Monday February 11, 2008 | Northerners vs. Southerners
February 6, 2008 at 5:30 pm | Posted in On Air | 51 Comments
Growing pains are to be expected with the rapid development of our region, but some of that pain is fueling tensions between the Northerners moving here and folks who have lived here most or all their lives. Today we’ll explore whether that tension is exaggerated or real and what’s behind the perceived decline in Southern hospitality.
What are your experiences? Have y’all welcomed your new neighbors? Were you guys greeted warmly when you moved here? How do you think we all get along?’
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Charlotte Talks 
I have noticed, more than anything else there seems to be a great impatience among drivers on the streets and interstates. I don’t know if the “laid back” attitude of the southerners is clashing with the more “aggressive” style of northerners or if people in general are becoming more impatient and rude. If someone can sort this out it would be a wonderful thing.
Comment by Marcus Morris— February 10, 2008 #
I think you should also include other areas of the country. For instance, I most recently moved from SOUTHERN California, and there are lots of differences between that area (specifically Los Angeles) and Charlotte.
The biggest amount of struggle with locals I’ve found is in driving. I learned to drive in one of the crowdest regions in the world, so I can certainly handle the volume of traffic in Charlotte, but I cannot reliably predict how locals will react to a given situation on the streets.
Oh, and as far as pronouncing Concord “correctly” (Con-cord, not Con-kerd, “we never surrendered”) my response is, “you still lost the war 150 years ago, get over it.”
Comment by Kevin S.— February 11, 2008 #
Id love to have a do over od that again….Hmmmm.I wonderwhat would happen now…Fact is, we are over it, we lost and
we don’t ever think about it till someone like you makes a statement and pulls the scab off.And like I stated earlier, come on down Louisiana way, promise we will welcome you with open arms, We treat everyone with friendliness and kindness, but if you take our friendliness and kindness for a sign of weakness, friendliness will be the last thing on earth that you will remember!
Comment by Kevin Credeur— April 12, 2014 #
Rule #1 – All traffic patterns are local.
Comment by Hyperlincoln— February 11, 2008 #
My peeps came to North Carolina from Connecticut, via New York, a few hundred years ago, which may explain why I have many yankee friends.
Having lived in both places, I realize there are jerks in both places. I no longer feel intimidated by the so-called fast-talk.
Our area is enriched by newcomers. Mostly.
Comment by Hyperlincoln— February 11, 2008 #
I am a native New Yorker (upstate that is) and have lived here for 12 years. I most also admit that I received several comments about being Catholic. I have been told numerous times that Catholics are not Christians. As recent as the Kerry/Edwards election I was told I shouldn’t vote for a non-Christian!! I would say the most resistance I have felt here is from right-wing “christian” conservatives. They have been anything but welcoming, to say the least. I guess they are simply threatened by anyone different from them.
I am so thrilled as Charlotte becomes a bit more liberal!
Comment by Amy Vienna— February 11, 2008 #
i am catholic and have lived in the south all my life, born and raised. i am very proud of my southern heritage, i dont give a damn about loosing a civil war that never should have took place to begin with. the north winning the war and the louisana purchase were the 2 best things that ever happend to america. to get to the point, i always catch hell about being catholic, so you are not the only one and i apologize for them.
Comment by chris— January 13, 2012 #
As a native, I welcome all who want to be here, whether they’re from Buffalo or Mexico. But if you’re truly unhappy and can only say negative things about our fair city, I really think you should go back home. It would be better for all of us.
Comment by Local Yokel— February 11, 2008 #
Hi,
If it was not for northern companies where would the south be oh. the mills thats right lets stop calling yankees damn yankees and lets love one another as the southern baptist preach.
Oh by the way I am southern baptist.
Comment by yankee— July 8, 2009 #
I am always frustrated with my fellow natives who take this love it or leave it line. If you move here from the north or elsewhere, you have the right to feel whatever you feel. That may be impatience, amusement, or whatever. I welcome you anyway.
I have a special name for all those people who have moved in from somewhere else. I call you “Charlotte” and I love the city you have helped us become. Not perfect, to be sure, but it’s a pretty special place, and I love what we’ve become together.
Comment by Larry Eppley— February 11, 2008 #
I’m originally from Detroit and over a period of 12 years, I’ve lived in 5 different cities in NC (High Point, Thomasville, Durham, Chapel Hill, Boone) as well as 4 years in Mississippi and Kentucky. I also married a South Carolina woman who spent some time in Boston and Chicago so this is a topic on which I’ve had many discussions. Based on what I feel is a pretty well-rounded view of life in the south vs. the north, I have drawn the following conclusions:
Southerners are more friendly and hospitable to strangers but once you get past the rough exteriors of most northerners, they can be equally, if not more friendly.
Northerners who move south who don’t stop making comparisons between the way things were at home vs. here in the south (after the first year or two) will be miserable people to spend time with and should be avoided.
northerners carry around more sterotypes about southerners than the other way around and the speed with which they abandon those stereotypes is directly related to how quickly they settle into their new home and plant roots. In other words, the stereotypes are a way to help them initially make sense of their unfamiliar surroundings. Southerners carry around fewer sterotypes but they tend to hang on to them longer…possibly because they don’t have as much opportunity to get to know a “yankee” well enough to see disconfirming evidence to the stereotypes.
The worst kind of relocated yankee to have to get along with is someone who moved to Florida initially and then moved north to NC to escape the heat…halfbacks as you called them in your show. The “bull in a china shop” approach to settling into a new location worked for them once in Florida (it practically goes unnoticed since they’re among so many yankees) so they try it again in NC.
A southerner will ask you where you go to church as often as a northerner will ask you what kind of name is your last name to try to determine the nationality of your ancestors. Both questions are a less-than-subtle way to categorize you, both questions and neither question is meant to be offensive by the person asking it.
Comment by Jeff— February 11, 2008 #
For some strange reason when I moved here from NY in 1995 I didn’t expect to find a whole lot of differences. I had already been in 40 out of 50 states both by car and some by bicycle and had enjoyed all of them. But I hadn’t been in the deep South. It took a couple of years before it really sunk in that there are a few people in this area who really don’t want me here. But I emphasize the word FEW because for the most part my encounters with them have been few and far between. Some things do bother me, though. Like not educating our children to appreciate or participate in visual, choral or instrumental art until they are pretty far behind what the rest of the country does. And I don’t understand how we can realistically make infrastructural, educational, social or cultural progress if our first response is always to cut taxes. There are MANY good people trying to make the changes that progress requires, but it is, perhaps, just a little slower than I’d like. North Carolina is a geographically beautiful state as long as we continue to protect her environmentally and Charlotte has a history, which I feel, bodes well for the future compared to some other Southern cities. I think I’ll stay for a while longer and pitch in to help.
Comment by Pandora— February 11, 2008 #
Wendy Herkey here, Senior Producer of Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins… below are some of the many emails we got during the show that we couldn’t get to on the air. Thanks for your participation!!
-We moved to the Lake Norman area almost 18 months ago by choice. We had been living in the New York area for 5 years. We are finally beginning to feel settled. We love the area and have met many wonderful people. My biggest challenge has been with the schools. We have three children and came from an area where most children in the neighborhood go to the same local school. There is such a variety of schools here (Public, charter, magnet, private, religious, home school) that one looses a sense of community because no-one is on the same schedule. I really enjoy the slower pace and the weather is fantastic. My husband (from MT) and I (from England) have lived in lots of different coutries (Luxembourg, France, England, New Zealand, Greenwich CT). We think that Charlotte is a great place to live and intend to settle here.
-My family and I moved to Charlotte from the north in 2000. I have an odd, non-southern last name and we were at the time at least catholic. Nonetheless I have never been treated with anything but warmth and kindness. Honestly – I cannot think of one instance where I was made to feel unwelcome. I wonder though… When we signed the contract on our house here, I wept with relief to be leaving the frigid northeast where I had often been shunned by my own neighbors who were too frantic to be botheres with friendliness. Maybe your attitude when arriving in Charlotte has something to do with your reception? I am grateful for the weather, grateful for the slower pace and grateful for the opportunity to live here. No one place is perfect.
-Mike, I have lived in the south all of my life. I dislike Yankees so much that I married one. Imagine that!!
-I moved to Charlotte 14 years ago from Colorado. I was welcomed and did not have any problems assimilating to this society. I am careful not to say, “where I come from____”. If it is better there, why am I here? I do get put off by people asking me what church I belong to. That is no one’s business by my own.
-My husband and I are originally from Greece, but we spent about 20 years in New Jersey. We moved to Charlotte last summer and it has been the best thing we ever did for our children. The schools are better, the children even seem not as competitive but kinder here, and the most unexpected thing of all the way they found their Greek identity. Being a foreigner in a huge cosmopolitan area was nothing special. Here, the Greek community is very tightly knit and extremely nurturing of its children and community members. Our children not only made friends right away, but they are involved with more activities than ever, attend Greek school, they even learn Greek folk dances, something we don’t even know how to do. We call our kids “Born Again Greeks!” Charlotte has been a great place for our kids to connect with their Greek culture! Yes, the driving is slower, although not safer. And there are long lines in the bagel stores specially on the weekends. But living next to New York City, in order to provide your family an urban experience such as a concert, or a theatrical performance, had to be a well planned project. You had to calculate the traffic, where you are going to park etc…. Here it’s so much easier to provide that to your family. The list of improvements on the standard of living can go on and on. Over all yes, people are somewhat surprised to hear our accent, but specially the young people, are making an effort to understand us. We love living here!
-When we first moved to south charlotte in 1988 we took a ride around and on our way to Gastonia we came accross the KKK marching in a median. We were speachless and wondered if we made a HUGE mistake. We grew up in the NYC metro area and with all that went on there, we’ve never been more scared in our life. It was a few years before we left the cacoon of charlotte after that. Highway driving and the airplane took us where we wanted to go. Thank God this has changed and we now embrace the area outside Charlotte. I love it here and would NEVER go back. This area is God’s country to us.
-Obviously from comments on the show people have been asked what church they belong to. I have lived here since, 1991, I work from Lake Norman to York, all over ; and I have yet to be asked what church I attend. As I stated earlier, I live in a small town with many churches, one would think that question would pop up at some point, but as of yet it hasn’t. Should my feelings be hurt, could there be something wrong with me?…lol
-Although I am from North Carolina, Guilford County, when I moved to Cleveland County (25 years ago – very rural) – the only thing anyone wanted to know was, “Who’s your Daddy?” You would have thought I was from Mars!
-My husband and I relocated to Charlotte from So Florida 1 1/2 years ago. We are lifelong Floridians who left primarily because of the crowding and changes brought on by the heavy influx of New Yorkers. I was driven crazy by the complaints of transplants who thought everything was better where they came from. We love Charlotte!!! We felt welcomed from day one. The change of seasons is wonderful, the parks and greenways are beautiful, and the people are friendly. The only thing we miss about Florida is our friends and, oddly, the humidity.
-I moved to Charlotte from Buffalo twelve years ago, and I have to say – Charlotte drivers move too slowly on the roads. I was taught that slow drivers should keep to the right, but this seems not to apply here. When I drive on Independence during rush hour, I see 10-15 car lengths between some cars – and the drivers seem oblivious to the bottlenecks they create. Is it the Southerners, or the mix of Southerners and Northerners? I have no idea.
-I, my wife and 4 children move to Waxhaw, NC 4 years ago – we love it here and Yankees should not complain with what we have here.
-The transition from New York (say) and Charlotte, notwithstanding the banks has a lot to do with commerce and culture. Places like New York and Boston were active commercial centers for generations where individuals undertook dozens of commercial transactions every day.
That pace had its impact on personality and can’t be replicated easily… making for one difference. Immigrant cultures, which are still considered suspect in Charlotte, influenced the north. Up there, immigrants –whether Jewish, Irish, German, Italian, or Korean–felt that they had to transform their children into “Americans” in a generation and so the pressure and the pace for change was heightened. Finally, modes of inquiry, whether Jesuitical or Talmudic helped shape a style of questioning the world that is common up north, but which is still not accepted easily not merely by southerners, but by people from the midwest as well. How well we negotiate these issues in Charlotte will rely more on a sense of progressive open-mindedness, rather than sentimental nostalgia.
-I don’t really buy the second class chip on the soldier notion for southerners. Both of my parents are from the settlers of the southeast in the 1600’s and early 1700’s. My parents WWII generation was already leaving the chip on the soldier behind. They were not intimidated by northerners and did not teach us to be intimidated by them either. We were taught northerners are no better than us. All of my family left the farm and become professionals in several different fields. I’ve met plenty of other successful southerners who did the same. Do we get discriminated against when working up north. Back in the 1980’s, yes. Did it annoy me? Yes, it hampered doing the job we were paid to do. Since, I’ve been careful that I did not do the same thing to others based on stupid stereotypes I learned as a child. Being discriminated against is not pleasant. That also means not picking on northerners that move to my native region. After all, unless you are a Native American, we are all invaders. The anti-Catholic feeling by one caller is a leftover from the early settling of the Piedmont region. The dominated group of settlers were the Orange Order side of the Northern Ireland troubles. It has been a few hundred years but the old dislike of Catholics are still in the culture. That will change with time.
-From a “Yankee”–I wanted to share with you another version of Yankees/Damn Yankees. I was told, supposedly jokingly, by a native Southerner, that as a Yankee I was like a Hemorrhoid, just a minor irritation if I came down and then went back up, but if I stayed, a major pain in the A _ _ ! If you find in too poor taste to share I understand, but it was told to me as a piece of advice in response to my lamentations about not being able to find employment more on a par with the job I left in moving here from a northern state. I have a terminal degree from a venerable Southern institution, have lived in various parts of the United States and held high level jobs with former employers all of whom give me excellent references, but since coming here because of my husband’s job with one of the financial institutions I have difficulty even getting anyone to interview me. I am told it is becasue all potential employers, upon reading my resume and perceiving me as a “Yankee” because of my other educational and most recent employment experiences, don’t even wnat to initiate conversatio with me, afraid I will pull the “we did it so much better up there”. I am not one to do that, but don’t feel like I will ever get the opportunty to prove that because of how I am perceived just on paper.
-I am from Indiana. I was talking to a local Charlottean (born and raised) about the differences between north and south. She pointed out that the southern small-talk, politeness, hospitality are really very phony. Southerners are much more likely to talk behind someone’s back, often minutes after fawning all over the person. She felt it was the Southerner’s judgmental tendencies that made them overtly polite and friendly because they fear being judged. Does the cashier at Walmart or the guy beside you in line at DMV really care about a stranger? Northerners are very polite and hospitable to folks they care about, but do not pretend to do so to relative strangers.
-It’s funny how some local to Charlotte bring up the civil war, or “second class citizens”. I have lived here since 1991 and haven’t heard anyone talking about being a “second class citizen”, but now that is have been brought up I find it laughable. How many times have we heard whites, in all states, comment on African Americans when they bring up slavery and being held back for decades? It’s time for all of that to stop. As far as those moving to the south, complaining about things being different, welcome to the real world! If someone moves here without checking out the area first, then don’t complain. Things are different in many states. I am from Seattle, my family moved when I was 15, we lived all over, you learn to adapt. One more thing, the comment earlier about the churches and southern life. I am sick of people in this country acting like only the south is religious! I have 7 churches within a 5 minute drive. To me that’s sad, a community of less than 2,900 shouldn’t need that many differences. It’s a shame more people can’t get along, go to bigger churches as one group. There are many religious people in the north, northwest, all over the country. More churches in a area does not mean people are more religious, that’s ignorant thinking. I agree with some of the comments, northerners complaining, and southerners complaining, it’s all ignorance on both parts. I think this is a good topic because dialogue helps.
My first day in high school in the south ( Jacksonville ), I was greeted with “we don’t like yankees”. My reply, “well get used to it.”…The funny part, I am from the Northwest…lol…Sorry to keep yakking away here,but this is a good subject. It is true the civil war is brought up in the south, when living up north and the northwest I never heard it mentioned. I worked for a boss in Va.. that was from Wisconsin, he said the reason they don’t talk about it up north, “they won”….lol…All joking aside, both parties need to grow up, stop the “yankee/redneck” name calling. What’s best for this town, and the world, is everyone learn to adapt and get along.
Comment by Charlotte Blogs— February 11, 2008 #
My family moved here with IBM in 1979, I was a little apprehensive because I knew so little about the area. There has never been a time when I didn’t feel welcome and I now think of Charlotte as our home,plus of course all our grandchildren were born here. I have a British accent and it is often remarked upon, usually by someone saying “I love your accent” my reply is “I love yours too!” The only time I feel like a foreigner is when I am forced to make dinner on the fourth of July — they tell me “well you did lose the war” (just kidding)
Comment by Patricia Travell— February 11, 2008 #
Mike,
I never get to hear your show “live,” as I am usually at work. However, I often listen to the re-broadcasts, and just heard today’s show. I have a couple of comments (perhaps too late, but what the heck?):
First of all, I did not exactly choose to move to Charlotte; I had to move in order to keep my job, because my employer at the time was taken over by one of the big banks. Folks who say, “If you don’t like it, why did you come here?” should remember that some of us didn’t really want to move here, in the first place, but economic circumstances brought us here.
Secondly, I am a native Southerner (I moved here from Birmingham), and I think a lot of the differences result from Charlotte being unique–just like Atlanta, Nashville, or anywhere else has its own uniqueness. To me, the biggest differences between Bham and Charlotte arise from the fact that Charlotte is a lot bigger; for others, it may because Charlotte is smaller than where they are from.
Lastly, I don’t know whether you’ll see this post, but I’d like to be considered for your “Average Joe” panel some time. Let me know how to “apply.”
Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Comment by Letitia Landers-King— February 11, 2008 #
Hi Letitia, we would love to consider you for an Average Joe show. The way we have folks “apply” is to just email us with some information about yourself- sort of a bio, and where you think you stand on some of the big issues (what’s your political viewpoint?). Sharing your opinion and perspective helps us best plan a dynamic panel. Just email charlottetalks@wfae.org Thanks for your interest!
Comment by Erin Sutton— February 12, 2008 #
Being a native Charlottean I am furious at our naive city and its naive leaders. All this city cares about is how fast we can ruin this area by recruiting Yankees to move here. I lived in the DC suburbs for 5 years. All of my neighbors were transplants from New York and New Jersey. Every time I had social interaction with them I felt sick to my stomach. They were rude and viscious humans, simply. Now, Harlot (Charlotte), is prostituting itself to the throngs of these rude, insufferable Yankees. They have ruined Florida and are now destroying North Carolina.The Yankee infestation is a travesty. It occurs because a few choice, traitor Southern families enrich themselves at the most grotesque levels. Go back Yankee you are quietly hated here.
Comment by Rick S— March 13, 2008 #
I am what you call a yankee…I don’t understand this hatred?
I am originally from NY…I am educated, polite, laid back. Non judgemental…Accept you for the person you are. Not whether you are northern or southern..Before I knew how much we are hated here, I went on a dating site…and a gentleman or what I thought was a gentleman.discovered I was from the north..He proceeded to threaten me and told me to get on I95 and keep going until I got back north…At first I thought he was kidding and started to defend myself…told me they fly the confederate flag and have guns and will drive us yankees out of here…I then realized we can’t compete with ignorance!!!! I just can’t belief there is a part of the country like this with so many pregudices…I was not brought up like this…I accept everyone equally…Just because we are all different in our own right doesn’t mean we are bad…
As long as people like you never evolve…You will never let go of your hatred…And in the end you will hurt yourself both emotionally and healthwise…I will not allow you to hurt me and my family…I am saddened by the way we have been treated…You are not going to make me not want to venture out here and experience new beginnings..I am a quality person and just because I don’t sound or look like you, doesn’t make me bad. It makes me unique…There are so many more important things to be concentrating on in the world…And we should be united to thrive towards these goals.
I will pray for you!!!! Good luck….
Comment by M. Jones— May 24, 2009 #
Rick S.:
As a native southerner, I reject you and anyone like you. Charlotte is not “yours”. Nothing is yours because your hatred repels.
Comment by Thomas— January 13, 2012 #
I am doing a compare/contrast essay on Northerners and Southerner. (by the way I live in South Carolina)
Here is what I’ve got on Northerners:
-more of an aggressive attitude
-considered rude and unfriendly
-used to colder weather
-different city dialects like NY and Boston
-different food and beverages
-go by Mr. and Mrs.
Here is what I have on Southerners:
-“Southern hospitality””Southern gentleman”
-used to warm weather and flip-flops year round
-“country” dialects
-sweet tea and grits!!- different food/beverages
-politeness- yes sir and yes ma’am
This is not nearly all!! I still have a lot more to go- e-mail me! Thanks!
Comment by Anne Marie— March 18, 2008 #
We southerners don’t wear flip flops all year round. In the Winter, weather can get cold just not as cold as weather in a North state would be. A southern winter is like a northern fall.
Comment by Rita— February 10, 2010 #
As far as Northerners being aggressive: not always true. N are just slow to warm up to a stranger where here in the South a perfect stranger will tell you their life story (whether you want to hear it or not) and then ask you for a ride home. It’s a little off-putting for the usually stoic northerner.
Comment by Marie N— February 17, 2012 #
I cannot believe the bashing on this page. First of all this is america no matter how much you like it or not! My parents fought for this country just as much as your may have. If for some reason you have a problem with northerners or southerners is how you were brought up , you are reflecting innorant parents. Maybe if us americans stuck together as americans instead of burying our head up our butts and letting other countries walk all over us america would not be the way it is today. Also I see a few keyboard hero’s here who sound like they talk out their butts and maybe their education level is so low it’s the only kind of aggument they can think of in their life is to sit here imagine things that really are not true, maybe its from jealousy you have cause you were picked on in school as a child. Grow up. If you have a problem with a yankee or a southerner…meet eachother and get out your fustrations on eachother and stop making the rest of you look bad. Again …you are nothing but keyboard hero’s cause truthfully if this was said to me by any of you…you can assure I would knock you out in a heartbeat. Again I am an american…yes my skin is white…not that it matters but I am sure you may wonder….I do not think I am tough but this crap with the yankee redneck stuff is old. Note: southerners are not uneducated trailer park trash and northerners do not think you are. Note: Yankees do not hate southerners as some southerners try and make the rest of you feel!
We are all of one creation! Things in this world don’t look good as it is and you people continue to act like children and try to find fault on things that you may be guilty of yourself! Act your age with respect and maybe that southerner or northerner will do the same!
Comment by Steven— May 21, 2008 #
Ricky…if you quietly hate northerners and are afraid to tell them to their face you are a coward.
Thats the difference and why the Northerners won the war.
Anne Marie “joe” …your comparison above is way off……try turning on the news…all the crime in your lol ole NC are the natives..you are not seeing the headlines that People from the north are committing Murders and robberies on the people of NC but are your neighbors. Maybe a few northerners may have given you bad taste in your mout more than one way or another but I can assure you that we are not all rude and unfriendly but will give as much respect as we are given and then some. Sorry you lost the war but its time to grow up!
Comment by zaza— May 21, 2008 #
Zaza- you are an idiot. We Southerns never asked you Yankees to come down and retire or settle in the first place. Yankee go home and stay there!!
Nasty Carpetbaggers.
Comment by joe— November 15, 2008 #
Carpetbagger? first let me say names don’t hurt. I am not the one with a grudge name calling here. This is my country, my father fought in the war as did my brothers and other family members. I was Born here and there is no way in the world no one would ever (especially someone like you) tell me anything. I have no enemies in my 46 years on this earth . I have been here in the south over two years now and ya know what? I Love it! I love the people here! I will not let a few like you ruin it for the majority of the nice folks here so speak for yourself….”JOE”
Comment by steve zaza— May 17, 2010 #
What is the matter with you people? Are we Americans or fighting a loosing battle here with Northerners vs. Southerners? We are all human and this wouldn’t be the way that God would want us to treat one another is it? Aren’t we all human and deserve to show respect to one another? Shouldn’t we all be grateful that we can all help one another out and not have that attitude of hate always prevailing just from where we came from? Don’t you realize that we are bombarded by advertisements and mail from every Southern Realtor to buy down here when up north people are killing themselves with mortgages that would give someone a heart attack and no relief in sight? It does seem like a better place to come and live for a young family. So why make it hard for us? What did we do to you? Don’t generalize and make people feel that we’re all obnoxious, rude, and arrogant? You can’t assume that all New Yorkers, Connecticut people, Massachussets, etc are like that. We’re not. Sorry you feel that way but give us a break. I have found southerners nothing but sweet, warm, and lovely. I hope that we can have better respect from all of you because no one deserves that type of treatment. Thank you and may God Bless.
Comment by kate— December 6, 2008 #
One morning, three Southerners and three Yankees were in a ticket counter line at a train station. The three Northerners each bought a ticket and watched as the three Southerners bought just one ticket.
“How are the three of you going to travel on only one ticket?” asked one of the Yankees.
“Watch and learn,” answered one of the boys from the South.
All six boarded the train where the three Yankees sat down, but the three Southerners crammed into a toilet together and closed the door.
Shortly after the train departed, the conductor came around to collect tickets. He knocked on the toilet door and said, “Ticket, please.”
The door opened just a crack and a single arm emerged with a ticket in hand. The conductor took it and moved on.
The Yankees saw this happen and agreed it was quite a clever idea. Indeed, so clever they decided to do the same thing on the return trip and save some money.
That afternoon when they got back to the station, they bought a single ticket for the return trip and watched, while to their astonishment, the three Southerners didn’t buy even one ticket.
“How are you going to travel without a ticket?” asked a perplexed Yankee.
“Watch and learn,” answered the three Southern boys in unison.
When they boarded the train, the three Northerners crammed themselves into a toilet and the three Southerners crammed into another toilet just down the way.
Shortly after the train began to move, one of the Southerners left their toilet and walked over to the toilet in which the Yankees were hiding. The Southerner knocked on the door and said, “Ticket, please.”
There’s just no way on God’s green earth to explain how the Yankees ever won the war.
Comment by Cedar Posts— December 10, 2008 #
the men who fought from the north were “real men” not what tries to pass a real man in the south
pick-up truck, dog, cowboy boots does not a real man make
Comment by Marie— February 17, 2012 #
You’re dumb Marie, a real man comes from good parents and good values. A real man admits when he’s wrong and never hits a woman. I’m from the south and I’m a good man, I’m a real man. I have 4 dogs and I wear boots no pickup though, wife says we can’t afford the gas. So in summation, Fuck You.
Comment by Isaac— July 14, 2012 #
I think there is a big difference between northerners and southerners. Massholes are terrible drivers, rude & unfriendly. I was amazed at how polite everyone was to me when I went to South Carolina and Georgia on business. Even with my Boston accent I have nothing bad to say about my visit down south. It was quite refreshing actually so see. My parents (God bless their souls) would never have put up with the behavior I see from kids today. I will say New Englanders outside of the metro area of Boston are definitely nicer and drive better. I lived in Northern NH for two decades, closed to the Canadian border and the people there were much friendlier, polite and non-judgemental. I’m glad I raised my son up north, only to bring him back to Mass. for his education…
Comment by Tricia— June 2, 2009 #
well,i am from new jersey…that’s right a damn yankee,AND DAMN PROUD.Southern folks cannot accept the fact that the north is winning another war.If you go up north and your from the south you are not looked at diffrent,but when your from the north and you come to the south they judge you from your accent.They say “southern hospitality”…it’s more like southern brutality,i can’t wait for north carolina to become yankeenized.enjoy us my southern folks because WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY and WE ARE DEF TAKING OVER.So let the intelligence enter the south hillbillys!!!
Comment by paulski— August 5, 2009 #
The neighborhood where Archie Bunker was supposed to live was Irish Catholic and Irish Catholics there are as bigoted as he, but Norman Lear thought it wasn’t cool to make fun of Catholic bigotry. Dwight Moody well documented Catholic bigotry a century earlier. No one ever tells you it was the Evangelicals who started the Abolition of Slavery. Somehow Protestants are the most benighted. But Catholic New Orleans was the center of the slave trade and no one tells you that,either. But the New Deal socialism was brought about by Ellis Island Catholic offspring. And the recent crash was brought about by their subprime ethics. And 9/11 happened because they let in moslems out of hatred for Serbs and Jews.
Comment by Jon— October 28, 2009 #
My Family just moved here from new jersey.We have been living in nc for 2 yrs now.Not one person wanted to be our friend or acted
friendly thats very sad.God made everyone no matter were we are from.We are all children of God.South or North we are the same in many many ways.We celebrate the same Holidays,Have children have the same dreams and goals.We just think it is pretty petty to hold on to the civil war stuff get over it.Even churches in nc have not accepted us.now have can you say you are a christian
if you cannot be friendly to you neighbor.Shame on you! repent for the end is coming soon.
Comment by Anna— April 14, 2010 #
You ought to just go back to NJ (AKA the ‘Armpit of America’).
Y’all are turning large portions of NC in to places that resemble NJ – see Charlotte, Raleigh, etc.
Go back. Just go. It’s too crowded down here since all of you Yankees moved here.
Comment by Southron— April 14, 2010 #
We are here to stay.This is America. I was born here as was all my family. We up North Never …ever ever bring up the Civil war…no one wants war but it happened. You probably don’t know much about it but carry on cause some buddy you know carries on about it. Go back to school and I dont mean grammer school.Finish Grammer school then try Highschool and learn history and stop Leg Humping on what someone else likes or dislikes! Funny…I have met many fine people here in the south but no loudmouth has ever had the Balz to approach me like a man and tell me to go home to NJ. Stop the coward behind the keyboard I say.
Comment by steve zaza— May 17, 2010 #
Were is the southern hospitality? were is the christian people
that care in nc.If you went to Nj you would all be welcome there
so why cant you just let go of the civil war crap.Be neighborly
WE have jobs and support your local shops so get over it
Comment by anna— April 28, 2010 #
What dark age do you all live in??? I’m from Texas so if I moved there I I would be excepted because IM A SOUTHERNER…WE YOU ALL SUCK…I’ve never seen anyone BE HATE MONGLERS!!!! YOU SHOULD BE THROWN OUT OF THE COUNTRY LIKE THE ILLEGALS…SINCE YOU ACT LIKE A bunch of MEXICANS!!
YOU NEED TO READ THE BIBLE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT’S RIGHT AND WRONG!!1
Comment by Deb— April 28, 2010 #
Well, I don’t need to look in the Bible to see that your spelling is wrong. Your grammar is rather bad, too.
Comment by Judy— December 24, 2010 #
Amen to that Deb!!!!!!!! I agree
Comment by anna— April 28, 2010 #
I agree with people who say they just see people as people. I want to say some things about North Carolina and the North. I will be generalizing, but please keep in mind that I am speakinmg about things I see alot of, not about all people in N.C or up north. I am actually speaking to any southerner who automatically judges northerners and who makes no atempt to try to get to know them. I am from N.Y. originally and have lived here about half of my life, over 20 yrs all together. Thirteen straight years now. Whwn I came down here I didn’t think about southern or northern but people here never let me forget it. You may be nicer than northerners in some ways but you are nastier in others. To this day I get the cold shoulder, the hatefull looks and the jealousy over anything I might do good whether it is work or having a good vocabulary. I go to 12 step meetings. Where I was highly respected and liked up north, I get hatefull looks when I share something that actually helps people. People here act as if I’m trying to out-do them or something as if I’m playing some kind of a game. That is the attitude with everything, not just against me but against eachother as well. I have never seen such a despicable display of jealousy and back stabbing to bring other people down as I have here in N.C (especially Charlotte). Northerners are rude, obnoxious, too fast paced and loud. Southerners nastiness comes in deliberate prolonged silences, dirty looks and bad mouthing you without taking any time whatsoever to get to know you. Northern drivers are nasty because they will cut you off, give you the finger and beep their horn at you. Southern drivers may not beep their horn but they will cut you off, deliberately prevent you from getting off an exit and deliberately go under the speed limit in front of you as if they own the road and not give a turn signal. Who are you kidding talking about the arrogent northerners when all I’ve heard about in Charlotte is how much money you make, what nice restaurants you go to or what overseas trip you went on? I never had alot of money so I can’t identify with all that but Charlotteans actually seem to believe that really makes them better than you. They treat you with a disrespect that I have never experienced up north no matter how much money people up there made. It simply wouldn’t be tolerated. I have seen people disrespect and say things to eachother here in N.C. that, I believe, would never be tolerated anywhere else. It is a kind of a spoiled atitude of entitlement that I have never seen before. Like and old friend of mine said, and I believe he was right, “What people down here lack is the comprehension of a good ass kicking.” This is because, for some reason, rudeness and nastiness is tolerated. Up north it is not. The rudeness and nastiness down here is not even mentioned. I believe you all cannot even see your own behavior or don’t want to. You may have more tranquility in one sense but less justice in another. People in N.C can be very rude and very nasty. Southerners are just as nasty as northerners and in some ways even more so. Its just done in a different way. There is no ideal place to live just pros and cons but stop with this crap about how nice you are because you are not so nice! When you assume that a northerner is going to judge you as being stupid and you treat that northerner with contempt and you make no atempt to get to know him than don’t be surprised if he does think of you as stupid. I have not met anyone here that I see as being any better or nicer a person than I am. My niceness is genuine and my friendship authentic. My point is that overall, to me, northereners and southerners are even with both good and bad traits. Not better or worse just even. There are things I like and dislike about both. People can be pretty crappy no matter where you are. Thats my view. Oh and by the way, I’m going to stay here just to aggravate anyone who might want me to leave and to anyone who might want me to leave, I have a question. Instead of me leaving why don’t you change?
Comment by Joe Melodia— May 3, 2010 #
I live in Louisiana and I hate this place. I hate it here because the people here are very arrogant, ignorant, intrusive, mean, and controlling. In fact, the entire south is like that. Everyone down here is fat,and lazy. They wear camoflage everywhere they go ( I’ve seen a few wear it to church ).Some of the women down here have got B.O. real bad, and most of the women here look older than their years. As for the men? Most of them look, act, and talk like LTCG.
Comment by Dennis— May 14, 2010 #
“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” And when Mrs. Lincoln and others spoke harshly of the southern people, Lincoln replied: “Don’t criticize them; they are just what we would be under similar circumstances.”
Comment by Abe Lincoln— January 1, 2011 #
Can’t we all just get along? …Humm…………NOPE! Not unless you open a door and actually hold it open for someone walking from a LONG way away (’til your arm hurts) or if you say and teach your children to say yes ma’am and no sir, excuse me , thank you and GOD bless you when you hear a sneeze. I can not stand a rude attitude from anyone. It just makes it less tolerable when there is a whining northern accent on top……it’s just an idicator that things are about to get too hot…. like a mushy maraschino cherry staining my vanilla ice cream as it melts the Georgia heat. If you do not know this already, YOUTS, please smack yo momma ‘fore I do. From Georgia all the way back.
Comment by Courtney— June 16, 2011 #
I have noticed that most southerners are really two-faced – friendly at first, but they talk about you behind your back. If something good happens to you, they are really envious and not happy for you at all.
Comment by Marie— February 17, 2012 #
Northerners are venomous, self rightous, think that they deserve everything but dont want to be held accountable for any thing, spoiled, punk ass bitches, that think they are smarter and more superior because they know how to hate with hidden agendas. All you all want to do is hate and control and be- little others while thinking it’s ok because you recycle. Wake up! People like you all are the true poison on the earth! Parasites! Egotistical swine! I have met spitting cobras with more
compassion! If your so rightous why are you so anti-social? If your so smart why are you so angry? If your so superior, why do you fell the need to be so important? A natural disaster would be a god send to all you yankee jackasses!
Comment by The South shall rise again!— September 8, 2012 #
P.S. You yankee bitches aint never had a real fight thats why your mouths do all the work for you, yu want to learn some manners come down here so you can get some schoolin.
Comment by The South shall rise again!— September 8, 2012 #
I live in e. Tn and thought all southern were nice and had manners.You know that true southern hospitality, type thing..Well, if i hear anymore of that phony stupid hillbilly act i’am going to threw up..They play that act so tourist will come and spend their money.They don’t like northerns they just want them to spend their money while their visiting..And then leave.Up north all those well mannered southerns came to work in the auto plants in the north only to bring back their BIG retirements..Now, we don’t have work and you learn real fast how much they like you coming down here to work..I think of it as FAIR PLAY..
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Comment by no deposit pokies— May 14, 2014 #
Lived in the South and the North, my family is from Georgia, and I’ll take the North any day of the week. Not saying all Northerners are angelic angels, or that they don’t have issues, but a deal of Souhterners (not all, but the vast majority) are two-faced, backstabbing phonies. Like I say, there are SOME Northerners who are two-faced as well and a FEW GENUINE HONEST Southerners but I’m talking about the majority of each region. “Southern Hospitality” is all bullsheet and PHONY as it gets as well. I don’t trust people in general but I really find it hard to trust those good ole boys and girls from the South, what a backstabbing, two faced, phony lot they are in general.
Comment by Waco Kid— April 7, 2016 #