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Originally posted by isthisreallife
I don't normally voice my own social opinions on ATS, I believe that opinions are like religion, best kept to oneself.
That being said, I have finally reached my threshold for putting up with a specific problem I notice on nearly every thread I read on politics/education/religion/etc. in America: the animosity towards Southerners I see from those of Northern, or Western origin.
Personally, I come from a family of extremely conservative south Alabama and south Mississippi lineage. However, I have lived in nearly every corner of the country. From my current home in Alabama, to one of the most progressive areas in the nation, Washington, DC, there are few areas I have not visited or lived in. It always shocks to hear the opinions of the residents of different areas. During my time in the nation's capital, I experienced a lot of insults due to my slight (and i emphasize slight ) southern drawl. People asked me if my school in South Carolina had plumbing, or was on wheels.
Now, jokes like these are pretty standard for anyone who grew up in the south and moved north or west of the Mason-Dixon. I don't normally think much of them. Hell, people I went to school with in SC and AL made fun of the countrier students the same as people in VA or CA made fun of me for my accent. This however, is not a pity party.
On the contrary, it is a serious issue in American culture, and on ATS in particular. Due to this websites far reaching audience, there are a wide variety of members. Those from the UK, from China, from America, from all corners of the globe. However, there seems to be a deep divide between those from America. Perhaps this is what it would've felt like to live in pre-Civil War times. Both sides of the Mason-Dixon have deep, deep feelings for each other, and not the good kind.
Northerners insult, degrade, and look down upon their fellow Americans in a way that is not only disgraceful, but is honestly, ignorant. Not only does the southeast have some of the best public high schools and universities in the nation, such as Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Alabama, South Carolina, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudon County Public Schools, William and Mary, Duke, UNC, Elon, Belmont, etc. etc.
BUT
Our employment rates mirror those of some of the most progressive states, Alabama has an unemployment rate of 8.7%, while California's is at 11.3%. Arkansas' is at 8.0%, lower than some of the most liberal, and northern states (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Washington DC).
High school graduation, college attendance and graduation, personal freedoms and average quality of life match, or better, those of many, many states in the northeast.
My Point
I am not trying to push for a reverence of the south. In fact, I am not pushing against the northeast. I have many friends, and many family members that live up north, and I love many areas north of the Mason-Dixon.
I just think that it is absolutely disgusting for people, specifically Americans, to degrade the residents of the southeast just because of outdated, and completely false stereotypes that belong in the 1920's. If you have never lived here, please do not talk about how poor, uneducated, and backwards we are.
Unemployment by state
Cost of living by stateedit on 22-1-2012 by isthisreallife because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by ghostsoldier
As an Australian with an eye for America (courtesy of cultural imperialism, YAY!! ) - my outsiders opinion is that the animosity towards "Southerners" stem from it's (generally speaking) archaic social conservatism, ie a failure to get with the times.
Originally posted by illuminatislave
I'm pretty sure that region's need to cling to conservatism, religion, racism, xenophobia, and being dumber than rocks has something to do with it.
Originally posted by illuminatislave
I'm pretty sure that region's need to cling to conservatism, religion, racism, xenophobia, and being dumber than rocks has something to do with it.
That being said, I have finally reached my threshold for putting up with a specific problem I notice on nearly every thread I read on politics/education/religion/etc. in America: the animosity towards Southerners I see from those of Northern, or Western origin.