[VictorLy]

Hello, I hope you are doing well. Please, let me explain the topic of this thread before I get attacked.

As a person living in California, it seems as if many people (not all, of course) who are raised and live in the Southern states of the US are still ignorant when it comes to a variety of issues, even though it is approximately a century and a half since the American Civil War. I am looking for an unbiased answer to this, because I really do not know much about the south and am really interested in finding out. This will be a starting point for much more research that I will conduct on my own.

Thank you.

[tomder55]

Yeah you need to do some more research . Start with changing the premise of the question.

[speechlesstx]

I can't imagine why anyone from the south would attack you for asking why we are ignorant.

[VictorLy]

Wow, this has gotten out of hand, and I apologize for that. Perhaps I should clarify.

The idea that people in the south aren't too intelligent is all over today's media, especially in slapstick movies made for teenagers. I really, really hate these types of stereotypes (I do not like stereotypes to begin with), and decided to look into how this stereotype started. In my short search, I realized that many people in the south seem to have ideas that are more traditional, as well as not as liberal and progressive, when compared to people who live in states like California (which is one of only two states I have ever been in, unfortunately).

I looked into issues such as racism, and statistics show that racism is higher in the south than anywhere else in the United States. Other topics such as religion came up, and study after study I looked at stated that many of those in the south are more on the side of religion and not science (I find it slightly absurd that there should be sides, but that's what I've read). Another topic that comes to mind now is gun control, and laws in the south are more lax, with many in its population who are more pro-gun than most other people in the United States. With all these combined, and many news reports stating that "ignorance" runs deep in the south (not my word), I wanted to look into why this is so, or if it is just a perception.

I am trying to understand this topic more, so I would really appreciate some help. Thank you.

[Wondergirl]

I was born and raised in NC and have lived in the north since then.

The "traditional" (as you term it) ideas are basic to rural societies. Religion and one's faith are also important in keeping the rural population together and on the same page. For farmer families, education is not as important as helping out on the farm, since the family farm is the only source of income. My mom, for instance, quit school after 8th grade in order to help on the family farm and do a lot of the cooking for threshing crews, etc. On the other hand, city living produces more liberal and progressive ideas because the work is in factories and businesses that have limited work periods (vs. a farm that is 24/7), and there is leisure time to attend college where a mind is opened up to new ideas in science and the arts.

Regarding racism -- the black slaves who were brought to this country were put to work on Southern farms and plantations. The white population had to think of them as less than human in order to force them to do all the drudgery. Racism is thinking of someone as less than oneself, as less than human.

I think much of what you have said here is stereotypical and falsely played up in the media. The South has changed greatly as many immigrants and retirees from the north have made a home there.

[kindj]

I've lived in Florida, Tennessee, California, and now live in Texas. I think I shall approach the question from a slightly different angle.

I don't believe that the southern US is any of the things that many in other areas think it is. In my travels, I have found them to be much the same as people living anywhere else. However, because of the slower speech patterns and (in some areas) slower lifestyles, many who don't know any better mistakenly label them as "backwards" or "regressive."

Religion does seem to play a more prominent role in the lives of not only southerners, but also midwesterners and many northeasterners. Why is that? I don't know. Perhaps it is as Wondergirl said, that more rural communities tend to have closer ties with their faiths.

As for racism, I can only speak for my own observations. In my travels, I have seen more racism on the East and West coasts than I have anywhere in between. The anti-white sentiment is pretty bad in the area around Gallup, NM. New York City seems to me to be the biggest example of voluntary segregation in the country (with some exceptions, of course). West Coast? Don't even get me started. That particular melting pot is about to boil over, methinks, and it won't be pretty. Sure, I've seen some tension between black and white in the south, but it seems to be about on par with what I've seen everywhere else. I'm sure many will rush to say that it isn't true, and maybe in their circles it isn't. I'm only speaking in the most broad sense, and again, based upon my own personal observations only.

I think that coastal California and New York City tend to be the worst at holding on to outdated stereotypes, as a rule. Why? I don't know. Perhaps it's because they are the business, fashion, media, and entertainment hubs of the country, and those industries tend to be fairly exclusive and insulated. They stay within their own circles, and don't understand why other people not only do not fit inside their circles, but have no desire to fit inside their circles. To me, it's the ultimate hypocrisy: We are tolerant, and if you don't think like us, then you are intolerant. Let's face it: Most big-time entertainment types are the ones who decide what things look like on stage or on camera. Isn't it only natural that their own personal beliefs and biases drastically influence the final product?

Don't think I'm criticizing. I lived in California for a number of years and absolutely loved it. I'd never seen so many different types of people all in the same place at the same time, and I had a blast. However, as soon as I spoke, regardless of the topic or how skillfully I spoke on it, my accent caused many people to tune me out and disregard my opinion as that of an "uneducated redneck."

Very tolerant, indeed.

Keep looking. Keep listening. Spread the word to your friends. Different speech patterns/accents, different skin colors, different values and morals do NOT mean natural enemies.

[jillianleab]

Sounds like someone is a liberal and doesn't understand how someone could possibly have different views, therefore, they must be ignorant... You know that works the same way on the flip side, right?

[speechlesstx]

Wow, this has gotten out of hand, and I apologize for that. Perhaps I should clarify.

Tis only a matter of asking the question properly. I believe kindj answered your question quite well. I will say though that right or wrong, many in the south have their own perceptions of non-southerners. Movies like Valley Girl, Legally Blonde, Clueless, etc. don't help the west coast's case... or following the exploits of such luminaries as Paris and Nicole. Same goes in the northeast for folks like Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan.

What's funny is when those same northerners, east and west coasters that think the south is ignorant come to visit, they tend to eat up all that southern hospitality. What they often don't know is how much we can play it up for them. You'd be surprised how many of those folks think we still have daily cattle drives downtown or all walk around with boots, spurs and six-guns strapped to our waist. Since we don't we wouldn't want to let 'em down without throwing a y'all, a "dadgum" or a "fixin' to" their way. ;)

[Fr_Chuck]

Let me see from TV and beleifs, everyone in California are gay or lesbian, all of them are liberal socialists and want to take all of the money from the wealthy and give it to the poor.

So we have to wonder why all you people can be like that.

So much for that, I guess southerns like Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton are just good examples that they are right.

[George_1950]

Hello, I hope you are doing well. Please, let me explain the topic of this thread before I get attacked.

As a person living in California, it seems as if many people (not all, of course) who are raised and live in the Southern states of the US are still ignorant when it comes to a variety of issues, even though it is approximately a century and a half since the American Civil War. I am looking for an unbiased answer to this, because I really do not know much about the south and am really interested in finding out. This will be a starting point for much more research that I will conduct on my own.

Thank you.

Just curious, what do you know about the American Civil War? Why would you want an unbiased answer to a biased question? Have you ever visited the Southern states? Yet, you admit "...(you) really do not know much about the south...." A word for the wise: ""I don't like that man. I must get to know him better." Abraham Lincoln
So, you don't like the South? Perhaps you should get to know it better.

[BABRAM]

"Wondergirl" gave an excellent historical summary, rural areas, division among poor and wealthy, etc... Both "kindj" and "speechlesstx" added important observations concerning typical stereotyping of southerners, speech patterns and movie dramatizations. Education, transportation technology, the marvels of communication via cell phone service and the Internet, are all part of the dynamics that have helped in overcoming any lingering ignorance, north, south, east, or west. For the first time in history we have candidates legitametly running for the highest office in the county that have broken through the race and gender barriers; both gaining strong support from southern states.


I'll mention a few accomplishments dear to me concerning my original home state of "Texas."

NASA? Located in Houston, Texas.

The most nationally recognized medical treatment centers and surgeons available for advanced medicine? Again Houston, Texas.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson that was willing to listen and accommodate MLK Jr. civil rights movement is from? Stonewall, Texas.

Location of the fourth most diverse University in the United States? Austin, Texas.

True or False: The first Jews arrived in Texas in 1958 because a flight out of New Jersey was redirected due to a radar malfunction? False. My own mother's family, Jewish, migrated to Texas in the late 1800's. Handbook of Texas Online - JEWS

[magprob]

People that live in California just think they are better than anyone else. I know this for a fact because I am from San Diego. I have lived in Idaho for 10 years and I am from Idaho now. No pretenses. When Californians move here, they usually need a good a$$ whoopin (and get it) to get them straight. I look at this post more from a troll's point of view than from someone with enough sense to present an intelligent question.

[life1973happened]

Hello, I hope you are doing well. Please, let me explain the topic of this thread before I get attacked.

As a person living in California, it seems as if many people (not all, of course) who are raised and live in the Southern states of the US are still ignorant when it comes to a variety of issues, even though it is approximately a century and a half since the American Civil War. I am looking for an unbiased answer to this, because I really do not know much about the south and am really interested in finding out. This will be a starting point for much more research that I will conduct on my own.

Thank you.

I'm not sure what you would like to know exactly. You bring up the reference to the Civil War but following this question with further explanation on your part, I'm still a little unclear but would like to help. If I can...

I live in the heart of self entitlement, pretentious, private school, lacrosse playing, over bearing, arrogant, flaming liberals, with no real clue as to what anybody but them thinks, nor do they care.

Are there many that do not think that and care what others think, enough to want to hear their voice heard? Absolutely, their called transplanted-Bostonians, kidding.. kidding.

Seriously there are many caring people. However, do you take notice in the way I started those remarks? Everybody knows how people in the East are. I grew up in the Midwest and there is a huge difference. When I first moved here I would fill up my gas, go to pay and ask the guy behind the counter how they were doing today. You know what that got me? An angry glare, that's what I got. One of those, 'get the hell out of here, what do you want, you over the top, way too happy and friendly, lady? But I still do it, and now they have just begun to realize, I ask it, because I mean it.

In the Midwest they are extremely friendly but they are also behind the times, slow and appreciate that type of lifestyle very much. So I can appreciate the differences but also respect them. Nobody has to picks sides here. We are all on the same team, living in this great country. A country that allows us the freedom we take advantage of typing our thoughts and opinions, right here and right now on AMHD.

I think you have to be careful as to what are truly the differences between the Western States from those in the South. Make sure its history that divides us, and not propaganda, or general realizations.

[oneguyinohio]

Boy Howdy,

Now you gone and bit off a fair bit more tobacco than any man ought have a claim to, and surely more'n any good spit calls fer.

But seeing how's yous brought it up, let's chew on it a bit.

First, unless that hunk of dirt called Californy fell off into the ocean, I believe the McGuffey Reader showed it as being on the border of Mexico... which would place it along the Southern border of the United States.

As fer not takin' kindly to do-gooders from far off places, medlin in our affairs, we done been doing that with carpet baggers many a year. Many o' the ancestors of the folks from the south went there with the purpose of finding a place where they could live the way they wanted to without the government or other outsiders imposing taxes or other laws on them.

Many of those beliefs have done been whittled away a little here and a little there, with outsiders taking advantage of the poor economic conditions as a source to ridicule and justify the need for the ignorant southerner to get the help from the far superior people from other regions of the country. Funny how all that help came with the price of exploitation of natural resources as well as the culture... through the widespread propiganda painting southerners as stupid and ignorant, it became more acceptable to force them into the coal mines, or off their family lands, for economic developments. The practice was much the same as what was done to the Native Americans... and in some ways to African Americans. With people still believing that people from the south are ignorant, it is easier for those people who think their ways are the best to ignore the problems of southerners, caused by outsiders, and blame it on the ignorant rednecks as if they brought it upon themselves.

I'll be the first to admit that some people in the south are ignorant, but California as well as other states have their share as well. If you want proof, look at the OJ Simpson case, or Rodney King situation... And how come people would be foolish enough to live along that fault line anyway? Hope they ain't too ignorant to learn how to swim for what good it'll do them.

I'm not even a southerner by birth nor a transplant, but I've got a line of ancestors going back to the early colonies, and don't think you should believe all the hogwash about how ignorant they were. The traditional knowledge that had to have been possessed to live in those times and prosper, could not have been possessed by those lacking intelligence. Consider the sources of those ideas that prompted your question as a lasting result of outsiders with a clear bias and lacking in entirety.

Mark Twain and George Washington Carver are the first two examples of ignorant southerners I thought you might like to think about related to your question.

[George_1950]

I have to spread it around, life1973happened; but your avatar could also include "grace".

[speechlesstx]

BABRAM agrees: Good points. Did I mention my favorite football team is from Dallas, my birthplace?

I've heard that before, Bobby. :) What do you think about Zach Thomas coming to "America's Team," the most valuable sports franchise in the world, winners of 5 Super Bowls, 8 Conference Championships & 40 Monday Night Football games - the NFL team with the most consecutive winning seasons (20), most seasons with at least 10 wins (24), most postseason appearances, most postseason games (55), most appearances in the NFC Championship Game (14), and the most Super Bowl appearances (8)?

jillianleab agrees: You mean you're not a real cowboy??

Only when it comes to football - I don't even own a pair of them there Cowboy boots or a Stetson. I do drive a pickup truck though, it's a Toyota ;)

[BABRAM]

I've heard that before, Bobby. :) What do you think about Zach Thomas coming to "America's Team," the the most valuable sports franchise in the world, winners of 5 Super Bowls, 8 Conference Championships & 40 Monday Night Football games - the NFL team with the most consecutive winning seasons (20), most seasons with at least 10 wins (24), most postseason appearances, most postseason games (55), most appearances in the NFC Championship Game (14), and the most Super Bowl appearances (8)?

Zach's experience and leadership is a good pick-up for D'boys. Tom Laundry, whom learned as an assistant under Lombardi, had the vision and determination putting the franchise on it's course to meet the goals of record setting post season appearances. Hard to deny their following and attraction across the United States.


PS. Dell Computers, Applied Materials, and Advanced Micro Devices.

[kindj]

PS. Dell Computers, Applied Materials, and Advanced Micro Devices.

Let me just round out the list for you:

Remember if Texas ever left the union: Please note that Texas is the only state with a legal right to secede from the Union; refer to the Texas- American Annexation Treaty of 1848. We Texans love y'all, but hack us off one time to many… and buh bye. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Remember: if Texas ever left the union: In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an army but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an army in 24 hours if we need it. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call DPS and ask them to send over a couple Texas Rangers.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: We have enough colleges to keep us going: U.T. Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT, Texas Women's University, etc. Ivy grows better in the south anyway.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: We have control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: Computer Industry - we currently lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications: Small places like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Semiconductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, Etc, Etc…

Remember if Texas ever left the union: Defense Industry. (We have over 65% of it) The term "Don't mess with Texas," will take on a whole new meaning.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: We are totally self sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables and lets not forget seafood from the Gulf. And everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: Health Centers - We have the largest research centers for Cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world and other large health planning centers.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. (We will control the space industry.)

Remember if Texas ever left the union: Natural Gas - Again we have all we need and it's too bad about those northern states.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. Yankee states? Sorry about that.

Remember if Texas ever left the union: since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, the rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes. You won't have any TV, as the space center in Houston will cut off your communications. You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes but since we have predicted global warming, you will not need the gas.

[tomder55]

Tom Laundry, whom learned assistant under Lombardi

Not quite . You are talking about the golden age of the Giants . Lombardi was offensive coordinator and Landry was defensive coordinator under head coach Jim Lee Howell. Together the Giants won the championship in 1956 against da Bears . But they lost to the Colts in 58 and 59 . Still the Giants had one of the leagues best defenses during his tenure.

[OlveraUK]

What an ignorant question!