I was born in Baton Rouge. I lived in New Orleans for the first decade of my life. I spent my summers in Mississippi with my grandmother in Vicksburg. I now live in Georgia. I'm a true Southerner, and proud of it.
Let me assure you much of the South is nothing like the recent portrayal by Christopher Hitchens in his article “My Red-State Odyssey” in the September 2005 issue of Vanity Fair. Hitchens makes sure to mention NASCAR, creationism, gun ownership, the confederate flag, and lest we forget, “… [Southerners’] offenses against chastity with either domestic animals or (the fact must be faced) with members of their immediate families.” That about covers it! Thanks Chris!
That’s it. I've had enough. The truth is, until now, almost nobody has given a crap about Louisiana and Mississippi. Or Alabama for that matter. Admit it. They never have. These states get little investment and little attention. They're red states, God forbid. They're even referenced in political discussions as "flyover" states -- as though they're simply taking up space between the important places. Their residents are considered poor and uneducated and oddball, and the rest of the United States usually uses them as the punch line in jokes. It's simply unfair.
During the height of the last election, I actually sat in a marketing meeting at a major corporation next to an account planner who said she thought only residents of New York and Los Angeles should be allowed to vote for the president of the United States -- as if the rest of us have no business choosing our government. Enough already. The people of the South and the rest of the "flyover" U.S. are regular, hardworking people and in most ways are no different than everyone else. The stereotypes need to end, as they only serve to perpetuate the feeling that money and resources would be better spent elsewhere. I have lived throughout the South, as well as in New York and DC. There's no more or less stupidity or quirkiness in the South than there is anywhere else, I promise you.
These states needed investment before, and now they need it even more. The victims of Hurricane Katrina deserve as much help as those of the Asian Tsunami or 9/11. I hate that so many people didn't leave when warned to evacuate. There were probably many who could have left. But there may have been just as many without transportation, without money to afford night after night in a hotel, without relatives' homes to go to. Not all of them are like the jerks you see on television walking off with flat-screen televisions after looting damaged stores.
Could we please take this opportunity to stop treating the South like the toilet of the United States? These are our fellow Americans. Please consider helping Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama whatever way you can, wherever you live. Go to www.redcross.org.
While I agree with most of what you say (and Hitchens being an ass is no surprise), but I want to highlight one point:
"These states get little investment and little attention."
Alabama leads the country in federal investment per capita and has for years. Mississippi and the rest of the southern states are right up there with it. NJ receives the least, btw. All southern states receive more in federal investment than they put in via taxes.
There are some great ironies in there if you break down the polices the people voted into office, but those can be found across all politics.
As for business investment, clearly that is an issue and is an intertwined mess of demographics, local policy and history, and geography.
"There's no more or less stupidity or quirkiness in the South than there is anywhere else, I promise you."
Very true.
Posted by: bp | September 01, 2005 at 12:26 PM
great insight. And very true. The funny paradox is, that woman who thinks only NY and L.A. should vote doesn't realize that there is a whole world outside those cities.
Anyway- I have a friend who owns a home in Orleans Parish and lost everything- she's now homeless. Staying with friends and family is how she has to survive until it's safe to go back and assess her situation for insurance. She isn't staying with us- but we have 2 extra bedrooms. Indiana is a far drive from LA- but we've listed our home for others to take if they need it. If you can't make monetary donations- or want to do more- you can also list housing at http://www.hurricanehousing.org
Hope it's ok that I posted that- just want to spread the word.
Posted by: Emily Myers | September 02, 2005 at 09:34 AM
We have jerks in South Carolina too.
... oh wait... SC's a southern state too. Dang it!!!
Kidding. ;D
You know, I've seen this kind of horrible behavior (I mean the looting, raping, murdering, etc.) that is happening in New Orleans all over the world. It isn't a racial, cultural or socio-economic thing. In every population around the world, there is a small percentage of people who will do things like this.
(Okay... except in Switzerland.)
The trigger can be a natural catastrophe, a civil war or a soccer game, even. You just never know. New Orleans' poor certainly don't own the monopoly on psychopathic behavior.
It's been my experience that Southerners are some of the friendliest, most generous people you'll ever meet. Having lived in a lot of places around the world, I can actually back this up with experience. They aren't slow or stupid or backward. I've even set up shop in the South because it's a pretty cool place to live.
Posted by: Olivier Blanchard | September 02, 2005 at 02:01 PM
I left North Carolina for Chicago years ago because I was tired of the "southern attitude" about race and politics. It wasn’t more than a week in Chicago when I experience one of the most racist events followed by a hostile exchange that I’ve seen in my entire life (I’ll spare you the details). Two years later I returned to Raleigh mostly because of that first week in Chicago when I was reminded that there is ignorance throughout every state, both red and blue.
I’m not sure there are any “fly over” states but I am sure that this country has created a class of “fly over” people of all colors. They are poor, underprivileged and undereducated. The recent tragedy on the Gulf coast has put a major spotlight on our national policy shortcomings.
I’ll try to put my own political opinions on the back burner (wrong venue) but I will add that we have an opportunity to change through our new awareness, just as we did with 9/11. Let’s hope, unlike 9/11, that we take advantage of the opportunity and begin to change our priorities.
My prediction? Within 3 months (maybe sooner), it will be business as usual.
Posted by: Bruce DeBoer | September 04, 2005 at 01:10 PM
Excellent. Hitchens never fails to offend just about everyone. I'm a southerner, too--a native of one blue city in a red state and now a resident of the other blue city in that same state (Tennessee).
Incidentally, if you feel so inclined, the hospitality industry is working on setting up a job board for those affected by the hurricane at katrinajobs.org. They welcome other industries as well.
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