Southern Misconceptions... or not

  I had originally planned to type a scathing diatribe about how we as southerners were misrepresented in media. a rant that got  its start while watching The American Baking Challenge. There is a contestant on the show from Pickens SC. I love her. She is country as all hell and ridiculously talented. Every week i watch these judges from the culinary community look in horror at what she has done as her contest entry for what ever challenge, such as a chocolate peanut butter bacon pie, and a loaf of bread stuffed with ground up red hots and pecans. These same judges, every week, are wowed by the bizarre concoction presented to them.

  This then started a thought process for me. You see, I sat down to write this particular post about 4 times. I just couldn't make it happen. The words wouldn't come. Then I started thinking about what I was trying to say and if it was a valid point. It is a valid point, and its one that has been made a thousand times over. So therefore I'm not gonna do it.

  Instead, I will rant about how we as southerners are misunderstood. I think assumption is the perpetrator. For example, folks assume that a slow drawl can't possibly be attached to a quick mind. That country means ignorant. That I say y'all due to a lack of education. That we lack the ability to appreciate art, beauty, culture.
That we put bacon in pies because we don't know any better. That its not possible for a white southerner and a black one to be truly good friends. Like poor Paula Dean. For fucks sake people. A comment that's almost older than me? The whole country gotta get butt hurt about it? Whats worse is that its cost her so much. The whole country way over reacted about a damn near 30 year old comment, but we here in the south are the ignorant ones?  Also, if she loses her entertainment contracts over the use of the N word all those years ago, then by rights, the hip hop community should be decimated from all the revoked contracts from the use of that same word. I mean it IS all about equality isn't it? That however is another rant entirely.

 My point is, those that call us ignorant, do so because they are ignorant of us. Yes, we are stubborn traditionalists, and somewhat set in our ways, but we are educated, cultured, and not at all ignorant.