Adventures in the Bible Belt

[Le Taz Hot]

So, last week I was visiting relatives in a particular Bible Belt state. I don't want to name the state because I hate broad-brush strokes AND I also met some VERY good, progressive people in this same state -- an important point to remember. Having said that, below are some things that made me realize I wasn't in California anymore:

-I had the wife of a relative tell me, and I quote, "The KKK should just go out and shoot Obama so we'd be rid of him once and for all."

-Same wife of relative, who, btw, goes to church EVERY Sunday, stated that it's a good thing Meals on Wheels was being stopped because those people should get out and work anyway and stop expecting free handouts. (The stupid literally, hurt.)

-I saw the Cheerios commercial where the dad is African-American, the mom is (supposed to be) white and the little girl is a mixture of both mom and dad. Commercial says Cheerios are good for the heart and little girl puts cheerios on her napping dad's heart. In the Bible Belt version, the mom is also African-American. Why was it necessary to offer up a different version for the Bible people?

-Driving down the highway there was a sign that said something like, "Parents, teach your sons to respect women." The sign had a picture of an African-American male. I just looked it up. This particular state has an African-American population of 7.4%. Not-so subliminal messaging.

Not saying we don't have racist assholes in California as we most definitely do. I just don't ever remember the racism being so, well, OUT there.

This is an area where the TeaKlanners are very well represented and I've got to say, they are some scary, scary people.

[B Calm]

1. So when were you in Indiana?

[Brigid]

21. Doubtful.

There are racists aplenty here, of course; and I hear thst thr KKK is still active in some areas. But our AA population is a little higher than that, and I never heard of that altered Cheerios ad -- only the original.

[Jim Warren]

2. Hmmm, bible belt state

with African American pop. of 7.4%......?

You sure you were in the bible belt?

[Le Taz Hot]

3. Yep

[janlyn]

4. Yeah, I went to visit relatives in Missouri.

Had similar experiences, including 2 different billboard ads. One said " Impeach Obama" and another said " Are you a freeloader? Democrats, the party of freeloaders"

Keep in mind I live in a southern state, and maybe our state is a bit more progressive. I have never seen anything like that here.
I definitely found not just the billboards, but out right racist comments and anger driving to K.C.
All I could think was, how glad I was to have rented a car for the trip. My car is covered in liberal slogans.
I don't scare easy but there was a vibe that made me extremely uncomfortable !!

[chervilant]

6. Here in Arkansas, for weeks prior

to Obama's reelection, a local business had a sign in their window: "Honk if you hate Obama!"

[janlyn]

8. Are you in central Arkansas?

I live in Fayetteville. Maybe because it is a college town, it's a little different here. Now, that being said I have NO doubt the same thought processes are at work here, as in Missouri. I think it is just not flaunted quite as much as Missouri.
I truly did feel uncomfortable on my trip. Never had that feeling here.

[chervilant]

15. Nope, northwest Arkansas

near Branson. Lots of hate here, based on race and ethnicity. I find it ironic that so many of the denizens of this little town enjoy Mexican, Tex-Mex and Latin cuisines, yet persist in making disparaging remarks about "those damned Mexicans" (as though every Latino is from Mexico). Furthermore, ours has long been known as a "Sundown Town." That may 'fly under the radar' now, but it's still a 'known' aspect of the prevalent mindset.

[Art_from_Ark]

43. That sounds like Boone County

Some KKK grand dragon lives near Harrison, and at one time the KKK had "adopted" part of Arkansas Highway 7. Old habits really die hard out there.

[Art_from_Ark]

45. Howdy

There are some other DUers here with a connection to Fayetteville, including me

And the weirdest road trip I ever took was in Missouri-- but that was 35 years ago.

[chervilant]

5. hmm...

According to 2010 census data:

24 Oklahoma 277,644 7.96%
25 Kentucky 337,520 7.71%
26 Massachusetts 434,398 7.02%
27 California 2,299,072 6.67%

Couldn't find a "Bible Belt" state with comparable statistics...

I think bigotry is alive and thriving across the United States.

[cordelia]

7. Bigotry certainly is alive and thriving across the U.S., but

any ol' anecdote will do to open up a South bashing thread.

[chervilant]

13. Yep...

Ironic, isn't it? And, isn't the basher as reprehensible as s/he wants to allege is their target? I see this as a variation of the ol' "Blame and Shame" game--not helpful at all.

[cordelia]

14. Absolutely.

It only serves to divide.

And the irony - or hypocrisy? Using their own bigotry to point out the bigotry in others.

[Le Taz Hot]

22. Absolutely not true.

I'm married to a Southerner and most of my relatives are Southerners. I merely wrote about what I observed while I was there. I also mentioned that I met good people there and readily acknowledged bigotry in my own state. Sorry you took it as South bashing.

[cordelia]

30. It is what it is. Just what you presented.

[Le Taz Hot]

29. You misunderstand,

my point was that I was in the Bible Belt, not that I was in the South. It just seemed to me that it is incongruent that so-called believers in a peace-loving Jesus Christ and who go to church every Sunday would hold these thoughts.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. My figure was from Wikipedia

and not the Census. That was lazy on my part. *I* didn't label it the Bible Belt, the residents reminded me while I was there that I was in the Bible Belt. Finally, I think I prefaced my post by assuring the reader that I met many many kind, liberal people while I was there. The post was about what I encountered in a one-week trip to an area I've not been to in 50 years. I'm not responsible for the content of my encounters but it was different from what I usually see and hear and I thought I'd write about it.

[Art_from_Ark]

32. Oklahoma and Kentucky are definitely Bible Belt states

Kentucky-- home to the Adam and Eve Dinosaur Museum
Oklahoma-- home to Oral Roberts University, and erstwhile TV preacher Billy James Hargis

[zabet]

9. I live in NC...

....have no cable. Guess what, the cheerios commercial shows an African-American Dad, Caucasian Mom, and mixed child. This is picked up signal with an antenna.

[Fumesucker]

10. It's not as simple as you make it out to be

[Le Taz Hot]

23. Guys, it was merely an observation.

I'm not making any grand statements. Man, I had NO IDEA that this thread would be taken this way.

[Fumesucker]

25. Don't pay much attention to the other South bashing threads, eh?

[Le Taz Hot]

27. I see them but I never click on them

and I certainly don't participate in them. Hey, I live in Central California and wealthy people pay farmers big bucks to post anti-Democrat/anti-Obama signs on property that faces Hwy. 99 and Interstate 5. People drive through here, without ever stopping to actually speak with the people who live here, and think that's the way we all think.

The thread was just observations of differences between the two regions. My point wasn't that this was in the south but that it was in the Bible Belt. It just amazes me that people can attend church every Sunday and still think like this.

[cordelia]

34. Don't participate, but create them. Gotcha.

Thanks for that clarification.

[Le Taz Hot]

37. You're being silly.

I was NOT talking about the South, I was talking about one place that I visited; for one week in THE BIBLE BELT. I don't know how much clearer I can make that.

[cordelia]

38. Not silly. Just observant.

[Le Taz Hot]

42. Or with a wierd agenda.

I'm done here.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. It's not so much that racist people are that much more common down here.

The problem is that racists down here are more likely to let their freak flag fly. They don't use sophisticated arguments to justify their racism; they just come right out and say, "I hate (whatever)." In some ways, it's better that like that. You know what they're all about from the get-go and you can make sure to avoid the fuckers.

I think the more insidious, creeping bigotry that others have is actually more dangerous. People like that actually give their viewpoint an air of respectability, and that's scary.

[dembotoz]

12. sadly add wisconsin to the list

[Javaman]

16. when I first moved to Texas 18 years ago...

more than a few people called me a Yankee...not in a fun joking way.

[maddezmom]

20. I lived here off on on for the past 10 years and I still get the same.

[Sissyk]

17. Strange!

Nowhere on the internet can you find the commercial with an AA mom. Matter of fact, Cheerios has had a boost of 70% because of everyday people giving the loud mouth racist what for. Can you link us to this edited commercial?

Sounds like a family problem anyway. "Wife of a relative" "Wife of a relative".

In my state, in the Bible belt, the churches are the ones that help out with the Meals on Wheels, Food Pantries, Shelter for the homeless.

Yes, there are racist and violent people everywhere. Sounds like your relatives are a part of them.

[Le Taz Hot]

24. Well, I assure you, I did see the commercial

with an African American mom. What possible motive would I have for lying? And the people I visited were mostly very smart, very liberal and very informed about the shutdown and who caused it. There was ONE WIFE of a relative that made the bigoted statements. None of the rest of them did and kind of hung their heads in shame, not knowing where to look when she made the offending statements. We were in her house and it would have been disrespectful to start an argument. Now, if it was in MY house, it would have been another story.

[Sissyk]

36. What you are saying is your

very liberal and very informed relatives are a bunch of chicken shits that can't stand up to ONE Teabagger? lol!!

Can you tell us what state so we can search for the commercial?

[Le Taz Hot]

40. No, the wife of ONE relative

made those statements and it would have been socially unacceptable to raise a ruckus because it was in her house. Besides, people like that are entrenched in their ideology and arguing with them would have been an exercise in futility.

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. Yeah, that one didn't pass the smell test with me either...

We have the original version of the commercial here in my little corner of the South. I actually sent an email to General Mills asking about it. Hope we hear back.

[Sissyk]

31. Awesome!

Please let us know if you do hear back.

I searched and searched and couldn't find a thing about a second commercial, but we'll see.

[ScreamingMeemie]

46. I couldn't either, which is why I sent the email.

If there's an edited version of it floating around, I'm sure GM would like to know about it.

[Le Taz Hot]

41. I'm not a liar

and never have been and I resent the assertion. I would have no earthly reason to lie about this anyway. I'm merely reporting on what I, and others, witnessed.

[Fumesucker]

44. Both sides want to grow the 1984 part of government

Who they would aim it at differs somewhat but by no means completely.

The Democrats at least seem to be willing to let the peons catch and use a little of what was once given the courtesy of being called rain.

Oh, and welcome to DU..

[Skidmore]

28. Did you sit silently while bigotry

was on display? When good people are silent, the flames of bigotry are given oxygen to burn brighter.

[Le Taz Hot]

33. I was in her house,

it was a family gathering and I felt it would be inconsiderate to my actual relative (the offender was his wife) and the rest of the guests. It would have made everyone uncomfortable and that is socially inappropriate. Besides, you and I both know I would never have changed her mind on the subject. People like that seem to be entrenched. Now, if it were in my OWN house, said offender would have been asked to leave.

[Brigid]

39. You are right, of course.

There is a time and place for everything.

[avebury]

35. Did you consider calling the Secret Service so that they

might have a chat with the wife of your relative?