South vs. North?

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

The South has a bigger dick than the North.

True story.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

True story.

Yup- sums it up in so many ways, and at a level of discourse some of our northern bretheren will surely better understand.

[UGAalum94]

There's no way that I'm reading all the posts in this thread, so if this has been noted already, sorry:

Couldn't you really debate "non-southern" areas of any southern state? Is the Research Triangle in NC southern? Is Alpharetta, Georgia? The DC suburbs in Northern Virginia?

Anyway, why limit this "is this part of the state really Southern" debate to just Texas?

[shinerbock]

The research triangle is not southern. Most of the northern Atlanta suburbs are also not southern. You make a valid point.

[Munchkin03]

Florida south of Ocala shouldn't be considered Southern, either.

I also feel like Texas is just Texas...not North, not South, and not West. It has its own culture. I like Texas...I don't really dig the South that much (even though I grew up there).

[UGAalum94]

I love everything about the South except the sins of our forefathers in regard to race and how addressing those sins keeps everyone living in the past racially without addressing the present.

[SWTXBelle]

Alphagamuga, the sins you speak of are the sins of all Americans. A little discussed fact is that the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves ONLY in the parts of the CSA not under Union control. Slavery continued to be legal in four states of the Union until the passage of the 14th Amendment. There were several Union generals who kept slaves until after the passage of the 14th Amendment. Many cities in the north passed laws making it illegal for newly-freed slaves to move into the city. Victors write the history books, so they have made the south a scrapegoat, but the fact of the matter is no area of the country is free from the scourge of racism.
Continue to love the south, and understand that racism unfortuantely knows no geographical or cultural boundaries. I remember well the busing riots in Boston in the 1970s. Accusing one region or another of being more racist may make someone feel superior, but I believe it prevents the kind of thoughtful reflection that will enable us all to rise above it.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

The research triangle is not southern. Most of the northern Atlanta suburbs are also not southern. You make a valid point.

The geographical south is not worth a damn. Parts of Arkansas are hardly Southern, especially the parts north and west of Little Rock. Geographically one would have to include south florida, which is obviously not southern in mannerisms and language at all.

edit: Sins of my ancestors. HAH!

[SWTXBelle]

Elephant Walk - you may not realize this, but many free blacks themselves owned slaves, and many Africans were captured by their fellow Africans (from different tribes, obviously) and sold into slavery. So, yes, it is possible for your ancestors to have contributed to the problem.

[shinerbock]

I was under the impression that Elephant Walk was very white.

[SWTXBelle]

Then I don't understand the -"sins of my ancestors - HA!" comment. But okay - my point remains that, for example, for yankees to feel superior to the south because of perceived racism is to ignore the fortunes made by New England families in the slave trade. No one's hands are clean - and that should simply make us humble. I'm just really tired of hearing that the south is racist because of the War Between the States, when 9 times out of 10 the people making that argument don't know what the hell they are talking about. They took one year of American History, and know everything. If it was in their text book, it must be true.
I made the assumption that the term "elephant" referred to Delta membership. I'm sorry if I was wrong. I did check Elephant Walk's profile first. Upon reflection, I realize that perhaps he/she is a U of AL alum. Whoops. Roll Tide, if that's the case! I won't even suggest the other possible meaning of Elephant Walk . . . .

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I was under the impression that Elephant Walk was very white.

Very, very, very white.

[NUBlue&Blue]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

The research triangle is not southern. Most of the northern Atlanta suburbs are also not southern. You make a valid point.

Alpharetta = Not Southern

Marietta = Definitely Southern

[honeychile]

Bottom line on the past aspect: Each of us has as much control over who our ancestors were, or what our ancestors did or thought as we had control over our height or DNA. It's how you process it and how you decide to improve on their lot that's important.

I have ancestors on both sides on the War Between the States. I refuse to deny any of them, because I had nothing to do with their thought processes! People had different ideals 150 years ago, and there's nothing I or anyone else can do to change that.

The important thing is to learn and move on - keeping what is noble and right, and disgarding the evils.