Ditto. I may have been born in Texas, but my manners were taught by my parents. They're from Michigan. MAnners are noticeable by being used by older generations. The current crop of youngsters to mid-25 don't have many manners, IMO.

There are ******** everywhere.

If you believe its otherwise, you are sadly mistaken.

Nope--got in a fight with a guy from the south when in the army. All I asked him was if he had ever sh-t in anything besides a little wood building out back of the shak!!!

Having lived, or frequently visited, all over the USA except Hawaii I don't see a huge difference in how friendly people are if you have a good attitude and try to bloom where you are planted regardless of where I lived.

Raised by southernors in the midwest I have always considered myself a southernor and truely loved living there because my experience for fifteen years was very positve. With a multiculteral family I was consistently treated well and I feel like I could not have asked for greater kindnesses than I recieved after the death of my husband.

I am sure there is a certain group of people who are falsely polite and I am truely sorry if visitors had bad treatment. Southernors are sensitive about those who come in and can't or refuse to acklimate to the cultural differences. Things do tend to be traditional, formal, and slower. Hospitality is considred an art form and an obligation to most southernors towards everyone.

The issue of bigotry is really a sore spot with me because in the south it is not nearly as bad as what people elsewhere suggest. At least if a southernor is a bigot they don't pretend not to be, Most of the neighborhoods in the cities are fully integrated and that includes whites, blacks, natives, asians and latinos. Being gay is routinely accepted across Atlanta. And disabled are relieved to find it accessible and expected that you will work and shop independently. I can't speak to any big number of the smaller communities because my time spent there was mostly greater Atlanta, Columbus, and Macon but I never was hassled when I frequently traveled down into various Florida cities.

I think people in the USA are really friendly in general.