The south has always been poor and uneducated but before slavery ended they used to be able to say “at least we aren’t slaves”. Then during Jim crow it became “at least we aren’t black”. Then during civil rights it became “at least we aren’t women/gay” and “at least we’re Christians”.
Now it’s “at least we’re the Real Americans”.
They’re insecure because they literally have nothing else and can’t figure out how to have anything else. I escaped, everyone else I knew with any hope escaped too.
But my greatest fear has always been that they’d follow me…