Give me paradise over hell.

I’d not want to live in the American South. Especially in the tier of states from Texas to Florida.  Including the hellish states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina. I’m uncomfortable. With the political and social climate. All over the South. I lived in Florida. In the 1960s. During the big civil rights push. And even though there has always been an influx of people from the North in Florida, it’s been full of bigoted Southerners. And that’s attracted many, many bigoted and lesser-educated Northerners, too. I’ve been to all the Southern states. For visits. Or just passing through. And always, it makes me more appreciative of life in the North. There’s a difference. Let’s face it. I’m a political and social liberal.  I’d not be well-received in much of the South. Wasn’t in the 1960s. And wouldn’t be today. Though it’s getting a little better.  With some liberal enclaves. But still, conservative Republicans abound. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to a statewide office in 20 years. But don’t get me wrong. Life in the South ain’t all bad. The weather can be nice. Especially in the wintertime. But the political and social climate. That’s another thing. It’s a living hell. And I prefer a living paradise. –Jim Broede