# Old South racism alive and well in Texas **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 9, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663 "2005-06-09T22:38:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/101 "2005-06-11T01:11:23Z")
The states were just examples. Could have been from anywhere. Hate to break it to you, but liberals and non-whites don’t necessarily have a problem slinging the slurs, either. For many, no morals, no ethics, no political leaning will break the need for the great pecking order to be maintained. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/102 "2005-06-11T01:17:02Z")
I live in Nashville now, but I’m originally from a small town in Gibson County – about a hundred miles north of Memphis. I wonder what makes the difference. I was also in education, but on a high school level. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/103 "2005-06-11T01:19:14Z")
A pecking order based on seniority or combat experience is acceptable. One based including ethnicity should not – though I supposed I can see how it might happen. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/104 "2005-06-11T01:20:28Z")
Gibson county? **Zoe!!** My father’s family are from Milan and Humboldt! ---
**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/105 "2005-06-11T01:22:33Z")
Oh, I’m certainly not defending it, just saying that – even in a mix of people from all over the country (and a few foreign countries, too) – racism survives. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/106 "2005-06-11T01:24:40Z")
> [@Dag Otto](#): > > Just a guess, but might it have something to do with the fucktards who insist on flying the Confederate battle flag? For the most part, you find them in the South. It’s a symbol of the racism of the past, so it’s not such a stretch to make the connection. Oh, the flag is also a symbol of the South? Too fucking bad, it’s tainted with racism. People can pick on the South because the South is genuinely fucked up. Dear Dag, Fuck you, you motherfucking fuck stick. It is you who are prejudice in buying into the ignorance and preconceived notions. You are too stupid and detestable to even debate. And by the way, Fuck you, you ignorant fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/107 "2005-06-11T01:27:30Z")
Don’t hold back, Nicodemus2004, say what you really mean. As for Dag’s comment: > [@](#): > > Oh, the flag is also a symbol of the South? Too fucking bad, it’s tainted with racism. People can pick on the South because the South is genuinely fucked up. Slavery was allowed in the US. Is the US flag likewise tainted with racism? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/108 "2005-06-11T01:28:24Z")
**Askia**! That is bizarre! I grew up north of Trenton. Knew some folks from Milan. Ha! There are 95 counties in Tennessee and someone knows about mine! We are probably kin, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/109 "2005-06-11T01:33:05Z")
MaaAAaaaan, I gots all kindsa family and nuttin but cousins down there, so that wouldn’t surprise me. Good to know ya! Made my night! ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/110 "2005-06-11T01:34:19Z")
> [@Coffee Manic](#): > > Don’t hold back, Nicodemus2004, say what you really mean. > > As for Dag’s comment: > Slavery was allowed in the US. Is the US flag likewise tainted with racism? The KKK marches everywhere in the US carrying a Cross and an American Flag. They too are suspect and due to be hated as well. **Coffee Manic** - Sorry if I tend to sugar-coat it. I’m not always in touch with my feelings. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/111 "2005-06-11T01:39:46Z")
> [@Coffee Manic](#): > > Don’t hold back, Nicodemus2004, say what you really mean. > > As for Dag’s comment: > Slavery was allowed in the US. Is the US flag likewise tainted with racism? Actually, it is, for some people. My mother wouldn’t let us hang both the Confederate flag and the US flag in her house for exactly those reasons, when I was growing up. One can make the argument that the Confederate flag, being the symbol of contemporary racist groups like the KKK, is much more tainted than the US flag. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/112 "2005-06-11T02:01:48Z")
i have family in memphis, and visit there often. (we will be going there next week) my memphis relatives certainly have a decidedly differing view of race than i do. it was pretty difficult to explain to the kids: “yes, uncle billy uses that word to describe black people, but you must not.” ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/113 "2005-06-11T03:34:58Z")
> [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > Dear Dag, > Fuck you, you motherfucking fuck stick. It is you who are prejudice in buying into the ignorance and preconceived notions. You are too stupid and detestable to even debate. > And by the way, Fuck you, you ignorant fuck. What the hell did I ever say to you, apart from apparently calling you a fucktard? I’m not calling everyone in the south a racist. That would be absurd, considering that a couple of southern states voted to remove the battle flag references from their state flags a couple of years ago, demonstrating that a majority of the people there understand it’s racist meaning. It’s the folks who continue to fly the ugly thing who I’m damning. They know goddamned good and well what that flag means, but hide behind the bullshit “It’s part of southern history” excuse. Fuck them. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/114 "2005-06-11T04:28:53Z")
> [@Coffee Manic](#): > > Slavery was allowed in the US. Is the US flag likewise tainted with racism? The difference here (some of the people in this thread don’t seem too good with differences, even if they are not particularly subtle) is that the United States was not created _specifically_ to retain slavery. The US flag may be tainted with racism but the various Confederate flags drip with it. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/115 "2005-06-11T04:49:43Z")
> [@Dag Otto](#): > > People can pick on the South because the South is genuinely fucked up. Ok, I admit, that last part was uncalled for. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/116 "2005-06-11T05:12:49Z")
For as long as I can remember, the Confederate battle flag has not been part of the Tennessee state flag. Please correct me if I am mistaken. I know that it has been part of many Southern state flags. I know that for some it represents Southern traditions. For others it represents a bigoted way of thinking. I don’t want the thing anywhere near me. It hurts too many people. For me it has become a symbol of tackiness. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/117 "2005-06-11T06:33:39Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Of course, there was never any concern about black kids being adopted by white families Yes, it’s near impossible here in the U.K. ---
**Author:** ![boofuu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@boofuu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boofuu)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/118 "2005-06-11T08:55:11Z")
A few thoughts. Do with them as you will. I do not think racism is more prevelant in the South than the North. Really. I think we look for racism there and it gets more attention when found. But, having moved from NYC to Wilmington (and Chapel Hill) NC, two relatively liberal cities, both with large universities, I will say that I have had more _blatant_ racist/bigoted words thrown my way in the South. It is just that racists tend to be a little more discrete in the North. Probably because of saturation. Still, nasty looks can sometimes be as powerful as nasty words. And as to the case describe in the OP, I think these guys targeted a \*retarded \* kid who \*happened \* to be black. I could verily see them doing the same to a retarded white kid. Just looking at the merits of this case as whole, regardless of perceived (likely real) trends in this town, it was a case of drunk kids playing pin-the-tale on the 'tard. I think they were stupid, possibly bigoted and plain mean. But I doubt it was a \*racial \* hate crime, per se. I also think it was quite possible that the black jurors may have just believed that is was not a punishable crime. Do not think that every black person is a card carrying member of the NAACP. Old ideas die hard for _everyone_ Regardless, I am apalled that the defendants were handed a “get out of jail free” card. They could have gotten more time killing a dog. The teens may be racists or bigots, but they are most certainly jackasses. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/119 "2005-06-11T09:49:14Z")
> [@Boofuu](#): > > It is just that racists tend to be a little more discrete in the North. Exactly. The famous Eddie Murphy SNL While Like Me skit no doubt drew its inspiration from Yankee bigotry. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663/120 "2005-06-11T15:02:42Z")
I see that once again the _usual suspects_ have weighed in with their self-congratulatory and ignorant rhetoric about how superior race relations are in the more northern climes. They seem to enjoy a SDMB civil war ever and anon. I have a suggestion: Let’s have a dopefest and we can do one of those battle recreations or whatever they are called. I’d prefer live ammo to the phony stuff. How about we re-enact Grant’s assult at [Cold Harbor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cold_Harbor) on June 3rd, 1864? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-south-racism-alive-and-well-in-texas/307663.md?page=7)