Busting Rural Stereotypes

[Captain Jack Harkness]

Okay, so I want to preface this thread by stating that I have lived my entire life in a town surrounded by small towns.

Now, having said that, I've noticed that society LOVES to paint people from rural and agricultural areas as brain-dead hicks.  I highly resent this stereotype, because I know it's crap.  I've actually interacted with small town people, so I know how friendly they can be.  Yet I see these "durr hurr hicks" portrayal, and it pisses me off.

Are some of the laws arguably disagreeable in these areas?  Maybe.  That's the fault of the ultraconservatives getting out to vote.  It may also have to do with the people opposing the law not doing enough to combat the law.  It could also be that there were no suitable alternatives presented.  Another possibility is that the wording of some proposed laws (the ones being voted on, at least) are such that people decide to vote for them.  I know not all laws are in the hands of the citizens, but we sometimes run across things like that as well as constitutional amendments.

Anyway, I suppose this thread was made to do more than just rant.  I want you guys to discuss POSITIVE experiences you've had in rural towns, if you've had the chance to go to any.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

I live in a rural area--most of my experiences at least nowadays are positive.

[Captain Jack Harkness]

Any examples, Rabbit?

Poetic and I went to a bar in a town a couple miles down the road Yesterday.  The people there were just some of the nicest you'll ever meet.  There were a few drunk jerks being to loud, but it's a bar so that's expected.

[SpaceProg]

I live in a rural area.  I love it here.  Everyone minds their own business, but at the same time they look out for each-other.  It's cool.  The best thing about it is the critters.  Lots and lots of critters.

[Auggziliary]

    I've lived in rural area since I was 5. Sort of. Like I didn't grow up in the boonies, or on a farm. I live in a suburb in town, but my schools are all in the rural areas. To be fair, the redneck stereotype is off, but there are rednecks. Like the ones that I've met have insane views, but they don't push them. They don't like gays, women in power, abortion, foreigners, atheists, etc, but they wont actually do anything against them. Like they say they don't hate on atheists openly because "that would be forcing views on someone". One girl who even thought that having an abortion from rape was evil, still thought that abortions should still be perfectly legal. They also don't hate on the black kids at our school surprisingly (The amount of non-whites at our school is like <5%). They wear confederate flags all the time and have used the words "coon" and "n****r", but they don't really mean it. They are very nice and you can have a decent conversation with them usually, but most fail their classes, so I don't know what to think of their intelligence. (In case you are wondering how "redneck" we are talking, I live in TN, and these people hunt, wear camo everywhere, usually overweight, wear the confederate flag, have a big ass pick-up truck, and sometimes farm. Yes I know not every hunter, farmer, and truck driver is a redneck).
   
   Of course I'm talking about the people at my school, both the parents and the students I grew up with. It seems like their parents are the crazy ones. Like one girl's dad I know thinks that all Chinese people are spies for the government. A lot of parents would kick their kids out if they were gay or dated a black person.

I know that most people in the south aren't dumb, but don't deny that there are rednecks around, so some of the stereotypes are true.

[Sleepy]

They wear confederate flags all the time and have used the words "coon" and "n****r", but they don't really mean it.

I kinda have a hard time getting past this. If they're racist assholes but keep it to themselves, that's one thing, but openly wearing attire with racial slurs? Yeah, not excusable.

[Auggziliary]

They wear confederate flags all the time and have used the words "coon" and "n****r", but they don't really mean it.

I kinda have a hard time getting past this. If they're racist assholes but keep it to themselves, that's one thing, but openly wearing attire with racial slurs? Yeah, not excusable.

It's very confusing for me. They are extremely racist in that sense, yet they get along with the few black students at our school. I'm not trying to defend them, but my point is that they don't act like the stereotype of a racist redneck.
Also I've heard them talk about "blacks who hate 'n-----rs'". I think that's like a real life Uncle Ruckus.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Any examples, Rabbit?

Poetic and I went to a bar in a town a couple miles down the road Yesterday.  The people there were just some of the nicest you'll ever meet.  There were a few drunk jerks being to loud, but it's a bar so that's expected.

Nothing in particular, it's just a nice, quiet place, and even though it has its conservative population it's pretty laid back and there are plenty of accepting people. And cows

[dpareja]

They wear confederate flags all the time and have used the words "coon" and "n****r", but they don't really mean it.

I kinda have a hard time getting past this. If they're racist assholes but keep it to themselves, that's one thing, but openly wearing attire with racial slurs? Yeah, not excusable.

It's very confusing for me. They are extremely racist in that sense, yet they get along with the few black students at our school. I'm not trying to defend them, but my point is that they don't act like the stereotype of a racist redneck.
Also I've heard them talk about "blacks who hate 'n-----rs'". I think that's like a real life Uncle Ruckus.

Old but perhaps relevant:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PJF0YE-x4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PJF0YE-x4</a>

[Old Viking]

I've lived in little-bitty-out-in-the-country towns in upstate New York (nine years) and western Maryland (twelve years.)  Tranquil environments, friendly people.  I loved 'em both.

[chitoryu12]

It's hard to really describe where I live. Most people would call my part of Longwood the "suburbs", since it's a lot of residential housing as much as 4 miles from the nearest urban sprawl. At the same time, the areas outside of what was cleared for the cookie cutter McMansions remain absolutely covered in trees almost too thick to walk through, and it can take a mile or less of driving to get from an endless series of strip malls to an endless series of fields and forests. Then there's a bit of 17-92 (which is otherwise covered in urban sprawl from end to end and beyond) that suddenly gets surrounded by trees, because you're cutting through a huge forest that's preserved.

It ends up creating a very odd feel, because it takes about 30 minutes on a bike to switch between urban, suburban, and rural areas. You can have the lowest rednecks living within spitting distance of wealthy gated communities (both of whom go to the same Wal-Marts), who are in turn 10 miles or less from downtown Orlando, voted 2nd Gayest City behind San Francisco and the strongest left-wing hold in all of Florida, with a burgeoning film and TV industry and a heavy club scene.

[Askold]

Uhhh... I grew up on a farm and the region is quite sparsely populated but I suddenly realise that I'm not sure what the Finnish stereotypes about farmers and hicks are.

I mean I guess there is the stereotype about "peräkammarinpojat" which basically refers to young men who stay at their parents and can't get a girlfriend or even try to be independent.

...And that would describe some of my childhood friends, now that I think about it.

[nickiknack]

The town where I went to college, New Paltz, NY is in a rural setting, and very liberal at the same time. All around nice little town.

[Osama bin Bambi]

All the Southerners I know are very polite, liberal, well-spoken people. Several are scientists.

[Captain Jack Harkness]

They are very nice and you can have a decent conversation with them usually, but most fail their classes, so I don't know what to think of their intelligence.

Hey, that's not really fair.  I think you have to consider two things before you make remarks about the "intelligence" of people.

1.  The school system environment.  Good schools help a lot.
2.  How much the student studies/does homework/applies themselves.

Grades != Intelligence