Alabama and Buckingham Nicks

[JamieSPC]

Originally Posted by holidayroad

I wish I had better things to say about Alabama. I live there now. I am originally from Kentucky. KY isn't much better. Cross a bridge and I would have been in Ohio (a far better place to live, IMHO).

It's likely that the bigger cities in AL are great places to live. Unfortunately, I'm in a rural part of AL. People here are very closed minded. If you are not into Christianity, you are made to feel very unwelcome.

I'm not picking on you... but this is a great example of what I'm talking about. The exact thing you said is true of rural areas in any state, but because it's Alabama (or Kentucky, or whatever state you want to pick where perception is reality), people don't find it hard to believe.

I just got back from California... spent almost a week in the central valley. It's redder than red. But because of LA, SF, SD, the perception is the whole state is blue. In fact, the vast majority of rural residents of CA resent—even despise—the coastal cities and their voting propensities. In fact, I've never been more uncomfortable than when I traveled last year to rural Minnesota; my borrowed car had an Obama sticker on the back and more often than not I was not just asked, but confronted about it. I've never had that happen in Alabama.

This country is a very homogeneous culture... it's the same all over. The real divide is urban and rural, and it's true no matter where you are.