Redneck is an insulting word

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 01:28 PM

Add. to FloraG post:

"It's not just rednecks who'll vote for Romney." John O'Sullivan, 28 August 2012.
"...a Mitt Romney victory. But be of good cheer: only a tiny preportion of his victory total would come from snake-handling rednecks or stump-toothed bootleggers from the hills. Nor will evangelicals anxious for Governor Romney to provoke a Middle Eastern..." (Have to subscribe to get the rest)

"Redneck" put in Search brings up a several columns of the past few years. The most recent:

"US goes sweet on Honey Boo Boo," Tony Allen-Mills, 26 August 2012.
"...un-American class warfare. For every television viewer who has tuned in to mock the eye-popping antics of a gruesomely unglamerous redneck family from the wrong side of the railway tracks in McIntyre, Georgia, there has been another who has found a more poignant..."
(Carried on Canadian cable, but I haven't watched it)

Also one on "You might be a redneck" gags.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 28 Aug 12 - 04:06 AM

Saw the term redneck used as a headline in the British Times today. Obviously no one in editorial has read this thread.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Bobert
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 09:17 AM

Thanks, brucie... I read the link and found it pretty interesting... I think that most folks who have been around a while have a little redneck in 'um...

I know I do... I like moonshine... I like trucks... I used to drive a race car (mini-stock)... I say "sir and I say mam"... I got my guns and I like 'um... I've sung many a country song in my day... Been is more than a few fistfights... Been drunk and hope to been drunk again... Can lean on the hood of truck for an hour talking with other folks who have at least a little (or a lot) of redneck in 'um about redneck stuff...

Rednecks, however, ain't into talking politics... No sir... They talk about building stuff, their cars and trucks, fishing, boats, dumb crimes that people do, sports, sports and more sports...

The folks here who are eat up with right winged politics are more than likely closer to what Krinkz calls "pantywaists"... Yeah, if a redneck does vote, he'll more than likely vote against his own interests, i.e. Republican and that's kinda a shame 'cause real rednecks ain't senseless... Okay, a tad undereducated, i.e. misinformed, but a real redneck ain't gonna go on and on about political stuff...

Hey, how about them Panthers last night???

B;~)

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 03:26 AM

We need more red necks and fewer pantywaists.
(:-( ))=

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 26 Aug 12 - 02:02 PM

Speaking of red, I remember reading that Pinkerton agents would get enraged when strikers called them "pinks," because it implied an association with "reds," or communists, not with the red neck of the farmer.

I agree with the Wikipedia article, that "redneck" in the US today is derogatory. Foxworthy does use it humorously and includes himself in the group, but his jokes always characterize rednecks as people who are stupid, slovenly, and inbred.

And speaking of Chris Rock's use of the N word, I think the funniest comedy routine I've ever heard is his explanation of what that word means.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: GUEST,999
Date: 26 Aug 12 - 01:34 PM

Great article about the term 'redneck'.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 09:19 PM

And it's up against the wall, Redneck Mother
Mother who has raised her son so well
He's 34 and drinking in a honky tonk
Kickin' hippies asses and raising hell...

Heck of a song, ya'll... Written originally by Ray Wylie Hubbard, has been covered by everyone and if yer ever playin' to a bunch a bikers, which I have on occasion, play it... They all know it and will sing along on the chorus... Especially if they been drinkin'...

B~

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Sawzaw
Date: 25 Aug 12 - 07:41 PM

Resident Redn**k hater:

"Don't get all carried away with Abe Lincoln... There was a lot of George Bush in him...

Southern, redneck, emotional and dumb..."

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 02:28 PM

I found that link, too. The song I remember is presumably a variant.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 01:52 PM

Found it, Charmion- or at least an 1894 version, sheet music, Levy Sheet Music, Johns Hopkins.
https://scholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/25356

"I'd rather be a Nigger than a Poor White Man," composed by Harry Earle.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 01:39 PM

On a range, a red flag is raised to tell innocent passers-by that the firing point is active and those who wish to avoid getting shot should remain behind the firing point.

Q, I have been googling for references to "The Druther Song" but so far have drawn a blank. I dimly remember seeing it in a shabby old book very long ago -- circa 1968, when my memory was very effective but my understanding of what I should commit to memory rather less so.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 12:37 PM

Red has several usages, some may not be evident to someone outside the U.S.
Red flags or red lanterns mean danger, or stop.
'Raise the red flag" was originally used to indicate readiness for battle.
Red is used to indicate hot temperature, red hot passion, etc.
"Red" applies to Communists, as noted by McGrath.

Wiki notes that 'red' was applied to Republicans in 2000; on election night all broadcast networks used that color to mark Rebublican election results. The GOP uses a red logo on its website, but it has not been officially adopted.
Blue was used for Democratic results.

A red light is often associated with a house of ill-repute.

Red is associated with the Devil.

Occult meanings.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 10:41 AM

"Am I right in thinking that red is not a popular colour in the USA. "

It must get confusing. If someone gets called a "Dirty Red", how do they know if they are being accused of being a Communist or a Republican?

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: kendall
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 07:34 AM

You should know, Dick. LOL.I wasn't very clear in my post. The red necks of the miner strikes were hard working, honorable men; now, they are hillbillies and Bubbas.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 21 Aug 12 - 04:57 AM

I am always surprised at how much a common language can differ. In GB we would call strike breakers ' black legs' as the miners had dirty legs coming out of the pit.

Am I right in thinking that red is not a popular colour in the USA. ( red flag etc).

I wondered what the reaction from people in the USA was to the opening ceremony of the olimpics when we celibrated our national health service - one of our best loved institutions of the 20 century.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 09:43 PM

Webster's dates it to 1830.
OED quotations:
1830- "A name bestowed upon the Presbyterians in Fayetteville."
1893- "A name applied by the better class of people to the poorer inhabitants of the rural districts." A. Shands, "Some Peculiarities of Speech in Mississippi."
And many more.

Charmion, I would like to see the song. I remember it as a saying when comparisons were made between poor whites and Blacks. The poor whites often were in direr straits, in the minds of white southerners and southwesterners.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 09:18 PM

'Druther be a [disenfranchised African-American person] and work like heck
Than a poor Georgia cracker with a long red neck ...

Street song, circa 1880

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 08:51 PM

Kendall, it goes back a helluva lot longer than that.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: kendall
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 08:09 PM

I believe the word Red Neck originated in West Virginia during the coal miners strikes. The strikers all wore red bandanas around their necks so they wouldn't shoot each other.
Look up the Battle of Blair Mountain.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Bobert
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 07:42 PM

BTW, I thought that it is appropriate to say that I went to see Ray Wylie Hubbard week before last... He, for those who don't know about him, wrote "Redneck Mother", one of the finest honky tonk beer joint songs out there... Actually, had a nice talk with him...

B~

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: meself
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 12:58 PM

I don't have any mileage in this matter, so far! Thanks for the info., wasn't aware of that one. So - anyone else?

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 12:36 PM

In my little world, "reg" is pronouced with a hard G and means a member of the Regular component of the Canadian Forces.

Your mileage may vary.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: meself
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 12:04 PM

Going 'way back up the thread: I'm curious about the (supposed) term "reg" - I've never heard it in my life, despite having spent much time in Ontario. Questions: 1) Has anyone else heard this term? 2) What is its derivation? 3) Is it pronounced as spelled, or like the diminutive of 'Reginald', i.e., 'rej'?

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 11:16 AM

Shitkicker is a long established US term See Steinbeck.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Midchuck
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 11:15 AM

If you're in the sun a lot, and wear a baseball type cap instead of a hat with a full brim all the way around, you're going to have a red neck unless you turn the cap around, with the bill at the back.

But I've seen posts highly critical of people who do just that - especially African-Americans. I don't understand. Maybe the logic is that African-Americans don't need to worry about red necks, so they shouldn't be allowed to turn their caps backwards? It's too philosophically complex for me.

Peter

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 11:13 AM

Another shitkicker heard from.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Sawzaw
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 11:10 AM

Bobert is fond of going back over 100 years to Thomas Jefferson quotes to back up the angry, hateful remarks he posts on Mudcat to stir up shit.

Then he can feed his HPD by claiming to be a victim.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 09:50 AM

Rednecks are people who have the poor taste to spend their days out of doors with their pale, European-descended skin exposed to the elements. Or am I missing something in the cultural interpretation?

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 07:10 AM

I thought a redneck was someone who forgot their sun tan cream on the odd occasion we get good enough weather.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Ole Juul
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 06:45 AM

Two questions:

I've never heard the word "shitkicker" used in this part of the world. What country is it from?

I live in an area where there are a lot of rednecks, in both the cultural and political sense. The term is sometimes even used with pride. What does the OP suggest I call them?

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 06:30 AM

Another shade of bigotry.
Poor uneducated whites are fair game.
Any other ethnic group is out of bounds.
(:-( P)=

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Allan C.
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 06:01 AM

They prefer "crimson about the collar" actually; but nearly everybody calls them "rednecks".

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Aug 12 - 02:01 PM

Us po white trash cain't hep our rednecks. All we wants is our biskits and sorgum.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 19 Aug 12 - 11:57 AM

It's politer than shitkicker. Same connotation.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Aug 12 - 11:52 AM

If Sawz, the resident shit-stirrer, had to go back a 100 years to find some shit to stir, he would...

Normal, and...

...yawn...

B~

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Aug 12 - 11:46 AM

Responding to a 10 year old thread in order to stir up enmity is interesting...................

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 19 Aug 12 - 10:44 AM

Generalizing. It's a form of bigotry. You people. You're all alike. Every damned one of you.
(:-( 0)=

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Sawzaw
Date: 19 Aug 12 - 10:10 AM

Guess Who:

If the rednecks want out that bad then don't let the door hit ya'll on the way out... Ya'll allready have the highest divorce rates, the highest obesity rates, the highest health care costs, the dumbest people, the most per cpaital federal tax dollars returend to ya'll so ya'll becoming a drain on the rest of the country.... Yeah, if ya'll want out then fine with me... I rather live in an ara where people ain't brought up thinking that the government owed them everything while criticizing the hand that feeds 'um...

I mean, these people couldn't survive 30 days without the northweat and west coast paying in the bigass $$$s that in turn got dooled out to them... Bunch of ungratefull crybabies as far as I can see.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 12:03 AM

Redneck is an insulting word,
Beauty is a blossom,
And if you want your finger bit,
Stick it at a possum.

Chorus)
Fod !!!

(A rare version of a good old trad song as sung by Frank Warner.)

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Cluin
Date: 16 Dec 02 - 11:37 PM

When your house don't have no curtains, but your truck does.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Redbeard
Date: 16 Dec 02 - 11:18 PM

My favorite Foxworthy thing was "you know you're a redneck when your house is on wheels and your car's up on blocks". At least it is the only one that I can remember. Anybody got any more?

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Wincing Devil
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 11:52 AM

Q:     How can you tell if you've offended a redneck?

A:     The Tire iron upside yo' had oughts to be yer first clue!

Chris Rock's humor is liberally sprinkled with "The 'N' Word", Jeff Foxworthy's main claim to fame is his collection of "You know your a redneck if..." jokes. Chis Rock is black, Jeff Foxworthy is white. Actually, C.R. is more a shade of "Burnt Umber", and J.F. is "Desert Tan", speaking in colors of paint I've used in the past.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: JJ
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 09:21 AM

I recall a "proud to display the national colors" country song of 1975 with a chorus that went something like:

With my red neck
White socks and
Blue Ribbon beer...

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Cluin
Date: 15 Dec 02 - 03:46 AM

Then you got that prime gig as Ronald McDonald?

;D

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: jimmyt
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 10:22 AM

Good piont, Cluin. Me for one! I was the token white guy with a giant red afro playing trumpet in an all black soul band for a while! A beautiful sight I was ! (sorry, can you say black and afro?) grin

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Cluin
Date: 14 Dec 02 - 12:58 AM

Naw. Afro-American went out of favour when it came to mean an American sporting an afro. There were too damn many honkies wearing them in the 70s.




ooops.. forgot the smiley.

;)

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: jimmyt
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 10:05 PM

Case in point, porky, what damn difference does it make? Afro-Aerican was a very acceptable term for many years...all the sudde it wasn't PC? I suggest this is exactly the type PCstuff that turn most people away from the whole concept. Recently I mentioned the word oriental in referring to A Korean friend in our area, and my daughter-in-law told me it is no longer PC to say oriental. (I guess this is now somehow a derogatory term)hould say Asian. Well that sure doesn't differentiate Turkish people, Israelis, Indians Koreans, Japanese etc. Seems like by making the trm more " all encompassing" it is more tasteful? I don't get it.

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: Porky the Buffet Slayer
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 09:52 PM

A recent Larry Sanders show? A new Larry Sanders show hasn't been produced in almost five years. BTW Dick, the correct terminology is "African American," not "Afro-American."

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 02:19 PM

I may lead a sheltered life, but the most prevalent use of the word nigger that I've heard over the past few years has been by Afro-American comedians. And the most recent switch in meaning is when the black comic says to the white comic " You my nigger! " implying spiritual kinship, I suppose. On a recent Larry Sanders TV show, Mr. Sanders (White) replied to the black comedian, "You my Caucasian"

and I guess Redneck is better than the related "Shitkicker"

Subject: RE: Redneck is an insulting word
From: T-Mac
Date: 13 Dec 02 - 12:17 PM

Having been without power for six days, I haven't seen this thread, but being from the South I can't restrain myself from posting.

A black guy who was very mad at me once called me a redneck interspersed with a long line of other attention grabbers and I'm pretty sure he wasn't being complimentary at the time. I had a similar experience growing up in Florida in the 60's when a black classmate called me a cracker. Between the two, I took more offense at the time of being called a cracker than I did a redneck. I'm guessing the big difference was that the two events happened about 35 years apart. Interestingly, my sister and I now take great pride in considering ourselves Florida Crackers, as do many native Floridians (ok, cut me some slack, and don't argue the "native" definition).

So I guess all the comments about it being a matter of perspective are right.