# The Christian Republic of Dixie **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016 "2012-01-28T20:14:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/21 "2012-01-29T04:38:19Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > That’s one reason why the African-American republic is to be carved out of Mississippi: because its original tribe the Natchez are gone. Beaten up by the French in the early 18th century and the remnants absorbed into other tribes like the Chickasaw and Cherokee, or sold into slavery in the West Indies where they died. I was pretty sure Jesusland would have to include Texas and Oklahoma, though, and while Oklahoma doesn’t have reservations _as such_, it has things that are equivalent in most respects. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/22 "2012-01-29T13:48:21Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I don’t buy your idea that they are being unfairly characterized, at least not very much; the way the South behaves, the laws it passes, the people it sends into politics, everything I hear indicates that “full of fundie theocrats & racists” is closer to reality. Sure, there are decent Southerners; but how many? Not enough to matter, apparently. As far as I can tell, the majority of the population of the South would turn America into a white, Christian version of Saudi Arabia if they could; probably with the slavery of blacks re-instituted. In fact, they are more defined by that attitude than by geography. Sadly, this is fairly accurate with perhaps the exception of the slavery comment. They certainly wouldn’t mind re-instituting segregation and Jim Crow though, (applied fairly to Hispanics, Arabs, Indians, Asians, and Native Americans, and Jews as well of course). Having lived and worked all over the south for most of my life, this is the prevailing attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/23 "2012-01-29T14:59:59Z")
Of course it wouldn’t work, as all other “If Only” polities failed: Calvinist Geneva, Congregationalist Massachusetts, the USSR, etc. “If Only” we had our own country is just the beginning. Then it’s “if only” we could purge the internal spies and dissenters, then “if only” we could get the general population all moving in the same direction. The reason this is especially unworkable in the US South is the region’s contrarian nature, Bible-beltedness aside. They broke away from the Union because they couldn’t stand being told what to do, but then the Confederacy itself was a disorganized and cantankerous mess of generals and politicians unable to get its act together. Dixie Jesusland would be the nastiest catfight of Southern Belles, with Methodists refusing to live by Baptist doctrine and vice-versa. ---
**Author:** ![Cheryl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Cheryl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheryl44)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/24 "2012-01-29T23:16:43Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Dixie Jesusland would be the nastiest catfight of Southern Belles, with Methodists refusing to live by Baptist doctrine and vice-versa. That would be fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/25 "2012-01-30T16:41:19Z")
Consider just giving them Texas. They can all get together, like the Mormans in Utah. It could really work for them. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/26 "2012-01-30T17:29:23Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Of course you’re going a bit too far, but you’re not far off. After living in Houston after having lived in Oregon my entire life, I definitely see that there is a lot more religious conservative theocratic beliefs than there is on the coast. > > The average conservative coworker I had was extremely conservative indeed. They hate obama. They don’t believe he was born in the united states. They compared him to hitler. These were school teachers, btw, people who I would consider working friends. Not terrible people, honestly, and most were damn good teachers. But boy, their political beliefs were just insane. And the liberal teachers I worked with never said a peep. So, what suburb did you pick? Did you ever make it Inside the Loop to see just how diverse our city is? Of course, not all the suburbs are lily white, either. Do you know the city always votes Democrat & our current mayor is a lesbian? The Christian Republic of Dixie would consist of countryside & some suburbs, with most of the urban areas not included. And the area is hardly all white–but I’m sure some of the faux liberals posting here would be quite happy to remove a bunch of blacks & Mexicans from Their Country… ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/27 "2012-01-30T17:52:23Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The Christian Republic of Dixie would consist of countryside & some suburbs, with most of the urban areas not included. And the area is hardly all white–but I’m sure some of the faux liberals posting here would be quite happy to remove a bunch of blacks & Mexicans from Their Country… One of the many funny things about Houston is, not only is their mayor a lesbian, but she was the relatively CONSERVATIVE candidate! ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/28 "2012-01-30T17:58:23Z")
I remember reading about this group awhile back, they seem to have changed their goal some since then. [Christian Exodus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Exodus) > [@](#): > > Christian Exodus is a Christian secessionist group. Initially, they attempted to organize a mass movement to South Carolina and later Idaho. Currently, the goal of Christian Exodus has been to pull members together into micro-communities, through social networking, and encouraging its members to live through what it calls ‘personal secession’. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/29 "2012-01-30T18:03:31Z")
There are waaaaay more liberals in Yankeeland worrying about Southern Secessionist movements than there are actual Southern secessionists. Reality check: the South isn’t going anywhere. There are NO plausible circumstances under which any Southern state might attempt to secede. Sorry, liberal Northerners, you’re stuck with us. The ONLY state that has anything worth calling a secessionist movement is Hawaii, btw… and even there, it was never huge, and is probably petering out. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/30 "2012-01-31T01:52:56Z")
I have no idea how likely or unlikely a Christian Republic of Dixie would be, or what it’s exact boundaries would be. I can say that if any large number of people think it would be a good idea, then it should be mandatory from the third grade onward to study the history of the English Civil War, to point out that Anglo civilization has _ **been** _ through this already. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/31 "2012-01-31T02:07:54Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > I remember reading about this group awhile back, they seem to have changed their goal some since then. > > [Christian Exodus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Exodus) Yes, I’m sure these people will be a significant political force :rolleyes: Somewhere there’s an Island of Political Stereotypes inhabited by Southern secessionists, Vince Foster’s real killer and the guy who forged Obama’s birth certificate. It can only be visited by campaign consultants, talk show hosts and certain message board posters. We must rely on their secondhand accounts much as the Trinity can only be experienced via the Catholic priesthood. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/32 "2012-01-31T04:40:50Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > Yes, I’m sure these people will be a significant political force :rolleyes: I never said I thought that this group was in anyway significant, it just seem relevant to the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Snupzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Snupzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snupzilla)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/33 "2012-01-31T05:08:44Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > As far as I can tell, the majority of the population of the South would turn America into a white, Christian version of Saudi Arabia if they could; probably with the slavery of blacks re-instituted. :rolleyes: I have doubts on your ability to tell very far. Even the worst nightmare vision of the South I could dream of would still be way more fun than Saudi Arabia. And the slavery comment is pretty absurd. I have lived in the South my entire life and have never heard anyone ever, even racist rednecks, promote modern day slavery. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/34 "2012-01-31T05:16:16Z")
> [@Snupzilla](#): > > :rolleyes: I have doubts on your ability to tell very far. Even the worst nightmare vision of the South I could dream of would still be way more fun than Saudi Arabia. Then you have pretty mild nightmares. > [@Snupzilla](#): > > And the slavery comment is pretty absurd. I have lived in the South my entire life and have never heard anyone ever, even racist rednecks, promote modern day slavery. There are still apologists for slavery, people who defend it as necessary or even a good thing. And it’s a small step from that to advocating that it be restored. ---
**Author:** ![Snupzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Snupzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snupzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/35 "2012-02-01T01:20:57Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > There are still apologists for slavery, people who defend it as necessary or even a good thing. And it’s a small step from that to advocating that it be restored. You’re right. The only thing preventing the return of slavery in the south are the good and moral people that live in the rest of the US., not almost certain insurrection, war, crippling sanctions from the rest of the world, the fact that it economically disastrous in a post industrial society, and the fact that it is almost universally considered immoral even in the south. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/36 "2012-02-01T01:27:38Z")
> [@Snupzilla](#): > > You’re right. The only thing preventing the return of slavery in the south are the good and moral people that live in the rest of the US., not almost certain insurrection, war, crippling sanctions from the rest of the world, the fact that it economically disastrous in a post industrial society, and the fact that it is almost universally considered immoral even in the south. Not to mention mostly superfluous after the invention of the mechanical cotton-picker. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/37 "2012-02-01T03:04:20Z")
It’s also worth pointing out about a quarter of Southerners are black, much higher in some states, and would certainly have an opinion about segregation and slavery. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/38 "2012-02-01T03:48:46Z")
And lily-white Alabama? 26.8% black (over twice the national average). The largest metro area (Birmingham) in the state is 73.4% black. And there are no police dogs, fire hoses, or church bombs either. The state, like most of America, is far more [purple](http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/JAVA/election2008/Election2008.png) than red, revealing a political structure more complex than most of your “Herp derp Dixie BAAAD” horseshit. In short: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Snupzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Snupzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snupzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/39 "2012-02-01T04:26:21Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Not to mention mostly superfluous after the invention of the mechanical cotton-picker. Excellent point, we certainly don’t want no cotton pickin’ machines. Why mechanize a process when you can do the same thing with hundreds of forced-laborers for 100 times the price with the added bonus of increasing human suffering!? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016/40 "2012-02-01T04:57:11Z")
Native Atlantan here. Lots of rather broad-brushed characterization being made here of the South. In the past 150 years since the War of Northern Aggression (I joke, stop frowning), many of the major cities here have not only integrated but many (like my dear city of Atlanta) have been blessed with black citizens as their leaders. Of course, there are rotten scum in the mix, Bill Campbell being the first in my mind, but by and large the city has been run fairly well… and by \ black people! I was the computer computer consultant for the first campaign of Andrew Young who became mayor of Atlanta. This is not an abberation. It is the norm now. White people in the _cities and closer suburbs_ are in close rhythm with blacks. Some of our children date each other which is the first step to making all this race nonsense go away. That used to be a horrible thing. Now, not so much. You have two guys that go to church together and play golf together, well just because one is of majority African extraction and the other majority European, they Just Don’t Care Anymore. Shaniqua and Michael are free to be together. In a few generations, things will change. Look to Brazil as a model. Honestly, y’all, the vast majority who live in the cities are pretty much over it now. HOWEVER, you get out in the sticks. OMG. 1950’s all over again. I suppose ignorance is harder to fight than we thought, eh? But, please, don’t think we are all crazy redneck racists, because danggit we aren’t! I fought hard and long for that and I would would like to put this to rights with this wonderful boards members. I know there are outliers in any group, but the majority of people here in Atlanta aren’t racist in the traditional sense and NEVER use the word ‘nigger’ except in a joking way (and almost never by a white guy.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christian-republic-of-dixie/611016.md?page=3)