Gay marriage? Not in the South

Opinionline Archives By David Person In the region where the seeds of the civil rights movement were sown, gay rights are still a foreign concept HUNTSVILLE, Ala.

[Here in the South]

Yes, here we don't even thing about the right to marry, we have to be preoccupied with the basic right to simply live.

[verad]

I am not surprised considering the south is just chock full of ignorant, bigoted rednecks. I cannot imagine why any educated, progressive person would want to live there - especially any minority of any kind.

[Selecia Jones- JAX FL]

If you get married in Alabama and divorced in Tennessee, Are you still brother and sister?

Have to laugh at my favorite backwoods joke. Even as a lifelong Southerner....

Things just move a little slower down here...

Keep the faith...and girls, move now for happiness.

[verad]

Selecia Jones- JAX FL wrote:

If you get married in Alabama and divorced in Tennessee, Are you still brother and sister?
Have to laugh at my favorite backwoods joke. Even as a lifelong Southerner....
Things just move a little slower down here...
Keep the faith...and girls, move now for happiness.

Considering the things that pass for "normal" in some parts of the south... It just seems ironic that so many southerners are so judgmental and bigoted. Really.

[Micah]

Take it from one who has lived here in the midst of them...they take their bigotry VERY SERIOUSLY!

It is amazing how hateful these church-going so-called "christians" are. Jesus would probably be ashamed of them.

This is the part of the country that the Republicans have a stranglehold on and I doubt it will be released in my lifetime. They have learned to capitalize on the fear and hatred of those damned queers and those awful abortionists.

The odd thing, though... my partner and I have lived among them for almost 20 years. There are SOME who have gotten to know us and are surprised that we aren't the "monsters" they have been taught we should be. They actually get to the point where they treat us pretty much like anyone else in the community.

The only way these people are going to change their minds is to get to know us. As the article states, there are so few of us living here openly and it's easy to hate "those people" who are somewhere else.

But when they get to know someone who is gay or (gasp!) a gay COUPLE who are pretty much like they are otherwise then their attitudes begin to change.

The exceptions, of course, are the local "bible beaters". They will carry their hatred to their graves.

[Tony C]

It's funny how the South thinks they're all important and special, and most of the rest of the country looks down on them.

Who tried to leave America? No wonder you're waving those flags so hard. Guilty conscience?

I give a lot of credit to the many good and kind (and smart!) folks across the South I've met over the years, in person and online, who rose above their indoctrinations.

The hicks are giving you all a bad name.

[1noteasilyfooled]

verad wrote:

I am not surprised considering the south is just chock full of ignorant, bigoted rednecks. I cannot imagine why any educated, progressive person would want to live there - especially any minority of any kind.

Cause its warm and I'm gonna take the south back from them.. Calif is too crowded now so.. lets chase them out to sea!(The bigoted southerners)

[Gryph]

1noteasilyfooled wrote:

<quoted text>Cause its warm and I'm gonna take the south back from them.. Calif is too crowded now so.. lets chase them out to sea!(The bigoted southerners)

If we chased them out there we would have to file an environmental impact statement and they would probably get thrown back as toxic waste.

[Alex]

Can we say "Confederate States of America"? LOL

Thank god I live in California

[Tony C]

I liked Bill Mahr's line a few years ago:

"Tell the South we changed our minds - they can go."

[verad]

Its hard to comprehend how in this country, in this century anyone could still be so backassward and proud of it.

[EclipsedExistenc e]

I live in Texas, and I must be honest, as an openly gay person, I have not come across much bigotry. Most people that I know are live and let live. Those who are against homosexuality just choose not to say anything.

[JaneKrahe]

It'll happen eventually. It'll just take time. Unfortunately, people are suffering because of the time it is taking.

[albtraum]

Micah wrote:

Take it from one who has lived here in the midst of them...they take their bigotry VERY SERIOUSLY!
It is amazing how hateful these church-going so-called "christians" are. Jesus would probably be ashamed of them.
This is the part of the country that the Republicans have a stranglehold on and I doubt it will be released in my lifetime. They have learned to capitalize on the fear and hatred of those damned queers and those awful abortionists.
The odd thing, though... my partner and I have lived among them for almost 20 years. There are SOME who have gotten to know us and are surprised that we aren't the "monsters" they have been taught we should be. They actually get to the point where they treat us pretty much like anyone else in the community.
The only way these people are going to change their minds is to get to know us. As the article states, there are so few of us living here openly and it's easy to hate "those people" who are somewhere else.
But when they get to know someone who is gay or (gasp!) a gay COUPLE who are pretty much like they are otherwise then their attitudes begin to change.
The exceptions, of course, are the local "bible beaters". They will carry their hatred to their graves.

Tell me about it! Personally I think it's the heat. I lived amongst a bunch of cranky Georgia people for 7 years. My neighbor carried a gun to walk across his yard to the mailbox....he didn't like my dog.

[albtraum]

Alex wrote:

Can we say "Confederate States of America"? LOL
Thank god I live in California

They're still mad about "The War Of Northern Aggression." Maybe in another 150 years they'll get over it......maybe not.

I met a lady who said, "We were not brought up to think very highly of Mr. Lincoln."

Another lady's Grandmother remembers the eternal Hatfield/McCoy feud.

[albtraum]

HUGH wrote:

<quoted text>What people? Gays they are not suffering Jane they are doing what they do best is lie, and act like they are a victim.The Gay Agenda is full of Lies, and such

I wish that elusive "Gay Agenda" could be found somewhere.

You must not be a native Californian, you're a backwater transplant aren't you?

[Cara_M]

Hugh must you comment on every gay news article? I trully get tired of seeing your lame "Gay agenda" garbage on articles I post. Have you nothing better to do then sit around your house all day long reading about gay news? Why do you read gay news when you're so anti-gay? You would think someone like you would stay away from all things gay. I never get people like you.

[Southern Belle]

For all of you who are stereotyping all Southerners as bigots, racists, and non-Christians...why do you think you're any better? Here you are grouping together an entire quarter of the nation when most of you have probably never even been to the South! Yes, there are some people who fit your 'southern profile' but majority of people in the south are as one person said, live and let live. I could care less if anyone is white, black,purple, gay, straight, hermaphrodite or anything else! I love the South because people are kind. People love their country. People have a little morality left. I'm not saying those things don't exist in other parts of the country, but that's why I CHOOSE to live in the South.

[THEAprof]

Honey, I KNOW something about the south, having spent the first 40 years of my life trapped there. And those "stereotypes" are indeed accurate. The south is THE most racist, sexist, and homophobic place I've ever seen. People are kind to you IF they think you are just like them; however, if you are from a different race, religion, or sexual orientation, then watch out! The "morality" is fire-and-brimstone drivel straight out of the Dark Ages.

Now, there ARE progressive, well-educated people in the south, but they are so out-numbered by the rednecks and Neanderthals, that I fear for their sanity as well as their survival.

The happiest day of my life was when I was finally able to escape from the hell-hole of the south.

Southern Belle wrote:

For all of you who are stereotyping all Southerners as bigots, racists, and non-Christians...why do you think you're any better? Here you are grouping together an entire quarter of the nation when most of you have probably never even been to the South! Yes, there are some people who fit your 'southern profile' but majority of people in the south are as one person said, live and let live. I could care less if anyone is white, black,purple, gay, straight, hermaphrodite or anything else! I love the South because people are kind. People love their country. People have a little morality left. I'm not saying those things don't exist in other parts of the country, but that's why I CHOOSE to live in the South.

[LI Watch]

albtraum wrote:

<quoted text>
I wish that elusive "Gay Agenda" could be found somewhere.
You must not be a native Californian, you're a backwater transplant aren't you?

I've got a copy on my desk, should I send it to you?:)