Law-abiding, southern-bred Americans are respectful (where else do you hear "yes, ma'am" and "yes, sir?"), gracious ("have some tea and stay awhile") and caring ("may I help you with that?"). They are also typically well-mannered and unsurpassed in the art of hospitality.

My favorite American writers are from the South: William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Harper Lee, Jan Karon. Through them, I live vicariously in a region of the country I often wish I could live. And don't get me started on southern food. Or architecture. Or style. Southern Living magazine is my go-to magazine for great recipes. Whether it's fried chicken, cornbread, coconut cake or pecan pie, I'm telling you, southern folk know how to rock their food.

And our Christian brothers and sisters in the South? The response of the Church after the Charleston shootings says it all.

Don't misunderstand me. Obviously, no region of the country has a market on social virtues. The South isn't perfect. My point is, neither is the North. And sure, the South continues to struggle with racism. Racism is inexcusable. It ranks as one of humanity's most despicable vices. But lest we forget, the North struggles with racism every bit as much. In fact, name a country that doesn't deal with it in one way or another. To my knowledge, short of a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, there is none.

Nor am I minimizing the deep-rooted injustices that continue to plague the South, as well as the rest of America. Being "discriminating"—differentiating between wrong and right—is a good thing. But discrimination based on the color of one's skin is flat out wrong. It must stop. The healing of the nation depends on it.

Which brings me to this letter. As a "Yankee" and a Christian, I want to apologize for the way in which some Northern elites focus on the speck in the "Eye of the South" while ignoring the "plank" in their own eye.

I apologize for the negative stereotypes often lobbed your way. Superior-sounding and downright smarmy, the bullying attitude behind "We're Better Than You" assumptions are simply the Yankee version of the Ugly American.

For example, one of our recent presidents was tagged a "good-ole' boy" and another a "cowboy." These titles were not meant to be compliments. Who stole these innocuous words and turned them into insults, might I ask? And since when is being a "good boy" a bad thing? When did becoming a "cowboy" suddenly turn into an evil career choice?

These juvenile biases aren't innocuous. Isn't it time we got off our high horse and moved on from the 1960's? I mean, really. (Photo: Teresa Neumann/BCN)

So enough already. Although I'm a strong advocate of free speech, I contend we should start balancing our national dialogue with positive words. Let's sweeten our debates with more respect. Let's cut the South some slack, for Heaven's sake and open our eyes to our own lack.

In closing, my southern friends, the majority of God-fearing Americans admire you. Support you. Love your traditions and spunk and, yes, even your collards and grits ;-)

Lord, let the brotherhood and sisterhood of states begin anew!

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