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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> I feel like I grew up with this moral imperative.  I find it  
> fascinating that you attribute this to some kind of celtic tradition  
> of community caretaking.  I wonder if you think that might be  
> different in other parts of the south, parts that weren't settled by  
> Celts?

With the exception of  parts of Louisiana, there were no parts of the 
antebellum South that weren't settled by Celts.

Int the mid 1800's the difference in the culture of the Celtic influenced 
South and the Anglo/Norman influenced North were stark.  Many of those 
differences still exist today.  The South viewed wealth as the size of one's 
extended 
family and influence. Money had little to do with it. Taking someone on in 
your 
business or farm was not a money based relationship. It implied certain 
obligations in both directions.  Northeners, understanding not a whit of 
this, 
viewed Southerners at the time as lazy and indolent when there was plenty of 
opportunity to make more money, which was their measure of wealth.  
Relationships 
with them were more contractual in nature and all obligations could be 
discharged monitarily.

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