There are so many good things I could say about people who live in the south. The friendliness, the way people smile and look at you when you speak to them, caring for family and friends...BUT there is one thing that has not changed for a lot of people (my experience is mostly with those living in the Ozarks). That one thing is prejudice because of the color of a person's skin. It makes me sick to hear comments about 'blacks not living in the area' and the very negative comments that go along with that statement. It's one of the most offensive things I have to deal with from co-workers, and yes a few friends. In the past I refused to befriend anyone who made negative racial comments. I wasn't aware that such ignorance could still exist. My God it's 2011, what on earth is wrong with people. I hope to make any freinds see that what kind of a person one is does not depend on the color of their skin. Recently one of my best friends told a joke that just sickened me. I got up and left the room but did make myself clear. I won't tollerate that kind of thing for long.
I am the grandmother of a multiracial family. A beautiful extended family. The grandchildren are smart, well-mannered, funny, athletic, and have ambitions and dreams. Some are adopted, some are not. I love them all.
Some of the remarks made by folks in the south can chalk up to ignorance, but most of the time it's plain stupidity.
I love Ronnie Dunn's song 'We All Bleed Red'. It should be part of our culture to see a person for who they are, not who we think they are. I have believed that all my life.