I want to talk frankly about the south hate here

[MADem]

147. It's an uphill climb.

I take people as individuals, but it is unfortunately a fact that a region's reputation will precede them. People in south BOSTON are perceived as racist, even though Southie is much more ethnically diverse than it was in the all-white Irish/Polish/some-but-not-much Italian days of Louise Day Hicks and forced busing.

It doesn't help the case when the pollsters report that so many voters in the south believe that Obama is a Muslim, and that so many GOP politicians with rather hateful views come from the south.

It doesn't mean people should be shitty to you, or assume that the predominant attitude (at least among the white population) is racist and hate-laden, but it does suggest that there are a few haters down that way because way too many of those guys (and it's mostly guys) keep getting elected.

People automatically "assume" that anyone from San Francisco is a Democrat, or better still, a Socialist, pro-equality, liberal, environmentally aware, etc. I'm sure you could find some people who are anything but that living inside the city limits. Regardless, that doesn't take away the broad brushed sense that MOST people are not haters in that town.

It's all about paradigms and perceptions.

All you can do is be you, lead by example, and not worry what other people think.