The American South

[Ziploc Surprise]

I, for one, choose death.
(Strange as it sounds, these people really do grow on you. The culture does have it's allure. You're never too far from a good bellylaugh, for example, and they have a tendency to laugh right along with you, even when they don't know you're laughing at them. Now that is some friendly shit..isn't it?)

Though I do not like the religion and the attitude that goes with this and some other things like the racism creeps the shit out of me (I'm beyond horrified) there is allure and there are islands of rationality on which to vacation for a while.

Southern manners are wonderful as they are warm. They have ways of being polite to people they don't even like (though this sort of politeness does have it's limits. when you hear them say something like "oh hell no", run for the hills.)

One southern custom that I particularly like is how they let guests eat while the wedding party gets their pictures taken. I't considered rude to let the guests starve.

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You can have death. And yes the culture does have its allure such as southern hospitality being a real thing. Whenever I see it, however, I can't help but think how differently I would be treated if I wasn't pasty white.

You have a point there. Some places are better than other's. A few years ago I got lost in Jasper Texas. This was not long after two white guys dragged a black guy to death there. The racial tension was still very much present. Confederate flags were everywhere. I kept thinking of the movie "Deliverance".

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Or if they knew you weren't as white as they (or you) thought you were. Same for themselves really. For me, I suppose, the south is like a blanket I've had since childhood. It's ragged, it's old, entirely too hot, it itches and it's full of mystery bugs....but..for some reason, it's comforting to me.

I love the south for the country beauty, a bit more freedom, and the laid back attitude.

The racism, religious ignorance, and greedy hatefulness are a major spot on this beautiful land.

Also old money and the old boys club. In some places it's hard to get a job if you have the wrong last name.

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Another thing that seems to make the south this dumb, is that people that are born there who are intelligent and not racist bible-thumpers tend to move away. At least in my family they did.

If you have education you can move away. You have to move where the jobs are. Only some jobs (like a dentist) allow you to stay in your home town.

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I, too, often wish Mississippi and Alabamastan would secede so all the fundies could move there and start their own country of Jesustan. Of course, they'd probably have to take Texas with them.

Nooo! Noooooo! Not Texas!