Regional Prejudice
 

After looking at similar treads on this subject, I thought this would be an interesting topic. What are some "regional <BR>prejudice" thoughts that exist and why. <BR>This is referring to particular cities and the east coast, the west coast, and the mid west. Does it upset you that people view your state or city or region in a stereotypical way.

THERE IS A REGIONAL PREJUDICE AND MISTRUST NEW YORKERS AND EASTERNERS IN MANY AREAS OF THE WEST.

Everybody still thinks that San Diego is just a "Navy Town".

Californians are flaky and New Yorkers are rude. Of course there are flaky Californians and rude New Yorkers, but after living 25+ years in Northern California and five in New York, I can confidently say that these stereotypes are not generally true.

Iowa has become synonymous with cultural backwater and lack of education on both coasts. Little do people realize that the electronic digital computer and the practical fax machine were both first developed in Iowa.

And Caitlin, it's NOT the NATIVE Californians who are the flakes, but rather all of the IDIOTS who come from other states!!

I have lived on both coasts and many points in between. I have lived longer in California and that is where I live now. This is our third time back and this time we have been here for the last 16 years. We have no intentions of ever leaving again. It never ceases to amaze about the number of people in the midwest and east that have a very negative stereotype of California. Howeever I am very happy that they do as we certainly do not need anymore people moving here.

I find most of the country anti-southern. My Ohio father-in-law and uncle-in-law (sic) both agree that southerners are backward and don't do thinks right. I take it with a grain of salt. Ohio father-in-law specializes in indolence and, by not securing a job at a time of the "greatest economy in history" (according to his hero, Pres. Clinton), he allowed his very fine wife to be without health insurance. For the mother-in-law, the cancer diagnosis was too late and she died a painful death. Mr. Ohio rectitude prefered to let his wife die than get a job. New Yorkers like Howard Stern and his minions show a hearty contempt for the South and I can only guess that most New Yorkers feel the same way about the South. I am sure George W. Bush's Texas/Southern accent has lost him at least 15 % of the vote in New York, New Jersey and environs.

People think most Ohio people are stupid, backwater and not cultured. Rex's in-laws are not typical of Ohioians. And most people think West Virginians and Kentuckians are hillbillies like the Hatfields and the McCoys.

New Englanders are considered cold; in fact, they are great respecters of one's privacy and will be your friend for life; most important, when the chips are down will be there for you.

Northern New Englanders are very fine people. I've never met a person from Maine I didn't like. Visited a fellows fishing camp in Maine back in '84. Fine people. And they were actually big Hank Williams Sr. fans. Southerners and Mainers can get along.

It was actually another thread here a couple of days ago that said all Texans wear big hair.

Everytime I move to a new area of the country, I discover new "boutique" prejudices that work about the way the big regional prejudices work. People in Illinois look down on "cheeseheads" in Wisconsin, Virginians tell West Virginia jokes, New Englanders have their Rhode "Oisland" jokes, New Yorkers trash New Jersey every chance they get. <BR> <BR>And this all reminds me of Greeks who dislike Turks, French who look down on Algerians, Britons and Irish who have it in for each other. More than half the time, the things they say about those awful "other people" could easily be said about them, themselves. <BR> <BR>I'm not sure why, but people seem to want to belong to groups that can look down on other groups, and they always string together "reasons" -- generalized traits -- why they're entitled to feel superior. Wealthy people consider poor people lazy; football players think soccer players are crazy; Europeans think Americans are boorish, esp. the ones that have just immigrated to America from Europe. <BR> <BR>I fully expect the remaining posts here to get nasty from time to time. It's just proof of the point. <BR>

Hi <BR> <BR>Let's not kid ourselves though. There are real differences between the South, Northeast, Midwest and West Coast. Even between specific regions within the regions. For example, I can't imagine Massachusetts or New York would EVER in a million years elect Jesse Helms or Trent Lott. Nor can I imagine Texas would elect Tammy Baldwin or Eleanor Holmes Norton. True there are false stereotypes and one can't make broad assumptions about people because they're from a specific region. <BR> <BR>Certainly people will trash all parts of the country, wherever one happens to be from. Not everywhere in the country will be for everybody; I know a lot of places are not a perfect fit for ME. I think however if people are respectful of the differences and appreciate places for what they are, all is well. It used to upset me but no more when people trashed places dear to me. Now I either just think, "to each his/her own" or feel sorry for them that they really missed out on something interesting.