Would you live in the old Confederacy ?

[Captain Oates 911]

The South, The Confederacy, the Bible Belt - these States are associated by many in the USA and around the world as being extreme in their religious zeal, their repressive and exclusive State laws, their right wing politics and their occasional threats to secede from the Union

I have heard enough over the last few years to know that I could never live there. I did live near Tampa between 2007 and 2008 but it is pretty International in it's feel; although I did venture 90 miles North and it felt like rural Georgia with toothless country boys with Ford pick up trucks containing packs of ####### dawgs. Ten miles away was the Headquarters of the Scientologists who chose that area because it was.... sunny ? I worked out of rural Georgia /Alabama border a lot from 1983 to 1995, and got a good feel for that area and how it thinks. The film 'My cousin Vinny' sums it up

It looks like it will either be Washington State or Wisconsin for me so long as I live in the USA. Both are liberal and progressive and modern and have a history of enlightenment. In Washington, euthanasia is provided for and of course wisconsin is strong on public sector unions. They sure need them right now. Capital punishment was outlawed in Wisconsin but still has to be dropped in Washington. California won't let me use my lawnmower, bans my rifle and has income tax - so that's out.

Question is, does anyone else have an aversion for the whole culture of these bible belt/old confederacy States and would only live in the old Union or more enlightened States - most of which are in the North ?

Edited September 2, 2011 by Alan the Red

[BishopM 114]

Good question. for sounthern states, I lived in Texas and in Georgia and I don't think I could live in Georgia again. Of course, Tx and GA and nothing alike. I don't think I could live in GA again for some of the reasons you have stated.

I live in MI/OH...can't live there again...really don't like unions and winter.

I live in Maryland now, really like it here.

Peace for a great holiday weekend!

B

[Captain Oates 911]

Good question. for sounthern states, I lived in Texas and in Georgia and I don't think I could live in Georgia again. Of course, Tx and GA and nothing alike. I don't think I could live in GA again for some of the reasons you have stated.

I live in MI/OH...can't live there again...really don't like unions and winter.

I live in Maryland now, really like it here.

Peace for a great holiday weekend!

B

Don't know much about Maryland culture but could be a good compromise. Here it is 15% humidity and I am comfortable at 95 degrees - however, I am done in and pouring with sweat at 72 degrees and high humidity in England !

I would rather sweat it out in a swamp though, than live under the cultures I refer to

Edited September 2, 2011 by Alan the Red

[BishopM 114]

Don't know much about Maryland culture but could be a good compromise. Here it is 15% humidity and I am comfortable at 95 degrees - however, I am done in and pouring with sweat at 72 degrees and high humidity in England !

I would rather sweat it out in a swamp though, than live under the cultures I refer to

Personally, I found Georgia (I lived in Atlanta) to be a very beautiful/scenic state. However, I was always shocked when I saw the confederate flags, couldn't quite comprehend that... I didn't mind the religious fundamentalists too much. I enjoyed talking with them though I didn't agree with them much.

[Captain Oates 911]

Personally, I found Georgia (I lived in Atlanta) to be a very beautiful/scenic state. However, I was always shocked when I saw the confederate flags, couldn't quite comprehend that... I didn't mind the religious fundamentalists too much. I enjoyed talking with them though I didn't agree with them much.

The weird thing is they don't know they are doing it. Once of the nicest guys I worked with was driving me when some Tamla Motown came on the radio and I said "I really like Tamla Motown stuff - how about you "

He replied " Yeah, I like nixxxr music too - turn it up"

This guy was quiet, kind, educated, senior in the company, nice wife, house, kids and he travelled internationally as Chief Auditor for the worldwide organisation - he didnt even know he was doing it. The whole package of thinking is so deeply ingrained

[BishopM 114]

The weird thing is they don't know they are doing it. Once of the nicest guys I worked with was driving me when some Tamla Motown came on the radio and I said "I really like Tamla Motown stuff - how about you "

He replied " Yeah, I like nixxxr music too - turn it up"

This guy was quiet, kind, educated, senior in the company, nice wife, house, kids and he travelled internationally as Chief Auditor for the worldwide organisation - he didnt even know he was doing it. The whole package of thinking is so deeply ingrained

I agree that it is ingrained to a large extent. On my first day on the job in Georgia (I was a factory supervisor - straight out of college) one of the black ladies looked me up and down really slowly and told me directly, "We wanted them to hire a black lady, and you're the exact opposite of that!" I had only moved from TX the day before, and that statement really shocked me! She never liked me, never even gave me a chance After a few months on the job, I was talking to another black guy and he told me, "You'll be racist soon, if you're not racist already. This is Georgia, you have to be racist to live here." I didn't mind so much that the one lady never wanted to even give me a chance, she simply had a huge chip on her shoulder. But it disturbed me that the other fella (who I considered a fried) considered racism an 'unavoidable trait' of Georgia. I never became racist, but after a couple years of living there, I realized the basis for his statement. Around that same time, I realized that Georgia and the deep south were not for me so I left.

[^_^ 5,021]

... wisconsin is strong on public sector unions ....

Not for long.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

You want to see real "confederate" attitudes as you like to call it. Move to anywhere in "Yankeeville" and you'll see segregation is still alive and well.

Of course my backwoods hillbilly state here has the most wind power in the country, a booming economy, no state income tax, great housing prices, low cost of living, mixed racial neighborhoods, plenty of private and public sector unions despite being an 'at will' employment state, awesome weather etc.... Man, let me tell you how bad it sucks.

[Captain Oates 911]

I agree that it is ingrained to a large extent. On my first day on the job in Georgia (I was a factory supervisor - straight out of college) one of the black ladies looked me up and down really slowly and told me directly, "We wanted them to hire a black lady, and you're the exact opposite of that!" I had only moved from TX the day before, and that statement really shocked me! She never liked me, never even gave me a chance After a few months on the job, I was talking to another black guy and he told me, "You'll be racist soon, if you're not racist already. This is Georgia, you have to be racist to live here." I didn't mind so much that the one lady never wanted to even give me a chance, she simply had a huge chip on her shoulder. But it disturbed me that the other fella (who I considered a fried) considered racism an 'unavoidable trait' of Georgia. I never became racist, but after a couple years of living there, I realized the basis for his statement. Around that same time, I realized that Georgia and the deep south were not for me so I left.

My wife is from Milwaukee which has a high black population in the center, and she has a black girl friend. The gf and her 3 sisters came to visit us here and I got the impression that the three sisters didnt trust me as being "ok" with them. I guess you could describe that as a "chip on the shoulder" but I guess us whiteys have to give em some leeway on that for a while given the history. That doesn't mean I believe in reparations or special consideration because the future starts here, and all nations have plenty to be ashamed of including African nations - but who can blame black folks for needing some time to trust this "new age" where they are now equal in every way - or should be. If I were black I wouldnt be able to relax and go back in the water just yet - not while Limbaugh is shouting about oreoles and tar babies and the extreme right wing is breaking all records and setting new precedents in the disrespect they show to the American head of State. Imagine what they would do if he was descended from slaves.

ps

I don't see the Jews flooding back to Germany either - not just yet

.

[BishopM 114]

You want to see real "confederate" attitudes as you like to call it. Move to anywhere in "Yankeeville" and you'll see segregation is still alive and well.

Of course my backwoods hillbilly state here has the most wind power in the country, a booming economy, no state income tax, great housing prices, low cost of living, mixed racial neighborhoods, plenty of private and public sector unions despite being an 'at will' employment state, awesome weather etc.... Man, let me tell you how bad it sucks.

I agree that Texas is a great place to live...except for all the drug-store-dressup-cowboys

However, I just finished up a 3 month project in Dallas and I have to admit that I didn't see nearly as much of this as I did when I was growing up there...

[Captain Oates 911]

You want to see real "confederate" attitudes as you like to call it. Move to anywhere in "Yankeeville" and you'll see segregation is still alive and well.

Of course my backwoods hillbilly state here has the most wind power in the country, a booming economy, no state income tax, great housing prices, low cost of living, mixed racial neighborhoods, plenty of private and public sector unions despite being an 'at will' employment state, awesome weather etc.... Man, let me tell you how bad it sucks.

Plenty of wind power alright. Sounds like a great place for Mexican immigrants to go to and feel welcome.

I might start a cattle ranch there - they must be doing really well.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Alan the Red

[BishopM 114]

My wife is from Milwaukee which has a high black population in the center, and she has a black girl friend. The gf and her 3 sisters came to visit us here and I got the impression that the three sisters didnt trust me as being "ok" with them. I guess you could describe that as a "chip on the shoulder" but I guess us whiteys have to give em some leeway on that for a while given the history. That doesn't mean I believe in reparations or special consideration because the future starts here, and all nations have plenty to be ashamed of including African nations - but who can blame black folks for needing some time to trust this "new age" where they are now equal in every way - or should be. If I were black I wouldnt be able to relax and go back in the water just yet - not while Limbaugh is shouting about oreoles and tar babies and the extreme right wing is breaking all records and setting new precedents in the disrespect they show to the American head of State. Imagine what they would do if he was descended from slaves.

ps

I don't see the Jews flooding back to Germany either - not just yet

I don't see it ending any time soon. I think a few more generations worth of memories and hard feelings are going to have to die-off first...

[The_Dude 1,142]

You want to see real "confederate" attitudes as you like to call it. Move to anywhere in "Yankeeville" and you'll see segregation is still alive and well.

Of course my backwoods hillbilly state here has the most wind power in the country, a booming economy, no state income tax, great housing prices, low cost of living, mixed racial neighborhoods, plenty of private and public sector unions despite being an 'at will' employment state, awesome weather etc.... Man, let me tell you how bad it sucks.

Don't forget about the crumbling infrastructure and a laughable public school system that tries every year to insert creationism as a legitimate science.

As to the OP, I have lived in the South, and I liked it there. I liked that people were brutally honest at times and rather than pussyfoot around a topic would just come out and say that they didn't like you.

[BishopM 114]

Don't forget about the crumbling infrastructure and a laughable public school system that tries every year to insert creationism as a legitimate science.

As to the OP, I have lived in the South, and I liked it there. I liked that people were brutally honest at times and rather than pussyfoot around a topic would just come out and say that they didn't like you.

When I grew up in Texas the public school system was quite good. I hope it is still good today. However, when I moved to Georgia I was SHOCKED at how horrible the public school system was...literally, some elementary schools were like military zones in the Atlanta area. It was a very bad situation and I think that GA ranked #49 out of 50 states when it came to public education. I had to make some very tough decisions about where I live/where my children would go to school...

I thought that when I left GA (around 1998) and moved to the Ohio/Michigan area that the school system would improve. I was wrong. When I arrived in Ohio (first living in Toledo) I saw something that I never thought I would see: public schools that had been shut-down/abandoned. It spoke alot about the community...the fact that it was dying...no taxes coming in to support the public school system...mainly because of the unionize environment and loss of jobs. Again, I had to make more tough decisions about where we would live/where my kids would go to school. The rich kids all went to private schools to avoid this poor public learning environment.

My kids are grown now and we only moved to Maryland about 3 years ago, but the schools here do seem better than GA/OH/MI...

Anyways, that was just my experience...

[Captain Oates 911]

Don't forget about the crumbling infrastructure and a laughable public school system that tries every year to insert creationism as a legitimate science.

As to the OP, I have lived in the South, and I liked it there. I liked that people were brutally honest at times and rather than pussyfoot around a topic would just come out and say that they didn't like you.

Thing is that they are only brutally honest while expressing views backed up by the good 'ole boys who surround and support them

If a southerner had expressed views more akin to mine, he would have been run out of town via unemployment - and so any who do think like me (they exist), do not expess their views in an honest and open way - they very wisely keep it shut

How Jimmy Carter didn't get shot is a mystery to me

Edited September 2, 2011 by Alan the Red