Southern Thang
As a liberal (ooh, big bad scary liberal!) living in the South, I often feel as though I'm supposed to renounce the Southern culture.
At some point, it became difficult to be Southern and liberal. I'm not sure what prompted this, or why this is the case. Obviously, there are parts of Southern culture that are not things to be proud of, things to revere, things to look back on fondly. However, I think the same can be said for any part of the country--treatment of Chinese immigrants in California, treatment of Irish immigrants in the Northeast--every part of the country has its dirty little secrets.
Unfortunately, no one went to war over their disgraceful heritage the way that the South did--I think the fact that this region's transgressions are so much more vividly apparent has a lot to do with the way that the culture is viewed in American society today.
I think that the rest of the country has a view of the South as a region where things are backwards, where everyone is racist, where we all wave our arms in church, where women are still seen and not heard, where we blindly support the conservative party in power.
The sad part is that these stereotypes, these views, are truly the exception rather than the norm. Yes, they happen--I won't deny that they do. There are two unfortunate aspects to this: 1) That they still happen, and 2) That these problems are what receive publicity, and are what color the rest of the country's perception of the South.
I've lived my whole life here--from the deep South of North Carolina to Virginia to Louisiana to Texas. While I certainly do not agree with the dominant political and religious leanings of the region, there is so much that I am proud to be associated with, that I would miss having in my life.
Southerners are friendly--I challenge any other area of the country to match the prevailing attitude. Of course, if you don't enjoy the person standing in line behind you at Kroger striking up a conversation with you, this probably isn't where you want to live. People smile. People wave. People will talk to you as though they've known you for years when they'll spend a grand total of two minutes with you in a line, and then never see you again.
We are polite. I hold doors for anyone and everyone--men, women, children, grandmothers. I smile. I say please and thank you to the cashier, and I smile while I'm doing it. I say "Sir" and "Ma'am".
The girls are prettier. If you doubt me, I'll film John's reaction next time he's in Texas. He may like the boys now, but good lord, the man likes his Southern women. I still laugh about the trip we took to Austin a few years ago when all he could do was stare out of the car window, agape, and say things like "Texas girls... oh my God, Boston just can't compare. Seriously."
We work hard, and then we play hard. We care about our appearances more than might seem normal to you. Words like "y'all" are found in offices, interviews, and meetings.
I wish that everyone who has a negative view of the South could experience the culture here. The majority of it is simply one of pride in the way that we live our lives, the way that we treat each other, and the way that we act. Sure, there are quirky traditions that some may never understand (our propensity for young marriage comes to mind), but overall? It's a pretty cool place to live, and it will always hold a special place in my heart--no matter where I live.
Don't mock what you don't understand
It's a Southern thing.
posted by K @ 12:03 AM
2 Comments:
kelly, i am from new jersey. i have a lot of attitude. when i got assigned to the southeast region for my year with americorps, i was scared. my dad told me to buy a rifle. and never wear my jewish star necklace. and pronounce "korean" really slowly.
but what i found out was that, though i could have used a rifle, it would have been more for hunting animals and less for protection. everyone hugs. everyone cooks you food and gives you seconds. everyone helps everyone out. and even though i had to sometimes stand through a prayer before we started building a house or sometimes listen to beliefs that I did not agree with or explain why korea and china are not the same country, that was okay. because that happens everywhere. not just the south.
i really loved it there. i miss it all the time. and even though i sometimes wonder how some of the most wonderful and caring and loveliest of people could go red, in the end i just don't care. i am just grateful to have had them in my life. i hope they think that about me too. and sometimes say things like, "well yankees aren't all bad."
kelly, I am from the northeast - and good fences make good neighbors. word up boston.
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