I don’t know…just seems weird to me 
Now mind you, I love WV…I live right on the border and my son was born there. Just seems odd for Martha Stewart to be there. I don’t know…maybe I’m losing it 
I spent my teens and early twenties in WV. I’m dreading the jokes that are sure to follow her assignment there. I like Appalachia.
Go Mountaineers! (BA)
Go Herd! (MS)
I agree…the jokes will be very rude I’m sure. WV is a wonderful place.
My parents still live in southern WV and going to visit them is wonderful. The state is like one big, small town. And the scenery! The longer I’m away the more I’m amazed by the mountains. There are points along the highway that are breathtaking.
There is so much to do and see there. Skiing, rafting, splunking, historical treks, mountain biking, climbing, shopping, theater… My favorite place is the Cranberry Glades, the southernmost northern bog in the world. The vegetation there is unique to the area and it’s a bit like stepping into a different world.
Sadly, a lot of people think of it as a land of outhouses and incest. In high school, I worked at a McDonald’s at the crossroad of three major highways. We got a lot of tourists (“Where are good rapids? This place is beautiful.”) and way too many patronizing twits who were just passing through, found it hilarious to be talking to a West Virginian and wouldn’t find beauty or interest in anything outside of a shopping mall.
I’ve lived near the West Virginia/Kentucky border for 20 years.
I can confirm that a great number of the people really are toothless, they really are uneducated, and they really do go everywhere barefoot. There is also a high amount of incest and children born through incestous relationships (though it is more common for cousins to marry - I’ve never heard of brothers and sisters doing it).
But the trees are pretty. 
Sorry, it is illegal for cousins to marry in West Virginia. You must be confusing the state with Virginia, where it is allowed.
Actually, most of the cousins who I know who are married have crossed the line into VA to get it done. It’s very simple to do.
Now, it doesn’t bother me. I hear it’s more common in England. I think they should be allowed to marry, but people shouldn’t deny that it happens, and accuse people of stereotyping, when it’s true.
Stereotypes are almost always based on something, so there’s usually a grain of truth in things such as this. Brothers and sisters, perhaps not. But cousin/cousin, uncles/nieces (mabey it’s illegal to marry but they sure shack up and have kids), yes. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
I can honestly say I know of no West Virginian cousins who are married. To me, in my experience, that stereotype is based only on the prejudice of others. The closest thing I have witnessed are sisters and brothers marrying other sets of sisters and brothers, producing kids that are “double-first cousins”. I’ve seen a lot of examples of this, twice in my own family. Not incestuous, but keeping it in the family
In my experience, the stereotype of toothless, uneducated hillbillies may have some basis. I have several uncles that left school at 12 or 13 because their dads died in the coal mines and they were left to support their family. Two generations ago, conditions in the mines were hideous and you basically died a fast death in an accident or a slow death due to black lung. My paternal grandfather died at 23 because of a mine accident, my maternal grandfather in his 40s because of black lung. Men who can barely read and look dirty from years covered in coal dust tend to be intimidated “going to town”. My uncles are quite intelligent and can tell you the medicinal properties of gin seng, where to find good yellowroot, how to field-strip a shot gun, the best way to train a dog and how to cook morels so sweetly that your taste buds cry, but they would rather go toothless than have some dentist see how “stupid” they are because they can’t fill out their own medical forms.
Just because you see stereotypes doesn’t mean it is right, funny or even acceptable to repeat or mock them.
I am very proud of my hillbilly roots. Both of my grandfathers were coal miners and the cards were firmly stacked against their kids. Of my ten aunts and uncles, only one, the youngest girl, graduated high school. Some didn’t finish grade school before having to break their backs to help keep a roof over the two rooms where 12 people lived and provide fodder for West Virginia jokes. Of their children, though, nearly all are college graduates. Between me, my siblings and my first cousins, these ignorant, uneducated, toothless stereotypes managed to produce a physician, two engineers, a college professor, a nurse, a social worker, a novelist, two business owners, two teachers, a minister and a network specialist.
Now on to my husband’s family. His grandfather was an Italian immigrant who became paralyzed due to a coal mining accident. He was toothless, uneducated and spoke poor English. Hilarious! Oh those wacky hillbilly stereotypes! His daughter is a teacher, both his grandsons highly educated and well-respected in their fields.
But that was yesterday. Let’s mock the hillbillies of today! Surely there are some younger hillbillies, toothless and uneducated. My husband is in construction and some members of his crews in Appalachia do fit those stereotypes. I am thankful that my parents didn’t fall into the trap of believing the derogative comments about them. I went to school with a lot of smart kids who were convinced that college or life beyond manual labor was “not for the likes of them.” After all, their parents were coal miners or construction workers, uneducated, intimidated by professionals and very aware of the low esteem in which they were held. That’s the situation that keeps the cycle going.
You’re right, Cranberry, there are examples of toothless, uneducated hillbillies out there. That’s a fine excuse to blanket an entire state with that stereotype. Maybe even pull down the hopes and confidence of another generation so that there are more people to make fun of. Just think, there might be a little girl out there now deciding that taking AP Biology, while it sounds like fun and she thinks she could do it, wouldn’t work because people who come home to the situation she does don’t take college-prep classes.
That would just be so funny!
You obviously took a lot of time to think this reply, and I want to thank you for that. I agree with you on many points.
I know of numerous examples of cousins who are married. Many of them had children before they were married, and sort of had to get married, but they are married nonetheless. Again, I didn’t say that was wrong. It’s just true.
In my experience, the stereotype of toothless, uneducated hillbillies may have some basis. I have several uncles that left school at 12 or 13 because their dads died in the coal mines and they were left to support their family. Two generations ago, conditions in the mines were hideous and you basically died a fast death in an accident or a slow death due to black lung. My paternal grandfather died at 23 because of a mine accident, my maternal grandfather in his 40s because of black lung. Men who can barely read and look dirty from years covered in coal dust tend to be intimidated “going to town”. My uncles are quite intelligent and can tell you the medicinal properties of gin seng, where to find good yellowroot, how to field-strip a shot gun, the best way to train a dog and how to cook morels so sweetly that your taste buds cry, but they would rather go toothless than have some dentist see how “stupid” they are because they can’t fill out their own medical forms.
I can completely understand that. I also have many people in my family in the exact same circumstances. It’s kind of eery the way you described it. That could be some people in my family. I love them. They’re my family, but that’s how they are. Regardless of how they got that way, that’s how they are.
Just because you see stereotypes doesn’t mean it is right, funny or even acceptable to repeat or mock them.
I agree 100%. I never said and I never will say that it is funny or right to mock people. I have been the object of such mocking many, many times. But it also is not right to deny that certain stereotypes are often true, because they are.
I am very proud of my hillbilly roots. Both of my grandfathers were coal miners and the cards were firmly stacked against their kids. Of my ten aunts and uncles, only one, the youngest girl, graduated high school. Some didn’t finish grade school before having to break their backs to help keep a roof over the two rooms where 12 people lived and provide fodder for West Virginia jokes. Of their children, though, nearly all are college graduates. Between me, my siblings and my first cousins, these ignorant, uneducated, toothless stereotypes managed to produce a physician, two engineers, a college professor, a nurse, a social worker, a novelist, two business owners, two teachers, a minister and a network specialist.
Now on to my husband’s family. His grandfather was an Italian immigrant who became paralyzed due to a coal mining accident. He was toothless, uneducated and spoke poor English. Hilarious! Oh those wacky hillbilly stereotypes! His daughter is a teacher, both his grandsons highly educated and well-respected in their fields.
But that was yesterday. Let’s mock the hillbillies of today! Surely there are some younger hillbillies, toothless and uneducated. My husband is in construction and some members of his crews in Appalachia do fit those stereotypes. I am thankful that my parents didn’t fall into the trap of believing the derogative comments about them. I went to school with a lot of smart kids who were convinced that college or life beyond manual labor was “not for the likes of them.” After all, their parents were coal miners or construction workers, uneducated, intimidated by professionals and very aware of the low esteem in which they were held. That’s the situation that keeps the cycle going.
You’re right, Cranberry, there are examples of toothless, uneducated hillbillies out there. That’s a fine excuse to blanket an entire state with that stereotype. Maybe even pull down the hopes and confidence of another generation so that there are more people to make fun of. Just think, there might be a little girl out there now deciding that taking AP Biology, while it sounds like fun and she thinks she could do it, wouldn’t work because people who come home to the situation she does don’t take college-prep classes.
That would just be so funny!
Again, I never said it was funny. I’m sorry you took my post to mean that I thought the stereotype of toothless shoeless uneducated hillbillies was funny. It’s not, but it is at least partially true.
artsohio – I think we could almost match family histories. My maternal grandfather was nearly crushed in a coal mine accident when my mother (#9 of 10) was 6 years old. He had a 6th grade formal education before going to work to help his family. Yet, this “hillbilly” was one of the most intelligent, respected men of his time and area. He raised a teacher, an engineer, and an RN among his 9 children that reached adulthood.
I really see no more lack of education, morals, or personal hygiene in West Virginia (… or Kentucky & my piece of Ohio…) than exists in any large city. But there it’s called an “inner city” problem or some other BS.
Cranberry – you have my sympathy. Your family has apparently had more than it’s fair share of problems. While I have many strange and varied relatives, I can’t find any cousins (brother/sister, etc) that have married each other and/or reproduced … and I have 56 first cousins, 4 brothers & sisters, and an vast army of 2nd cousins & on down.
Little did izzarina dream what she innocently started …
~Judy
So? Even my family done that… and on both sides of the family.
Having been through WV numerous times I can say honestly that if I could make a living I’d consider moving there. It’s got beautiful country, low population density and low housing costs.
BUT, this headline from http://cbsnewyork.com/water/watercooler_story_273105001.html
still caused me a grin.
“Martha Stewart will serve her time in West Virginia, Michael Pomeranz reports.”
Is it that hard to get out once you are in?
Cranberry;
You’re right, you didn’t say it was funny and I apologize for reading more into your post than you intended. I don’t know if it came across , but I get a little defensive about the whole ignorant hillbilly perception.
I wince whenever I hear WV jokes and I can’t understand why it is acceptable to say things based on one’s state of origin that would be completely unacceptible if based on someone’s race, religion or sexuality. Grrr…
I believe you that you know married/“involved” cousins. I just don’t so I can’t comment on the frequency or widespreadness of it.
Again, sorry for reading too much into your benign post. I think I was itching for a fight last night.
I just remembered that I do have an incest story of sorts. In 8th grade I “went together” with a boy. In my school that meant he walked me to my classes, we passed notes through a network of friends and stammered a lot around each other. Heavy romance. Lasted nearly two weeks.
In high school, we showed up at the same family reunion. We never sorted out our actual familial relation, but it was still pretty icky!
I have long admired mountain folk for their independence, self reliance, generosity, sense of community, and loyalty.
My ex-wife’s, father and uncles worked in the Appalachian coal mines, black lung took most of them in the end. They were first and second generation Italian immigrants. Their coal miners’ “dirty” hands, on close inspection looked more like tattoos. Natural tattoos from the coal dust ground in deep into the skin for the countless scrapes and cuts that years in the mine generated.
Not all mountain folk are miner’s, older stock runs to other occupations. My ancestors come from mostly mountain folk from up and down the Appalachians from Tennessee to Vermont. Few were miners, most made their livings farming, lumber, and minor trades. We did have one eccentric teamster, that hauled loads from the coast up to the mines: mostly Nitro, bragged that he never needed anyone to ride shotgun to protect his load. He did it for several years and finally quit because it was boring.
In my parents’ generation (folks now in their 70’s and 80’s) marrying cousins was not that unusual, President Roosevelt married his cousin. The incest taboo applied to sibling and parental relations. The taboo carries a hereditary biological component but there is also a social and familial authority component. Cousins were in a kind of gray area. Most often marrying cousins were warned to make sure that their children married outside to avoid hereditary problems. My parents are first cousins, so as I grew up I got their perspective. My dad was the first of his family to get a college degree, most of my generation have degrees.
Technology and modern facilities have been slow to spread into the mountains in part because of the geography and in part due to the cultural values emphasizing independence and self-reliance. So it’s not suprising that dental hygene customs would run 20 or 30 years behind the rest of the population. Economic limitations of making a living in the mountains also have an impact. So I find, mountain folk tend to value what a person does, more that how they appear.
The musical richness of the mountains has nurtured several genres including country, blue grass, old time, and folk. Mountain music wasn’t a profession, it was just part of every day life. Everyone sang, or played an instrument, or danced because it was engrained in the social customs. Tradition and self-reliance supported folks entertaining each other with stories, songs, and dance.
Some may discredit West Virginia along with the rest of Appalachia as being backward, inbred, and rural. In so doing, they miss the riches that moutain folk retain and enjoy.
hangin’s too good! which circle of hell was reserved for liars and thieves? poor wva for getting stuck with that bitch.
I was born in WV.
Lived in WV until Dad changed mines and we moved down here to VA where he also worked in the mines. He worked in the mines for over 30 years and loved the mines. His father was a miner too.
Anyone assuming t that coal miners are dumb, uneducated and little more than slave labor knows little about the mechanics and engineering necessary, not to mention the plain old “guts” it takes to go “underground” to work. Dad could do complex mathmatical calculations at the drop of a hat,(like air velocity for keeping safe ventilation) and his electrical knowledge was amazing. When my daughter (who is a geophysicist) was in college she use to discuss mathmatical concepts with him since he was the only one who really understood much of the stuff she was talking about.
Most of the folks who’s mail I carry are retired coal miners. They are good, honest folk who worked hard, made a decent life for their families.
I am glad that someone pointed out that the stereotypes associated with Appalachia and the “hillbilly” are certainly not exclusive to that area, but exist everywhere.
I am proud to be considered a “hillbilly” and am thankful that I was born and raised in this area. I love it and would live nowhere else.
Lee Marsh put it well when he said:
Some may discredit West Virginia along with the rest of Appalachia as being backward, inbred, and rural. In so doing, they miss the riches that moutain folk retain and enjoy.
Thank you Lee, you said it better than I could have.
Oh yeah, I forgot to add…
VA TECH (my daughter’s alma mater) beat WVA today!!!
(it’s a huge rivalry…if you see a glow in the sky it’s the couchs burning in WV tonight) 
Congratulations. 
here in the pa anthracite country, the same sterotypes hold true somewhat, even though a lot of time has passed since the mines were booming. just like in wva the cousins marrying cousins thing never happened here. ocassionally a brother would marry his deceased brother’s widow but that ain’t incest the strictures of the roman catholic and russian orthodox churches helped to see to that. (although ithe accusation to this day is thrown at us by people from outside of the area. all of my grandfathers and greatgrandfathers as well as my father were miners. a harder job you couldn’t have. these guys would work like dogs. miners also had to have the skills of carpenters,plumbers, electricians, etc. and they all posessed the curious ability to see the straight line through any task getting the job done quickly and efficiently. unfortunately that gene was not passed on to me. by the way, it is most unfortunate that wva must endure the likes of martha. like i said, hangin’s too good.