"Iowa Nice" rears its oxymoronic head again.
Since I left Iowa in 1999, I’ve had to explain multiple times that "Iowa Nice" doesn’t mean what outsiders think it does. The term is most commonly understood to convey the general kindness and helpfulness that hardworking, noble Iowans show complete strangers. Famous Iowans, such as Johnny Carson, Dan Gable, Norman Borlaug and Donna Reed, reinforced the "Iowa Nice" stereotype with their genuine warmth and selflessness in their public personas.
However, "Iowa Nice" has a couple of caveats that are politely omitted. This definition fails to mention that "Iowa Nice" only applies to conflict-avoidant and submissive white people. If you exhibit anything less than those characteristics, you may literally fear for your life.