Stereotypes

We southerners know a lot about stereotyping. We tend to stereotype the people we talk to everyday, or the stranger we helped fix a flat tire for or just in general but what really gets under my skin is the stereotyping of all of us that live in the South. we are deemed as unsophisticated and run around with no shoes on all the time and are missing almost all of our teeth and we fuck animals and our brothers and sisters. and that we are not the smartest people in the world.
Now there are some that live in the South that actually do those things, (how else did we get this rep, right?) but for those of us who aren't like that and don't act like that, well it just makes us so daggone mad! Not to mention that the Confederate flag makes people only think of slavery and nothing else but I am here to tell you that it represents a time of easiness and hardship and uncertainty. and yes it was a period of slavery (for only about 10 years or so, not as long as a lot African Americans say it is) but it was also a symbol of pride in where one lived and in one's family and neighbors. I've been seeing a lot more of these flags around where I live and you know what? I'm happy to see it. now I've only got a very very small version of the flag but my neighbor has one flying on a flag-pole in his yard right under the American flag.
I think that if we went back to the easiness of the life our ancestors had back then we all would be much happier and we also wouldn't have such a jackass for a president either! I love that time-period and if I could go back and live there I totally would.
But as far as stereotyping goes, why don't we as Southerners stand up and fight it? why do we let it go on?