Tennessee Mountaineer

This there ever was a sign designed to fit the stereotype of the

people of my area, this is it!

I wonder why it is still perfectly acceptable in polite society to insult, belittle, dismiss and otherwise promote negative stereotypes of white southerners in general and mountaineers in particular? Why sir, are we the last group that the elites may safely and openly hate simply due to our Scots-Irish ethnicity?

 

Doug, can you begin to imagine the howls of righteous indignation if this sign were adverstising "Darkey Fied Chicken" with a minstel-show Uncle Remus character? The restaurant would be on national news with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton milking it for all they could get.

 

Or could it be that we are the last great part of that big American ethnic patchwork quilt who do not hide behind a percieved victim status. Or are we simply the last with enough sense of humor that we allow others to laugh along with us as we examine our own foibles and follies?

 

Great shot Doug. Keep 'em coming.

Great statement Doug, & I can imagine what an insult this must be to you. One thing though, it probably puts Yankee butts in the seats. I agree with Andre, there's nothing worse than a stereotype. Once you've been labeled, that's pretty much it.

I love it. To my way of thinking, you go with what you know. What were they supposed to advertise? Maine lobster? As for stereotypes, I think they almost all need to be taken with a grain of salt. Some may be harmful, but most are harmless. Think of the average American's image of a Japanese person for instance. Invariably they will picture them with a camera. Do all Japanese people take pictures? I doubt it. I come from Iowa. I've noticed many people have an image of its people as dressed in bib overalls and raising corn and hogs. Well most don't. But the thing with stereotypes is that they may have started out with some kernel of truth and been exaggerated. I don't think people should get too upset about it. The best way to combat it is to engage the people who are imagining the stereotype. Once people engage each other and interact, the stereotype paradigm tends to break down. Thus, the best these folks could do is impress folks with their urbanity, wit and charm (assuming that that is the case).

 

As for the selling of product with religion, I do find that pretty reprehensible. But that is not just a regional thing these days.

 

The image displays what to me is a rather tacky exhibition of Americana. The overhead wires emphasize the ugliness. But, again, I don't believe that is endemic to the South. On the plus side, the shrubs are well trimmed.

But... I'll bet the chicken is great! :-) And the locals are laughing all the way to the bank. Mike

 

Doug, My parents have 8mm film of the restaurant and this very sign from the early '60s when we were on a trip to the Smokies.  Of course, I realize that this particular sign may have replaced the one we actually filmed, but I know it was similar, if not exactly the same. Makes me want to go dig out the home movies!