How racist is the South?

[undergroundpanther]

I was going to a family wedding(not my side the Ex's side). She worked in a republican senators office as some sort of secretarial thing apparently.He offered to let her have her wedding at the country club he belonged to.She took his offer.

Upon hearing her wedding venue I was told how I should dress,that my purple hair may offend and deny me admission (it was not the brides rules it was the "conservative country clubs rules) I was really put off.I went because It was an obligation.I didn't change my hair.I got in anyway.I had to wear a dress and I was terribly uncomfortable the whole time. For if I wore more masculine clothes I would not be permitted in,apparently females dressing like men was more offensive than a purple Mohawk.

The wedding reception was nice,food was good.
The decor was so fancy, they had big huge antique chandeliers ,the band was so "white" I couldn't dance to it at all.Outside the back door there was a big marble balcony, there was a golf course all land scaped,the place looked like a historic plantation house.

And it was more like a plantation the more I asked around.

There were NO black people in the club..the only blacks there were janitors and white gloved servants.They were being supervised by white people. It seemed kinda weird to me how quiet and invisible they were.

I was in the bathroom alone. So I had a candid moment with a black janitor emptying the trashcan.
I asked her what kind of place IS this?,she said a very exclusive and conservative club. I asked how might one become a member here?..And she rattled off a list of requirements that made me wanna gag..

FIRST they check into your background.Are you loyal to the US the president? Than they want to know your family names on both sides to determine ,racial heritage . THey want your income status.And political affiliations.Next they want to make sure all the women act like submissive trophy wives and the men are good ole boys. I could not get in unless I was recommended by a male member first.I had to swear to be absolutely STRAIGHT,no queers allowed in there you know .
My Mohawk would have to go I would not be permitted to wear certain clothes,anymore like jeans or t shirts, or pants for that matter.The pierces would have to go and I would have to state I belong to a church, and prove it was a CHRISTIAN in one of a few allowed denominations.

I asked this janitor how she felt working for such scumbag racists,and she didn't say anything.
I felt disgusted,like I was covered in slime being in that place. I was so glad to get out of there,when the shindig was over.

If anyone tries to tell you racism,homophobia and sexism does not exist in high places down south, in con-servo land they are full of shit.
It's STILL institutionalized, yet it's spoken of in a nod-nod,wink-wink sort of way.It's truly disgusting.

Also at the Hillsville Flea Market in Virginia ,which is a KICK ASS flea market BTW except for a few things like.... the frickin KLAN hands out leaflets there every year.Some yahoos stand around in a klan booth handing out their shit.Sometimes White Power groups are there too. Some of these racist idiots sell Nazi shit and every ass selling it treats it like a sacred relic.It's obscene. You can buy ugly racist teeshirts there, I ride with Forrester bumper trash ,next to jesus fish..Racist authors sell their books too.I bought the turner diaries (since everyone tells me how subversive that book is)there , I tried to read it for giggles-n-shits but it is the most boring read EVER and it's stupid, I couldn't finish it it was so lame..So I used it for kindling.

What I am describing here,it's for real.I kid you not. The racism of the south isn't gone,it's just lurking over to the side, stage right,quietly,playing nice,waiting for the chance to claim center stage again to legitamize hate and kill people again.

Bully thugs used to having privilege,they never get over themselves and never want to give up privileges you know..They write stupid shit like turner diaries and fly confederate flags and yell Rahowa,and they look like complete bitter little boy fools as far as I am concerned.Scary thing is some of these little bitter children who never grew up got enough money and PR skill to run for senate seats and other places of power and hide what they are with a nod and a wink..

Anybody else got a story to share?

[pitohui]

1. "she didn't answer"

it is shitty to put people on the spot when they are working and trying to keep a job by asking them a question you already know the answer to

southern ladies are taught not to do that

so racist we may be but at least we're not so racist as to be THAT cruel

keep in mind that a person is not a "race" they are also a person who needs to earn money to buy food to feed their family

[Skittles]

8. no

we wouldn't want to let them know not all folk are scumbag racist pigs

[MelliMel]

2. I don't think any more so than many other areas of the country.

my purple hair may offend and deny me admission

You will find that ANYWHERE. Even NY, LA, etc.

If anyone tries to tell you racism,homophobia and sexism does not exist in high places down south, in con-servo land they are full of shit.

And if anyone tells you that everywhere else is oh-so enlightened and racist/bigot free they are full of shit.

Sorry you had such a terrible time, but what you described is not limited to the south. There are "exclusive" clubs everywhere. Sororities, fraternities, Masonic Lodges, hunting lodges, religious groups, etc. They all have membership requirements.

[Journeyman]

3. Randy Newman addressed the Southern paradox in his song "Rednecks". . .

Check out the lyrics. May be eye opening.

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/randy-newman/rednecks.html

[REP]

4. Same Rules In Just About Any Country Club Anywhere

Try to join the oldest, most exclusive counry cub where you live. Being a Jew or having a Jew in the family might not keep you out any longer, but not knowing the right people, not having enough money long enough and not being the "right kind" sure as hell will.

[unsavedtrash]

5. let's see, how racist are we down here.

Pretty damn racist just like the Northeast and the rest of the U.S. Interestingly one of the largest groups shouting about a racial holy war is in PA. I don't belong to a country club and have never had a desire to do so but I have never heard of any place that makes one swear allegiance to anyone or anything other than money and that is a quiet allegiance. I have known several lesbians and straight women who have gone to their clubs wearing tuxs to levi's. So I'm not sure about what you mean about the dress code.
If you want to talk about racism in general, fine but "how racist is the South" will raise some hackles because it is not nearly as horrible as everyone makes it out to be. Many of us are working our asses off down here. I have seen horrible, horrible acts in the name of racism in both the North and the South. I invite you to come on down and help us change things. I will have a big glass of tea and a good meal waiting anytime.

[WCGreen]

6. Hell my mother in laws CC just started letting Catholics in...

And we live in Cleveland, home of one of the largest and politically strongest Dioceses in Ohio...

[WCGreen]

7. Hell my mother in laws CC just started letting Catholics in...

And we live in Cleveland, home of one of the largest and politically strongest Dioceses in Ohio...

[Red Right and BLUE]

9. Like, Southern California?

I actually had a guy say to me yesterday "I'm not prejudiced er nothin' but..." and "coons" in the same sentence. I couldn't fucking believe my ears. I'm angry with myself, because I was so stunned I didn't even respond.

[Wetzelbill]

10. don't be

sometimes you just get shocked and can't react. It was shocking for me to see just how bad racial and gender prejudices are ingrained in our society. It's effed up. You'd think we would have made more progress than this. I think 9/11 and this administration's exploitation really brought out some ugly stuff in our country. Truly ugly.

[Red Right and BLUE]

12. i know i shouldn't be surprised, but WOW.

I kept asking my husband over and over last night, do peole STILL use that word? I mean, REALLY?!?

[Behind the Aegis]

11. Broadbrush

I understand what you are trying to say, at least I think I do. However, racism is hardly a scourge limited to the South. I currently live in New Orleans and there is racism here. I have lived all over the country, mainly the South, but have been to many places outside of the South. Personally, I saw racism everywhere I went!

I feel that racism is more reliant on lack of exposure and education, not geographical location; though that seems to play a part because of the first two reasons.

[lostnfound]

13. Locking

Sharing of experiences of racism is good, but sweeping generalizations about geographic areas aren't allowed at DU.