General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Yes, Ron Paul is bad. [View all]RainDog
(28,784 posts)not the south as a beautiful geographic area. yes, it is.
I'm from the south and have lived in three diff. states there. I have relatives in five states there. I have friends in yet other states in the south.
The main recent reason for migration to the south was to follow jobs to states with no right to work laws. This has been a pattern for manufacturing - the move from the north east to the midwest to the south in search of cheaper labor - a trend that has continued to Mexico while managers live in El Paso and pay slave wages so that Americans can have multiple tv sets.
the pervasive intrusiveness of the religious right wing in the south is why many people I know would never choose to live there. I know about this aspect b/c I grew up there. that's also why I refused to live there when my children were younger - I did not want them raised in such an environment. I know many people with children who feel the same way. When religion fights science - people don't want their children in schools that have administrations that are on the side of the anti-science crew.
Of course, if you have enough money you can shelter your children from some of this influence - but I preferred for my children to go to public schools with kids from all over the world, from all different religions and with all diff. colors of skin.
When I visit the south it feel oppressive to me. Again, I'm not the only one I know who feels this way.
You experience is obviously different.