ask the Southerner

[verte76]

questions for verte:

Are you basically pretty happy living there, or do you dream of living somewhere else?

If you did move away, what (other than friends and family) do you suppose you would miss the most?

Was Dukes of Hazzard hugely popular there back in the day? (It was where I grew up--partly because everyone enjoyed laughing their asses off at how ridiculous some of the stereotypes were, but also partly because it was a big deal just to see Southerners represented on television for a change.)

Oh, I've definitely dreamed of living somewhere else. My sisters do live somewhere else, Brooklyn. I think they're happier there. One sister is a dancer and she didn't really have any opportunities here, she had to leave. If you're going to do anything in the arts you really have to leave and go to a bigger city. We don't have any big cities, except for Atlanta. I'd miss my art studio and the quiet here. Everyone else is here. My brother lived in Rome during his first marriage, and he was a fish out of water there. He missed Birmingham. So now he's married again and happily lives here. He's had the chance to move and doesn't want to. I love Atlanta, but it's too busy. The last time I was there, to see U2, I got into all of these maddening traffic jams. Sure we have traffic jams but not as many or as big. The last time I was in New York you could barely drive without someone running into you. It's just too big. But I'd like to live somewhere else, so I could do something with my art.

 

[verte76]

When U2 played in Atlanta, what was the song they played before they came out?

City of Blinding Lights. Very appropriate for Atlanta.

 

[Irvine511]

what is your favorite southern stereotype that is also (in general) true?

what is your least favorite southern stereotype that is also (in general) true?

what is your favorite southern stereotype that is (in general) untrue?

what is your least favorite southern stereotype that is (in general) untrue?

 

[yolland]

what is your favorite southern stereotype that is also (in general) true?

Hospitable, socially generous, tolerant of 'quirkiness'.

what is your least favorite southern stereotype that is also (in general) true?

This is more of a rural Southern stereotype really, but insularity and wariness towards "outsiders" (despite the aforementioned hospitability and generosity).

what is your favorite southern stereotype that is (in general) untrue?

That most Southerners are perennially relaxed, mellow, easygoing types who couldn't get agitated if their lives depended on it.

what is your least favorite southern stereotype that is (in general) untrue?

That most white Southerners, especially working-class ones with strong accents, are ignorant, bigoted, and totally clueless about how people elsewhere think and act.



This would be an interesting question to hear from people from other regions about also...

 

[Irvine511]

This would be an interesting question to hear from people from other regions about also...

i'm happy to do one ... how about an, "Ask the person from Bos-NY-Wash (home to nearly 40m people)," or more easily, "Ask the northesten corridor resident." i feel qualified because my father's family is from Boston, my mother's from New York (Brooklyn), i grew up in CT equidistant between the two, went to a rural New England college, have had friends who've lived or gone to school in some of the minor east coast cities (Providence, Portland, New Haven), currently live in Washington, and have even visited Philadelphia.

and i've seen U2 in all the aforementioned cities -- Boston, NYC, Philly, and DC.

and i've forwarded your answers to Memphis to see what his reaction will be.

 

[diamond]

Do you see Southern Baptists with an inclusive or exclusive theology?

dbs

 

[yolland]

i'm happy to do one ... how about an, "Ask the person from Bos-NY-Wash (home to nearly 40m people)," or more easily, "Ask the northesten corridor resident." i feel qualified because my father's family is from Boston, my mother's from New York (Brooklyn), i grew up in CT equidistant between the two, went to a rural New England college, have had friends who've lived or gone to school in some of the minor east coast cities (Providence, Portland, New Haven), currently live in Washington, and have even visited Philadelphia.

and i've forwarded your answers to Memphis to see what his reaction will be.

Perhaps just "Ask the New Englander"? Broad, I know, but then "Ask the Southerner" is really pretty broad too...I mean I wouldn't have much to offer if people started asking me about e.g. Appalachian regional culture, 'Low Country' culture, etc.

Now I'm wondering if Memphis will perhaps nail me on my answer to the first one ...it's hard to find a way to get at the qualities I had in mind there without possibly coming across as saying "tolerant of 'diversity' " or "open-minded"--which while not categorically untrue, certainly, is not a way I'd characterize the South compared to other regions.

 

[Irvine511]

what's a "cracker"?

 

[cstar]

Question -- Do southerners (in general) dislike Califonians? If so, why?

I ask because I visited northern Florida recently, and I was asked in a whisper, "I hear your from California....."

 

[verte76]

Do you see Southern Baptists with an inclusive or exclusive theology?

dbs

Very exclusive. They tend to think they're the only peoople in the world that have a clue as to anything that's true. They're particularly antagonistic towards Catholics. Being Catholic, I don't much care for this.They're hostile toward immigrants.

 

[verte76]

what's a "cracker"?

"Cracker" is now generally used for a native of Georgia or Florida. The last time I was in Florida, I heard "cracker" all over the place to refer to natives. So many outsiders have moved into Florida that I guess they need a term to distinguish natives from people who have moved in. Many of these people are well-to-do Jews from New York. If they can stand the heat, they can have it. The word cracker is originally from people who cracked whips, according to another poster here, U2 Alabama. I wish he'd show up to help me answer these questions, he's very knowledgeable.

 

[verte76]

what is your favorite southern stereotype that is also (in general) true?

what is your least favorite southern stereotype that is also (in general) true?

what is your favorite southern stereotype that is (in general) untrue?

what is your least favorite southern stereotype that is (in general) untrue?

Favorite stereotype--one who is courteous and kind. Southerners are rightfully known for their hospitalitaty.

least favoriote stereotype that's also true. Confederate sympathizers. You'd think they could get over it, but too many Southerners don't want to. Some don't like Lincoln for this reason. They think he was a lousy president. I think he was great.

favorite southern stereotype that's untrue. people who are ignorant and bigoted. This really isn't true. We have a conservative society, but one that's also tolerant and laid back. Southerners know how to live with each other.

 

[verte76]

Question -- Do southerners (in general) dislike Califonians? If so, why?

I ask because I visited northern Florida recently, and I was asked in a whisper, "I hear your from California....."

I would say that Southerners are a little suspicious of California. It's viewed as a strange place with alot of strange beliefs. Southerners are more comfortable with fundamentalist beliefs and other conservative views.

 

[INDY500]

Ever been to a NASCAR race?

 

[kellyahern]

Question -- Do southerners (in general) dislike Califonians? If so, why?

I ask because I visited northern Florida recently, and I was asked in a whisper, "I hear your from California....."

I think northern Florida is more like Georgia than Florida.

Florida is kind of weird. Like vertre said, a lot of the population in Florida is from somewhere else. I don't think we're as "southern" as a lot of other states in the south. For instance, a majority of people in central and southern Florida do not have southern accents.

 

[verte76]

Ever been to a NASCAR race?

I've never actually been to a NASCAR race. I've watched one on TV.

 

[financeguy]

Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old things they are not forgotten
Look away, look away, look away dixieland
Oh I wish I was in dixie, away, away
In dixieland I take my stand to live and die in dixie
Cause dixieland, thats where I was born
Early lord one frosty morning
Look away, look away, look away dixieland

 

[financeguy]

If you had to pick one song as your favourite anthem of the South, what would it be?

 

[diamond]

are you a closet republican?

 

[INDY500]

I've never actually been to a NASCAR race. I've watched one on TV.

You should go. TV just doesn't do justice to the colors, sounds and smells of auto racing. Highly recommended at least once. Talladega being preferable.

 

[verte76]

are you a closet republican?

No--I hope that's a joke. The South gave Bush both elections. But I didn't have anything to do with it.

 

[verte76]

You should go. TV just doesn't do justice to the colors, sounds and smells of auto racing. Highly recommended at least once. Talladega being preferable.

I saw Talledega, just a couple of weeks ago. It seems like some people weren't happy witih the results. They pelted the winner with beer cans---and got themselves banned from future NASCAR races, according to a local newspaper. Did you see that?

 

[INDY500]

I saw Talledega, just a couple of weeks ago. It seems like some people weren't happy witih the results. They pelted the winner with beer cans---and got themselves banned from future NASCAR races, according to a local newspaper. Did you see that?

Sure did and it's happened there before. Inside the sport we call those 'fans' "f@#kin' morons." Definitely not cool. But maybe some previously occupied seats are now available for the next race.

 

[verte76]

Sure did and it's happened there before. Inside the sport we call those 'fans' "f@#kin' morons." Definitely not cool. But maybe some previously occupied seats are now available for the next race.

It's happened before? Geez. This was my first experience with NASCAR. I'm not surprised. Some people just couldn't enjoy the race. I think they were disappointed that Dale Jr. didn't win.

 

[diamond]

yes i was just joking about republicanism.

 

[indra]

I don't think we're as "southern" as a lot of other states in the south.

I never really pondered it before, but if someone had asked me to name southern states I wouldn't have named Florida. I'm not really sure why as it is clearly geographically southern. Strange.

 

[verte76]

Florida has had such a huge influx of non-Southern people movoe in that it can't properly be considered a Southern State, thus the lingering use of the word "cracker" among the natives of the state.

 

[verte76]

yes i was just joking about republicanism.

I hope so! Democrat all of the way!

 

[diamond]

we go way back ms. verte.

 

[yolland]

If you had to pick one song as your favourite anthem of the South, what would it be?

I don't think there could be any one broadly agreed-upon answer to this--ultimately the South is just a region of the US, and while everyone might agree on 'The Star-Spangled Banner' as a unifying "anthem" that one way or the other addresses something shared and central to everyone's self-concept, there isn't any one experience of being Southern so irreducible that it could really be 'anthemized' in that way. In my opinion, anyhow.

Personally, I'd probably choose something by a Delta bluesman, maybe a Robert Wilkins song. But I'm from western Mississippi so of course I'd say that...