3/50 let’s give it up for Alabama
Posted by CupBeEmpty@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 119 comments
Unrelenting positivity and real questions. Don’t be an ass and be funny or genuine.
Be funny or not but positive answers only.
NotTheMariner@reddit
I’ll throw one in - we have a really good museum scene here. Everyone talks about the Space Center but Anniston’s museums (especially Berman) are peak and I never see anyone mention them, and the USS Alabama is a great trip too.
FriendWinter9674@reddit
Cullman has a really cool looking church that it feels like you can see from anywhere in town.
Its the only place Ive found a Jack's fast food place. They put popcorn butter on the fries.
RTR7105@reddit
Jack's is North Alabama based. They like to be the only fast food place in small towns. Best fast food breakfast that exists.
NotTheMariner@reddit
Those fried steak biscuits are the best fuel you can get for a day of hard work.
RTR7105@reddit
I'm partial to the chicken biscuit myself. Both are great choices.
wormbreath@reddit
I had a terrible headache on thanksgiving a few years ago in a Cracker Barrel in Alabama and I was hoping they had IB profen or something in the gift shop and they didn’t and the cashier lady just gave me some loosey goosey from her purse and I took those mystery purse pills from the nice lady at the Cracker Barrel in Alabama. It was so green outside. Everyone also drove fast. It was lovely. Can’t wait to go back!
Many_Echidna_9957@reddit
it’s ibuprofen btw! fun story
Canada_Haunts_Me@reddit
"IB profen" is exactly how the old folks used to pronounce it. See also: "Ass burn," "Co-cola," "K Mark," "Mack Donald's."
MyUsername2459@reddit
I saw you writing that and could hear my grandmother saying it like that.
Definitely how things were said old-timey in the South.
Many_Echidna_9957@reddit
i mean i pronounce it like ib profen but that’s still not how u spell it lmao
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
Wormy, I am like clenching my teeth reading this.
stellarreject@reddit
We spent a weekend in Birmingham on a whim coming from another trip, we enjoyed the botanical gardens, had some great food and drink. Overall a pretty great time!
RVFullTime@reddit
A few years ago, husband and I were driving south through Alabama and we stopped at a motel for the night. I recently had cardiac pacemaker surgery and it hadn't healed all the way. Turned out that the incision was infected. So he took me to St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham. They did a great job of knocking out the infection, and I never had any problem after that.
Also: The NASA museum in Huntsville.
congratsonyournap@reddit
Civil rights, civil rights. They are ground zero. They play an important role in American history and for that, we are thankful.
nine_of_swords@reddit
I've lived in a decent number of states (GA, IN, VA, WI, TN, etc.). Alabama was my favorite. The state's probably one of the best at striking the nature/expansion building with actively setting aside land at a local level for wilderness as sprawl threatens areas (not really by state government, but by private ownership or local municipalities/counties), so there's this notable urban/wilderness mix going on in its most urban areas. Local business tends to put a lot of effort into local communities even if business practice can be pretty bad. Also, while not chain adverse, locals don't tend to measure "making it" by getting national chains to come in as much as some other southern states; it tends to be on the more "buy local" side for the South.
There's also a general lack of pretentiousness with its offerings. Books-A-Million is an Alabama based chain, and BAM vs Barnes & Noble give a pretty nice description of what I mean. Even in the wealthy areas (which are more well off than many expect), there's a thrifty practicality that just turns away from things that are expensive just for the sake of exclusion (gated communities not that common in the state), but still liking quality. Milo's is a bit of an example: no one's going to call Milo's fancy, but it's also typically considered one of if not the best mass-distributed sweet teas.
RTR7105@reddit
Forever Wild is State Government.
nine_of_swords@reddit
Yeah, but there's also things like Moss Rock, West Rock (Hueytown), Ruffner Mountain, Red Mountain, Double Oak, etc. It's not like it's just the state level stuff doing everything.
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
Same feel I have always gotten.
Now I’m real curious about your IN responses. No idea when it’ll pop up but it will.
ITrCool@reddit
Alabama has some great state parks and awesome amazes to go camping. 🏕️
RTR7105@reddit
Living on Sand Mountain I'm spoiled with local natural beauty.
Lake Guntersville, DeSoto and Bucks Pocket. Also Little River Canyon, Lookout Mountain, Weiss Lake, Walls of Jericho, Skyline.
lovemesomezombie@reddit
My friend Patti from Jr High lives there. She is funny.
ColumbiaWahoo@reddit
Aerospace industry
a-maizing-blue-girl@reddit
I haven’t been to Alabama yet but they are on my camping list. They have some beautiful and vastly different state parks throughout the state. It’s making it hard to pick a spot. Plus one of my top favorite country bands is from there.
otterpile@reddit
I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to Huntsville for work a few years ago, but it was a lovely, welcoming city that I had a wonderful time walking around in. Big Spring Park seemed to be exactly what downtown green space should be: full of picnics, families, pickup sports, and general community enjoyment. And ducks. I loved the watching the ducks so much. I'd happily go back, eat more good food, and hopefully see more of the state!
MainMud6885@reddit
The northern part of the state is really pretty. Huntsville is a highly desirable place to live in my mind. Alabama is one of the more culturally rich states in the US: Music (Country, Gospel, Blues, the Muscle Shoals sound, and the band Alabama), Sports (the Auburn Alabama college football rivalry is one of the oldest and greatest rivalries in sports, and the Talledega NASCAR race has a culture like no other); and the food is excellent (like most southern states).
RhinoGuy13@reddit
Barber Motor Speedway is also really cool if you've never visited.
go-vols-28@reddit
GO VOLS
clairew88@reddit
Alabama was the site of some really important civil rights organizing. I'd like to go and learn more about that history. Also the beaches look beautiful.
dangleicious13@reddit
Come to Montgomery and check out the Legacy Sites.
clairew88@reddit
Will look it up! Thanks.
dangleicious13@reddit
https://legacysites.eji.org/
PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS@reddit
When I was living in MS we always looked up to AL?
Quenzayne@reddit
I briefly drove through Alabama on the way to Florida.
That is all I can contribute to this discussion.
LizzardBreath94@reddit
Beautiful lakes, forests, and beaches. I’ve traveled a lot, but am always ready to come home to Sweet Home Alabama.
FunTricky903@reddit
The reception this post got compared to the other two so far should really have some of you guys examining your prejudices.
Iamonly@reddit
They won't.
FunkBeaver@reddit
Yeah it’s really unfortunate how the majority of Reddit views/treats southerners as a monolith (a negative one at that). Even more unfortunate I’m sure most of the people who make snide comments and look down on the south/southerners have never actually spent time here.
Alabama is an absolutely beautiful place and is one of the most biodiverse states in America.
Mister-ellaneous@reddit
Let’s keep the ignorant people away from Alabama.
Electronic_Gur_183@reddit
americans can't catch a break online, if you're from any part of the country you'll be discriminated against by foreigners, and if you're from certain regions of the country other americans will view you as subhuman, too.
Mister-ellaneous@reddit
Not sure what you’re looking for here, but the Gulf is nice, Huntsville is one of the best cities for its size although it’s grown too fast, cost of living is low, we’re close to the mountains and can get to Nashville or Atlanta quickly enough. HSV is possibly the best airport in the US.
Prest1geWorldw1de@reddit
One of my favorite things about Birmingham is the airport. Really nice, can get to most large metro areas direct (though some might be pretty restrictive on time), and if not, Atlanta is a quick 30 minute flight away. But the best part is being able to park your car 35 minutes before departure and making it to the gate without a sweat.
Mister-ellaneous@reddit
Very similar. I hear Birmingham has more direct flights. Not sure if that’s true anymore.
SomewhereEffective40@reddit
BHM is the largest Alabama airport by far. Just more people in the metro to serve. 26 direct destinations and 3.2 Million passengers in 2024 vs 18 and 1.7 Million passengers for Huntsville.
ArkansasTravelier@reddit
The beaches are great, I’ve always loved gulf shores and orange beach
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
My aunt and uncle retired in that area and had a boat. Visiting them was awesome.
SeaworthinessAlive81@reddit
Alabama's little stretch of coastline is my favorite coastline in the whole country
OK_Stop_Already@reddit
I love Alabama barbecue!
League-Ill@reddit
Mussel Shoals is responsible for some of the best music this country has ever produced.
eyetracker@reddit
*Muscle. Maybe they can't spell but they got the spirit!
nine_of_swords@reddit
Name predates the mussel spelling
League-Ill@reddit
Oh honey, its mussel the shellfish, not muscle the body part.
wcpm88@reddit
You might want to check their city website for the correct spelling…
League-Ill@reddit
Well, shit. 😂
eyetracker@reddit
Oh honey, this is Googleable these days. It's literally Muscle.
Spirited-Way2406@reddit
The band Alabama and their very long list of irresistible bops.
goblin_hipster@reddit
I've never been but honestly? "Sweet Home Alabama" is a banger.
Rock-Wall-999@reddit
I have lived in 5 states and DC, travelled to or through another state thirty. Alabama was home for 10 years and I still call it home!
IPreferDiamonds@reddit
I've never been to Alabama but would love to visit one day.
Oktodayithink@reddit
I will yell Roll Tide, but that about it for that state.
FunTricky903@reddit
Why would you yell Roll Tide if you can’t think of anything positive to say?
2Asparagus1Chicken@reddit
Found the Auburn fan
Oktodayithink@reddit
Roll Tide is positive.
2Asparagus1Chicken@reddit
Alabama is the aerospace capital of the world
It's also a automotive manufacturing hub
Danibear285@reddit
I’ve heard the gulf coast is lovely in the summer. My partner’s family used to rent a vacation house there yearly.
That’s all I got.
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
I have heard the summer can be too much but spring is amazing. Either way we had a great time.
ayebrade69@reddit
Dauphin Island is nice, the bird sanctuary there is beautiful and the fort is a good way to spend an afternoon
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
We didn’t get over there. We did stay right in fort Morgan though. Super huge pain for my dad because his hip wasn’t good and the goose we stayed in was on the hurricane stilts. Amazing views though.
GOTaSMALL1@reddit
Back in the last century when o swung a hammer and traveled for a living building shit my crew got sent to Alabama to do cabinets/doors for a new store. The GC was talking to us when we got there about what it was like traveling and where we were staying. He got pissed when he heard what motel they put us in.
INSISTED the 4 of us (two of which were very brown people) come stay with him and his wife. Giant farm/ranch house. She cooked for us every night and we took leftovers for lunch. He took us fishing on our day off and then invited family/neighbors over for a barbecue and we all hung out and drank moonshine.
One of the best road memories I have.
Thanks Luther, Sharon and Alabama!
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
I feel like Luther and Sharon have to be super friendly southern grandparents because have the names for it.
Boopa0011@reddit
I met two very good friends in college who grew up in Alabama and on balance, they had positive things to say about it.
JudgeWhoOverrules@reddit
Beautiful white sand beaches.
JayJonesDemocrat@reddit
So the point of this post is to say something positive about Alabama or say nothing at all? Ok then, here goes:
…
FunTricky903@reddit
Why do you think you only have bad things to say?
JayJonesDemocrat@reddit
Why do you think I only have bad things to say?
FunTricky903@reddit
Well, clearly you’ve got nothing nice to say.
omnipresent_sailfish@reddit
I liked the beer scene in Birmingham
thedrcubed@reddit
The posts for the other 2 states were great and nothing but mockery and backhanded compliments here. I should have expected this
Gallahadion@reddit
I can only imagine what's going to be said when your flair comes up.
CinemaSideBySides@reddit
And I can guess what it'll be for ours. Astronaut jokes and that one confusing meme
Gallahadion@reddit
Corn, astronaut jokes, that meme, flatness, and corn. Maybe someone will bring up roller coasters.
thedrcubed@reddit
Nothing that isn't said anytime it's brought up.
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
It will be mod enforced unrelenting positivity. 😉
Current_Mongoose_844@reddit
Just like how you delete every other question someone posts?
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
Trust me. I do not.
Current_Mongoose_844@reddit
That actually explains it a lot more. Sorry for assuming.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
I never saw the first one, and looking at u/cupbeempty's post history, I still don't see it. What state was it?
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
First was New Jersey it wasn’t my post but I hijacked it and turned into this project.
anneofgraygardens@reddit
Oh okay, I did see that post, but I didn't realize it was 1/50. Thanks for the explanation.
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/s/04clQAJkQv
There’s the original.
ChocolatePain@reddit
I like how on the Michigan post everyone understood the assignment, but they're baffled by this one.
CinemaSideBySides@reddit
I'll be honest, it took me a minute to understand what the Michigan post was. The title and description weren't very clear.
Help1Ted@reddit
To be fair this is the first one I’ve actually seen.
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
Probably just a bunch of Yankees.
Prestigious-Comb4280@reddit
truly
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
I’m going with Fort Morgan being cool as hell historically.
“Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead” by Admiral Farragut is one of the most hard as nails quotes in is military history. And without that event we would not have the Tom Petty album.
Vachic09@reddit
It's a pretty state to drive through and the mountainous portion has some pretty good hiking.
Current_Mongoose_844@reddit
Alabama White is a good sauce. That's about all I can think of.
ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit
That's a good point. Too few people know about it.
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
The white sauce and Carolina style are slept on far too much
SaltandLillacs@reddit
What are you asking?
CupBeEmpty@reddit (OP)
We are doing all 50 states. You already missed the first two.
I’ll make it clearer in the next post. Stay tuned for 4/50.
Not_an_alt_69_420@reddit
Which one of his cousins is his dad
Living_Molasses4719@reddit
Gulf Shores is nice
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
I like Alabama a lot. Been a couple times. Some pretty driving roads.
White bbq sauce isn't my favorite.
BusinessWarthog6@reddit
Mobile gave the world Henry Aaron so they are okay in my book
Several_Celebration@reddit
What is this
ITrCool@reddit
A Reddit post
Several_Celebration@reddit
Hmm. That checks out
GSilky@reddit
They have the nicest prisons.
tsukiii@reddit
The prison-iest prisons for sure
DawaLhamo@reddit
One word: Rolltide!
DawaLhamo@reddit
Okay, a second word: Rockets!
DawaLhamo@reddit
Do you really need any other reasons? 😄
ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit
One of the great things about Alabama is that it's presence in the Union keeps us at an even 50. The "49 states" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Plus, we'd have to spend a fortune on procuring new flags. So, in this important sense, Alabama directly contributes to our national well-being every day.
Anteater_Reasonable@reddit
I agree, let’s give up Alabama. Somebody else can have it.
DeMessenZijnGeslepen@reddit
I went to Mobile and the weather was really nice.
earmares@reddit
Really representing Alabama here, bud
Mesoscale92@reddit
As with the rest of the south, the food beats anything we have up north.
WarrenMulaney@reddit
Uh...what