How would you best describe the south? I have heard mixed reviews, but I would really like to go there sometime. It sounds like a nice place. I am drawn by the area, fishing, hunting, and lack of anything resembling Boulder CO. I seem to always hear odd things about Eastern Kentucky, and many people tell me it is "a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't live there." However, with people always talking about friendly people in the south and so forth, these comments struck me odd. One person said, "People think that southerners hate black folks; that's not true. They hate everybody!" Of course, I do not like to classify entire groups of people, but I am looking for some more information because I would like to check it out for myself this summer. Any comments on the southland? Keep in mind that the people that told me these things have never spent a great deal of time there, just driven through or visited, and this is an honest post, not meant to ruffle anybody's feathers.
Here in this part of Ar not many blacks except for Fayetteville UofA. Blacks aren't hated as much as Latinos. I do hear the N word referred to more than I would like though. The Blacks here know their place according to the locals.
You're too late. The South is dead, the developers are in charge, and when they get done (in about five years) Shermans march to the sea will be reminiscent of a Sunday school outing. The (so called) humane societys are moving in, all the plantations have been sub-divided and the Yellow Dog Democrats are abandoning the ship. Nobody has even called me a "Damn carpet bagging yankee" in almost 10 years. Red Necks are getting to be in short supply as they are assimilated into the new culture and in most counties, you can't even find a single wide for rent anymore let alone to buy. The price of land, so steep you need to prop up your watermelons to keep them in the field has risen 10 fold overnight. The only thing that has not changed, is that once the temperature hits 70 degrees, the chiggers will eat you up if you stand still more than 5 seconds in grass more than an inch high.
BigBore, I don't live in the south per se, (Kansas City MO) but in my visits to the south I have found the people to be very friendly. People still use the words Sir and Maam as in "Yes Sir" and "Yes Maam". Seem to be more laid back. It is more in the Bible belt, so if you are a Christian you might like that. Also more conservative. I'm sure when you get into the larger cities some of these characteristics are'nt as prevalent.
If you are saying you are from Boulder, I think there might be some people who would like to be where you are too... except for all them hippies out there driving micro buses with peace signs and pot leaves on them! I've been out there a few times for the early Promise Keepers conferences, and I felt like I was back in the 70's. Beautiful country though.
What kind of geography and activities are you looking for?
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AKA Dave Lingner ChristianOutdoorsman.com Equipping men for the Ultimate Destination[/size]
BigBore I lived in Colorado for a year, the people there seemed pretty nice, except parts of Denver had some real dirtbags.
I can tell you that depending upon where you go in the south you will find all of the stereotypes you have heard of about southerners, but in reality you will find the same kind of folks up north. There are still pockets of racism in parts of the south, these generally are also areas with a lot of white trash, the two seem to go hand in hand.
Overall southern folks, black or white will be polite and friendly, you will find total strangers that will strike up a converstion. If you stop and ask directions from a local most of the time they will bend over backwards helping you get where you need to go. You will also be amazed at how many people will stop to help someone out, stranger or not.
Life is slower in most of the south, people are more layed back. We are proud though, that is probably our biggest fault, we take pride in being a Virginian, Tarheel or whatever, we are terratorial. We take exception to folks who percieve us as backwoods bigots, we know better and despise the stereotype. Another thing we don't like is the conception some folks have that if you talk with a thick southern accent that you have a low IQ.
Overall I will say that in my experience living and traveling through out the country southerners are friendlier and more helpful than northerners, I am not saying that northerners are bad at all, but you will find a lot more children who know how to say yes sir and no sir down south then you will up north. In reality though the best way to describe the difference between northerners and southerner is to think of northerners as city folk and southerners as country folk.
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The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
BigBore ,
Eastern Kentucky is quite friendly , and they're rapidly devloping a rep for trophy whitetails . I was raised in Kentucky , and it is in general a good place to live and hunt . The Eastern portion may not be everyone's cup of tea because devlopment hasn't really taken a foothold there , so you won't have all those distractions of more developed areas .
What you will have is thousands of square miles of beautiful postcard style scenery , great hunting and fishing , and locals who "friendly up a mite" after they get to know you like anywhere else . Land can be surprisingly cheap there , but expect to have to drive a lot . Lack of development means having to travel to do most things . BTW , the hunting and fishing fees there are probably around half of what you're used to as a non-resident , maybe even less , and they even have draw hunts for their new elk herd each year . You could pick a lot worse places to visit than Kentucky , and with their land prices you might even consider buying some hunting land there .
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Kevin Haendiges
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http://hunting-indiana.com
For you southerners....
I've been out there a few times for the early Promise Keepers conferences, and I felt like I was back in the 70's. Beautiful country though.
