# Dopers currently living in "The South" (USA) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 22, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245 "2014-09-22T14:24:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/81 "2014-09-25T11:59:50Z")
Because almost every WV resident I’ve ever known bristles if they are accused of being non-southern. I’m sure there are exceptions, but I tend to go with how they self-identify. And virtually every state on the east coast, with the exception of some of New England, was a slave state. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/82 "2014-09-25T14:17:33Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Because almost every WV resident I’ve ever known bristles if they are accused of being non-southern. I’m sure there are exceptions, but I tend to go with how they self-identify. Polling data from [fivethirtyeight.com](http://fivethirtyeight.com): “In addition to Maryland, Oklahoma and West Virginia both pulled less than 25 percent support [for belonging to the South].” Take that, sketchy anecdotal evidence. Although [fivethirtyeight.com](http://fivethirtyeight.com)’s data does jive with my own experience in actually spending time in WV, I concede all I offered was anecdotal evidence as well. But spend some time in, say, Morgantown. Then, go spend some time in, say, Biloxi. Or Savannah. Or Baton Rouge. Wherever in the South you please. WV ain’t Southern. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/83 "2014-09-25T14:56:03Z")
I’m not sure what they are, then. I’ve spent time in Morgantown, and the people in WV are indistinguishable from anyone I’ve met from eastern TN, western NC, North GA, etc. they’re all southern Appalachia. The people in the N. Georgia mountains don’t resemble people from the bayou, either. There are a lot of differences amongst the people who live in the South, and Mississippians represent a very small percentage of southerners. If you’re saying they definitely aren’t southern, then which state’s residents do they resemble? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/84 "2014-09-25T15:06:04Z")
Also, your cite isn’t worth much. The people polled were from all over the country, not WVA. It doesn’t refute my experience with the residents of that state. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/85 "2014-09-25T15:17:49Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > “South” to me means “used to be slave” > > Which means KY stays, and DE is missing. No, they didn’t join the CSA, but were slave states anyway. Well… in that case you may want to add South Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania ;). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/86 "2014-09-25T15:20:06Z")
With some of the talk about Texas not being “southern” I suspect those Texans who don’t feel that way may help the Texas voters total hit 30 before any other state’s voters get to 20! Thanks to all who have addressed the WV issue. Maybe it was the John Denver influence but I had always felt that in spite of the differences between WV and VA the people of that state (region even) felt more akin to a _Southern culture_ than not. I guess it’s more of a _mountain culture_ than _Southern_? I’d love to see more Tennesseans voting, but that’s how things go I suppose… ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/87 "2014-09-25T15:48:42Z")
Lifelong North Carolinian here. Grew up near Charlotte, spent ten years in East Carolina, currently in Western Carolina. They’re really three separate states. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/88 "2014-09-25T17:05:48Z")
Born and raised in New England, educated and trained in Chicago, but I consider myself a Nashvillian now. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/89 "2014-09-25T19:08:22Z")
Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/90 "2014-09-25T20:16:54Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Thanks to all who have addressed the WV issue. Maybe it was the John Denver influence but I had always felt that in spite of the differences between WV and VA the people of that state (region even) felt more akin to a _Southern culture_ than not. I guess it’s more of a _mountain culture_ than _Southern_? Well, I don’t know all the ins and outs, but when my WV-born and raised dad moved to Jacksonville, Florida, it took him about 20 minutes for his inner good ole boy to come out… The culture is close, but not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/91 "2014-09-25T23:47:45Z")
A progress report where every state has at least TWO voters so far, and **Texas** is out to a big lead at the top: ```auto =============================================================================== View Poll Results: Which Southern USA state do you currently call home? This poll will close on 09-22-2015 at 09:28 AM Texas 25 20.16% North Carolina 19 15.32% Georgia 18 14.52% Tennessee 11 8.87% Florida 10 8.06% Virginia 10 8.06% Maryland 6 4.84% Missouri 6 4.84% South Carolina 4 3.23% Alabama 3 2.42% Louisiana 3 2.42% Oklahoma 3 2.42% Arkansas 2 1.61% Kentucky 2 1.61% Mississippi 2 1.61% West Virginia 0 0% Other (please specify) 0 0% Voters: 124 =============================================================================== ``` Note that the Top Three have **exactly** 50% of the votes! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/92 "2014-09-25T23:51:12Z")
Texas has a lot of people. Just the greater Houston and Dallas areas alone might out populate other whole states. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/93 "2014-09-26T00:32:51Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I’m not sure what they are, then. I’ve spent time in Morgantown, and the people in WV are indistinguishable from anyone I’ve met from eastern TN, western NC, North GA, etc. they’re all southern Appalachia. What did I write in Post #38? And if you can’t tell Morgantown from Southern Appalachia, well you cultural awareness is probably beyond help. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/94 "2014-09-26T01:07:24Z")
Er, “your.” ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/95 "2014-09-26T07:23:47Z")
My rule on deciding whether a place is “Southern” or not: Go to any restaurant that serves breakfast. Ask for grits. If the waitress looks at you funny, you ain’t in the South! 😃 My stepdad is from Oceana, WV. In spite of having arrived in Georgia in 1972, he isn’t Southern. His description: “I’m a hillbilly, not a cracker.” ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/96 "2014-09-26T13:13:43Z")
I’ve recently moved west to Middle Tennessee from Charlotte. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/97 "2014-09-26T13:52:56Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > A progress report where every state has at least TWO voters so far, and **Texas** is out to a big lead at the top: > > Note that the Top Three have **exactly** 50% of the votes! It would be interesting to see who of the responders are retired or plan to retire in the state they named. I know quite a few colleagues who work in Texas ( Houston ) but will retire elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/98 "2014-09-26T13:59:19Z")
I’m very happy in Florida and don’t ever plan to leave (though my wife is constantly asking if we can move to Long Island.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/99 "2014-09-26T14:07:55Z")
> [@DrumBum](#): > > It would be interesting to see who of the responders are retired or plan to retire in the state they named. I know quite a few colleagues who work in Texas ( Houston ) but will retire elsewhere. That would be fun to know! You do know that you can click on the underscored numbers to see who has voted, right? From that data and other threads dealing with age ranges you might get a **big picture** of that variable. Perhaps a new thread asking that very question… Meanwhile, sometime overnight we have a new 20-Votes state to acknowledge: ```auto =============================================================================== View Poll Results: Which Southern USA state do you currently call home? This poll will close on 09-22-2015 at 09:28 AM Texas 26 20.00% Georgia 20 15.38% North Carolina 19 14.62% Tennessee 12 9.23% Florida 10 7.69% Virginia 10 7.69% Maryland 6 4.62% Missouri 6 4.62% South Carolina 5 3.85% Alabama 3 2.31% Kentucky 3 2.31% Louisiana 3 2.31% Oklahoma 3 2.31% Arkansas 2 1.54% Mississippi 2 1.54% West Virginia 0 0% Other (please specify) 0 0% Voters: 130 =============================================================================== ``` And I need to shout out to my Tennessee neighbors for joining in! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245/100 "2014-09-26T14:25:49Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Nah, just a reference to my old (now deceased) dog. Weimaraner ownership is kinda cult-like. > > As to Mosby, I certainly lack the qualifications to say, but who was the better cavalry commander: him or Forrest? I’m just now seeing your reply as I made my way back through the posts thus far. That’s a tough question! 🙂 Both of them did their share! Old Nate has become a bit of a non-hero for some, but he did cut a gallant figure in the day. BTW, Weimaraners have always been one of my top 5 breeds. That might make for a fun poll in itself! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-currently-living-in-the-south-usa/699245.md?page=6)