The South nowadays

I live in Alaska, but have lived in the South (I don't include Texas, unless it's the eastern half). Lived In Shreveport, Louisiana for 7 years of my life that I'll never get back. Their idea of "progress" is building a bunch of casinos. As for racism, I'll put it this way. Even though it was 20 years ago, a man named David Duke was running for governor. This slimebag was a Grand Wizard of the KKK and some Uncle Tom was on TV defending him when he was running. Nearly half the state voted for him and over 35% of Louisiana is black. Do the math. Anyway, his headqurters in neighboring Bossier City had 2 vehicles parked in front of it to include a BMW and a truck with a Confederate Flag license plate and a shotgun hooked to the back window.

So, to answer your question, I think racism in the south is still very alive and well, but covert. Many generations of inbreeding have destroyed the minds of those Crackers, so I cut them a little slack.

I think the South is better on race than it has been in the past. What is interesting is that in College or Pro sports teams in the South the majority of players are black and the majority of fans in the stands are white. It is interesting to see this in colleges across the South since integration in the 1960s and 1970s. The University of Mississippi has really tried to make amends for the mistakes of the past.

To understand were the South is now though you have to understand the politics of the past that have shaped it. I would highly recommend reading 'Revolt of the Rednecks Mississippi Politics, 1876-1925' by Albert D. Kirwan and 'The Earl of Louisiana' by A. J. Liebling. These books really show what terrible positions certain politicians used to become elected in the South.

I would also recommend 'Confederates in the Attic' by Tony Horwitz which is a good look at American Civil War remembrance in the '90s and present day race relations in the South. It is a sometimes flawed but overall very fascinating book.

As Randy Newman put it in his great song 'Rednecks' the race problem has not only been a huge Southern problem but a national problem. I think the whole United States needs to continue to work on this as it has over the last fifty years.

Here is Newman's performance of that song that captures the irony of race relations in the United States so well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nGw_vAnqPI

It has only been a short time really since all of these events have taken place and I believe that things can continue to improve in the South. The South has tried to make belated amends in the prosecution of crimes that took place in the Civil Rights era. I think race relations can continue to get better in the South.

I would recommend seeing the documentary 'Prom Night in Mississippi' with Morgan Freeman showing some of the race relations of the present day. I think it would answer quite a few of your questions.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334555/

Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.

Although it would be optimistic to assume things have changed down there, I would not be surprised if there were little places just like Jessop County still living this segregated lifestyle even today.

Some things will never change.

Perhaps some of you should travel more and quit watching STUPID movies like this one and " A Time to Kill".
nullo facere opinari omnia in serium convertere. vitae ad eundem modum jocari

While I'm from the North, I just want to clarify something. The KKK was mostly made up of conservative Democrats. When the KKK held lots of power over elections, they repeatedly tried to get Republicans out of power or stop them from running, sometimes even using violence.

The way the country votes now is completely flipped from it was back then. During the time period of this movie, the south voted primarily Democrat and the North voted Republican while today, it is the opposite. Also remember that Abe Lincoln was a republican. ;)

I know you aren't saying that Republicans=racists, but there is a tendency for people to think that when it's really the farthest thing from the truth when you look at history.

I live in the South now, and let me clear some things up. There are *a lot* of racist douches. There are *a lot* of homophobic douches (of many races, how they can live with themselves I do not know). There's a lot of stupidity and uneducated people. However, like with anywhere, this is not how all people are. It's not even how the majority is, especially the younger generation. While many of the younger generation turn out just like their racist homophobic hateful parents, often in the name of "tradition", so many more are going against them, learning about tolerance and educating themselves. I think a big part of this is the internet, where they're forced to be exposed to things they otherwise would only have locals and family to influence them with.

I'm not saying it's perfect, but the majority of the south is most certainly not like the bigotry displayed in this movie. And it seems lately you can find bigotry all over, just look at California, supposedly one of the most progressive states ever, and Proposition 8. We, the human race, have a long long way to go, sadly, and there is still a hatred of things that deserve no hatred. Hopefully the more we are open and tolerant of one another (no more "cracker", no more *beep* no more *beep* no more "fag", or any other racist term) the more we'll make progress.

ETA: Interesting that cracker and fag are not censored, whereas n | gg er and sp | c are. I do not like any of these words, and used them merely as examples, but once again it goes to prove how far we have to go before all people are equal.

WALLEForum.com

Who's racist? In the 2008 elections, white Americans closely split their votes ( 55%-43%)McCain-Obama, but African Americans voted for "one of their own" 96% of the time.
There is a paradigm among fans of this film that only white Americans can be racist.

Also I reiterate my point, TRAVEL !!! Go places and meet people.
Many of you are very prejudiced against the Southeastern USA and judging a state based on this ignorant lowbrow of a film simply feeds your prejudices.


nullo facere opinari omnia in serium convertere. vitae ad eundem modum jocari

Well, I grew up in Raymond, MS., just down the road from the house used as Mayor Tilman's was filmed. I grew up in this small town, outside of Jackson, from 1973-1992. I never was aware of any racism growing up. We all grew up together and went to the same schools. I remember in high school, we had a 30 minute break after second period. The students all milled about in the hallways and some class rooms. We didn't really have cliques. Sure white kids would tend to get together as well as the blacks. However, I don't recall any instances of anyone being shunned. If there were, it was usually because a person just wasn't liked by another or whatever, like typical teenagers.

Looking back, I recall the only doctor's office in town. You would walk in the front door and there was a waiting room to the left and another to the right. For some reason, the whites usually went left and the blacks went right. I don't recall any instructions as to which was which by my parents or the staff. As far as I know, it just was. I do recall some folks going to either side. The waiting area to the left was the access to the exam rooms in the back, so everybody had to go through there and would have to go there to sign in at the window.

Another thing was a large private pool just outside of downtown (as it were). I suppose you could say that it was a club because they charged an annual membership, but also had a daily rate of a dollar or so. They used to have baseball games and Fourth of July parties there when I was little, but not much in the later years. I can't say that I recall seeing any blacks there, but I can't say that there never were. I wouldn't say that it was based on racism as many whites wouldn't be able to go either. But, I never knew if there was any reason for the membership other than chemicals and upkeep.

All in all, I won't say that there weren't any racists in town. I knew of some kids who would say un-polite things or jokes in certain company, but they were very few. Of course there's the possibility that I was too young and was oblivious to it. My folks were protective, but I don't think they would have shielded me from anything, especially in my teen years. If it was there, for some reason or another, I never saw it.

BTW, someone was mentioning books to read. I recommend the Politically Incorrect Guide to the South (and Why It Will Rise Again) by Clint Johnson. In it, he highlights many of the great things of the South and how many are bent continuing the many myths about it. You also start to discover that the racism wasn't as widespread and slavery wasn't as bad as we're taught. It's similar to the Old West. When you really look into it and study it, it wasn't was wild and violent as TV, movies, books etc. make it out to be. NOTE: I am NOT saying that racism doesn't exist and that slavery wasn't a bad institution. I'm merely offering that it wasn't what we're told to believe.