Monday, December 19, 2005

Proud to be a VOL!

well, I'm not really a UT Vol, but I am proud to be from the state of Tennessee. And I am technically a volunteer.

I spent half of my life in Northern California, and the other half in Middle Tennessee (with a few spaces in Central Indiana). Some how, after years of fighting it, I developed the Southern Accent. I remember when I fell in love with it. I was taking a "History of the English Language" course at Anderson University, in Anderson, Indiana. I did a project on the Southern Dialect. I realized then that it was not just some ignorant speech. It has a rich history. It carries the history of hundreds of years of strife and turmoil. Poor people fighting to rise up in the world. The Irish in the hills of East Tennessee, the slaves on the platau in West Tennessee. These people have made my state what it is. I'm proud to be a part of that. I'm not saying I'm proud of every thing that has ever happened in Tennessee. Bad things happen everywhere, but if we can't be proud of the good, then the bad will never be changed!

Don't ever, EVER insinuate I am ignorant because I prefer to use "y'all." Do not associate me with slavery because I am from below the Mason Dixon line. Those who do this do NOT know me. Or know me and seek only to hurt me.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know what's better than the southern dialect? Southern cuisine :-)

I'll take some sweet tea, fried okra, grits, black eyed peas, and some boiled (bowled) peanuts ANY DAY!!

Melody

Anonymous said...

girl, i for one am damn proud to be a UT Vol. can i please sing Rocky Top realllllly loud right now at the top of my voice??? and about that southern accent...OWN IT.

Anonymous said...

Yes, one could call him an ass while others might call him hot stuff. It is my opinion that he's just a brick laying red neck or as narrow minded as one!! GUESS WHAT!!!!! Red Necks Are Found In All Parts Of The US of A--North, South, East and West. Dude, He needs to stop laying bricks and get to the core of the matter! His bricks are see thru!! Who is he to talk about others insecurities??