Rayna,
You would love it where I am, then.  I live on the edge of the real southern accent.  My mom had a "Cracker" accent, a very harsh and strident, countryfied accent.  My dad's accent is more refined and not as strident,.but he too is a true son of the south. :)
m

Rayna Lamb wrote:

> Point taken, guys!!
>
> It's just that in Australia, our accents are harsher, and those terms
> are used in a demeaning way, so I guess I have a reflex reation to
> hearing them.  But with a Southern American accent, I agree that it
> sounds like it is part of common usage.  Actually, I usually enjoy
> hearing that accent so much, I could listen to someone with that
> accent read the phone book!!
>
> Rayna (I'm Australian, remember! ;-) )