You southerners, please keep the south authentic, and don't let the liberals moving there, with their intent to change things, change the culture there. I have a few more years before I can, but I intend to leave socialism behind me, and I hate to thing they will be able to liberalize the south before I can.
I understand what you mean by ‘culture shock’. I get the same thing everytime I have to travel. But at least I know it will be over when I come home.
I also regret the changes coming to the south. This area has a very fast growth rate with much of the growth from up-north. It amazes me that so many of the new comers are open with their dislike of the places they are leaving but are so quick to try to recreate the places they left.
A quick example. A few years ago we had a large influx of government employees whose jobs had been sent here. They were so happy to find out that they could afford much larger homes since the property tax rates were very low. Yet these same folks were some of the biggest supporters of a plan to raise property taxes after they arrived. I heard a lot of them state: “In Saint Louis, I was paying $6000 a year in property taxes. Here, I’m only paying $700. Why of course we should raise our rates.” The measure was decisively defeated with 7 out of 10 voting against. The teachers unions and newspapers were dismayed.