Err, SouthernBoy, you do know that this forum is comprised mainly of Americans living in the U.K.? Why then would you judge "most southern British" people by American expats living there? I think you're guilty of perpetuating your own stereotypes.
Also, there is a board for introducing yourself here, and most folks do at least put in a, "How do you do, my name is..." before jumping into the fray. I like to do so on any discussion board I participate in, simply because it tends to show I'm not just a "troll" jumping in to stir up controversey, with no intention of actually cultivating thoughtful discussion. It's just good "netiquette."
Before you go off half-cocked at me, I am a southerner, born and bred. I currently live in PA since that is where my husband is from. Thus, the screen name, which I'm sure you'd understand.
I do get how you feel regarding a lot of people's ideas about southerners. I've come across a lot of rudeness and condescenscion towards those residing below the Mason-Dixon. Mostly, in the form of comments regarding the "backward" nature of the south, in the form of racism and poor education.
I would like to say that living here for four years in PA has greatly heightened my awareness of the fact that racism exists everywhere, here as much or more so than I ever encountered when living in TX or NC. In fact, neighboring Boyertown has more Confederate flags (flown for nothing but racism, as they obviously have no historical/cultural claim on the symbol) than I have ever seen flown in the South. In Philly, racism not only runs along "black/white" divides, but also Italian, Irish, and Jewish lines. I would say racism exists in far more abundance up here than down South. When I lived in TX, almost all my friends were black--actually, truly African-American as most were immigrants from Liberia. Up here, although I have a few friends from different races, I'm the minority. I've heard Hispanics get bashed particularly hard around here since there has been such an explosion in their numbers up here. It really burns me up when I hear ugly racist remarks, especially since my brother-in-law, who just got done serving a year in Iraq for his country, is 100% of Mexican descent.
As far as lack of education, again this is more of a "rural versus urban" rather than North versus South or any other regional comparison. Whether it's in the North, South, East, or West, what I've noticed is rural schools from poorer counties almost always lag behind their surburban and well-to-do city cousins. Kids in Irving, TX are likely to be better educated and have more resources at their behest than do, say the kids from Oley, PA. Simply because the schools in the former case come from a community far larger and wealthier than the latter, which is a very rural area, and poorer area.
Another thing: since there is a huge trend of people moving from North to South and from other areas to the South, I really think a lot of these old divides will eventually blur. I keep telling my dh that if he wants to invest, buy a plot of land around say, Raleigh-Durham, NC because in 10 years, it'll have increased in value five-fold. Lots of new people moving in, which means a lot of old prejudices both sides have held are going to get re-examined in light of meeting each other, and seen to be what they really are--a lot of unfair assumptions.
Rebekah
