G'Morning, Yall--

While I agree with the posts noting that the atmosphere in the Carolinas can be particularly repressive/oppressive regarding sex, sexuality, and "the hobby," (what can one expect from an area that re-elected Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond a gazillion times), I do have to speak up to defend this land and many of its people.

I recently moved to the mountains of NC from a city in the Piedmont.  I had lived in the Piedmont area for...hmmmm... about 15 years and had grown to detest the conservative Christians.  It seemed to me that their brand of Christianity gave them leave to "hate in the name of Christ."  Most of the folks I'm referring to were relatively wealthy--new money--and their belief system was an odd permutation of Calvinism.  In other words, they got where they were because of their righteousness.  Anybody who was poor was so because they deserved to be.  I can't say as to these people's opinions regarding the hobby, as I wasn't a participant back then, but I would guess that they would look down their noses and think of us all as dirty perverts.

Then, about two years ago, I moved to a rural area in the mountains.  I was not looking forward to living here (except for the beauty and accessibility of the landscape) because it is sooooooooo conservative.  Truly, you can't spit without hitting a Baptist church.  Well, then I got to know some folks and I have changed my mind.  Some of my favorite people here are devout Baptists, but they are different from the nouveauricheholierthanthou Baptists in, say, Charlotte or Raleigh.  The people out here seem to try to emulate Jesus; they are kind, sincere, honest, forgiving, and humble.  I doubt they'd approve of the hobby, and the recent busts in Asheville (oy!) attest to this.  BUT, that said... they seem fairly content to live and let live.  There's even a lot less homophobia here than in the bigger cities.  The kindnesses people have shown me, and the welcome I received when I moved here have humbled me and I have learned once again that I'm often wrong.

So, why'd don't yall come visit me in the land of moonshine and beautiful rivers?

Love to all,
Anne

Lisa,

Thanks for your wonderful post.  It sure is nice to hear that there are people who are open-minded, such as yourself living in the Carolina's.

Unfortunately, most folks in Carolina don't think that way. There is good reason why the Carolina's earned the nickname the Bible Belt.

Now, before I get everybody up in arms let me clarify what I mean by this.  I have absolutely no issue about someone being religious.  However, I do take exception to people forcing their beliefs (sometimes without logic)on to me.

The Carolina's are not known for their hunting grounds for hobbyist.  As a matter of fact, some folks have such conservative views that if someone isn't a WASP they are looked down up.  That type of narrow-minded thinking, combined with strong opinioniated religious beliefs have given the Carolina's a bad rap.

Now, granted not everyone is like that ... but the majority are.  Another state that has a long way to go is Arkansas.  

- buddha

-- Modified on 6/9/2002 8:32:37 AM

I would like to weigh in on this subject and I can do so with
some insight, I lived in Fayettivlle N.N. for 7 years and moved
back to Minnesota 25 years ago, I married a local native to the
state while I was there and now she is an EX wife who resides
in Minnesota still, I don't want to burn on the people of N.C.
or be to harsh in with my remarks, But here goes, Imagine if you
can a person from the north residing in a state such as N.C.
and what I can tell you is that my values and beleifs far
differ from there way of thinking, I was treated as lower class
because I was a midwestern, I left the state and returned to
my home state because at least I could get decent employment.
I don't care for the judgemental mind set that carloinaian's
have toward others. and I do agree with the prior post about
they have a long way to go. heck even my Ex wife is turned off
by the thought of living there again.

but...

1.  Fayetteville is particularly provincial (one wonders what F'villers see as being so wonderful about F'ville), and many cities in the state are that way, too.  However, with such an influx of Yankees into the middle of the state, I think that you'd find the atmosphere more welcoming now than it used to be.  There isn't such an influx of Yankees where I am, but there are a lot of Latino immigrants.  People seem to get along fine.  I felt welcomed when I got here, and I don't know that there's much, if any, animosity towards the Latinos (the Cherokee Reservation notwithstanding, but that's a completely different issue).

2.  There is a side of this state, and some of its more conservative folks that I had been blind to.  There really is an inherent kindness that I had missed.

3.  Still, though, the sexual mores do tend to be archaic, patriarchal, and oppressive.

Well, gotta go do some work.  I got stood up tonight (grrrr), so I might as well try to get something done with my time.

Love to all,
Anne

Anne I don't mean to peg the entire population of the state as
Red necks who all live in some back woods tin roofed house,
and I do know that the people up in the mountains are of a
diffenet mind set than those who live in the central plains
but I do know that the majority of those that I dealt with
during my time living there had this way of looking down there
nose at anyone who did not subscribe to there beleifs. take
Cumberland county as an examlple. while I was living down there
all of the grocery stores were not allowed to be open on Sunday
because of what was called the Blue law, and the county was
a dry county also, No Liqour or beer sales allowed, and if I
remember right the surronding counties were the same. so I
guess what I mean by all of this is boy talk about someone
else running your life! Can't buy something like food on sunday
cause it was considered sinful! and no liquor sales at all because that was sinful, so you can see where I am coming from
right? and although I have not visited the state in many years
I often wonder how much has changed? but anyway there are some
mighty fine folks who live in the state just the same.
best wishes from Minnesota          Trooper

but he usually misspelled a few of the words, and that was from growing up in the State Capitol!
Something is wrong to the core in States that repeatedly re-elect braindead US Senators like Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms.
Sure the white WASPs are very nice people toward each other, with wonderful manners, but xenophobia and Calvinisn are in the culture if not the dna.
This certainly affects the hobby. I would love to vacation and enjoy the golf courses of Myrtle Beach, but the fun from Eros-Miami is a greater lure. Imagine Eros-Myrtle Beach! There isn't one, and LE would just use it for investigative leads. The religious right and LE in the bedroom are a part of the southern way of life that is intolerable to many, so we move away in droves.

than missionary position with your spouse is still considered to be sodomy, and punishable by law (at least I believe this law hasn't yet been repealed).  Thus, if they don't get you on solicitation charges, I suppose that they could get you on sodomy, especially if you were ... ahem... using mini liquor bottles.

Yall have a good one!
Love,
Anne
(P.S.  My family tree does to have branches!)

I imagine they do that in the Carolinas too.
Once you cross the Potomac going south, it is felony sodomy to do daty, hoover, or to get hoovered, in the first degree of course. Doggie is not a crime, however, unless you miss, or actually nail a different species than our own, such as a slow sheep or possum.
Back to work! LOL
The Unholy Father
Keeper of the Vatican Debauchery Division

I lived in Clayton County Georgia and later up near Braselton (shipped wheels at BBS & worked at Road Atlanta & Lanier) and found the people I met to be much more open minded to differenced and unusual choices that most places I've lived including anywhere Colorado or Washington (bastions of open-minded personal freedoms... as long as you are rich and educated... otherwise you are just trash... ).

I bet there are more rednecks in Colorado and Nebraska than in all of "The South."

Hi Anne,

I assume that you are located near Ashville...did a review search and cant find you...do you have a site?