I hangout in greenville almost every weekend, grew up and still live 30 mins away...neither of these two posts accurately describe the city. That being said, there are people like the ones described who live there but I'm sure you're both aware that this kind of mentality exists everywhere else, too. Hate, though on its decline, imo, still is alive and well all over this country and planet, for that matter. Personally, I view people that assume the south is filled to the brim with nothing but gomer pyles, inbred rednecks and sheet-wearing assholes to be just as ignorant, stereotypical and misinformed as the racists they show such disdain towards.
Whoa whoa...I wasn't bashing the South or Greenville. I love that city. It's beautiful and it's an absolute blast to party in. Which is what I was pointing out. As far as the racist, yeah, you;re right, racist are everywhere. Probably just as many racist in Bakersfield, CA as there are in Greenville, SC. I've met wonderful people all over the country though and I would say there are more good people in this country then bad.
I hangout in greenville almost every weekend, grew up and still live 30 mins away...neither of these two posts accurately describe the city. That being said, there are people like the ones described who live there but I'm sure you're both aware that this kind of mentality exists everywhere else, too. Hate, though on its decline, imo, still is alive and well all over this country and planet, for that matter. Personally, I view people that assume the south is filled to the brim with nothing but gomer pyles, inbred rednecks and sheet-wearing assholes to be just as ignorant, stereotypical and misinformed as the racists they show such disdain towards.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I know of some so-called open minded people who refuse to go to the South, because of their impression of its population as a whole. They actually fear going there. :eek:
Watched 'Deliverance' a few too many times I suppose. :rolleyes:
However, the South is used as THE example of America's racist past. At least it was for me. It was always the video of some southern state with segregated everything. That's something those states might want to work to improve.
What about institutionalized racism such as mortgage red lines. Where people in certain neighborhoods that were known as minority neighborhoods were basically barred from obtaining mortgages and therefore left out of the wealth that can be created and carried on by homeownership. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining
Edit: I think I got lost and thought I was in the North/South Race thread. Oh, well. Maybe I'll repost over there for redundancy.
Walking can be a real trip
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"We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
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Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
I know of some so-called open minded people who refuse to go to the South, because of their impression of its population as a whole. They actually fear going there. :eek:
Watched 'Deliverance' a few too many times I suppose. :rolleyes:
However, the South is used as THE example of America's racist past. At least it was for me. It was always the video of some southern state with segregated everything. That's something those states might want to work to improve.
What about institutionalized racism such as mortgage red lines. Where people in certain neighborhoods that were known as minority neighborhoods were basically barred from obtaining mortgages and therefore left out of the wealth that can be created and carried on by homeownership. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining
Edit: I think I got lost and thought I was in the North/South Race thread. Oh, well. Maybe I'll repost over there for redundancy.
i think the problem is that even if the south has left behind much of its racist past, it has held onto many other accoutrements of that time, and that makes it hard for people to shake the image that the south is frozen in time. i've been reading a sociological text on the influence of religion in american culture, and one comment i feel has broad application is that it said that post-civil war, the white south developed a fond nostalgia for ole dixie as some sort of american heartland paradise... the pinnacle of an american culture that has been in decline ever since. thus i think the north sees things like reverence for the confederate flag and borderling-superstitious religious evangelism and figures that rigid adherence and celebration of old traditions prevalent in an age also renowned for slavery and racism also extends to those latter undesirable traits. to the north and blacks and many other parts of the country it is impossible to separate the confederate flag from the KKK and racism, just as i imagine jews have a tough time seeing the swastika as anything other than nazism, despite its varied historic symbolism. so it is difficult to see a culture that still waves the confederate flag and embraces fundamentalist christianity and believe them when they say they're not racist anymore, cos it seems like they haven't let go of a lot of other parts of that past.
maybe it's wrong and maybe it's unfair. but i don't think it's unreasonable or surprising that the north is confused by southerners with confederate flag bumper stickers saying they're not racist. that flag means a whole different thing outside the south than it does inside.
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Whoa whoa...I wasn't bashing the South or Greenville. I love that city. It's beautiful and it's an absolute blast to party in. Which is what I was pointing out. As far as the racist, yeah, you;re right, racist are everywhere. Probably just as many racist in Bakersfield, CA as there are in Greenville, SC. I've met wonderful people all over the country though and I would say there are more good people in this country then bad.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I know of some so-called open minded people who refuse to go to the South, because of their impression of its population as a whole. They actually fear going there. :eek:
Watched 'Deliverance' a few too many times I suppose. :rolleyes:
However, the South is used as THE example of America's racist past. At least it was for me. It was always the video of some southern state with segregated everything. That's something those states might want to work to improve.
What about Japanese internment camps? They certainly were not exclusive to the south. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_American_internment
What about institutionalized racism such as mortgage red lines. Where people in certain neighborhoods that were known as minority neighborhoods were basically barred from obtaining mortgages and therefore left out of the wealth that can be created and carried on by homeownership. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining
Edit: I think I got lost and thought I was in the North/South Race thread. Oh, well. Maybe I'll repost over there for redundancy.
***********************
"We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
***********************
Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
i think the problem is that even if the south has left behind much of its racist past, it has held onto many other accoutrements of that time, and that makes it hard for people to shake the image that the south is frozen in time. i've been reading a sociological text on the influence of religion in american culture, and one comment i feel has broad application is that it said that post-civil war, the white south developed a fond nostalgia for ole dixie as some sort of american heartland paradise... the pinnacle of an american culture that has been in decline ever since. thus i think the north sees things like reverence for the confederate flag and borderling-superstitious religious evangelism and figures that rigid adherence and celebration of old traditions prevalent in an age also renowned for slavery and racism also extends to those latter undesirable traits. to the north and blacks and many other parts of the country it is impossible to separate the confederate flag from the KKK and racism, just as i imagine jews have a tough time seeing the swastika as anything other than nazism, despite its varied historic symbolism. so it is difficult to see a culture that still waves the confederate flag and embraces fundamentalist christianity and believe them when they say they're not racist anymore, cos it seems like they haven't let go of a lot of other parts of that past.
maybe it's wrong and maybe it's unfair. but i don't think it's unreasonable or surprising that the north is confused by southerners with confederate flag bumper stickers saying they're not racist. that flag means a whole different thing outside the south than it does inside.