Sometimes I forget what the south is like

[lawfulevil]

I grew up in the DFW area and went to college in Denton. I've now lived outside of Nashville for 15 years. I can tell you with 100% certainty that TX is not in the "south". I thought it was but I learned that being in the south is much more than geography. Texas is its own place. I enjoy being in the south now but it was a hell of a shock the first few years. God bless Texas! :wink-kitty:

I grew up in a Dallas suburb and North Texas is definitely not the South, I can't speak for the rest of Texas. It's a big damn state. It has some Southern characteristics (I know that "what a unique sweater!" is not a compliment), but it's not the South, it isn't a bit like Georgia or North Carolina. It's also not Oklahoma (lived in OKC metro for 2 years), the Midwest (lived in Illinois for a year), or the West (California for almost 5 years now). Dallas(ish) is actually the most like Miami, of anywhere else I've lived. But then, Miami is a lot like Denver, but Denver isn't like Dallas, but... oh, my head hurts, pass the booze.

[apple1]

"the south"

"the midwest"

"the northeast"

"the west"

even "Texas"

Sure are a lot of generalizations in this thread.

[lawfulevil]

If you want to get technical, Sacramento isn't Cameron Park, Denver isn't Aurora, Dallas isn't Richardson, etc... but that's not terribly useful to anyone who's never lived within 1000 miles of any of those places. So yes, the midwest, the south, the west, the northeast.

[apple1]

It's not so much the mention of "regions" - yes, regions exist.

It's generalizing "most" of the people who live in the region with certain stereotypes.

[lizziesmom]

Not to derail the thread, but this discussion of the south caused me to remember a great little book called "A Southern Belle Primer: Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma" I read about 15 years ago. It is a stitch, particularly if you were raised in that culture. Anyone here read it?

[lemonhead]

I grew up in a Dallas suburb and North Texas is definitely not the South, I can't speak for the rest of Texas. It's a big damn state. It has some Southern characteristics (I know that "what a unique sweater!" is not a compliment), but it's not the South, it isn't a bit like Georgia or North Carolina. It's also not Oklahoma (lived in OKC metro for 2 years), the Midwest (lived in Illinois for a year), or the West (California for almost 5 years now). Dallas(ish) is actually the most like Miami, of anywhere else I've lived. But then, Miami is a lot like Denver, but Denver isn't like Dallas, but... oh, my head hurts, pass the booze.

I've lived in Texas my entire life, in and around Austin (widely regarded as the most liberal city in the state). It's true that you can't make many generalizations about the state as a whole--when I was in college at UT I took a literature class in which we discussed various Texas writers and how their works are reflective of authors associated with the "South" or the "Southwestern." In the end (and this was the professor's objective, I believe), we concluded that Texas truly does defy categorization. Eastern parts of the state are closer to the Old South, while western parts of the state are more Southwestern in culture. The southern part of the state is greatly influenced by its Hispanic population, and the northern parts of the state can be very metropolitan (like DFW) but also, being part of the Great Plains, quite rural and almost Midwestern-y. And then there's Austin 8-)

Anyway, didn't mean to veer too far off course, but this topic has always fascinated me. Back to the original intent of the thread, I can attest that there are parts of Texas where racism still thrives, and where religion is very much a part of everyday life. I remember visiting a small town in West Texas once on a business trip, where the sign in front of City Hall said, "Thank God for the Rain--King of Kings, Lord of Lords" or something along those lines :shock: I usually try to keep my agnosticism and liberal political beliefs to myself when I venture very far away from Austin.

(edited for typos)

[peacelovecoffee]

To anybody interested in living in a southern town that's not very fundie, I suggest Huntsville or Madison, Alabama. That's where my SO's family is from. It's a tiny pocket of liberalism mainly due to NASA and a lot of non-southern transplants moving there over the last few years. When my SO takes me there, we always have lunch at Big Spring park. There's also an arts festival called Panoply and Big Spring Jam (which has brought in some top music acts). But, of course being in the South, you will also find fundies, just not as many as in other parts of Alabama.

ETA: It's not only hot as hell down here during the summer, it's humid too. 100 degrees in the desert areas of the SW is nothing compared to 90's and high humidity.

Oh god, no. No, no, no. I was born & raised outside Huntsville & sure, it's a nice place but staying longer than a short visit will quickly open your eyes to the fact that Huntsville & the surrounding area is the epitome of Southern culture. You're right in that it's a fun place but living there is a whole different ballgame. There is definitely more (white) diversity due to NASA, Redstone Arsenal, Sanmina, & all of the other large corporations who move their employees there but it does little to improve open mindedness or the overall deep-seeded, homophobic, racist mentality. It might not be an area full of Dugger-like fundies but like the rest of AL, the color of your skin, your political affiliation, & where you go to church are the most important characteristics in a person & while they may not have a huge impact on your day-to-day life as an adult, they most definitely impact the kind of experience your children will have in school & your ability to find like-minded parent friends. If you're not a straight, white, Baptist then you will not fit in at all & you will be judged. I spent the first 25 years of my life in Alabama but also lived in Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, & Georgia & they are all the same.

[August]

Sorry, but I disagree. There are liberal places that are multiracial and multicultural.

It's just that often the residue of geography and history didn't leave that many non white people in those areas.

But W Washington is very diverse, huge number of asian immigrants, from the old school Japanese fishermen to the new school Taiwanese. California has more hispanic people than white. The North East is lacking, but tons of people with weird jaw breaking accents, does that count? (yes, car tawk guys, I mean you and your ilk)

[danvillebelle]

Not to derail the thread, but this discussion of the south caused me to remember a great little book called "A Southern Belle Primer: Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma" I read about 15 years ago. It is a stitch, particularly if you were raised in that culture. Anyone here read it?

I have a copy of that - love it, for all it's over-the-top-ness. A lot of that book is more about Southern *money* than just plain southerners, but yeah, it's pretty spot-on.

I love the section on silver patterns and how she set up a little Zodiac of sorts, like girls with Francis I will get along fine with MIL's who have Grand Baroque or Burgundy, girls who choose Acorn are rebels, etc. It's a hoot.

[peacelovecoffee]

I have a copy of that - love it, for all it's over-the-top-ness. A lot of that book is more about Southern *money* than just plain southerners, but yeah, it's pretty spot-on.

I love the section on silver patterns and how she set up a little Zodiac of sorts, like girls with Francis I will get along fine with MIL's who have Grand Baroque or Burgundy, girls who choose Acorn are rebels, etc. It's a hoot.

Danvillebelle, would I be wrong to assume Danville refers to where you are from/live? I know there seems to be a Danville in almost every state but it's where I went to high school in Alabama.

[danvillebelle]

Danvillebelle, would I be wrong to assume Danville refers to where you are from/live? I know there seems to be a Danville in almost every state but it's where I went to high school in Alabama.

It refers to Danville, KY, where I do not live but wish I could someday. It's one of my favorite places on earth. My family roots there go back to the very first settlers in the 1790's. I could stand in the Bellevue Cemetery and throw a rock in any direction, and probably hit someone I'm related to. My maternal grandparents grew up there, I grew up visiting my paternal gma and her husband there, I know all the big old houses down the main streets like the back of my hand...it's a giant, warm blanket of nostalgia for me.

ETA: it's also, unfortunately, terribly uppity-old-money-social-climbey, as well. If I did live there I'd buy a house a couple blocks from the cemetery, which is where I'd be half the time anyway for genealogy research, and stay home a lot.

[Ellimenopy]

I grew up in Central Louisiana and now I live in the Mississippi Delta. Let me tell you, there are lots of different variations of "the South." Central Louisiana and rural Mississippi are both really religious, but in different ways. Louisiana was very Jesus-y, very evangelical. Everything's about getting saved. Everyone assumes that you go to church (they do here, too, but not to the same extent). Here, all the religion is focused around the black churches. A glitch in the county ordinances makes it financially advantageous to be a clergyman, so many many people claim to be preachers that don't actually have congregations. There's less evangelicalism, but more "casual" Christianity, if you know what I mean? It's weird, but I sometimes get homesick for the more aggressive Christianity, which makes no sense, as I'm no longer a Christian.

[crawfishgirl]

I grew up in Central Louisiana and now I live in the Mississippi Delta. Let me tell you, there are lots of different variations of "the South." Central Louisiana and rural Mississippi are both really religious, but in different ways. Louisiana was very Jesus-y, very evangelical. Everything's about getting saved. Everyone assumes that you go to church (they do here, too, but not to the same extent). Here, all the religion is focused around the black churches. A glitch in the county ordinances makes it financially advantageous to be a clergyman, so many many people claim to be preachers that don't actually have congregations. There's less evangelicalism, but more "casual" Christianity, if you know what I mean? It's weird, but I sometimes get homesick for the more aggressive Christianity, which makes no sense, as I'm no longer a Christian.

I also grew up in Louisiana, though more in the southern part. Catholicism was much more prevalent, so the atmosphere was more laid-back. It had more of a partying culture where alcohol use was common. Mardi Gras was a school holiday, and everyone enjoyed the parades. It seemed that the majority of people were either Baptist or Catholic (I was neither).

[greentree31]

A question for those of you who are from the south--Is there a hierarchy as far as social class/prestige when it comes to different Christian denominations in the southern US?

[splork]

A question for those of you who are from the south--Is there a hierarchy as far as social class/prestige when it comes to different Christian denominations in the southern US?

I can only talk about the town where I grew up...

My town doesn't have good farmland around or any industry, so social prestige doesn't mean much there the way it might in a town that had plantations or steel mills or things like that. There were no captains of industry or gentleman farmers.

Churches are completely segregated, so, obviously that's a big factor.

My town doesn't have a huge African American community. There was one AME church that was pretty big. The only other choices were go to a predominantly white church (never happened), travel to a bigger town on Sundays, or attend one of a couple of storefront churches.

Church is a major social network there and where you go affects who you know and whether you're likely to hear about certain kinds of jobs and whether you'll be given a chance. However, backsliding and getting saved is pretty much the number one past-time there for white people and people change churches all the time. Changing churches because of a minor tiff with the pastor or a falling out with friends is also something that happens a lot, so it's not like anybody is locked into one church their whole life.

The two biggest churches in our town were the Methodist and the First Baptist churches. A lot of the teachers and lawyers and people who were solidly professional attended the Methodist church and seemed to stick with it. A lot of the non-college educated business owners and elected officials attended the First Baptist Church. That church had schismed about fifty times over the last hundred years, so there were a ton of other Baptist churches people had started over minor disagreements. There were plenty of other churches from established sects and charismatic non-denominational places pop up all the time .

[Joan of Snarc]

Jon Stewart had an "Intolerance-Off" between Alabama and Mississippi last night.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-o ... y-standing

:lol:

[DomWackTroll]

Jon Stewart had an "Intolerance-Off" between Alabama and Mississippi last night.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-o ... y-standing

:lol:

That was both very funny and very uplifting!

[frumper-rump]

Jon Stewart had an "Intolerance-Off" between Alabama and Mississippi last night.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-o ... y-standing

:lol:

I was bracing myself to be embarassed by my state (Alabama). I wasn't surprised, but I figured they went out and found some really horrible people and not just the everyday people walking around. Most people I know either don't care and/or mind their own business or are pro-gay marriage. Of course, as a commenter under the video said, they came to Birmingham and not rural Alabama.

[thoughtful]

That was both very funny and very uplifting!

Yep.

Looks like one of the actors was a friend of Raquel's:

[Slt]

I still want to move south for the heat, but it will be somewhere liberal and progressive like Asheville,Charlotte area,or maybe somewhere in GA. if I can find anywhere OTHER than Atlanta.(no city for me,must be country) Anyone know of liberal,progessive,secular homeschooling areas in the RURAL COUNTRY in the south? I have checked, but usually only outside big cities(like Atlanta) I don't want to live in.

Move to the outskirts of Charlotte! You have rural living within 20 minutes of the city (Check out Matthews, NC- the hotspot of homeschooling!). There are definitely conservative homeschoolers, but also large secular homeschooling community. The schools SUCK here, so there are tons and TONS and tons of resources along with support groups. And with the city nearby, tons of museums and other educational opportunities...

[HopelessWanderer]

I've heard Austin, TX is pretty liberal and that it's a great place to live. Never been there myself though! I've only visited tiny towns in KY and FL, and I've been to NC once which prompted my "I want to live in the south!" comment. Otherwise I haven't spent a whole lot of time down south. If I ever move back somewhere warm it will be San Diego!

I'm from a small town about 45 mins outside of Austin, and it seriously a different world from most of Texas thanks in large part to UT. San Antonio is also really great as far as progressiveness goes!

[RosyDaisy]

Well you know we have this saying here in good 'ol Bama: "Thank God for Mississippi". Interpret that however you want. Being from Alabama I'm pro-gay marriage.

If one wants to move to the Deep South, I would recommend Huntsville or Madison, AL. It's a small pocket of liberal in a state full of uber conservatives. Just remember 90 degrees and high humidity feels worse than 110 degrees in a desert. But, our winters aren't bad. For the last 2 years we haven't had much snow. But even the threat of a dusting of snow sends people into a panic, and schools close.

[HereticHick]

I've said this before, but as a mixed race, liberal Southerner, I get a little angry every time I see the title of this thread. Enough with the sweeping generalizations already.

[apple1]

Enough with the sweeping generalizations already.

Heartily agree.

[RosyDaisy]

As a southerner, it does sting a little to hear things like this. But, at the same time, can we honestly say that these things are really sweeping generalizations? I don't think so. I think we need to channel our feelings into working to make our part of the country better. That is the only way to break stereotypes and generalizations.