I know from personal experience that the South's image in the rest of the county is not correct. I’m from California, but I’ve been stationed in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. The South is not full of hicks. The proportion of idiots is probably the same as anywhere else. Well, except for Ohio and West Virginia.
Racists you ask? Yep, there are plenty and they are more vocal than anywhere else. But, only half of them are white. ;^)