Posted on 07/14/2005 6:10:21 AM PDT by robowombat
Bias against Southerners misses the mark By RICHARD COX Published July 11, 2005
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Does prejudice exist in Pasco County, an area with a very diverse population and seemingly very progressive?
I am certain that African-Americans, Hispanics and people from other countries, the poor and homeless, as well as members of certain religious faiths, experience treatment different from the mainstream populace. However, I am a member of a minority who has experienced attitudes and reactions from many individuals who assume that I am intellectually and socially challenged.
A very large percentage of the population of New Port Richey in particular is from the Northeast. I personally like the outspokenness, mince-no-words attitude, the ability to criticize as well as accept criticism without being offended, that seems to represent the culture in which Northerners grew up.
My family members seem to have the disadvantage of being born and living most of our lives in the South, in our case, Tennessee. I grew up in Knoxville, a city that many people seem to associate only with the fanatical behavior of our college football fans, and my wife is from a small city near Chattanooga.
There still seems to be a stereotype that some people associate with Tennesseans. When those individuals heard the distinct accent of my wife, my stepdaughter, and myself, it seemed to conjure up that redneck image one might associate with the humor of Jeff Foxworthy and other Southern comedians. That image is of a culture of ignorant hillbillies (certainly due to inbreeding!), barefoot, living in a shack with no indoor plumbing (but certainly an outhouse in back), having a dog living under the front porch, and owning an overgrown lawn populated with broken-down, dilapidated automobiles. And, yes, we all chew tobacco and sit on the front porch swing playing the banjo. Everyone also flies a Confederate flag and reminisces about the War Between the States.
I first noticed this attitude when my stepdaughter, an honor student, came home from middle school several days in tears because several other students harassed her daily, calling her an ignorant redneck and hillbilly among other derogatory terms. My wife and I have experienced the sudden change in facial expressions from many when they hear our accent. They seem to associate our accent with ignorance, and speak in simpler terms so that we can understand what they are saying. Telephone conversations often produce the same reaction.
I beg to differ. Tennessee is the home of several major universities, four major metropolitan areas with all the drug and gang problems associated with other large cities, and the most visited national park in the United States. Oak Ridge, in the Knoxville area, probably has as high a percentage of residents with doctorate degrees as any city in the United States. Tennessee has a musical heritage equal to none, and it is not exclusively country or bluegrass genres. Many nationally prominent politicians are from my home state, including three former presidents.
Tennessee has produced many famous musicians, actors, scientists and other intellectual and talented natives.
Well, to set the story straight, rural areas of most states have their own populace and dwellings that approach this stereotype.
My wife and I grew up in your average suburban neighborhoods, we both graduated from major universities and had successful professional careers, and, to risk seeming boastful, are probably as intelligent and knowledgeable, if not more so, than the average American. Believe it or not, East Tennessee, the section of the state we are from, fervently supported the Union during the Civil War.
I have noticed in the Pasco Times notices of meetings for various groups from areas of the Northeast and from other countries. Perhaps Southerners in our area should form a similar group. With apologies to an African-American group with a similar title, we could call our group the NAASF, the National Association for the Advancement of Southern Folks, Pasco County Branch. I hope there are enough local Southern residents available to attract to our organization.
--Richard Cox, a retired middle school science teacher and department head, lives in New Port Richey
Whenever I have attempted to ask you question on any other subject, not related to your single issue spins on the Civil War, the only response is your typical 'damnyankee' ranting, which is very familiar to everyone.
Have you actually taken the time to review the incessant, standardized verbal bacteria you unload on all those not in total agreement with you deliriously demanding & screaming for so-called 'Dixie Republic' in 2005, plus the violent methods you feel are required?
free dixie,sw
"yet another STUPID, fact-FREE, piece of nonsense from FR's chief FOOL. free dixie,sw"
Incredible - like a defective toy parrot, instead of addressing the issues more of the same. You forgot the "damnyankee" part.
If those on FR did not know better they be under the impression this was a Bud & Lou shtick routine LOL
i've NEVER seen you post a SINGLE time ANYTHING that seemed to require educational preparation, facts, knowledge and/or logic.
ALL you do is parrot the LEFTIST/hate-FILLED/REVISIONIST drivel & knowing lies out of the most extreme fringe of northeastern academia AND make "fact-free" ad hominum attacks on everyone, who disagrees with that drivel & bilge.
show me that you know something of IMPORTANCE about the WBTS, drop parroting the REVISIONIST lies & stop the personal attacks & i'll try having a conversation with you.
free dixie,sw
That's a perfect description of yourself.
"i've NEVER seen you post a SINGLE time ANYTHING that seemed to require educational preparation, facts, knowledge and/or logic."
Due to the fact you are a well known, single issue screamer, apparently incapable of addressing anything other than your deliriously obsessed re-fighting of the Civil War, for the losing side no less, I would therefore not expect you to even look for another subject, never mind posting normal comments, nor threads of timely news worthy interest.
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You were saying - again: "ALL you do is parrot the LEFTIST/hate-FILLED/REVISIONIST drivel & knowing lies out of the most extreme fringe of northeastern academia AND make "fact-free" ad hominum attacks on everyone, who disagrees with that drivel & bilge"....bla, bla, bla ....bla
Would you be so kind as to post your last three threads, preferably posted in the last year?
Maybe being honest for a change would be refreshing.
as i've said before, everything you've ever posted on the WBTS threads exposes you as a anti-southern BIGOT, a MORON & a FOOL of the first rank.
free dixie,sw
There is no getting through to you.
Don't lose the accent,It'll keep'um honest and guessing.
"Here in Fla., everyone's from the North anyway."
Ditto, here in TX, We have a border problem from all sides.
free dixie,sw
btw, when are you going to repost your RACIST post # 645???
free dixie,sw
face it, "Mr SPIN", NOBODY here (including the members of the DY coven) believes that you have a functioning brain. all we ALL do is RIDICULE you. (and RIDICULE is ALL you deserve.)
free dixie,sw
1) Slavery would have ended in the South by 1875, had the South been allowed to secede in peace.
2) There was a practical, efficient cotton harvesting machine available in 1860, even though none saw use until ca. 1940.
3) Dr. Stephen Lubar is the Curator of the Agricultural Collection at the Smithsonian.
4) The above-mentioned Dr. Lubar agrees with the first two points listed.
5) The state of Texas issued letters of marque and reprisal, and Texas privateers captured a German U-Boat which is now on display in a Galveston Park.
6) There were no innocent victims of Quantrill's raid on Lawrence. Every last victim had it coming.
7) Slave owners were an insignificant factor in the secessionist leadership, and slavery had nothing to do with secession.
8) Abraham Lincoln wrote numerous letters revealing deeply racist sentiments against Indians, which Watie has been allowed to see, but which are otherwise completely unknown to scholars.
9) No POW was ever mistreated by the CSA.
I could go on...
Please also note that sw is wholly unwilling, or unable, to respond to the facts in post #1317.
So, as usual, he resorts to name-calling.
Very telling.
perhaps i will get around to reading it, when i have more time.
IF he posted any FACTS, rather than his usual ignorant, HATE-FILLED,BLATHER & REVISIONIST LIES, i'll be surprised.
identifying a FOOL as a FOOL (or in this case a BIGOT & presumed RACIST as a RACIST/BIGOT.) is NOT "name-calling".
free dixie,sw
Doubtful. You read it. You read all of M. Espinola's posts. You just found yourself in a position where you couldn't spin your way away from the facts, so you decided to slink away.
Now you're name-calling again. You are so sadly predictable.
Avoidance of the facts, followed by name-calling. Sounds like a liberal to me.
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