Blues for a Red State (Bama)

(with Apologies to Carl Sagan)

I spent the most of the first half of my life in Alabama, the latter half in Arizona I'm old enough to have memories of George Wallace closing our neighborhood school to prevent it from being desegregated. It was my introduction to racial politics in the "Heart of Dixie". I have some perspective of what it is like to very Blue in a Red state, and about the stereotypes about residents of the American South.

People are generally surprised when I tell them that I'm from Alabama. The lack of an accent throws them off (There are various explanations that I won't go into here). What sometimes happens next is interesting. If you want to find out about "Closet Racism", just step into the shoes of an adult white mail, and tell people you're from a deep southern state. I find that liberals will sometimes get a little cautious - until they find out I'm "Actually OK". I don't mind it much, I consider myself lucky that I was raised by progressive parents. I know far too many of my schoolmates from those days have not shaken the generations of prejudice. What is more alarming is the reaction I more commonly get from conservative acquaintances. When they find out that I was raised in the south, they sometimes think it's safe to express views about race that I doubt they would voice in public. I'm told that they admire "Southern Values" with regards to race and they assume that I share that viewpoint since 1 - I'm white and 2 - I'm from the south.

I experience both liberals and conservative geographic stereotyping - but I think there is a substantial difference. The liberals are relieved that I'm not racist and the conservatives are shocked and disappointed.

I have not traveled outside of Arizona much in recent years, but I would not be surprised to get a similar reaction these days. I do not want to be "Congratulated" for our "Bold immigration reform" or hear how swell they think Sheriff Arpaio is.

Just remember that if you mix all in a paint can, it's going to be some shade of purple, even in the reddest and bluest of states.

people assume you share their racist views. I have had that happen from older people who just assume because you are white that you share their views. And for people who hold those views - it always seems to come up in their conversations.

grad from the state of Alabama?

Wah Egul!

28-27!

I don't post all that often - more of a lurker. But, I have to recognize another AU grad. I moved to Chicago 15 years ago after I graduated, and I still have the "You're from where?" conversation once or twice a week.

John Patterson defeated George Wallace. I remember hearing people saying that Wallace claimed John Patterson had "outsegged" him.

When I moved to a Boston suburb in the 60s, my accent was quite noticeable, but I don't remember people stereotyping me about racism. Another transplanted southern friend said that her son's teacher assumed he wasn't intelligent because of his southern accent, though. Fortunately, the son scored high enough on a standardized test to qualify to attend Boston Latin where all students were considered bright because they had qualified to go to school there.

The best thing about the DC suburb where I lived next was the diversity. Few people were natives of the area; they came from all over the US and all over the world. It was liberating.

Now I live in California and people comment on my Southern accent, but they don't seem to make assumptions about my politics. I'm grateful for that.

By the way, where in Alabama did you grow up? I grew up in the piney woods 85 miles north of Mobile. I had a happy childhood there, but I wish there had not been so many inequalities between black and white. There was a lot of poverty among whites (I had friends with outhouses and got their water from a well), but there was much more poverty in the black neighborhoods.

But, both of my parents grew up in "L.A." (Lower Alabama)

I don't mean for that to sound disparaging in any way. I just love the concept of liberals and progressives living (and expanding) in that dense sea of red down there.