“What Being Southern Means to Me… And Some Things It Doesn’t Mean…”

There’s been a lot said about “Southern Heritage,” so as someone whose family has lived in the Southern part of the United States for over five generations, let me clear some things up:

Being Southern means you’re capable of withstanding heat index temps that rival the surface of the sun.

It means Fried Chicken and Sweet Tea are SERIOUS business and objects of religious levels of devotion.

Being Southern means you say “Bless their heart…” in both a genuinely empathetic fashion, and a “How do they dress themself in the morning?” fashion…

It means you most likely have a church pew somewhere that is “your pew.”

It means you have an unhealthy obsession with magnolias…

Being Southern is being able to point to a random piece of furniture in your house and give the names of AT LEAST two ancestors that owned it before you did…

It’s hymns of faith, beautiful sunsets, starry nights, and owning a porch swing… But also being embarrassed to admit that those things really aren’t that comfortable for long sitting sessions…

Flying the flag of a failed Confederate nation that lasted for a shorter amount of time than it takes to obtain a graduate degree, and that made as one of its defining traits the enslavement and oppression of an entire race of humanity, isn’t Southern Pride… Because true Southerners aren’t proud at all about that dark chapter of our history.

Real southerners are people like my mother and grandmother who teach lessons like, “Do to others what you have them do to you.” and “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” and “You draw more flies with honey than vinegar.” and more homemade expressions than I have space for…

Real Southerners are known for our hospitality. There’s always a place at our table and in our hearts for any of our fellow human beings.

Real southerners aren’t eaten up with an artificial pride over the embarrassing flag of the losing side of a terrible war… Real Southerners are proud of the flag that was birthed in Betsy Ross’s sewing basket, and has represented the ideal of “Liberty and Justice FOR ALL.”

Real Southerners realize that we still have progress to make on implementing liberty and justice for all Americans.

Real Southerners are listening.

Real Southerners are allies.

God Bless the USA, and have a wonderful Independence Day this weekend!