What's with all the confederate flags? (Somerset, Penn: appointed, high school, tax)

[CookieSkoon]

For crying out loud.

You'll find the dang flags everywhere from Rhode Island to Alabama to California.

Rural and small town America, particularly (but not exclusively) white rural America, is all the same regardless of state. Accents change, some regional details like food or climate change, but the people are the same. Rednecks, hillbillies, religious nutcases, goths, nerds, mega liberals, secret alien robot infiltrators, drunks, hippies, criminals, inbreeders, snobs, poor people, rich people, middle class people, morons, highly educated people, highly educated morons, racists, activists, fat people, thin people, purple people eaters; etc. etc. a million times etc. These people can be found everywhere in every state in every corner.

America is America and it's full of Americans. We are who we are. State of origin matters very little in the big picture.

Pennsylvania does not have a monopoly on southern stereotypes in the north, not by a long shot.

I came from upstate NY and when I moved to Louisiana nobody knew I was a northerner. Why? I grew up poor, country and scots-Irish white and I said Y'all. I was surrounded by hills and farms my whole life up until then.

My friend Mr. Hebert (first name omitted intentionally) was born and raised Baton Rouge and nearly pure Cajun. He spoke eloquently, was college educated, had money, and his accent reflected modern urban settings.

When it came up in conversation (and boy it did!) who do you think people always guessed the Yankee was? Mr. Hebert. The Baton Rouger himself, not the transplanted New Yorker with bad teeth.

Stereotypes, people. They ain't entirely accurate.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

Also, I'm not sure how people go to Atlanta, Durham, Asheville or the Outer Banks and then conclude that "Oh, this state is forward-thinking." There's more to those states than those places.

Well to be fair, NC has historically had more forward-thinking political and business leadership than most other Southern states (with the creation of RTP being a prime example of that) but unfortunately, it seems that these days, the GOP there is hellbent on undoing that legacy since they've come into power in Raleigh.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Icy Tea

It's silly to think that all people who fly the confederate flag are racists or even rednecks.

Do you fly the flag? After the Charleston shooting, do you remember the national dialogue about the hatred and racism the flag signifies to African Americans? Do you think it is still OK that black residents and visitors alike are more likely than not to hold these fears when the see the flag displayed?

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by villageidiot1

I think people read to much into this confederate flag thing. I never considered Confederate flags to be racist. It is part of our country's history. It has now become racist because of the Charleston shooting.

My guess is you are white. Am I right? You seem to feel the flag only took on racial overtones after the Charleston shooting. Are you aware that the history the flag represents includes defense of the right of white Americans to hold black people as property? Are you aware the flag flew at lynchings and KKK rallies? Are you aware that after a dormant period, there was a resurrection of the flag by whites after the national passage of civil rights laws granting blacks the same rights as whites in the 1960s? Can you see how African Americans citizens might consider the flag to represent prejudice and hate?

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

It's like people can't stand it when places have actual political diversity. Pennsylvania doesn't fit neatly into any little box, so simple-minded people throw it in the trash. Never mind that it really doesn't take much to be more conservative than New England, so let's not act like that's something shameful.

Thanks for posting this. It is very informative. I have been in Philly nearly 5 years but this was my first venture deeply into PA which I enjoyed immensely.

By posting, I am merely trying to learn a bit about the state and won't repeat my OP. I didn't intent this to be an opportunity for any single poster to ride what apparently has been a long-lived hobby horse labeling the region as "Pennsyltucky." toobusy supports this:
//www.city-data.com/forum/41256869-post62.html

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by CookieSkoon

For crying out loud.

You'll find the dang flags everywhere from Rhode Island to Alabama to California.

Good post . . . however. I might not have opened this thread if I saw more flags in Somerset that I saw in rural SC in a week. I am aware that this is completely anecdotal, but it raised my curiosity about PA. Perhaps because the south has had to face racist history more than the north, it has made more advances?

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by HOSS429

i hate these threads with baited titles that gets one to think they mite of interest to someone like myself who flys my confederate flag proudly then they get railroaded into political discussions ..

Here's your opportunity to take this topic in another direction:

- Why do you fly the flag?
- What does it symbolize to you? What message are you trying to convey in flying it?
- Did you witness news overage of the flag being moved from the SC capitol grounds? Did you see many African Americans cheering that action? Why do you think that might be?
- Do you believe that is possible that to many African Americans, your flag may symbolize that you hold racist views?

[CookieSkoon]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Good post . . . however. I might not have opened this thread if I saw more flags in Somerset that I saw in rural SC in a week. I am aware that this is completely anecdotal, but it raised my curiosity about PA. Perhaps because the south has had to face racist history more than the north, it has made more advances?

I honestly think it was coincidence.

For example; I've personally seen more of them in New York and Ohio than in Pennsylvania. It really just depends on where you go and when.

Your question is innocent enough; it is just asked a lot. There's been a long standing and stubborn rumor that PA is a southern state in the north when in truth it's no different than any other northern state with a large rural sector.

In particular I again refer to NY and Ohio. Everything that makes PA "southern" can be found in large numbers in these two neighbors as well.

Even in New Jersey you can find the "southern" style of life. Just search around the pine barrens.

It just boils down to people mistaking "rural" to always mean "southern". I intend to fight against that assumption.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by CookieSkoon

For crying out loud.

You'll find the dang flags everywhere from Rhode Island to Alabama to California.

Rural and small town America, particularly (but not exclusively) white rural America, is all the same regardless of state. Accents change, some regional details like food or climate change, but the people are the same. Rednecks, hillbillies, religious nutcases, goths, nerds, mega liberals, secret alien robot infiltrators, drunks, hippies, criminals, inbreeders, snobs, poor people, rich people, middle class people, morons, highly educated people, highly educated morons, racists, activists, fat people, thin people, purple people eaters; etc. etc. a million times etc. These people can be found everywhere in every state in every corner.

America is America and it's full of Americans. We are who we are. State of origin matters very little in the big picture.

Pennsylvania does not have a monopoly on southern stereotypes in the north, not by a long shot.

I came from upstate NY and when I moved to Louisiana nobody knew I was a northerner. Why? I grew up poor, country and scots-Irish white and I said Y'all. I was surrounded by hills and farms my whole life up until then.

My friend Mr. Hebert (first name omitted intentionally) was born and raised Baton Rouge and nearly pure Cajun. He spoke eloquently, was college educated, had money, and his accent reflected modern urban settings.

When it came up in conversation (and boy it did!) who do you think people always guessed the Yankee was? Mr. Hebert. The Baton Rouger himself, not the transplanted New Yorker with bad teeth.

Stereotypes, people. They ain't entirely accurate.

I agree with this- Rural is pretty much the same everywhere, Southern is in the South.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

My guess is you are white. Am I right? You seem to feel the flag only took on racial overtones after the Charleston shooting. Are you aware that the history the flag represents includes defense of the right of white Americans to hold black people as property? Are you aware the flag flew at lynchings and KKK rallies? Are you aware that after a dormant period, there was a resurrection of the flag by whites after the national passage of civil rights laws granting blacks the same rights as whites in the 1960s? Can you see how African Americans citizens might consider the flag to represent prejudice and hate?

Yes I am white. No, it took on racial tones long before the Charleston shooting. I'm very familiar with the resurrection of the flag by whites during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

I think African Americans have been sold this idea that they should protest the Confederate Flag. It is fine that it has been taken down on all state capitols.

Based on your logic, would you deny my right to fly the Confederate flag because of its history? Would you propose that a law be passed to prohibit the display of the Confederate flag? The more that people push against the display of the Confederate flag, the more some people will want to display it. I suggest people, both black and white, just drop the issue and it will mostly disappear.