Urban Rednecks UNITE!

Two very interesting articles came out last week regarding Southern identity (or the loss thereof). They’re interesting in that they essentially make the point that Southern accents and Southern identity and culture are dying.

This saddens me because I am a Southern boy…albeit with some caveats.

Every state I’ve ever lived in were member states of the old Confederacy, with the exception of one. Oklahoma had not obtained statehood at that point but the majority of the tribes of Oklahoma signed treaties with the CSA. Most non-Southerners would easily classify me as a Southerner but most rural Southerners would not. I am what would probably best be described as an “Urban Redneck.”

I’ve spent the past 21 plus years living in Miami, Dallas and Atlanta. I love the conveniences of living in the big city (or a suburb thereof). I have no desire to live more than 10 miles away from a sushi bar or 1 mile away from a grocery store. I’m very tolerant of traffic. I enjoy a degree of anonymity and am glad that I don’t have to hide my beer cans at the bottom of the trash can so my neighbors won’t see them. I hate country music, don’t like dogs and don’t own a shotgun. I love NASCAR but, over the past few years have found myself much less interested in football.

I have a Southern accent; the degree of thickness being in direct proportion to the number of beers I’ve had. I use words like “y’all”, “I reckon” and “fixin’ to” in day-to-day conversation. I often refer to friends, family and co-workers as “sir” or “ma’am”…not out of subservience, but out of respect.

I’ve eaten at some of the finer restaurants in the South but, often times, would rather sit down with a mess of greens and cornbread. I prefer catfish to sea bass. My wife has fantastic Teflon cookware but I always bypass it for my cast iron (never washed with soap, mind you). My homemade pickles are, in my opinion, far superior to anything store-bought as are my pickled jalapenos. I keep a jar of bacon grease in my refrigerator and use it to season a great deal of whatever I cook. I like my iced tea sweet and the only true barbecue is pork with a vinegary sauce..

I’m conservative in my politics, steadfast in my faith and a strong believer in traditional family values. I’ve got no problem with the “Rebel Flag” because I see it as a symbol of Southern heritage, not slavery or racism. I also think that “Larry the Cable Guy” is one of the funniest comedians ever…even if he’s not a native son.

My “Southern-ness” starts with my grandparents. Mom’s parents were born and raised in Alabama, Dad’s in Texas and Louisiana. My maternal grandmother and her sisters take great pride in being from the south and each of them has the thickest accent you’ll ever hear (imagine Foghorn Leghorn, but much slower.) Dad’s mom always had a garden and canned a lot of her own veggies.

Living in Miami for 10 years also contributed a great deal to my love of the south. Being exposed to so many different cultures made me embrace Southern culture that much more.

I’m not convinced that Southern culture is dead, but it’s certainly passed its peak. In order to do my part in keeping it alive, I’ll continue to watch the Dukes of Hazzard with my daughter, teach her to cook collard greens and let her know that there’s nothing wrong with saying “y’all”

Y'all come back now, y'hear...