I have lived in the South and the north and find the north much more devisive and phoney.
NYC votes over 80% liberal democrat but has loads of racism.
My mother works in Great Neck where they think only oly crotchety white people should drive expensive cars apparently. She's been called 'nig' more times than I think she really tells me. There are lots of poor whites on Long Island who are as bad about the victim mentality you see with the black people here. Very strange. I'm inclined to agree with you based upon what my mom tells me.