I wrote a couple of replies back on yahoo concerning the article. One part I mention how my aunt in the late 1980s had mentioned that we had become strangers in our own land, and that is so very true. All my people around me feel this way to varying extents.

As for tobacco, I grew up on a tobacco farm. I barely remember as a young boy riding the mule’s back as my grand pappy and uncles plowed the tobacco. My mom and dad had worked for RJR with my mom retiring there. I also had many other family members work for RJR, American and Ligget. After graduating college and my uncle having passed away, I took over the farm and raised about 13 acres of tobacco for several years. I know first hand what the government did to the farmers in order to control the tobacco program. It was downright cruel and evil, but it was the money that talked and people will sell their souls for enough money. I talked against the government programs, but it was like talking to a brick wall.

The way I see things now, it doesn’t matter if you run away or not. Things are gonna soon fall apart, the government either becoming an absolute tyrant or we shall see the breakup of the country and civil war erupt from it. Either way there will be problems. Which will be the worse road, I do not know… But things are not gonna remain the same.

Michael– Deo Vindicabamur

That kind of “demographic shift” is policy driven and Genocide. Wiping out a cash crop of a people is under the genocide laws I think

Somebody there told me they have Northeast Transplants on either side (one is a landlord), and as they have moved in, they have also started renting out.

Unlike Southerners who tend to be “landed,” and tied to farming, they come from cramped areas where being a “landlord” is something they often get into. The locals fix up their houses, and build, plant, and so on, so they get a nice looking neighborhood going, but the others do not (many of them have never had yards before, they hate nature and plants, and their idea of “landscaping” is mexicans planting things nobody will have to care for or about; they know nothing of local plants, charm, etc., and don’t know enough to even know that they are lacking in all that).

Actually—- the Mexicans take better care than the white yankees much of the time— maybe because they work in landscaping and get plants and know-how that way— but they and the local whites in trailors also decorate in a comparatively tasteful way. You’d think the yankees would notice that about themselves.

Another thing is so many are tied to the military—- they are a transient lot. They do not dream of real communities. They follow orders, take the check— and buy a motorcycle or boat or something that lets them “feel free.” That kind of thing.

Southerners should make more allies with “flyover country” and the rural mid-west, who have much in common with them, in terms of roots and longevity in the country, and often ethno-religious backgrounds.

Ronald Reagan said people voted with their feet. I get that. I used my feet not to vote, but to move towards people more like me. I wish that those who want to move into NC, Florida, and the rest of our Southern states would stay where they are if all they want to do is change what we have! I sure as heck wouldn’t move to NYC (God forbid!) and then do my best to try to change it.

Rose

I sympathise, nay, empathise with your position. It breaks my heart to see what the Northerners are doing to the South. And we have every reason to be angry with them: with the ones that are doing this. You object to Northern snobbery, to Yanks who come South and try to convert *our* land into *theirs.* And you have every right to object. I do, too. But not everyone who lives north of the Mason Dixon is like that.

TNSD is a good example of what I mean. He is not a pureblood Yankee, he has Southron relatives. As he indicated above, “when my father’s family moved north during the Great Depression” his roots are in the South. Just because he lives in Ohio right now, that does not make him an Anti-Southron-Lincoln-Worshiping-Enemy-Of-Dixie. In fact, he probably has more Southron heritage than I do.

I have only one ancestor known to have fought in the war, and he was a Missouri Yank. My father’s family lived in Missouri for generations. Until my father was born in Texas. And I was born in Virginia. But thanks to my father’s position as an officer in Uncle Sam’s Navy, we moved around a lot. I was blessed to spend half of my childhood either in the South (Virginia, Florida, Texas) or near enough to it (DC). I also was stuck in Rhode Island for nearly half my childhood. I went to a private college in Minnesota for four years, and still currently reside in Minnesota as a high school Latin teacher. But the fact remains I was born in the South, and raised there long enough to know that I’m a Virginian and a Southron by birth, and primarily a Scot by blood (with Dutch and Sicilian making large contributions, and smaller still are English, Irish, French, and German). Even though my only ancestor in the war wore the blue, I hold no loyalty to that side. I see the men in grey as the true heroes of that conflict. My heart and my loyalty are to my native land. But that doesn’t change the fact that I reside in Minnesota. Am I “Northern Trash?” because my time in Rhode Island and Minnesota has sadly diminished my Southern accent?

My heart beats as Southron as yours, friend. Are you angry at Northerners? Good. You have a right to be. Do you want them out of our country? Good. You have a right to. I do, too. But TNSD is *not* a Yankee, he is *not* “Northern Trash,” so please, refrain from further verbal assaults at him. He has not moved to North Carolina with the intentions of making it into New Yankeeland. And were he to move down South, he would *not* attempt to reconstruct it into the image of Ohio. TNSD is someone who respects our cause, has heritage in the South, and by no means whatsoever deserves the insult of being called “Yankee” or “Northern Trash.” Save your anger for those that deserve it.

Sincerely,
Virginian Secessionist

If you moved to my neck of the woods, I would never treat you like “trash” or think of you as “trash”.

Funny when reflecting on the post of my Scot/Irish, Ulster ancestors, they moved constantly, and I’m sure many of the folks here did look at them as trash (well, we know they did….). I’m also sure when the white Europeans move here, the Indians looked at many of them in the same way (And vise versa….)

I know when my father’s family moved north during the Great Depression, sadly, he had a first grade teacher that would make fun of his accent in front of the whole class. Fortunately, many folks were not like that, and welcomed my father’s family and they did very well up here (My dad’s story truly is a rags to riches tale…..)

Having said that, I’ve noticed that “the door swings both ways”. There’s good and bad in all groups, both North and South. It all boils down to the Golden Rule, how we treat each other.

Best wishes in all that you do. Again, my intention is not to offend. I guess based on past experience and drawing from the experience of others, regardless of any nations immigration policy or future immigration policy, I won’t look down my nose at others, call them names, etc.. I’ve done that in the past, and I guess I’ve decided not to anymore after doing some serious reflection, asking how I want to treat my fellow man the rest of my living and breathing days.

Again, best wishes and prayers.

Sincerely,

The “New” Silence Dogood

I may come across as crass. But I am only saying what thousands out there simply will not say. Northern trash….what else are we supposed to think? These people come into our state, ram their political ideology down our throats, and we’re supposed to accept this? Have you ever noticed that Southerners aren’t wearing I-77 and I-95 North out trying to get up there? There’s a reason for that.

I am a Southerner. I want what is best for the Southern people. And I will say I want what is best for all people. Peace and prosperity. But we simply are too different. They have their homes up there. Well, maybe Detroit is an exception.

Just know that when I read that today, it struck a nerve. Kind of like realizing your house had been broken in to.

Take care.