Sunday, July 20, 2003
Northern Folk vs. Southern Folk!
After relocating from Ohio to Geogia in 2000, I was certainly not prepared for the transitional change in the kind of people I would eventually meet. Being a freelance writer and journalist, I am exposed to all nationalities, cultures, sexual oreintations, beliefs, opinions and creeds. However, I will mainly focus on just two of those and hope that a flavor of the rest will measure through.
While living in Ohio for 13-years after returning to my hometown (Lima) from traveling around the world during the 80's, I chose carefully to surround myself mostly with people who seemed to be focused, assured, real, down-to-earth and discreet. You see, after my worldly travels, I developed a deep sense of character distinction. In other words, being around and inner acting with people constantly afforded me the gradual ability to eventually quickly tell what a person was really like - most times after having just one conservation with them. But, after returning to Lima, Ohio, I wasn't prepared for the lessons I was going to be taught by the people with whom I worked and became acquainted with, not as friends, but yet, on a friendly basis. The same awakening became eminent when I moved south to the Peach State, but, in a very contrasting or different way.
Even though my exchange during this journey involved several cultures, the main focus will primarily be on the differences of southern blacks vs. northern blacks; and southern whites vs. northern whites. And, the observations that follow were obtained from an inner circle unscientific study group made up of individuals who currently live in Ohio and also Georgia.
While living Ohio, whenever grassroots white people inner acted with blacks, it was usually genuine. Because, northern grassroots Caucasian people prided themselves in being honest about their feelings on interracial friendships and marriages. You didn't have to guess about where you stood. For example, when a white person drove around in a vehicle proudly displaying a confederate flag sticker, the message was clear as far as his/her belief system concerning anyone who wasn't an Euro-Anglosaxon. Fortunately, those types were extremely few; and at least 98% of all grassroots white people in and around the Lima area were genuinely pleasant, cordial and wonderful to communicate with on a friendly basis.
Prior to relocating permanently south, I was warned by several people that "things down there are different." But, what I found out later after settling in, things are not only different; but, the south seems, all together, like a different country. White people in Georgia are friendly for the most part; but, prefer to also maintain a traditional degree of separatism. They set boundaries in relationships with other cultures, mainly blacks; and are not shy about letting us know just what those boundaries may be. As a matter of fact, grassroots southern white folk are commonly refered to amidst southern black folk as racist-friendly. Meaning, they will talk to us only when they have to, they will laugh out a joke with us only when it's absolutely necessary, they show a strained degree of tolerance only because federal laws state clearly that they must, etc. At the same token, those same white people will proudly display confederate symbals on their clothing and vehicles. Many even shave their heads to display a public loyalty to yesteryears southern traditions of segregationism.
Additionally, I have discovered that it is taboo for a southern white people, while in a group setting, to speak to a black person no matter how friendly they are to that black person when they are one-on-one, because they do not want their white acquaintances to be aware of the fact that they know that black person. That is very common here. Another example of southern white traditions became apparent when I went shopping with another black friend in the Miami Circle area of Atlanta. It is a large area where high-end furniture, antique and flooring shops are grouped together. As a matter of fact, some of the doors remain locked and you have to ring a door bell to get in. In other words, they want to check you over first before allowing you to patronize their businesses.
When we went to one shop, the white female owner made it very clear to us that we were not welcomed on our first visit. And when we went back to check on an item, she snapped, "You were just in here, so, leave." In my northern manner of telling people off, I proceded to inform her just how ignorant and stupid she behaved. She replied, "That's okay." She followed us to the door and locked it behind us.
Another white male shop owner saw us coming while the window people were cleaning his shop windows. They held the door slightly open because they were also cleaning the glass door. However, when he noticed us approaching, he literally ran fast to the door to lock it; but, we had already reached the entrance and let ourselves in. I wish that you could have seen the disappointing look plastered across his face.
Another shop had two old ladies as attendents. They were nice; but, when we drove up in our Land Rover and entered their shop, they both greeted us and stood and proceeded to follow us around the shop. But, what was even more noticable, one of them held a cell phone up to her ear as if she was ready to dial 911 at any moment the entire time we were in the shop. However, in the midst of amazing them with my knowledge of antiquaties which included my travels around the world, I also very diplomatically used that opportunity to also give them a much needed lesson on the ignorant and stupid attitudes of blatant racist white people in the south. As we were leaving, the nicer lady without the cell phone apologized and the only thing she could say afterwards was, "We enjoyed your visit; and please come back anytime."
But the diffenence of northern blacks vs. southern blacks hit me like a speeding run-away train when I contacted Atlanta's first black female mayor, Mayor Shirley Franklin, concerning what happened at Miami Circle. You see, she did nothing; as a matter of fact, she never responded.
It is a known fact amongst northern black people that the cohesiveness of blacks in general is not present in the south. Black people can easily be categorized into three social levels. First, there are African-Americans - the proud black person who never fails to maintain the utmost degree of self respect, dignity, intelligence and open-mindedness. Second, there are the colored people - the ones who are oblivious to the fact that the civil rights movement actually took place. They are the ones who still harbor jelly-back attitudes while "yellsa masta"ing white folk all over the place. They are always weak, nonresponsive, still afraid to express an oposing opinion and never take a stand for anything - you know the type, when black and white folk were drinking out of separate water fountains. The last category are niggers - they are the ones who are publicly ignorant, loud, always bad-mouthing someone else, back-stabbers, do not know how to live peacefully with others in a civil environment, always in trouble with the law, close-minded and hopelessly uneducated.
Unfortunately, after living in Georgia for the brief time that I have, it is certainly safe to say that 98% of all southern black folk can easily be categorized as being colored. Mayor Franklin's nonresponse to what happened at Miami Circle is a perfect example of that claim. But, when a true-to-life strong African-American such as Cynthia McKinney dare to take a stand, like Martin L. King and Thurgood Marshall, and voice an opinion against the status quo, colored southern black folk quickly ban together with racist southern white people and vote them out of office.
However, one of the most racist groups in the south, ironically, seem to be grassroots gay white men. We did a random study - nothing as sophisticated as anything scientific - however, discovered a startling contrast of sexual behaviors between northerners and southerners. Northern people, especially in the Lima, Ohio area, like to swing - especially both white men and black men who exclusively prefer white women. Meaning - a lot of married couples enjoy an occasional exploration in discreet partner-swapping or one-on-one with the same sex gender. Most of the swingers, we found, were an astonishing number of white married women and men and a few married black men. But, our study also disclosed that a large number of white married men either had engaged in or fantasized about discreet sexual encounters with the same sex. For example, one very attractive married white male wrote, "That's why most guys go to the gym or enjoy contact sports. Even though I've been married twice and have two sons who I love very much, I still get arroused when I see other good-looking guys at the gym working out. As a matter of fact, that's why most of us go. Hey, it's the same when I wrestle around with my buddies - that's arrousing, too." A very stark contrast from southern gay men, northern gay men (especially in the Lima area) are mostly farmer-Joe rough and masculine - extremely hard to detect.
But, southern white men and women are either gay or straight - no in between. Southern grassroots straight men and women and lesbians all seem to be more easy going, willing to be open-minded, good listeners, pleasant to be around and easy to communicate with. However, on other end of the spectrum, southern gay white men are usually hyper, lispy, limp-wristed, flashy, extremely feminine, weak looking, extremely difficult to communicate with and seem to relish Strom Thurmond's old tradition of segregationism. They are most always too obvious in public places, nonresponsive and seem to pride themselves in a closed-knit bored-to-tears society that excludes anyone who does not look like them.
And, our study proved that grassroots southern gay white men who choose to hide behind marriages and children, are always extremely friendly, open-minded, masculine, but, still exclusive - much like openly gay southern white men. Black southern lesbians are usually always obvious. They are ordinarily very butch, hang out with mostly white guys and assert a noticeable degree of public aggresiveness.
As mentioned above, this is not a scientific study. It, instead, involves years of careful observation, interviewing people on all sides and communicating and comparing detailed documented information from our study group - mixed with personal experiences of racist behavior from both the north and the south. There were several highly intellectually capable people in the group who gathered very reliable and substanciated information. But, in the end, after analizing, filtering and carefully scrutinizing what information that would be finally printed, this is what we unanomously felt was most important.
After relocating from Ohio to Geogia in 2000, I was certainly not prepared for the transitional change in the kind of people I would eventually meet. Being a freelance writer and journalist, I am exposed to all nationalities, cultures, sexual oreintations, beliefs, opinions and creeds. However, I will mainly focus on just two of those and hope that a flavor of the rest will measure through.
While living in Ohio for 13-years after returning to my hometown (Lima) from traveling around the world during the 80's, I chose carefully to surround myself mostly with people who seemed to be focused, assured, real, down-to-earth and discreet. You see, after my worldly travels, I developed a deep sense of character distinction. In other words, being around and inner acting with people constantly afforded me the gradual ability to eventually quickly tell what a person was really like - most times after having just one conservation with them. But, after returning to Lima, Ohio, I wasn't prepared for the lessons I was going to be taught by the people with whom I worked and became acquainted with, not as friends, but yet, on a friendly basis. The same awakening became eminent when I moved south to the Peach State, but, in a very contrasting or different way.
Even though my exchange during this journey involved several cultures, the main focus will primarily be on the differences of southern blacks vs. northern blacks; and southern whites vs. northern whites. And, the observations that follow were obtained from an inner circle unscientific study group made up of individuals who currently live in Ohio and also Georgia.
While living Ohio, whenever grassroots white people inner acted with blacks, it was usually genuine. Because, northern grassroots Caucasian people prided themselves in being honest about their feelings on interracial friendships and marriages. You didn't have to guess about where you stood. For example, when a white person drove around in a vehicle proudly displaying a confederate flag sticker, the message was clear as far as his/her belief system concerning anyone who wasn't an Euro-Anglosaxon. Fortunately, those types were extremely few; and at least 98% of all grassroots white people in and around the Lima area were genuinely pleasant, cordial and wonderful to communicate with on a friendly basis.
Prior to relocating permanently south, I was warned by several people that "things down there are different." But, what I found out later after settling in, things are not only different; but, the south seems, all together, like a different country. White people in Georgia are friendly for the most part; but, prefer to also maintain a traditional degree of separatism. They set boundaries in relationships with other cultures, mainly blacks; and are not shy about letting us know just what those boundaries may be. As a matter of fact, grassroots southern white folk are commonly refered to amidst southern black folk as racist-friendly. Meaning, they will talk to us only when they have to, they will laugh out a joke with us only when it's absolutely necessary, they show a strained degree of tolerance only because federal laws state clearly that they must, etc. At the same token, those same white people will proudly display confederate symbals on their clothing and vehicles. Many even shave their heads to display a public loyalty to yesteryears southern traditions of segregationism.
Additionally, I have discovered that it is taboo for a southern white people, while in a group setting, to speak to a black person no matter how friendly they are to that black person when they are one-on-one, because they do not want their white acquaintances to be aware of the fact that they know that black person. That is very common here. Another example of southern white traditions became apparent when I went shopping with another black friend in the Miami Circle area of Atlanta. It is a large area where high-end furniture, antique and flooring shops are grouped together. As a matter of fact, some of the doors remain locked and you have to ring a door bell to get in. In other words, they want to check you over first before allowing you to patronize their businesses.
When we went to one shop, the white female owner made it very clear to us that we were not welcomed on our first visit. And when we went back to check on an item, she snapped, "You were just in here, so, leave." In my northern manner of telling people off, I proceded to inform her just how ignorant and stupid she behaved. She replied, "That's okay." She followed us to the door and locked it behind us.
Another white male shop owner saw us coming while the window people were cleaning his shop windows. They held the door slightly open because they were also cleaning the glass door. However, when he noticed us approaching, he literally ran fast to the door to lock it; but, we had already reached the entrance and let ourselves in. I wish that you could have seen the disappointing look plastered across his face.
Another shop had two old ladies as attendents. They were nice; but, when we drove up in our Land Rover and entered their shop, they both greeted us and stood and proceeded to follow us around the shop. But, what was even more noticable, one of them held a cell phone up to her ear as if she was ready to dial 911 at any moment the entire time we were in the shop. However, in the midst of amazing them with my knowledge of antiquaties which included my travels around the world, I also very diplomatically used that opportunity to also give them a much needed lesson on the ignorant and stupid attitudes of blatant racist white people in the south. As we were leaving, the nicer lady without the cell phone apologized and the only thing she could say afterwards was, "We enjoyed your visit; and please come back anytime."
But the diffenence of northern blacks vs. southern blacks hit me like a speeding run-away train when I contacted Atlanta's first black female mayor, Mayor Shirley Franklin, concerning what happened at Miami Circle. You see, she did nothing; as a matter of fact, she never responded.
It is a known fact amongst northern black people that the cohesiveness of blacks in general is not present in the south. Black people can easily be categorized into three social levels. First, there are African-Americans - the proud black person who never fails to maintain the utmost degree of self respect, dignity, intelligence and open-mindedness. Second, there are the colored people - the ones who are oblivious to the fact that the civil rights movement actually took place. They are the ones who still harbor jelly-back attitudes while "yellsa masta"ing white folk all over the place. They are always weak, nonresponsive, still afraid to express an oposing opinion and never take a stand for anything - you know the type, when black and white folk were drinking out of separate water fountains. The last category are niggers - they are the ones who are publicly ignorant, loud, always bad-mouthing someone else, back-stabbers, do not know how to live peacefully with others in a civil environment, always in trouble with the law, close-minded and hopelessly uneducated.
Unfortunately, after living in Georgia for the brief time that I have, it is certainly safe to say that 98% of all southern black folk can easily be categorized as being colored. Mayor Franklin's nonresponse to what happened at Miami Circle is a perfect example of that claim. But, when a true-to-life strong African-American such as Cynthia McKinney dare to take a stand, like Martin L. King and Thurgood Marshall, and voice an opinion against the status quo, colored southern black folk quickly ban together with racist southern white people and vote them out of office.
However, one of the most racist groups in the south, ironically, seem to be grassroots gay white men. We did a random study - nothing as sophisticated as anything scientific - however, discovered a startling contrast of sexual behaviors between northerners and southerners. Northern people, especially in the Lima, Ohio area, like to swing - especially both white men and black men who exclusively prefer white women. Meaning - a lot of married couples enjoy an occasional exploration in discreet partner-swapping or one-on-one with the same sex gender. Most of the swingers, we found, were an astonishing number of white married women and men and a few married black men. But, our study also disclosed that a large number of white married men either had engaged in or fantasized about discreet sexual encounters with the same sex. For example, one very attractive married white male wrote, "That's why most guys go to the gym or enjoy contact sports. Even though I've been married twice and have two sons who I love very much, I still get arroused when I see other good-looking guys at the gym working out. As a matter of fact, that's why most of us go. Hey, it's the same when I wrestle around with my buddies - that's arrousing, too." A very stark contrast from southern gay men, northern gay men (especially in the Lima area) are mostly farmer-Joe rough and masculine - extremely hard to detect.
But, southern white men and women are either gay or straight - no in between. Southern grassroots straight men and women and lesbians all seem to be more easy going, willing to be open-minded, good listeners, pleasant to be around and easy to communicate with. However, on other end of the spectrum, southern gay white men are usually hyper, lispy, limp-wristed, flashy, extremely feminine, weak looking, extremely difficult to communicate with and seem to relish Strom Thurmond's old tradition of segregationism. They are most always too obvious in public places, nonresponsive and seem to pride themselves in a closed-knit bored-to-tears society that excludes anyone who does not look like them.
And, our study proved that grassroots southern gay white men who choose to hide behind marriages and children, are always extremely friendly, open-minded, masculine, but, still exclusive - much like openly gay southern white men. Black southern lesbians are usually always obvious. They are ordinarily very butch, hang out with mostly white guys and assert a noticeable degree of public aggresiveness.
As mentioned above, this is not a scientific study. It, instead, involves years of careful observation, interviewing people on all sides and communicating and comparing detailed documented information from our study group - mixed with personal experiences of racist behavior from both the north and the south. There were several highly intellectually capable people in the group who gathered very reliable and substanciated information. But, in the end, after analizing, filtering and carefully scrutinizing what information that would be finally printed, this is what we unanomously felt was most important.
