The term "redneck"

[Thump]

My wife and I went to the south over New Year's and while going through many of the stores, we noticed belt-buckles that said "Redneck." I saw a pick-up truck with a sticker in the back window that said, "Redneck Cadillac."

Here's my question, "redneck" is a derogatory work for uneducated, close-minded individuals, at least that is what it means to me, why is it bragged about?

I told my wife, that's the same as a black person wearing a belt-buckle that has the "N word" on it. Or putting a sticker in their back window that said "N-word" Cadillac.

Or a Jewish person wearing a belt buckle that said "Kike" or something to that effect.

When I see someone with a rebel flag or redneck paraphanelia I think, "Someone proud to be uneducated and racist."

Why does that seem to be the only derogatory term that is embraced by its members?

 

[OHSportsFan]

My wife and I went to the south over New Year's and while going through many of the stores, we noticed belt-buckles that said "Redneck." I saw a pick-up truck with a sticker in the back window that said, "Redneck Cadillac."

Here's my question, "redneck" is a derogatory work for uneducated, close-minded individuals, at least that is what it means to me, why is it bragged about?

I told my wife, that's the same as a black person wearing a belt-buckle that has the "N word" on it. Or putting a sticker in their back window that said "N-word" Cadillac.

Or a Jewish person wearing a belt buckle that said "Kike" or something to that effect.

When I see someone with a rebel flag or redneck paraphanelia I think, "Someone proud to be uneducated and racist."

Why does that seem to be the only derogatory term that is embraced by its members?

Because they're uneducated and racist?

 

[Mac]

I don't think redneck is what you think it is. Redneck is country. Big trucks, cowboy boots, country music, creating things that are sketchy when you can go buy your own (aka house fixes, truck fixes, etc)....that's Redneck

Rednecks can be uneducated, sure. But uneducated doesn't always make you a Redneck

 

[BuckeyeSoldier]

I dont know how it is in the deep south, but from my first hand experience in southeast ohio.. over the last 12 to 15 years there has been a serious uptick in the amount of people who are "proudly ignorant", anti education, anti-city.. Included in those people is my own mother. She was always a little backwards about some things but the extent to which she now seems to almost resent education and logic is baffeling.

 

[BayBuck]

I don't think redneck is what you think it is. Redneck is country. Big trucks, cowboy boots, country music, creating things that are sketchy when you can go buy your own (aka house fixes, truck fixes, etc)....that's Redneck

Rednecks can be uneducated, sure. But uneducated doesn't always make you a Redneck

+1 Working hard outside tends to get your neck red. Lack of formal education isn't a purely negative attribute, and a lot of rural folk can rightly take pride in their neckness.

"Redneck" > white trash/hillbilly/cracker

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Au6qBLgk1A"]The Charlie Daniels Band - (What This World Needs Is) A Few More Rednecks.wmv - YouTube[/ame]

 

[BuckeyeSoldier]

I don't think redneck is what you think it is. Redneck is country. Big trucks, cowboy boots, country music, creating things that are sketchy when you can go buy your own (aka house fixes, truck fixes, etc)....that's Redneck

Rednecks can be uneducated, sure. But uneducated doesn't always make you a Redneck

You should preface this by saying that this is what "rednecks" and "country culture" have decided that means when they call themselves rednecks. That is not how the term started or how much of the population uses it.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I told my wife, that's the same as a black person wearing a belt-buckle that has the "N word" on it. Or putting a sticker in their back window that said "N-word" Cadillac.

Not much difference between dumb white folks referring to themselves as "redneck" and dumb black folks referring to themselves as "nigga".

 

[BayBuck]

Not much difference between dumb white folks referring to themselves as "redneck" and dumb black folks referring to themselves as "nigga".

It's more like homosexuals re-appropriating the term "queer" for their culture.

 

[Buckeneye]

I don't think redneck is what you think it is. Redneck is country. Big trucks, cowboy boots, country music, creating things that are sketchy when you can go buy your own (aka house fixes, truck fixes, etc)....that's Redneck

No. That's about his definition of "Redneck"...

I have a couple people I know from highschool who are self proclaimed "Rednecks". I sadly accepted their facebook friend requests. I shit you not, EVERY one of their status' involves drinking beer, shooting guns or working on cars. Or they share status' from the NRA or whatever bullshit about being "anti-american" they can come up with.

Being a "Redneck" is a lauded lifestyle for them - because they simply do not have an ounce of self-awareness.

Funniest moment of my life was watching my cousin (and oldest friend, who did 3 tours in Iraq) set the confederate flag on fire that was hanging on the back of this punk-ass kids truck. His words " I didn't fight for these little fuckers to be anti-US"... Which is exactly what people do when they display confederate colors.

 

[Thump]

Redneck is country.

Country is "country."

Redneck and country are two different things in my opinion.

"Country" to me is living off the land, cowboy hats, country music, church on Sundays etc..

"Redneck" is close-minded, backwards, uneducated etc..

 

[BayBuck]

You should preface this by saying that this is what "rednecks" and "country culture" have decided that means when they call themselves rednecks. That is not how the term started or how much of the population uses it.

FYI, it wasn't until the later 20th century that "redneck" took on its contemporary derogatory connotations of racism -- thanks to 'educated' progressive-types.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nGw_vAnqPI"]Randy Newman - Rednecks - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Thump]

FYI, it wasn't until the later 20th century that "redneck" took on its contemporary derogatory connotations of racism -- thanks to 'educated' progressive-types.

Randy Newman - Rednecks - YouTube

Perhaps I should add some detail, this belt-buckle had the word "Redneck" written over top of a Confederate flag.

Looked something like this:

Tough not to get the intended "message."

 

[DubCoffman62]

Redneck has become to mean uneducated racist triler trash but when I was a kid it wasn't that at all. I was used to describe a man's man kind of guy, someone who liked trucks, listened to country music, liked to hunt, maybe a bit of a flag waver and held a certain set of "southern" values.

 

[FrancisSoyer]

No. That's about his definition of "Redneck"...

I have a couple people I know from highschool who are self proclaimed "Rednecks". I sadly accepted their facebook friend requests. I [Mark May] you not, EVERY one of their status' involves drinking beer, shooting guns or working on cars. Or they share status' from the NRA or whatever bull[Mark May] about being "anti-american" they can come up with.

Being a "Redneck" is a lauded lifestyle for them - because they simply do not have an ounce of self-awareness.

Funniest moment of my life was watching my cousin (and oldest friend, who did 3 tours in Iraq) set the confederate flag on fire that was hanging on the back of this punk-ass kids truck. His words " I didn't fight for these little [censored]ers to be anti-US"... Which is exactly what people do when they display confederate colors.

They sound misguided among other things.

 

[BuckBackHome]

Where my wife is from it is used to refer to union members, especially coalminers.