ask the Southerner

[verte76]

Would you like to ask someone from the U.S. South a question? Would you like to know what it's like to live here? What's it like to be a liberal in a conservative environment? Fire away!

[U2democrat]

I can also help out answering these questions, if you don't mind Verte...though you're more deep south. I'm up here in the capital of the Confederacy The heart of stars and bars country

I have a question for you though...do you know if any of your relatives fought for the Confederacy?

[snowbunny00774]

do you guys drink mint juleps?

[verte76]

Originally posted by U2democrat
I can also help out answering these questions, if you don't mind Verte...though you're more deep south. I'm up here in the capital of the Confederacy The heart of stars and bars country

I have a question for you though...do you know if any of your relatives fought for the Confederacy?

Yes. One of my great-grandfathers was a Captain in the Confederate Army. He had the loyalty of everyone in the family until my mother grew up and started questioning the whole thing. None of my siblings or myself were impressed with the guy. We think the Confederacy was one big treasonous adventure.

[diamond]

Is it true that some southerners view the movie "Deliverance" as a love story?

dbs

[U2democrat]

Originally posted by verte76


Yes. One of my great-grandfathers was a Captain in the Confederate Army. He had the loyalty of everyone in the family until my mother grew up and started questioning the whole thing. None of my siblings or myself were impressed with the guy. We think the Confederacy was one big treasonous adventure.

Interesting...one of my great-grandfathers was also a captain in the Confederate army. I had a lot of relatives who fought for the south.

[U2democrat]

Originally posted by diamond
Is it true that some southerners view the movie "Deliverance" as a love story?

dbs

No...but one time I did go in a canoe on a river much like the one in Deliverance in Kentucky...thankfully there was no pig squealing involved

I did know people with moonshine though

[joyfulgirl]

Originally posted by U2democrat

I did know people with moonshine though

You knew my Dad?!

[meegannie]

Constituents used to send moonshine to one of the Kentucky Congressmen (not the one I worked for...though we got bourbon balls).

[U2democrat]

mmmm bourbon balls...one thing I miss about Kentucky

[verte76]

Originally posted by diamond
Is it true that some southerners view the movie "Deliverance" as a love story?

dbs

Yeah, they're pretty romantic about the whole thing. My grandmother was. She was Scarlett O'Hara come back to life. Oh, and my brother, his wife and my niece took a canoe ride on the river once. It was a disaster. They were out until 2 in the morning getting out of there. Whew!

[verte76]

Originally posted by U2democrat


Interesting...one of my great-grandfathers was also a captain in the Confederate army. I had a lot of relatives who fought for the south.

So did I.

[Angela Harlem]

Is fried food really popular in the South, as the media would have us all believe?
Do utes with confederate flags really exist, and do rednecks actually hoon around with guns while riding in them?

If you're thinking my questions are horrible stereotypes, they are. I'm really keen to know what is true (or has elements of truth at least) and what is just bogus.

[verte76]

Originally posted by snowbunny00774
do you guys drink mint juleps?

I don't. There used to be some lady on the next street who sat on her porch, drinking mint juleps. The things sound horrid. I hate hard liquor.

[verte76]

Originally posted by Angela Harlem
Is fried food really popular in the South, as the media would have us all believe?
Do utes with confederate flags really exist, and do rednecks actually hoon around with guns while riding in them?

If you're thinking my questions are horrible stereotypes, they are. I'm really keen to know what is true (or has elements of truth at least) and what is just bogus.

Fried food is very popular here. I love it! Especially fried chicken and fried fish. Also the fried green tomatoes Fannie Flag wrote about. The Whistlestop cafe is about three blocks from the studio I do my artwork at. And yes, I see guys driving around in trucks plastered with confederate flags holding guns. It's scary, I always hope they don't want to shoot me! Man, you don't mess with those guys! I'd hate to be the cops! While you are getting at stereotypes, I've seen these things, so they're not a figment of your imagination. It's not bogus, but it's not really that common. Most Southerners just drive around in cars with no Confederate flags on them, and no guns, minding their own business.

[unico]

Originally posted by Angela Harlem
Is fried food really popular in the South, as the media would have us all believe?
Do utes with confederate flags really exist, and do rednecks actually hoon around with guns while riding in them?

If you're thinking my questions are horrible stereotypes, they are. I'm really keen to know what is true (or has elements of truth at least) and what is just bogus.

Having lived in The Armpit for 6 years, I can answer yes to all of these. I'd be more than happy to post snaps of my neighbors for evidence. Not one damn day goes by when I don't have the effing confederate flag waving in my face. They really are all over the place here.

[Angela Harlem]

Thanks, verte and unico. I reckon this is the key with stereotypes is realising there might be an element of truth, but 97% of the rest of you are no different to everyone else. It's unreal to think there are some who do fit this, though!

And verte, that is so cool you work 3 blocks from The Whistlestop Cafe! That's awesome!! I love that movie

[unico]

well...to be fair, i am only looking at one area. so i wanna retract what i said, because i'm sure there are cities in the south that are completely different from this one. the most south place i've been to is orlando...and i didn't see a single confederate flag my time there.

but my gosh, the culture is so different even in this state. I grew up in Northern VA, then went to Southwestern VA for college, then moved to DC, then back to Southwest VA again where I am now.

The residents of Nova, as it is lovingly called, don't even really consider themselves "southern", myself included. I don't recall seeing confederate flags until I went to college. It is funny, how just 5 hours away, the culture can completely change.

Over here where I am now, yes fried food is quite popular, as is sweet tea. EVERY restaurant here has sweet tea.

And the flags aren't just flags, they are stickers, magnets, tshirts, patches, caps, bandanas...you name it.

[U2democrat]

mmmmmmm fried food and vegetables cooked in bacon grease It'll probably give me a heart attack down the road but Lord I do love southern food

I see Confederate bumperstickers on pickup trucks all the time here...occasionally a banner.

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Originally posted by Angela Harlem
Is fried food really popular in the South, as the media would have us all believe?
Do utes with confederate flags really exist, and do rednecks actually hoon around with guns while riding in them?

If you're thinking my questions are horrible stereotypes, they are. I'm really keen to know what is true (or has elements of truth at least) and what is just bogus.

Yes, fried food is extremely popular here in the south along with Sweet Tea. The fried cuisine is highly responsible for my weight gain. Here is a menu from one of my favorite bbq places here in the Atlanta area: http://realpagessites.com/williamsonbros/page2.html

The Confederate Flags (stars and bars) really exists. The Sons of the Confederate Veterans would love to see their flag return to the state of Georgia's flag: http://www.scv.org/