing. Most people are sheep also.
Thats kind of why I posted the question. Whenever I tell people in the southern portions of my sales territory (AL, MS, LA, GA) that I handle the Southeast and they find out that includes VA and to a lesser degree NC they scoff at my considering them "southern." I personally don't get this issue with what is or isn't "The South." I just found it kinda strange that everyone seemed to have such strong opinions and where they come from. Virginia is the home of the Confederate White House and it would seem that the historical ties to the South would be a big deal, but I don't know. In Nebraska...we're just the Midwest. People in the Midwest don't seem to give a rats rear-end about who is or isn't in our region....so it just kinda confused me that such dispute exists in the South over who is or isn't "one of us."
Are you hearing these sentiments mainly from folks in the rural areas of those Deep South states? If so, it may have to do with the fact that both NC and VA went blue in '08 and VA remained so in the last election.
As to the point made earlier about Atlanta's sphere of influence relative to NC, that mostly includes Charlotte and western NC. The Triad is where DC's influence begins to be felt since that area is roughly equidistant between Atlanta and DC. The Triangle and eastern NC are within DC's sphere of influence. And while NC has more connections with SC, it shares more characteristics with VA.
Nothing in that Wiki link is not true other than the fact that you just can't accept the fact that you're slightly out of touch with reality on this one. Also, as I stated, VA is a mid-Atlantic state...Southern mid Atlantic I may add. The bottom line is NOVA south VA is VERY southern.
You might want to further your knowledge in history because "new south" was around well before Atlanta started rapidly growing in the 90's. The south was viewed a rural "country" region (old south)...Cities such as (Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond) and several others have been coined (new south) because of the economic impact and progressive behaviors while still being located in the south. Furthermore, you will even some people say that Richmond feels more much southern than both Atlanta and Charlotte (which is does).
In 1990, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia all had 6-6.6 million people....
In 2013....Georgia and NC is basically at 10 million while Virginia is at 8 million..
I'm sure it's a safe bet to say that more transplants live in GA and NC than VA but it doesn't mean they're not southern because they are along with VA...You even have people from VA admitting it. So why are you trying to deny it?
Most people from VA consider it the south until they hear deep south combatants yip yap and yipe about what the South is. And when VA cats go down to them places and realize how vastly different those folks are and folks realize how vastly different we are...they return with a different perspective on life "Bottom of the North TOP of the South" is what they say. And as far as this infamous nondescript "NoVA" nonsense...northern Virginia was just Alexandria and Fairfax when HAMPTON ROADS/Mid Atlantic business model of self promotion was already in full swing. That is to say northern VA was not the scale tipper or was it even as relevant as it has become recently. Also, "southern" is historical relevance...Mid Atlantic is functional reality...with or without northern Virginia, It is not an either or thing. Most people are sheep also.
I believe this part of the quote is true as far as how the deep south relates to Virginia. Despite what is posted on CD, many people I have met from the deep south consider natives of Hampton Roads/Nova/Richmond as being more east coast than southern. There are many people from NC which I have met in the Hampton Roads area who believe that Hampton Road is not southern, while North Carolina is the true south. I have noticed that the stereotypical southern accents tend to be more pronounced in North Carolina than in Virginia. Virginia's traditional piedmont and tidewater accents always had more of an aristocrat sound, as opposed to the stereotypical southern drawls in most of the other southern states. I believe Virginia is the true definition of a southern mid atlantic state (this information is also posted on the official Virginia website). Geographically, many of Virginia's urban areas are closer to the Bos-Wash Corridor cities compared to the major southern metros. For example, from Norfolk, it takes approximately six hours to drive to Charlotte, NC and nine and a half hours to drive to Atlanta, GA. Conversely, it would take the same person, to travel from Norfolk, three hours to drive to DC, four hours to arrive at Baltimore, five hours to drive to Baltimore, and six and a half hours to drive to NYC.
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