Hillbilly Column Is Entertaining, but Also Points Up a Problem

On one hand, I found Mike Downey’s column of Jan. 1 creative and entertaining. On the other hand, I was aghast to find that he included phrases like “mixing up another batch of moonshine,” “whut in tarnation,” “I ain’t never seen no television,” “out thar,” “whole danged country,” “old jalopy,” and “we’s all kin.”

Even though my family has lived in Southern California for more than 20 years, we still have to laugh about the ignorance of some people here (and all over the country) about West Virginia. When we tell people we used to live in Parkersburg, West Va., they ask, “Is that close to Richmond?” They don’t even know there is a state of West Virginia. And they think hillbillies look stupid?

CONNIE (REED) BEATY

Mission Viejo