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In reply to the discussion: Would the nation be better off if the south would go away? [View all]xfundy
(5,105 posts)Wow, hepp me jeebus! Hepp me! Hepp me!
Lately I've been seeing all kinds of attacks on other posters, just nit-picky stuff like the dog-piling that's going on here. The OP wondered whether, basically, the South should have been given their fondest wish during the Civil War. Some of the responses have been stated as if the OP actually had some power to make it happen. To me, this is nuts.
I, myself, got a post deleted, when I was pointing out what seemed to me to be an obvious troll, trying to bait others into saying something he or she could potentially use to discredit us "libruls." "Calling someone a conservative is the WORST kind of attack!" one of the jurors said. OK, I'm fine with that, and will file it away for later reference.
Huh?
I grew up in the South, and heard in church how people of color were bad and evil cause they ain't like "us." The English rock bands were Satan's minions, spreading communism, socialism, devil-worship, and whatever else the preacher wanted to use to defame them, as he had, literally, a bully pulpit.
As I advanced in my life, I finally realized my dream of getting the fuck out of the South and yes, getting away from the bigotry and plain stupidity that plague it. I've lived in several states on both east and west coasts, and due to family circumstances out of my control, I am back in the South until I can once again muster up the (whatever) to leave again to a place where stating my beliefs won't create a deafening silence.
I'm also queer as a football bat, yet not "obvious" to all but the most self-hating closet queen Christer; the gaydar is real, and many self-hating "Christians" use it themselves, either for a roll in the hay, or, if rebuffed, to "out" others in an attempt to "punish" them.
So why the crisis reaction to the idea that the South has, uh, a "problem" in the idiocy/redneck/empathy problem?
First (if I haven't been jurified yet for whatever or whoever this statement of fact may have pissed off), there is indeed a big problem here. The preachers, politicians, anti-unionists and other vultures have fostered "class" warfare and the bullshit of "racial" differences here for many years. Going to church is a big part of southern culture; I have many wonderful memories related to church activities in my youth. What I didn't realize was that I was being indoctrinated, and that when I asked questions or dared to point out the obvious absurdities, I was labelled "strange," which is fine with me; I'd hate to be a cookie-cutter version of everyone else. Wouldn't you?
I doubt no one has a problem with the geography or the rich, black earth of the south, which used to produce an abundance of sugar cane, rice, corn, cotton, etc.
But I can't emphasize enough the hatred, bigotry and outright stupidity I've been subjected to, being back in the South when I dare to speak my mind. Mainly, I'm referring to my own ignorant immediate and extended family, all convinced they're better than any person of color, other nationality, other belief system, no matter how humane or beneficient.
And Jesus was white, just look at the picture in the Bible.
So, while I desperately hope the South can be educated, there are so many built-in obstacles I just don't know, but I do hold out hope.
I imagine I'd be similarly exercised about my home region, whether I grew up in the North or the Midwest. (But not the west coast. Just being honest.)
Now, back to the OP: should the South go away, LIKE THEY WANTED TO? They benefitted immeasurably from staying in the union, even now, they take much more federal money from blue states than they could ever hope to contribute. But, what SHOULD go away is the SOUTHERN STRATEGY, and the utterly undeserved "special rights" southerners expect even as they want to take rights from others.
Have a blessed day!
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