Just this past week had a discussion, with a southern woman about they way we southerners were raised years ago....  It used to be that children were to respect their elders, and not talk back...  This meant that we would eat last, answer when spoken to, said yes ma'am, and sir to those over about twenty and not give grownups  any hassles....  We knew our place.... This sounds like a race thing to some; but I was raised a poor southern white boy....  We knew our place...

There was respect in school, in church, and on the street...  If you were disrespectful there was, hell to pay when you got home...  {Switches, when you was younger, and the leather belt as you got older....} This was discipline not child abuse...   Believe we knew child abuse; if and when it happened...  This was the world of order...

There were many things children then as young adults; we learned by respecting others...  You did not cut thru peoples yards,  you paid attention and followed instructions of your elders....  You were quite unless spoken to or ask about something....  We did not go around asking for stuff at the store, or while over at someone's house..  You took what you were offered...  To name a few things, if you need some more ideas or examples let me know, and we can talf...

 There were few parties, and cake was a special occasion..  Ice cream was a luxary...  The work ethic was our guide and mentor in life...  We worked for most of what we had...  There was very little given as there was not as much stuff in those days...  Life was simple!!

That was your duty as a young person growing up in the south in those days...  We respected the police, the teacher, the minister, the store owner, the postman, and almost every one in our lives...   That was the way it was in Dixie, some years ago....

Remember if you do not respect yourself then you will not respect others...  And respect is at the core of life...   Boy things have changed in Dixie, and not necessarily for the better...   You know the news in schools, and gangs, all such today....  I will not go into that since most of you are aware what is happening mainly due to lick of respect today.... 

   And so it was...  We may visit this subject again soon... 

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