Now this little beauty, whilst not as harsh/hurtful/damaging/extreme as opther forms of discrimination: is real. I don't feel that it is often recognised as such however. It is essentially based on the concept of "difference", thus "bad".
I (have a hampshire accent - RP) have experianced it personally an awful lot in the manchester area (England), and Scotland (although i suppose this is more down to the fact of simply being English).
What to be done though. I think it is characterstic of changing times. I doubt it will be as much a problem in 50 years or so when circulation of people increases further (often i suffer for it at the hands of people who havn't been out of their area/havn't experianced other accents in person).
I am of course well aware that the problem is likewise down south for northern folk, in the west for eastern folk, in England for Scottish folk etc etc.
Captain Blackadder: You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war two great super-armies developed. Us, the Russians and the French on one side, Germany and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea being that each army would act as the other's deterrent. That way, there could never be a war.
Private Baldrick: Except, this is sort of a war, isn't it?
Captain Blackadder: That's right. There was one tiny flaw in the plan.
Lieutenant George: O, what was that?
Captain Blackadder: It was bollocks.
