[Melissa]

I come from a racially mixed city with a large Air Force population. I've noticed that Southern whites tend to be more accepting of blacks than Northern whites. Northerners seem to be almost afraid of black people, but Southerners don't. Why is this?

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Name : Melissa, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 22, City : Montgomery, State : AL Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Augustine23547]

I have lived in the South and have had great relationships with black people all my life. There are common traits, most cultural, a few genuinely racial (e.g., body fat distribution), but the same can be said of any group. I've heard it said that 'Southerners like blacks as individuals but not as a group, whereas Northerners like blacks as a group but not as individuals'. Northerners enjoy the moral high ground that comes from not being associated with slavery, but I think blacks would be very disappointed and hurt at some of the racist things Northerners say behind their backs. Southerners are unfairly demonized as being quintessential racists; I think if a few Northerners came down here and watched us work together, play together, and just in general enjoying one another's company, they'd learn something. At least with the Confederate flag debate in several Southern states (South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi), both sides say exactly how they feel about it. That's a kind of sincerity I don't find among Northerners.

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Name : Augustine23547, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 40, City : Columbia, State : SC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Matt22016]

I lived in Florida and Louisiana half my life and tended to find those areas extremely racist. I have lived in New England the other half and found it to be just as bad. No matter where you go, you will always find racists AND decent people.

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Name : Matt22016, Gender : M, City : Boston, State : MA Country : United States, 

[Rick29838]

To suggest that Southern whites, with their history of segregation, lynchings and white supremacist groups, are more accepting of blacks than Northern whites is ridiculous. Even today, surveys on issues such as mixed marriages show Southerners to be more close-minded, in general, on race issues.

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Name : Rick29838, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Springfield, State : OH Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Rick29828]

I believe that Southerners, with their cultural veneer of friendliness and politeness, are better at covering up ingrained prejudices. Besides, just because you have never lynched anyone or joined the KKK doesn't mean that such things aren't more prominent in the South. In fact, they are. I have lived in the South.

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Name : Rick29828, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Springfield, State : OH Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Gregory-H21592]

I think that for many southerners, they have had more real world contact with black folks than many northern whites have had. Northern whites have read about blacks, and 'had a black friend once', but have never really interacted with them. Also, there is more shared history between blacks and whites in the south (often poor history admittedly), but they seem to just understand each other better. And just to be fair---there were quite a few lynchings and racially motivated arsons and mob violence in the north as well, it wasn't strictly a southern phenomenon.

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Name : Gregory-H21592, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 23, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : law student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Diana]

i live in the south, and you see more of white women and black men.i dont see the difference as far as being afraid. maybe its just the people themselves that are scared. alot of white people dont understand black's, and there culture. if you are of a white, say and give other cultures a chance, you will see they are great people also.there should not be any prejudice . we all need to love each other, regardless of ones color.

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Name : Diana, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Italian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 53, City : Richmond, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : nurse, Education level : Technical School, 

[Philip-T]

I can't really speak for Yankees, but whites down South have to deal with racism because we can't deny our history of racism. I have been told the difference between whites in the North and South was that in the North, whites would say that blacks could do whatever they wanted to do but they didn't want black friends, and in the South, whites would have black friends but didn't want blacks to get a good job. Racism in the South is overt, and in the North it's covert. By the way, the largest race riot in U.S. history was in the North in the middle of the Civil War: the 1863 New York City Draft Riots. I bet you've heard more about Birmingham than that. Anyway, Southerners of all races have better reputations in the hospitality department than those darn Yankees.

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Name : Philip-T, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 28, City : Nashville, State : TN Country : United States, Occupation : Courier, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Michael20720]

I think one factor is the amount of diversity and density in an area. Cities like Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia are less racist but are more paranoid. People profile and stereotype based on appearance, which race can be a part of, but so can hygiene, wardrobe, where you live, and how beat up your car is. People living in areas that are spread out and less diverse tend to get clannish. I believe their judgements are based more on differences and that, having less options, have been forced to work within a particular paradigm that they do not want to see get disrupted. I don't know. This is a very complex and sensitive issue and I don't think there's any way we can completely explain how even one person is affected by their environment and heredity.

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Name : Michael20720, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : Columbus, State : OH Country : United States, Occupation : Computer Programmer, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, 

[Halley]

I'm not entirely sure. I live in Atlanta, which is pretty diverse (as major cities tend to be), and so I've been exposed to relatively little racism. A few years ago, I went on a trip to the northeast (namely Massachusetts and Pennsylvania) to visit various family members I had never met before. They seemed to have a whole lot to say about black people. They made fun of their appearances, and one family member in particular complained about how there's nothing but 'a bunch of black people in Atlanta', and I learned that his wife refused to even try on clothes on her visit to Atlanta years ago for fear that some black woman had tried them on before her. Needless to say, I was absolutely shocked and insulted. I've been to a lot of small southern towns, but in none of them have I met someone as blatantly racist as many of the yankees I met on that trip.

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Name : Halley, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, 

[Andy]

I am not sure what places you have been to, but I think that you are way off. I live in Columbus,OH. and this is one of the most tolerante cities when it comes to cultural diversity. Sure we have racist whites,blacks and others, but for the most part people here get along. I have been to the south and it is a whole diffent place there. Some places seem like it is still the 50's. Sure there are some people in the suburbs here who seem alittle afraid of black or hispanic people, but i thinkit is becuase they never had the opportunity to meet them and see that every race or religion has its own quirks and flaws. No one is perfect. Although i must say here in Columbus most peopl eare accepting, even if they are alittle fearful of other people. IF you look and pay attention though it is a fear of the unknown, not other people and cultures specificly. Remember we were part of the underground railroad, not the half of the country that want to keep slaves!!

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Name : Andy, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : Columbus, State : OH Country : United Kingdom, 

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