Is life in the US really different in and out of the "Bible Belt" ?

Yes, for exactly the reasons you said. Life seems…backwards and out-dated in the bible belt (grew up and live now in the bible belt). People seem nicer, but they really aren’t. They’re just fake.

The things I am going to list do not happen all of the time and of course are not always true, but these are the things that stand out to me.

In the bible belt they will ask you what church you go to within 20 minutes of meeting someone, this never happens outside of the bible belt.

In the bible belt they use ma’am, in the NE and other parts of the country we don;t do it, you don’t know if the woman you are talking to us a ma’am.

To a North Easterner if you call your parents sir or ma’am we figure you parents beat you and are ridiculously strict.

The bible belt uses Miss Jennifer, in the rest of the country (well, not everywhere, but a lot of places) it sounds lower class and uneducated. NE would use Ms. Johnson or Jennifer, not Miss Jennifer.

The bible belt typically does not want to discuss religion and politics, they don’t want to understand or debate.

The bible belt is less less diverse, less understanding of immigrant popultions.

The bible belt cities tend to be very devided racially.

The bible belt still has corporal punishment in some public schools!

The Christians in the bible belt seem to be unable to understand what it is like to be a religious minority.

The bible belt are less direct than other parts of the country and it can be very frustrating.

The bible belt can be very social, people get together for dinner, wine tastings, etc, this is very nice, but don’t talk about any current events that might cause friction.

If someone in NY helps you, it is because they genuinely want to help, in the bible belt there are people like that, but there are also a lot of people who are sweet and helpful and then resent it or talk behind your back.

It depends on what you consider friendly. In general, having lived in south the for 23 of the past 27 years, I do not find southern people to be nicer. They pay more attention to you, but they are a lot more likely to smile to your face then turn around and talk behind your back. I very much prefer the anonymity of the “rude yankees” who simply take no interest in me. (That said, I also find the difference is related more to population than location – people in small towns up north are friendlier than those in large southern cities.)

Regarding the Bible part, it is different. Here it is expected that you go to church. The question isn’t “do you go to church?” it is “where do you go to church?” My family didn’t go to church and, when we moved here from Indiana, I was a shock to everyone who went to school with me. Their parents actually told them they could not be friends with me. Now that I’m an adult, I still prefer not to talk about religion because people are so judgmental about it. I’m pretty much agnostic and I have only found one other person to discuss it with – and it took us over a year to figure out for sure that we are on the same wavelength and “safe.” She is from California, btw.

When I lived in Indiana, NC (military town, so not reflective of the bible belt in general) and CA church was not a big deal at all. If I was asked, “Do you go to church?” it was purely curiosity.

@jeanna Wow. That’s about the biggest blanket statement I’ve ever heard. Definitely not factual.

@JLeslie So, you are saying that in NY everyone that ever helps someone genuinely wants to help? How can you really make that last statement about the Bible Belt and not the NE states?

Many of your examples are far from what I have experienced in the Bible Belt. I cannot even think of one person who avoids current events out of fear of friction, for example.

Is “Bible Belt” synonymous with “South” for yall?

@La_chica_gomela The Bible Belt is in the South, but I don’t think exactly the same…. You can find a map w/ the Bible Belt highlighted on the internet if you’re interested. I thougth the same thing at first though.

@La_chica_gomela almost synonomous, does not include south Florida.

@BBSDTfamily: Oh, I was raised in what we call “the buckle”. It just sounded like some were using them interchangably, and they’re not the same for me, so I wondered.

@La_chica_gomela where is the buckle?

@La_chica_gomela I agree that some of the responses seem to be using the two interchangeably…

I live in the bible belt(Midwest to be exact, hicks ville) but I grew up in Las Vegas. The people that I have known from the small towns are more friendly than the people that I have met from the large cities. Where else can you live with your doors unlocked?

@jeanna I disagree. There are fake people everywhere! My sister lives in Los Angeles and she is so materialistic. This is my conversation with her: “Hi Jonsblond! I just had an amazing day. Three celebrity sightings! Isn’t that amazing!”. My response: “I saw a deer in my backyard, heard a coyote at night and listened to the crickets. Isn’t that amazing!”.

It’s what we say in Nashville, that it’s “the buckle of the bible belt”. The Southern Baptist “convention” (as it’s called is seated there, among many other reasons. (it’s not an actual convention, it’s analogous to their corporate offices). Lifeway Christian Store is also headquartered there.

Here’s a good map: http://borealdreams.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/map_jesusland_liberty.gif

:P

I disagree with where Nevada is placed, but I know that picture is based on the 2004 election results.

@La_chica_gomela I live in Memphis, well just outside of Memphis, and most of the southerners I was describing are from smaller towns, especially MS. Nashville I would guess has people from all over the country? AND, more money and education I’m thinking, but that is a guess on my part. Someone mentioned city size, I think that matters too many times.

@DominicX that’s a little extreme. LOL. :)

@DominicX: That looks nothing like a belt…
—WTF, Alaska might be in “jesusland” whatever the f* that is, but it’s definitely not in the bible belt. come on!—-

Outside of the Bible Belt, when you ask your daughter’s fiance if he’s a religious man, the answer is irrelevant.

@JLeslie: Yeah, my dad lives in Memphis. It’s quite a bit different than Nashville in general. I agree that city versus country is definitely a factor in the lifestyle that people have, in any part of the country.

@La_chica_gomela And Nashville is more civilized in many ways than Memphis, you have Publix, Cheesecake Factory, Trader Joes, Noshville, I could go on.

@JLeslie: Pshh, Publix is overpriced, badly organized, and seriously lacking in the organic department, the Cheesecake Factory is totally overrated, I’ve never been to Trader Joe’s because it just opened (like 6 months ago, right?) and I don’t get back to Nashville that often, and okay, you’re right, Noshville is delicious. ;-P
Besides, you guys have Memphis in May AND the Italian Street Fair.

City or country, bible belt or coasters, it doesn’t matter. I’ve lived with them all. There are dumb asses on every corner. You can’t judge someone by where they live in this country.

@jonsblond: Amen

@jonsblond

That’s true, but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t any differences between them.

@jonsblond I agree that you take everyone as an individual, these are generalizations because they happen over and over again in the different regions. There are nice people everywhere, we love our neighbors here, spend tons of time with them and travel with them. We didn’t just assume they were nutty bible belters and not talk to them.

@La_chica_gomela In Nashville I load up on Publix groceries and get my fix at cheesecake factor (I don’t eat cheesecake, I like some of the entrees).

@La_chica_gomela My husband and I don’t love the bbq here, we like NC with the vinegar—yum! But Gus’s fried chicken in Memphis is soooo goood!

I think we’re more alike than we are different.

@The_Compassionate_Heretic So do I.

It’s like another planet. live in a liberal city and then visit people in the thick of the bible belt, ”No Thank you sir, I wouldn’t like a PBR with my pancakes…”

My family is from Missouri… that’s in the bible belt, yes? I grew up just outside of Washington, DC and visited family in Missouri frequently while growing up and as an adult. Yes, it’s different. Way different. The most interesting thing to me was going to church with the family in MO… a bunch of pasty white folks singin’ gospel and swayin’ in the aisles. Yet, when my cousin had her wedding reception there, they forbid them to have music!

@jonsblond The midwest is not the bible belt.

I feel like of lot of people use “bible belt”, “south” and “a small town” interchangeably, and they’re really not the same at all. Missouri is not the bible belt. The mid-west is not the bible belt. I feel like most of what’s been discussed on this thread actually applies to small towns.
@ABoyNamedBoobs03: Where is this “thick of bible belt”, because we don’t drink PBR where I’m from…

Well if Missouri’s not in the bible belt, it certainly should be… Christianity is very big there.

@augustlan For me I think you might be able to say that southern MO is bible belt, where it borders Arkansas, but St Louis is Midwest and other cities to the west. You drive from Arkansas North up I55 and businesses start to have German names and the accent changes…it’s the beginning of the midwest, next to Illinois.

@augustlan: Well, that was my opinion. I just looked at wikipedia, and it agrees with you to some extent.

@JLeslie I live in central Illinois. We have many religious folks in these parts. We also have a community not far from here that is Amish. I really don’t see much difference when someone mentions the bible belt and where I live.

Haha… Wikipedia agrees with me. I don’t know why, but I find that very amusing!

@augustlan Interesting. But St Louis, I cannot believe that is considered bible belt? Did wikipedia say the parameters they use for deciding this?

@jonsblond have you ever been or lived in Alabama, TN, or MS? Illinois is different. When I use bible belt I am thinking Christian (not catholic) southerner as a general definition. The midwest has many more Catholics than Protestans.

@JLeslie I live in the cornfields of central Illinois. I guess that’s not religious enough for this question and I have no right to answer. sigh You’ve never been to central Illinois, have you?

@jonsblond probably should say evangelical type Chsitians, the Amish aren’t out recruiting people are thinking everyone should believe as they do, they keep to themselves.

@JLeslie: I just looked at the map, I didn’t read it, but that particular entry has 18 references. Feel free to browse through them. The article is linked in the original post.

Ok, I looked up the wikipedia, and St. Louis is excluded because of all of the Catholics and Jews. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_belt

Well, that clears that up. The family is from Independence, MO… birth place of Harry Truman.

@jonsblond just drove though Illinois this weekend, accross 70 and then down 57, stayed near Rend Lake area (that is kinda south I guess). The midwest is a pleasure. I went to school in Michigan and my sister went to school in Wisconsin, we love it there. People are down to earth, non-judgmetal, interested in what makes you unique, but not to use it against you, great story tellers, social…service is good in restaurants, medical facilities, hotels. I find the south to be lacking many times in service, they don’t talk openly about or make light of ethnic backgrounds, they are the most PC people I have ever met in social settings, and the most racist I have met behind closed doors. Again, I am not saying everyone—generalizing.

@JLeslie My father’s side of the family is from Tennessee and Kentucky. I have also traveled there before. I find it very similar to where I live now. More so than the larger cities that I have lived in on the west coast. The Midwest may not be “the bible belt” but it is close enough. I answered this question based on my life experience, living in different parts of this country.

@jonsblond I think you are right that small town, big city matters. I said earlier that I love MI, but then they have crazy militia there too. I always say there are good people everywhere.

Where you live they judge you if you don’t go to church, they cant understand where atheists get their morals from, they think their religion is the only right one, and there are people who believe the earth is only 4,000 years old (I have heard 7,000 also) and they think Israel is important because the Jews are destined to rebuild the temple and fufill some biblical prophacy, and they are against gay marriage? I’m not being argumentative, I am curious. Where you live in Illinois could be like the south, I don’t doubt it.

There’s still a Bible belt these days? o . O

Wow. If you pidgenholed any other group of people like this and made sweeping, stereotypical, comments like above you would be considered racist.

You asked, I answered. Based on my experiences living in SC and Georgia, what I said holds very true. There’s a comedian I heard recently that was talking about the differences between NY and NC (can’t remember his name). He said in NC you wonder what’s going on in the houses. You know bad things are happening, but they’re done behind closed doors. Whereas in NY, you see it right in front of you.

@Blondesjon I am NOT pigeonholing. Why do so many people on fluther ignore the entire science of sociology? There are simply more evangelicals in the bible belt than other parts of the country. I am not saying that all people who consider themselves evangelical fit into everything I said above either, but you are not going to find that type of Christian as easily outside of the south, it is a statistical FACT. My neighbors parents fit every single thing I said 3 posts above. If you said most of the people who work in the diamond district in NY are Jewish, that would be true to, but not everybody is, I know that. If you said a bunch of stereotypes about Jews, I would just tell you which ones fit me and my family and which ones don’t I would not be defensive or think you think every Jew is the same (unless you said something really crazy like we have horns). It is not racist to be aware of differences among populations. When Cosby sites the statistic that 50% of black men don’t finish high school is he being a racist?

And, to get off religion I talked about many many different things that are stereotypical bible belt to me in my very first post like the whole ma’am thing, and Miss Scarlet, and corporal punishment in public school, you are not going to find these in other parts of the country (except ma’am and sir are used by military people), I don’t think even in Illinois, but I could be wrong, I am making assumption, which we all know assumptions are many times wrong, feel free to correct me, you have not said which things are true in the south and which ones aren’t in Illinois from my long list way at the top. You just said they seem the same to you, not sure what the “same” actually means. They are all friendly? They are generally all go to church? they are family oriented? A stranger will say “hello” to you? I think we were pointing out some distintive differences. I did a trivial fun question on this with pop vs soda and sprinkles vs. Jimmies. No one is saying one is more right than the other, just that when you go to a different part of the country there are some obvious differences.

How accurate is this map?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BibleBelt.png

From:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_belt

@mattbrowne I think the map is pretty good. Of course there are pockets within that red area that are not “bible belt” like, but as a generalization I think it is pretty accurate.

@JLeslie – I’m surprised about Missouri, almost all Bible belt!? I studied in Lawrence, KS and the town is definitely not Bible belt as shown on the map.

I have never come across any difference. Now 30 years ago. Different story.
But today, Nadda.

@mattbrowne Yes, that was the one state I questioned also if you see my comments above. St Louis is considered midwest, if you look at the wiki explanation. I think of very southern MO as having southern/bible belt attitudes, but I personally would make the majority of that state midwest from my experience. Even Springfield feels like the midwest to me.

“bible belt” traditionally refers to southern states where protestantism is the dominant religion and religion tends to influence political views, i.e. protestants tend to be politcally active and support candidates “like” them.

that said, there’s really nothing different about the south w.r.t religion and most other parts of the country. the south does differ from say the north in that it is much more homogeneous.

for example, in the part of the south where i grew up there are three kinds of people – white, black and brown. and in regards to race/ethnic background, in the south you tend to know how a person of a different background regards you – here in the chicagoland it’s not that obvious that someone holds your background against.

a second example is as mentioned before, protestant religions reign supreme. and religious people tend to be rather fundamental in their beliefs.

but, the true test of bible belt or not is if after asking for a coke you’re asked, what kind?

@mattbrowne lawrence may not be representative of the rest of MO as it’s kind of a college town, right? also depends on whether “bible belt” is a demographic or geographic designator to you. as demographic, “bible belt” would apply to many non-southern locales – the midwest in particular might generally be part of the bible belt, particularly rural midwest.

Mom came from the bible belt. The only family that didn’t disown her for marrying a Mexican was her parents and her dad’s bro and family.

I have had many gay friends tell me horror stories about being in W.V. and Alabama. Apparently outright hostility does happen. So much that locals followed my friends to their car.

I would love to see that part of the country, but I can’t even imagine what might happen to an outspoken, gay girl with tattoos.

You will find little pockets of communities everywhere that have an “agenda” to keep their little world “pure”.
There is a town in Indiana that is all aryan. Good luck being a black man and trying to move into a house there.

Theses issues are everywhere, we just tend to stereo type places in the country that have had a history of bigotry and racism.

@avalmez well said. Not sure if I said it here, but I frequently point out that having only two major ethnic groups in an area, compared to the diversity in other cities is a big factor. Memphis is very black and white, the whites barely talk about where their families hail from, and there is almost no mention at all in public situations in the south of ethnis differences. I grew up in NY, DC and most of my adult life in southeast FL. My friends are from everywhere in the world, every religion. We have open discussions and can take a joke. In the south they are racist behind closed doors, seem overly sensitive, and overly defensive. When you are one of many it is very different than being part of the group in a majority or minority, there is less “us and them” mentality.

@tinyfaery there is a section in Memphis that is very artsy, liberal, and gay, they do exist down here—thank God. My neighbor, the one with the parents who think the world is only 4,000 years old (where the f&!k does she get that number from? I mean the Jews have been around for over 5700 years?) One of her daughters is gay, not sure the mother ever knew. The family was originally from Alabama. The siblings are against gay marriage, and they know their sister is gay.

I was away for the weekend with friends of ours that are in the same club. One of the guys, we will call him Jim, has a cousin who lives in Indiana near where we were all staying. When I asked Jim’s girlfriend why the cousin didn’t join us all for dinner (we were over 15 people, we do not all sit at one table in a restaurant, it would not be dificult to add them) she said, “he had a date and he’s gay.” If he was straight he could have brought his date. That is depressing to me. So he will not spend as much time with is cousin because Jim’s southern friends might talk? I actually think they would be ok with it, this particular group of people, but still Jim was worried. Totally sucks.

Anyone who has spent any time in Illinois will realize that there are usually more churches than fast food restaurants, and while this isn’t a true indication of Bible Belt, the Midwest does have a preponderance of folks that say Ma’am and sir, but it is usually older folks, and people raised to be polite, and those with military backgrounds. There aren’t very many atheists in IL, unless you count Chicago, which isn’t a part of IL in my book. It should be its own state. Chicago needs IL more than IL needs Chicago.

I’ve always considered IL the Bible Belt, simply because of the percentage of religious folks here. Iowa is the same, and is even more Christian and conservative.

@JLeslie Wow. You are generalizing in every response you give. Blanket statement after blanket statement.

Absolutely.

I love how people refuse to admit facts for the sake of political correctness. All stereotypes are based on fact. Many stereotypes are true much of the time. It’s just the way it is. If you don’t want to admit it, fine. But facts are facts.

I lived in South Carolina for many years growing up.

Southerners were, as a whole, some of the most closed minded, gossipy people I’ve ever met. There were many who weren’t, but even more who were. Sure, many people would smile and be sweet as sugar to your face… but it would be no indication of what they were really thinking. I’d rather know what people think, and I found that people tend to be much more honest and less phony in other parts of the country.

I’m Jewish. There were kids in my school who weren’t allowed to play with me.
In 4th grade art class, I got black ink all over my hands. A boy sitting by me was very concerned- clearly, I was bleeding my black Jewish blood. It’s just ingrained ignorance.

@DominicX If all stereotypes are based on fact, you would have to admit that all homosexuals are promiscuous. Is that a true fact? I know for a fact it isn’t.

@jonsblond

Um, no. A stereotype means that it is BASED on fact. Meaning that, SOME homosexuals are promiscuous, and that’s where the stereotype comes from. A stereotype doesn’t mean that all of anything are that way. It means “some”. Stereotypes are a problem because people take them too far and assume that all or most are that way, when it really only ends up being some. Stereotypes are based on recurrences of phenomena. For example, around here there is a stereotype that non-whites and non-Asians have less money than whites and Asians (in the Bay Area at least). Not all of them have less money, but many of them do and many of the low-rent districts have significant Hispanic or African American populations. It’s just a fact. Doesn’t mean that “all” of them do. Most people who aren’t stupid don’t assume that all of a group of people are the same.

Stereotypes may be generalizations but are wrong when applied generally. Why is because any given individual conforms more or less to an applicable stereotype and to the extent the type does not apply to a specific individual that individual is incorrectly characterised.

@DominicX A stereotype does mean all. This is the definition that I found from Wikipedia: A stereotype is a type of logical oversimplification in which all the members of a class or set are considered to be definable by an easily distinguishable set of characteristics.

I do agree with your statement that “Most people who aren’t stupid don’t assume that all of a group of people are the same.”

@jonsblond

This is the definition of stereotype I use: A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

I guess we have different ideas of what it is. It’s oversimplified because it attempts to unify all members of a group, but it cannot, because all members of a group are simply not the same. But they are based on fact. It’s a stereotype that blond women are dumb. This comes from some people having experience with dumb blond women. It doesn’t mean they all are. The two dumbest girls at my school were brunettes. A stereotype doesn’t usually come out of nowhere; it has some basis in fact, including the one that homosexuals are promiscuous.

Yes, no question. Sometimes it’s sickening. I’ve lived all over the US. I can’t stand the closed mindedness and racism of people in the Bible Belt, but at the same time, they have compassion unlike any other place. Aaand, I love the weather…I’m just going to move to an island and be done with it.
Two things that totally suck here: Blue laws and religious throat cramming practices.
And at @JLeslie, everything you said was totally untrue and presumptuous. I believe you should edit that and start every sentence with “In my opinion,”
Altogether, you’ll meet ignorant people everywhere, the Bible Belt just has a different type. But then again, I don’t believe the question was ” Is life around Bible Belt stereotypes different than other stereotypes?”

@Clair Who wrote “Altogether, you’ll meet ignorant people everywhere, the Bible Belt just has a different type” I didn’t write that. And, isn’t this all our opinions? If I think something is a fact or a statistic I say so, but mostly it is personal observation and opinion on here. I try to say throughout that I know it is not everybody, I am using generalizations…do I have to say that over and over or can you all just accept I am not a bigot, and that you do not want to have an open conversation about the differences between groups? I would NEVER say that everyone in a group is the same, that is ridiculous. I am part of a religious minority, I don’t want everyone to think I fit all of the stereotypes from that group and make assumptions, I want them to get to know ME, I do that for everyone I meet. But, I do have some things in common with my group that are from my background, I don’t think that is a bad thing. Some of you are making it like all stereotypes are negative and horrible? Stereotypes usually develop because there is some statistical truth to them. Is anyone on here really going to deny that in Alabama people would call me Miss Leslie, and in NY they wouldn’t, they would call me Leslie or Ms. Doe, never Miss Leslie, unless they were from the south (and maybe parts of Illinois from what I am learning). This does not make me a racist, how do you get that?

I ASKED @jonsblond why specifically she thinks the people in Illinois are like southerners and if they do some of the things I mentioned at the top so I could LEARN what her experience is, in case my ASSUMPTIONS were wrong about where she lives. I was aware I might be wrong about my assumption that is why I asked. I ask, I don’t just go on my merry way with a bunch of crap in my head.

Companies spend a lot of money paying people to analyze demographics and psychographics, which are basically making generalization of various groups spending habits, rituals, norms, education level, etc. To say these don’t exist makes no sense.

@BBSDTfamily “Many of your examples are far from what I have experienced in the Bible Belt. I cannot even think of one person who avoids current events out of fear of friction, for example.” I think that is great, I am glad to know it, I don’t think EVERYONE in the bible belt avoids current events, I am just saying in my experience I see that more here than other places I have lived. My girlfriend who lived in the Memphis area her whole life, and taught HS in MS outside of Memphis, moved to St. Louis a year ago and teaches there (she is in her early 40’s). SHE was telling me the differences she observed…“no corporal punishment in St Louis, they use detention, kids don’t say “yes ma’am” only “yes” when you ask them something, the kids don’t tuck their shirts in… she went on. So, really I understand that right now we can just say this about the two schools with n these two cities, you can’t take this and say ALL of the bible belt is like that school in MS and all of the midwest is like the St’ Louis school, I know that, I am not saying that, but if you see it over and over a again you can start making generalizations. I would never think to ask if corporal punishment is still acceptable in a public school in NY, that is insanity to me. I would not have thought of it in the “bible belt” either, until she said that to me, I am shocked it happens anywhere in the US.

@jonsblond I am acknowledging that a stereotype is an over simplification. I am AWARE of that, so when I say a stereotype I hope that people understand, especially since I have said it 100 times, that I am oversimplifying and don’t think it is everyone in the group. Your reaction reminds me of many of the people I interact with in the bible belt, overly PC. We just see it differently I don’t think you are wrong and I am right, I think you might think it is disrespectful to make any generalizations? Seinfeld, Fran Drescher, Joy Behar, George Lopez, Ray Romano, Brad Garrett all are acknowledging stereotypes. You want to say they don’t exist.

@JLeslie You asked earlier why I felt that Illinois was like the bible belt. @evelyns_pet_zebra knows what I’m talking about because he lives maybe 90 miles from me. He knows just as I do that rural Illinois is full of religious folk. My town of 3000 has 3 churches. The town next to us with a population of 2000 has 2 or 3 churches. A town just 5 miles away with a population of 1200 has over 10 churches. I drive past a church almost daily that has a sign out front that lets everyone know exactly what Jesus wants us to do. Another town just 7 miles away is full of Apostolic Christians where the women are only allowed to wear long skirts and their hair must be put up in a bun. Every summer I avoid answering the door when young men dressed in black pants and white shirts come knocking. It feels like the bible belt to me but I live a couple hundred miles away from the “official” bible belt. I guess my opinion on this subject doesn’t matter.

The elementary school here asks that you call the teachers Miss Sheila or Mr. Louie.
It’s polite to say sir or ma’am.
We can be very social, people get together for dinner, wine tastings, etc, and we
talk about any current events that might cause friction.
If someone in rural Illinois helps you, it is because they genuinely want to help, and they don’t talk about you behind your back.

Many of the stereotypes that you mentioned can be said for people from any state in the U.S. I personally hate big cities because I feel that many of the people there are fake, disingenuous and materialistic. I can walk around my town in jeans and a tshirt and nobody will think that I don’t care about my appearance. If I walked around like that in many large cities, I would get the stares. I know, I’ve been there. I even had my flight attendant sister tell me that if she flew me out to LA on a pass to visit her I would have to dress appropriately.

I took offense to the stereotypes because I feel that small town/bible belt America gets an undeserved bad rap.

@jonsblond What you said matters, I am surprised IL is so religious, bible belt, I stand corrected on that. The thing that was getting to me was that you seemed appalled at the stereotypes and generalizations, basically called me a racist, but you reinforced that some of them are true for the bible belt, to the extent that you are able to say that IL is bible belt, and you have your own stereotypes about big cities. It seemed like you were talking out of both sides of your mouth, it made no sense to me.

By the way, when I went on about how I had asked you why specifically IL is like the bible belt, I was not coming after you, I think it might have seemed that way, I was trying to say to the group that I am interested in learning and am fine if my assumptions are wrong, sorry if it seemed aggressive in any way, some other were chiming in and I was feeling misunderstood.

There are nice people everywhere, and mean people everywhere, so true.

Thanks for responding :).

@JLeslie I think you may have me confused with my husband Blondesjon. I never called you racist.

I know that you weren’t coming after me when you asked for me to clarify why I felt that parts of Illinois are like the bible belt. You just wanted to know why I felt that way. It’s all good. :)

Like I said before, I take offense when small towns get a bad rap. You must admit that they do more so than large cities. I wish everyone would quit “Fox-Newsing” small town America.

@jonsblond You are correct, I was confusing you and your husband, never realized it was two of you. I do think I was putting together the south and the bible belt more than I probably should, it was not computing with me that parts of the midwest could also be considered bible belt. A few of us questioned Augustlins statement about MO also.

About your sister, she might have told what to wear in the city she lives so that you would be more comfortable, maybe she feels uncomfortable if she is not wearing like attire to the people around her and prejected that onto you. It is true that people in the larger cities are more fashion aware, but if you showed up very casual most people would think either you didn’t care about fashion or maybe you are from out of town, but not judging you. If they judge they suck, especially if it is friends of your sister, what does what you wear have anything to do with getting to know you?

I think small towns do get a bad rap sometimes. It’s like what I said about kids calling their parents ma’am and sir, where I grew up that is perceived as extreme and the assumption might be the parents are very strict. But that assumption is a bad one, it is just that in certain parts of the country it is customary to use ma’am and sir, I did not know this until I spent time in the south. I kind of grew up in that NE mentality of everything in the middle of the country just kind of blends together, that the coasts are more with it. But, I went to school in the midwest and so did my sister and we loved it. We both realized that you don’t really know a place or people until you get to know them/it.

I think the electoral college map has done a disservice, because people think entire states all think the same way when they look at it. The vote could have been 49/51 but the whole state now looks RED.

@JLeslie I agree. The electoral college map has done a disservice. Here’s the map. Click on Illinois and you can see how divided it was. I live in the red county just south of Peoria.

I don’t have stereotypes of large cities, I just feel more welcome and comfortable in small towns. To answer @BBSDTfamily‘s question, from my experience I feel life is different living in (or near) the bible belt. Life does seem a bit slower and laid back. Luckily with the interent, everyone in these small towns can keep up with the rest of the world if they choose to do so.

@jonsblond cool map. I hate the electoral college, My vote counts when I live in FL, but not in TN, and wouldn’t in NY. It only matters in a swing state. I think my vote should count as one vote no matter where in the country I live.

@JLeslie I completely agree with you. I supported Hillary in the primaries and of course she had no chance here in Illinois.

I voted for Hillary too. She actually won in TN in the primaries. I still think she would have been great.

ok…‘nuff chick chat for a minute here :)

how seredipitous this arrived in my inbox today, The North versus the South (hope it formats properly):

> The
> North
> has Bloomingdale’s , the South
> has Dollar
> General .
>
> The
> North has coffee houses,
> the South
> has Waffle
> Houses .
>
> The
> North has dating services,
> the South has family
> reunions.
>
> The North has switchblade
> knives; the South
> has .45’s
>
> The North has double
> last names; the South has
> double first
> names.
>
> The North has Indy car
> races; The South
> has stock car
> races .
>
> North has Cream
> of Wheat , the South
> has
> grits.
>
> The North has green salads,
> the South has collard
> greens .
>
> The North has
> lobsters, the South has
> crawfish
> .
>
> The North has the rust belt; the
> South has the Bible
> Belt .
>
> FOR
> NORTHERNERS MOVING SOUTH .
> .
> ....
>
> In
> the South :—If you
> run your car into a
> ditch, don’t panic.
> Four men in
> a four-wheel
> drive pickup truck with a
> tow chain will be along
> shortly. Don’t try to
> help them, just stay out of
> their way. This is
> what they live for.
>
> Don’t be
> surprised to find movie
> rentals and bait in the
> same store… Do not buy
> food at this
> store.
>
> Remember, ‘Y’all’ is
> singular, ‘all
> y’all’ is plural, and ‘all
> y’all’s’ is
> plural possessive
>
> Get
> used to hearing ‘You
> ain’t from round here, are
> ya?’
>
> Save all manner of bacon
> grease. You will be
> instructed later on how to
> use it.
>
> Don’t be worried at not
> understanding what people
> are saying. They can’t
> understand you either. The
>
> first Southern statement to creep into
> a transplanted
> Northerner’s vocabulary is the
> adjective
> ‘big’ol,’ truck or ‘big’ol’ boy.
> Most
> Northerners begin their
> Southern-influenced
> dialect this way. All of
> them are in denial
> about it.
>
> The proper pronunciation
> you learned in school is no
> longer
>
> proper .
>
> Be
> advised that ‘He needed
> killin..’ is a valid
> defense here.
>
> If you hear a
> Southerner exclaim,
> ‘Hey, y’all watch this,’ you
> should stay out of the way.
> These are likely to
> be the last words he’ll
> ever
> say.
>
> If there is the prediction of
> the slightest chance of
> even the smallest
> accumulation of snow, your
> presence is required
> at the local grocery store.
> It doesn’t matter
> whether you need anything
> or not. You just have
> to go there.
>
> Do not be surprised to
> find that 10-year olds own
> their own shotguns,
> they are proficient
> marksmen, and their mammas
> taught them how to
> aim.
>
> In the
> South, we have found that
> the best way to grow a
> lush green lawn is to pour
> gravel on it and call
> it a driveway.
>
> AND REMEMBER: If you do
> settle in the South and
> bear children, don’t
> think we will accept them
> as Southerners..
> After all, if the cat had
> kittens in the oven,
> we ain’t gonna
> call ‘em
> biscuits.

See what I mean ^^.

Had the above been jokes about black folks or women they would be unnacceptable.

Why is it ok, instead, to replace “black” or “woman” with “southerner” or someone who is “small town”? How are these sweeping, blanket, uninformed statements somehow “ok”?

@Blondesjon the whole thing is meant to amuse not offend. sorry to have touched a sore spot here. i’ll delete my response if you can tell me how to.

@Blondesjon Do you know who Jeff Foxworthy is? http://www.jefffoxworthy.com/ willing to laugh at stereotypical things from where he lives. No one wants to offend anyone, we people who laugh at ourselves and the groups we identify with, don’t understand why others might be so offended, but I can respect it. Some of things are just different in different parts of the country, it doesn’t mean its more correct. Except that thing about the south using Coke for Pepsi, that’s wrong :) JK.

I’m just making a point kids.

@avalmez . . .You have every right to say what you want. Never back down from this right, even if someone else is exercising their right to do the same.

@JLeslie . . .Jeff Foxworthy is willing to laugh at stereotypical things from where he lives because HE GETS PAID TO.

And it is wrong to refer to Pepsi as Coke since we are all aware that Pepsi is the superior product.

You heard him kids, doing bad things is OK so long as you’re getting paid.

@Blondesjon Now those are fighting words, Pepsi is better than coke? LOL! No, people laugh at themselves without getting paid, I can tell a Jewish joke, I know blonds who tell blond jokes. I think I had said to your wife, because I had you two confused, that she, meaning you, sound like a lot of the people around me who are soooo super PC, they seem never to acknowledge any ethnicity at all, any cultural differences, I am not used to that.

@Ivan . . .Did you actually read my statement?

I think you may be a great future physicist but your reading comprehension is a bit lacking.

My statement only explained my opinion of why Jeff Foxworthy tells his jokes. I never made mention of whether it was OK.

@Blondesjon I know exactly what you’re trying to say and that’s the same way I feel. These jokes just aren’t acceptable to me.

@Clair

No jokes about something you’re personally related to are “acceptable”. Straight southern people may laugh their ass off at gay jokes, but can’t stand to hear jokes about southerners. Women may think jokes about men are funny, but jokes about women are off-limits. Black people may think Hispanic jokes are funny, but don’t even think about telling a black joke.

I think I’m different in that I find they can all be funny if they are truly a good joke. That’s just me. Also, you have to have an ability to laugh at yourself. These particular jokes are not promoting violence or hatred towards Southerners. I’ve seen some racist jokes that do that; I’m sorry, but these are not on the same level as certain ones I’ve seen.

@DominicX i can’t agree with your opening comments. i find there are people who can’t laugh at themselves, but they are usually not worth my time. but, your first statement is false often enough in my experience to render the statement generally false.

the post i made above that set blondesjon off was sent to me by a southerner. i lived the first half of my life in the south and i find the post hilarious. and why? because it is so close to the truth. and it has been widely distributed – amongst southerners!

so believe it or not, the world is filled with people like yourself who can laugh at a good joke because it’s funny, even if the content or subject may be objectionable. if that weren’t the case, comedians wouldn’t be able to make a living.

@avalmez . . .I actually agree 100% with @DominicX (very well put). Funny is funny and we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves. If you have ever seen any of my posts on this site you would realize that I am an enormous, tasteless prick.

I made my statements to point out the hypocrisy inherent in nearly everyone. It is currently ok to make jokes in the same vein as your “southerner” jokes whereas jokes about homosexuals or blacks are frowned upon.

Let me point out a couple of ways in which your harmless Southerner jokes are indeed as distasteful as any other type of racist joke.

Remember, ‘Y’all’ is singular, ‘all y’all’ is plural, and ‘all y’all’s’ is plural possessive.

If you made this statement about African Americans and replaced the “y’all“s with Ebonics you would be labeled racist and insensitive. If you heard someone else tell a joke of this sort in mixed company I think you would probably even think the same thing about the teller.

The North has dating services, the South has family reunions.

This a blanket statement about a group of people being prone to incest. Is incest funny? I guess that is a matter of taste.

Finally this statement:

the post i made above that set blondesjon off was sent to me by a southerner. i lived the first half of my life in the south and i find the post hilarious. and why? because it is so close to the truth. and it has been widely distributed – amongst southerners!

This is the equivalent of saying “Oh, it’s ok, some of my best friends are <insert race, gender or sexual preference here>.”

Again, I could give a fuck less about any jokes. I just wanted to point out that a great number of the people who spouted off about one group on here would get their hackles up if the same type of shit was said about another group.

I believe in making fun of everyone equally.

@Blondesjon I tried to go back and see if you have written an answer to the original question. Forgive me if I missed it, but I am curious, “do you think like it is different in and out of the bible belt?”

@JLeslie . . .People are people no matter where you live.

@Blondesjon it’s funny that i find myself on this end of our exchange because yesterday i was on the other side of a very similar exchange. i don’t think it’s possible to draw lines where humor for the sake of humor ends, and humor for the sake of denigration begins.

it seems your beef is not with the jokes/humor in question, but with the different standards people apply to different subject matters. and that’s similar to the question of where does free speech end and criminal incitement begin. and on the latter, the courts at least have ruled that each case must be considered individually, a blanket standard can not be set.

a similar case can be made for humor. and by the way, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. porn is defined according to community standards. So, jokes, free speech and porn are all kind of in the same boat, you know?

and so, yep, different standards apply, but i would not agree that means hypocrisy is in action. some “jokes” are indeed inappropriate. And, appropriateness is relative. Appropriateness depends on the setting and the audience, not the person making the joke. know what i mean?

and, the point i disagree on with @DominicX is that jokes close to the home of an individual are never appropriate to the individual. He, myself, and many many others are well able to laugh at ourselves – as even a huge tasteless prick is able to :)

@Blondesjon and while it’s nice to think people are people no matter where you live, an American living in Iran is not the same as an Iranian living in the US. Who you are is always relative to where you are in a very effective sense. Not saying that’s right, not disagreeing with the altruistic meaning behind your statement.

@DominicX I totally understand what you mean, but I don’t find any gay jokes, men jokes or anything like that acceptable. I love to laugh as much as the next person, but anything that is truely offensive, just isn’t right.