To this southerner it means we will finally throw off the bondage of Northern economic interests that have held us hostage to low wages and second class status. Your statement smacks of just the sort of bigotry used in that effort. Call us names, treat us shabbily, but let the USA need defending and you will see Southerns stand and fight for the FLAG of the USA in disproportionate numbers.
The same things that make us such good warriors are the same reasons we left the old countries. I say “we” in the general sense. Southerners, and particularly those from NC, are independent and loyal to a fault. There is a large population of Scottish? descendents close by-you can spot them a mile away. Huge men, barrel chested, reddish gold hair. Loud, opinionated, mistrustful of the law in any form -men who live by their own code-good men-men (and women)who can cook like nobody’s business, would give you anything they possessed if you truly needed it but would fight to the death if you tried to take it. That is the embodiment of the South to me. Men who still carry names like William, Wallace, even plenty of William Wallaces still floating around!
Thats why Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State.