- I can remember when I received my first blatant comment concerning my Southern heritage, and I recall the surprise and hurt that came with it. From the moment I was hustled off the bus to be processed into my new life in the military, it would start. I saw the amused expressions when people heard my accent, or even the audible snicker when I answered their question and they repeated back, “Mississippi, huh?” I would quickly grow tired of people asking me to repeat myself simply so they could derive pleasure from my pronunciation, and I would especially dread the repeated question from everyone I encountered, “Where are you from?!” In bootcamp I easily managed to nail down the highest scholastic scores of not just my company, but every single one on base. This score earned me the reward of extra minutes to call home, a Letter of Commendation, and my mom a special seat next to the Commanding Officer at my graduation. (I may be bragging a little, but it all goes along with the story at hand.) All the different award winners were recognized at our pass and review (graduation) by marching in a separate formation. At practice for this ceremony, I was confronted by a superior. He asked the question that I had become so accustomed to, “Where are you from?!” (I seriously put the exclamation point because that was how people asked it.) Then he asked what award I had received. When I answered, he commented with, “I didn’t realize they made smart people in Mississippi!”
- His comment was simply the beginning of many I would receive over the years I spent away from the South. I became accustomed to reverse racism and snap judgements made at face value, all which assumed I was an ignorant bigot. It was assumed that since my speech was slow that I also had a mental delay. I was also branded a racist, intolerant of any and all minorities. I had always been careful to articulate my words. This was something my mother had taught me from a young age, explaining to me that a southern drawl sounded ignorant. (Y’all forgive her. She was a Yankee at the time and didn’t know better.) We had arrived down south from California and she was not very keen on our surroundings. We expected to stay briefly, get back on our feet, and return to bigger cities, far away as soon as we were able. Something strange happened though. The warmth of the South, both in weather and the hearts of the people there, drew us in to its charm. She would grow to love it, and be unable to leave even if she wanted. We became Southerners. Still, she tried to instill speaking properly to me, to help prevent future assumptions of ignorance. All her instruction was for naught it seems, for once I found myself up north, my articulation and purposeful pronunciation only served to draw more attention to my Southern accent. I’m surprised I didn’t try wearing a banner that read, “I have a 4.0 and my best friend is black.” I was that desperate to be seen for more than my Southern roots, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, regardless of what I did.
- I realized that people would see me as they wished. If you want to see the majority’s opinion of the South simply turn on a major news network and watch their stories from Mississippi or Alabama, complete with on-the-scene interviews. They could interview ten people, but will choose the one individual with the slowest speech and thickest accent who says the most inappropriate thing. They do this because it fits into their stereotype. (I’ve come to discover, though, that stupid and hateful is everywhere, not simply one region.) When I moved back home to Mississippi I realized something profound. I realized that I was fine with that. It was okay if they saw me as slow and insignificant. I realized I could smile sweetly while they underestimated me for I knew the truth. I had been around the world and I had seen it. I had seen that while we are stereotyped as the most hateful people, intolerant of differences, that we are truly the most loving. I had experienced a break-down on the side of the road in both places, and I knew down south is where ten people would stop and offer to help. When you sneeze in Mississippi, people will say “God bless you,” and they’ll offer you their last tissue. Your neighbor will be late for work to watch and make sure your kid gets home from the bus stop safely. People in town may know all your personal business, but nine out of those ten will pray for you rather than simply gossip. If you need a ride, or a baby sitter, or a hand moving an old refrigerator, it will be easily found. It may be called the Bible Belt, but I reckon that’s okay with me. I don’t mind being surrounded by God fearing folks. It’s where I know I can raise my children safely, and not be afraid. If God brings revival to our Country, I think it will originate from the South. Don’t you? I don’t try to hide my accent anymore. I wear it proudly, savoring its sweetness like a glass of ice cold tea (sweet of course). I’m not ashamed of where I’m from, but proud that God thought enough of me to place me here. If you’re thinking about going up North, well, go on. We’ll be waiting for you when you come back. If you’re a Northerner, and you’re tired of all the fuss, come on down, but don’t underestimate us. We’ll accept you as our own. After all, you chose to come to Heaven on earth.
That is all 🙂
Cindy says
I enjoyed your comments very much and I too am proud to be from the great state of Mississippi. (Are there any other states? Just kidding!) However, I did find one thing that stood out and made me cringe. There is no such word as “irregardless.” It should simply be “regardless.” Still loved every word though!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you for the comment. I am always happy for correction, especially since I am a novice writer with poor grammar.
Charla says
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless
Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. The dictionary is a wonderful place
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Haha. I saw that same entry you have posted here, but I surrendered. Thank you!
Charla says
I am from Mississippi, have traveled 49 of the 50 states, Mexico, England and the continent. There is no better place and I hope they never “discover us” when the survival “shows” are on you don’t see Southerners because we would win with a hand tied behind our back. The South will survive the Apocalypse because we where raise with a strong Belief system, we don’t need street smarts we have skills we fish, farm and hunt best of all we have the grit to do so.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
I got some “good ole boy” friends that I would certainly have by my side in end times! Thanks for reading 🙂
Anita says
I did come on down to MS from the north so my husband could attend Univ of MS and I was not accepted as Mississippians own. The both of us felt the same way and had the same questions lobbed at us just like you, but in reverse. We were met with stubbornness, mistrust, southerners who didn’t want to be anything more than acquaintances because we were from the north, unemployment, arrogance, fake christianity, lukewarm churches void of the Holy Spirit, lukewarm churches void of zeal for Israel, lukewarm churches void of zeal for the entire Word of God not just bits and pieces, hot tempers and white people making negative comments about black people (we’re not black). We arrived with a love for the South and the Bible Belt and we sorely disappointed.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
I’m sorry you had such a terrible reception to the South Anita! I really hate to hear that, but especially that your experience with church was so void of the Holy Spirit. I would be disappointed too. I love worshipping with my accepting, loving church family. Hate we didn’t get to surround y’all with Christ’s love. Sadly, a few bad apples can really ruin the barrel.
Anita says
Sorry I meant to type – “We arrived with a love for the South and the Bible Belt and we WERE sorely disappointed.”
Jeri says
I love everything about this Brie! I am even southern enough to be polite and not correct your grammar. You got your point across and it was great:)
I love you!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you Jeri. Glad you enjoyed it.
😉
Ashley M. says
For Anita, there are still parts of the state that has a huge intolerance for anyone or anything that is different. It is that way wherever I travel. I spend a lot of time in Boston these days, and can honestly say, my perception of them were way off as well. So was theirs of me. I have had the opportunity to meet many people across this country, and have found that most are just interested in understanding what is different about one another.
That being said, I always love coming home. I now live in Tuscaloosa, but was originally from the same tiny town and high school as Brie. God, family and football are huge here. But most of all, what I have found is you get out of anywhere as much as you put in. As for the religion piece, you have to be careful. Just because there is a cross on the front of the door, doesn’t mean that God resides there. Sometimes, churches become glorified social clubs with rules both spoken and unspoken.
Brie, thanks for writing this and all of them that you do. I actually read them quite often and always amazing at your grasp of the vernacular. Your writing skills are really quite astounding. You should be proud of all that you have accomplished. As they would say here in the south, you’ve done good for yourself.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Ashley,
Thank you so much for your comment.
First off, I completely agree with your comments on geography. While my post totes the attributes of the South (which I feel in my heart), I also have experienced it all everywhere. There are good, Christian people in both places, just like there are bad, bigoted hypocrites in both. My job is to love people wherever God puts me. Some people, wherever they reside, don’t have the same job description.
Secondly, I really appreciate your comments on my writing. I’m not very confident in my words, but continue because I feel like it’s where God is leading me. I appreciate the encouragement more than you know. Some days I wonder if anyone reads my musings. So it’s nice to get a comment. Thanks again!
Shanda Sanders says
As a proud Army Brat, I had the opportunity to live in several Southern states, incluing Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and my birth state of Mississippi (where I raised my own children). Needless to say, my “Southern Drawl” can be heavy and just a bit difficult to place… I am very proud of my roots and this article speaks to the heart of the good and bad perceptions that accompany my Southern heritage. For some “opinionated” people the “twang” in my voice marks me as surely as if I had a third eye in the middle of my forehead. Yes, I say “Precious,” and “Darlin’,” and “Bless your heart.” However, I also have a college education, have very dear friends of many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and firmly believe “All men are created equal” by God regardless of ethnicity, education, financial situation or political beliefs. Thank you for your beautiful words about the place most dear to my heart. To borrow your words: “I’m not ashamed of where I’m from, but proud that God thought enough of me to place me here…” in Mississippi!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
What a wonderful comment! Thank you for it, and for your words as well Mississippi sister 🙂
alseal@hotmail.com says
Your comments about the military are unfortunately still true. When I entered the military in 1987 as a junior I routinely received comments about my accent (I’m from Long Beach MS). As I progressed in rank I would receive counseling from my superior officers (northerners) to work on my accent because it made me sound uneducated and unintelligent, and I honestly tried and worked on every word I said. And 27 years later as a senior officer I would still receive derogatory comments from other senior officers if they disagreed with me on an issue, like “someone from the South doesn’t have the sense to understand”. Making comments about white Southerners is the only type of discrimination that is still socially acceptable.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you for sharing. It’s difficult and frustrating to experience that type of judgement and I completely understand where you’re coming from. I hate that it’s that way. It only drives me harder to treat all people with a loving and nonjudgmental attitude.
Shane says
Ok, now that I’ve read this, I concur with some of the comments made here. I pretty much don’t have the accent anymore, but I’ve always been kind of a sponge that way. I eventually pick up the accent of the people around me and gradually start talking the way they do. I went to South Africa for 10 days in 2012, and I caught myself doing that even after a few days of being there. I don’t even think about it. I will say this. When I moved to Colorado, once the accent was mostly gone, people kind of forgot that I wasn’t from Colorado and I started gelling with the community instead of being the guy with the Southern accent. However when I got emotional, the accent comes back with vengeance (never quite leaves)!
I guess what I’m getting at is that people from outside the South do make unfair judgments about you when you have a Southern accent. But I’ve seen non-Southerners receive the same unfair judgments from Southerners all because of accent. It really is stupid, shallow, and extremely unfortunate that people get judged on something so trivial.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
It is really silly, snap judgements with little to no merit. But, you’re right. It comes from both sides. I too picked up the accent around me. When I would come back South for Christmas my dad would say, “You sound like a Yankee!” I didn’t quite fit in for a decade. I just ended up feeling more at home here in Mississippi.