Bob,
You are right and I frequently like to say that being "Southern" is a state of mind.

I am reminded of the old joke about the tourist and the Southerner:

Tourist: What do you people do in your spare time here in the South?
Southerner: Mostly we give thanks to God a lot.
Tourist: Why do you do that?
Southerner: Because of his giving us the privilege of living here.

Steve