I know all of the above, thanks, and I have to admit taking mississippi (do we have to spell everything right here?) was not the best example, but I still remain appalled by the fact that someone who derides abortion and gay marriage (such conveniently blood raising issues aren't they) is going to be winning the primaries, and you have to admit most of those that would want to vote for Huckabee are conservatives, and a lot of them live in the South, so I couldn't help but make the generalizations. I've been on both coasts (east and west), and now I find myself living in one of the carolinas, and the difference is so striking. The muted racism, the purposeful ignorance of the greater issues in the world is so much more palpable in the south than anywhere else I've been that it's disturbing. Like I read one editorial written by a student in our school paper saying that ESL classes and having official documents translated into other languages should be gotten rid of and a waste of resources because English is the first language and should be so for everyone, including hispanic immigrants who hardly ever have time to spend with their families because they're working so many hours and hence have little time to learn a new language like they would want to! I just don't get such a selfishly conservative, this-is-America attitude that yes, via some gross generalzations perhaps, I've come to embrace, but the truth is, I've still come to become friends with many with this attitude regardless. Yes, everyone in Alabama I'm sure has teeth and can do arhthmetic and most of them I'm sure are wonderful people, but I don't see why I need to be told that by you.