Was it Bash Alabama Day?

[shipperx]

What the hell was yesterday? Was it "Bash Alabama Day" and people forgot to announce it? First, The Amazing Race and its stereotypes. Then The Amazing Race contestants, the Bransens, who made disgusting comments about the state just to be "cute." Then I read TWOP (which is always a mistake) and there was some poster wondering why in the hell all the Southerners on the board were pissed because "C'mon. It's just Alabama" and how "Reconstruction didn't last long enough because they should have been edjimuncating [Southerners] more" (and then he used the trite red state/blue state cliche bullshit that has become a pet peeve of mine.)

Then this morning when my radio alarm went off, the local alt_rock station was complaining about "The Daily Show" having ragged on Alabama (last night?) You know, the state is not a wealthy one for many reasons. It's by and large a disadvantaged state, but John Stewart and cohorts bashing it and calling it "the Ukraine with banjos" isn't helping! In fact, it's OFFENSIVE! (And where in the fucking hell are these show digging up all of these "Deliverance" banjo music clips?! For the love of god, WHY? It's in no way actually representative of the South (we have more rock stations than country and even country stations don't sound like THAT, you stereotyping assholes.)

I'm pissed and disgusted now. I usually like "The Daily Show," but in an addendum to last night's pissed off rant about against "The Amazing Race" -- screw you too, Daily Show.

I guess it's always in style to bash the South. Since it's offensive to stereotype anyone else, glad Hollywood (etc) has this offensive stereotype to cling to so damn tenaciously.

Comments

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Eh, no. They still stereotype the religious and fat people. And probably many other groups that you and I are just not sensitive to.

But hey, I'm not so much with the PC; I still miss the Frito Bandito.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

You're right. People also feel entitled to mock, belittle, and dismiss Christians.

I'm not religious (at best I'm agnostic with leanings toward athiesm) but I'm consistently appalled by the anti-Christian rhetoric that flies around. (And this is from someone who entered into a yelling fight with someone who argued that Creationism was as worthy of being taught as Evolution. No. It's not. Creationism is religious faith. "Intelligent Design" is just code for Creationism. And evolution is science. These are not the same things. )

People try to be sensitive to other religions, but, apparently, any insult to Christians and their level of intelligence is just fine.

Look, I'm not a Christian, but it's a person's own business what religion they do or don't believe. It's a matter of faith. It's their religion and it promotes love and charity. Don't feel so free to bash the hell out of it. This country was founded on a FREEEDOM OF RELIGION. That means we're supposed to have some level of tolerance for people who believe things we don't. That's what tolerance actually is. Tolerating people who don't agree with us. (And yes, I'm aware of the reverse problem. I also want religion kept COMPLETELY separate from state).

But Christian bashing just makes me aware of rampant hypocrisy.

[acristleo.livejournal.com]

I am so with you on these issues. I was screaming at a local radio station just the other day (not that they could hear me.) There was a running commentary over the Arkansas woman who just had her 16th child. Followed up by comments on a debate board that I frequent. It seems that these people must be uneducated hicks living off the system who know nothing about birth control, and when the fact that they are Christian is brought up - well then the gloves *really* come off. Even though there is plenty of information out there to refute pretty much all of these assumptions, I guess it is just easier to build yourself up by looking down on others. Grr.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

Can I go off on a tangent right now and also remark about how FUCKING sick and tired I am about the red state/blue state cliche bullshit?

I get a feed called overheardinny, and after Katrina there were many, many postings wherein the fucking dicks in NYC didn't even know that Louisiana was a State. Yeah, that pretty much proves just how much better educated blue state people are.

Coming from West Virginia, I totally sympathize with you and the assholing stereotyping. Believe it or not, many of us in West Virginia are not married to close relatives.

Grrrrrr!

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I hate the red state/blue state bullshit. I mean I really, really hate it. Every time I see someone use the phrase I just want to smack them. Way to be dismissive of MOST OF THE COUNTRY, you dick! Gee, it's not like there aren't people of all races and political groups in every state. No, let's just dismiss everyone in the middle and southern U.S.just so we can feel superior over nothing (and especially dismissive of people who might possibly disagree with you or have a different viewpoint. *Gasp* Diversity isn't supposed to actually mean people are allowed to be different!)

Hate that trite cliche. Hate it.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad to know that I'm not the only one fed up with that. I notice way too often that those people who bitch about "freedom of speech" the most are also the first ones to want to shut up anyone with a differing opinion.

To make us feel better I'm going to use an icon featuring DH's butt. :)

[the-nites-gurl.livejournal.com]

GRRRRRR ARGH

[tnmisery.livejournal.com]

Arrrgghhh! Preach it, sister! I could go on for fucking days about how sick of this bullshit I am. I'm all about a joke or a good natured poke at my southern expense, but only if I'm allowed to retort.
And the whole red state/blue state thing has been griping the hell out of me. ENOUGH ALREADY. YOU HAVE POUNDED IT INTO OUR BRAINS WITH A LARGE HAMMER.
Of course, whenever I hear this shit, I have to be amused, because my area around Nashville? Full of northern people. We're being overrun. :D

[nirvana-1.livejournal.com]

As a liberal from the blue states, I agree the "red states, blue state" stuff is tired. I mean I ccertainly poke fun, I'm not going to lie, but the simple-mindedness and misrepresentation of individuals is absurd.


And in fairness to Jon, he rags on everybody - Jews, blacks, Christians, Muslums, mid-westerners, and the kitchen sink. Wrong time I suppose.

[cy-girl.livejournal.com]

Memphis catches all kinds of hell so I've grown used to it. Someone told the Russian actress who was in 40 Shades of Blue that the only food here would be BBQ so she brought all this organic stuff in from out-of-state. She was pleasantly surprized that we do eat something other than pork 24/7 and our grocery stores do carry organic foods.

Have you seen Fargo? Shortly after it came out I saw a Congressman from Minnesota on CSpan whose constituents were calling in to complain about Minnesotans being lampooned in the movie. I though "Welcome to my world!" (The funnies thing about this was the callers had the same accent the filmmakers were poking fun at.)