The stereotype of southern people being stupid dates back to the hookworm epidemic of the 19th century, which apparently, if it goes far enough, makes a person a bit tonto. It was a problem in the South for some reason, and alot of affected people were walking around untreated. One of John Rockefeller's first acts of altruism was to fund treatment and end the epidemic. Unfortunately, the stereotype continues to this day.
Just FYI.
The Rev