You want to know yet another reason why I never moved to New York City to pursue a “real” journalism career?
Times: “Do Not Submit Ideas Concerning Dog Fights, Cock Fights, Or The Confederate Flag”
Ahh, another link from the ever-so-snarky Gawker (two in two days no less!).
Can you believe this wording appears in an ACTUAL JOB POSTING from the New York Times, seeking a stringer/researcher in Atlanta? The commenters have a hee-haw good time unleashing their mean-spirited, elitist slurs against the inhabitants of an entire region that they’ve never visited, and know nothing about, except for the vilification they’ve seen/read in the media/movies/etc. about us all their lives. Yes, yes, there’s some truth in the stereotypes (as I believe there’s some truth in ALL stereotypes), but, well, just read my debut comment on Gawker for yourself …
Ah yes, them ignorant, cock-fighting, rebel-flag waving, sister-fucking southerners …
I really do take most of the ridicule and stereotyping of southerners in stride because I grew up in, and still live in Georgia, and think there’s a little truth in all stereotypes (sure, I used to date a guy who lived next door to a guy who raised fighting chickens). However, it’s still beyond me why otherwise intelligent, supposedly open-minded and tolerant people, who stand against all other forms of prejudice, have no problem openly mocking anyone and everyone from the south. You’d never laugh in someone’s face for talking “black” or “gay,” but someone who has a southern accent? All bets are off. Because, they *must* be a complete idiot for talking that way. Just like @BowlingAlleyLawyer said, the first thing any ed-ja-ma-cated southerner must do to be considered even remotely intelligent is to learn how to talk right.
Also, people always seem to forget — while imagining the south as a place where the women all still dress like Scarlett O’Hara, the men all wear wife beaters (and beat their wives), and every single one of us still wishes we owned slaves — that much of our country’s cultural richness originated in the south. Let’s see … the blues? Country music? And the mixture of the two, which became rock n’ roll? Popularized by such southerners as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, James Brown, Ray Charles and Little Richard? Then later by other southerners like R.E.M. and the B-52’s? And don’t even get me started on our fantastic food …
Re. the salary the NYT is offering; I’ve worked as a reporter at two small- to mid-sized daily papers in north Georgia and never broke a salary of $22,000 at either of them. $10 an hour or so is about the norm for anyone I’ve ever known here who’s done time in a small-town “news garage.” But I’m sure that people who work at the ATLANTA-based CNN probably make quite a bit more …
I’m so glad you posted about this. I’m a Southern transplant myself but I still bristle when I read crap like this. Pretty easy for Northeastern folks to call poor Southerners racist, etc when those poor Southerners have NO INSTITUTIONAL POWER TO PERPETUATE RACISM.
[...] “Nobody in Atlanta can read” « Le Débris est Blanche “The commenters have a hee-haw good time unleashing their mean-spirited, elitist slurs against the inhabitants of an entire region that they’ve never visited, and know nothing about…” Or, reason #456,798 why I hate Gawker. (tags: assholes bullshit south stereotypes media) [...]
Ellie, I agree they have no power. But they can borrow some. For instance, from America’s aristocracy who always need footsoldiers.
Hmmm, my comment hasn’t even gone live yet on Gawker! They haven’t approved my account. Anyone know how long that takes, or how that process works?
[...] Amber Rhea links to Le Débris est Blanche, who has a little something to say about that: However, it’s still beyond me why otherwise intelligent, supposedly open-minded and tolerant [...]
This is a fantastic post. Excellent rant (in the best sense) about one of my big pet peeves. Thank you.
LOVE that you posted this. I need to blog more (again) about anti-South regional bias. The hypocrisy of it all – how it’s one of the only “accepted” forms of outright prejudice in many so-called “progressive” circles – crawls under my skin, lays eggs, and raises a family.
One of the best things about living in HSV is the comments by the people who don’t get it. I remember one radio talk guy who made fun of a fellow Hunsvillian, until he asked a couple of questions and figured out he actually was a rocket scientist.
Saw you post on Gawker and loved it!
Years ago on a business trip to Boston, my colleagues and I were trapped in an elevator of drunken preppies. They asked our names and after one colleague said, “Ken” the little brats asked me if I were Barbie (tall, blond and I had a tan from surfing all summer). All I did was give them the “eye” and it was quiet all the way up to the 28th floor.