Can booze fix the American South's problems?

[Nazi Flower Power]

OK, I will not pour vodka down your throat. I will stick to making foie gras when I have the urge to force-feed something/someone.

For a second I read "I will pour Vodka down your throat".

I was going to go "really?! Why don't you just give it to me instead of wasting it?"

[Aelex]

Firstly, prove the paranoia thing. Secondly, correlation does not equal causation. Just because the north drinks more is meaningless.
And Saddam Hussein was not a minor threat. He invaded Kuwait.

He does was one. America is not the world policy, you have no right to come and destruct a nation just because it don't act the exact same way you want.

[United Marxist Nations]

Can't say I'm too into drinking, myself. Lots of places down here still have laws limiting alcohol (my town just passed "liquor by the drink" on a referendum a few weeks ago, but you still can't buy alcohol on Sundays), so there may be a general attitude against it. Anyway, no, it won't. Our problem is poverty, not that we're too uppity.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Can't say I'm too into drinking, myself. Lots of places down here still have laws limiting alcohol (my town just passed "liquor by the drink" on a referendum a few weeks ago, but you still can't buy alcohol on Sundays), so there may be a general attitude against it. Anyway, no, it won't. Our problem is poverty, not that we're too uppity.

I dunno.

With the current Republican idiocy coming out of the Congress I might be motivated to drink for real.

[Jamjai]

never been to the south before

[United Marxist Nations]

Can't say I'm too into drinking, myself. Lots of places down here still have laws limiting alcohol (my town just passed "liquor by the drink" on a referendum a few weeks ago, but you still can't buy alcohol on Sundays), so there may be a general attitude against it. Anyway, no, it won't. Our problem is poverty, not that we're too uppity.

I dunno.

With the current Republican idiocy coming out of the Congress I might be motivated to drink for real.

Feel free to come here, TN has all the whiskey.

[Aahmerica]

I'm no southerner but I'm afraid of terrorists, and the federal government.

[Laerod]

Idk, I seem to recall intervention was needed in the past with slavery and later segregation. Could you imagine if we let the south mind its own business? :P

We could be 99% Southern Baptist if it wasn't for meddling.

Why would high rates of belonging to a church founded on the principle of slavery be a good thing?

[New Chalcedon]

Firstly, prove the paranoia thing. Secondly, correlation does not equal causation. Just because the north drinks more is meaningless.
And Saddam Hussein was not a minor threat. He invaded Kuwait.

(1) How is one weak country attacking another weak country - particularly since he sought US approval beforehand, and thought he'd received it - a threat to the USA?

(2) How was Saddam a threat after Gulf War I?

[The Sotoan Union]

You know thinking all people in the south are intolerant and jingoistic is another stereotype.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

This is a bizarre, disjointed OP.

We need more people like you around.

I'll drink to that!

[Apparatchikstan]

I doubt statistics account for the prodigious amount of home brewing and consumption we do down here, and no, our drinking hasn't, doesn't, and won't improve or erode our cultural condition. Its a non factor really, because moderation is the key, and self-discipline is an option, unless it's Mardi Gras.
Meanwhile yall just keep on stereotyping your little stories about the quaint southeastern states.We do read, and appreciate good comedy.

[Ethel mermania]

This is a bizarre, disjointed OP.

We need more people like you around.

I'll drink to that!

Burp

[Canaore]

The West Coast has wine, no wonder we're so cool.

California is the only one that has decent wine. But the rest of the West Coast has weed, which is much cooler.

[Ifreann]

I've long maintained that the proper application of alcohol can solve any problem.

[Communist Volkstrad]

You know thinking all people in the south are intolerant and jingoistic is another stereotype.

I agree. I myself am a Southerner, and I don't have any of the traits he mentioned. I don't know anyone personally who has any of them either, and at least where I live, we're quite tolerant and even accepting of others.

[Meridiani Planum]

No, but booze can provide the Southerners with comfort.

[Buse]

The South is the only good part of the US.

[United Marxist Nations]

No, but booze can provide the Southerners with comfort.

[Ashmoria]

Heil NSG!

Earlier today, I came across this article about the drinking habits of various US states. It's somewhat silly, but it got me thinking...

Apparently, the North is into booze more than the South. Southerners, feel free to quote this if anyone stereotypes you as drunks. I'll also back you up if anyone rags on you about your hygiene. Northerners are less likely to bathe or shower every day. This is probably because people sweat less in colder climates and don't want to dry out their skin in the winter, but feel free to bring it up if anyone makes disparaging comments about "dirty" Southerners.

There are very few subjects where I will defend the South and say that negative stereotypes are not accurate. In fact, these two -- drinking habits and hygiene -- are the only two I can think of off the top of my head. I think the South is very fucked up, and that got me wondering if it is really a good thing that they drink less. A lot of the things I dislike about the South come from Southerners having irrational fears. People are afraid of terrorists, afraid of being overrun by illegal immigrants, afraid of black guys, afraid of change, afraid of the federal government... Not every individual Southerner has every one of these fears, but paranoia is a recurring theme behind a lot of Southern attitudes. I can't help but wonder if drinking more would help to calm their nerves so they can stop overreacting to minor threats (e.g. Saddam Hussein) and stop feeling threatened by things that aren't actually dangerous (e.g. gay marriage). They say alcohol doesn't solve your problems, but I think that depends on the type of problem you are trying to solve. Drinking a little is a good way to relax.

So what do you think, NSG? Would it make the South a better place if they drank more? For those of you who do not share my preference for the North, do you think the North would be a better place if we drank less? Does it surprise you that the North and West are "boozier" than the South?

nah. southerners need to become stoners not drunks.

[Sambka]

UHHHHHHH.... I live in the south and donot drink myself but... did you know 99% of statistics are made up?

[Qeno]

So what do you think, NSG? Would it make the South a better place if they drank more? For those of you who do not share my preference for the North, do you think the North would be a better place if we drank less? Does it surprise you that the North and West are "boozier" than the South?

Well you know what they say 'Beer saved the human race'

And to be honest it doesn't surprise me one bit that the North and the west have more drinks than the south (Considering I live in Texas)

And now to what I think "LET MY PEOPLE DRINK!"

[L Ron Cupboard]

Never had a mint julep, though I imagine they are not unlike drinking mouthwash.

[Ifreann]

The South is the only good part of the US.

Clearly not, or they'd be drinking more. To celebrate being the best.

[Asterdan]

This should be fun:

A lot of the things I dislike about the South come from Southerners having irrational fears. People are afraid of terrorists

No... We're afraid for our children should terrorists actually make it over here, but we aren't afraid of them themselves. We've got plenty of guns.

afraid of being overrun by illegal immigrants

This one I can only partially concede. Most of us don't care if immigrants come here, we just want them here legally.

afraid of black guys

afraid of change

Reluctant is a better word.

afraid of the federal government...

Not every individual Southerner has every one of these fears

Only the old men, and even then most of them don't.

I love the South:
Nice and warm
Great people
Fantastic food!