Okay, Charlotte. What does redneck mean to you? (Ogden, Star: fit in, rent) - North Carolina (NC) - City-Data Forum

brokensky · 02-11-2008, 10:00 AM

I know what redneck means to me, but I have a feeling that my understanding of the word is not like the rest of the country's.

For one thing, I grew up surrounded by some of the nicest people in the world, but I suspect they would be labeled as rednecks by urban dwellers.

So if you live in Charlotte, whether transplant or native, I would like to know what it means to you when someone refers to another person as a "redneck."

For example . . . I hear people who move here refer to "white trash" as rednecks, and the two terms are not interchangeable in my vocabulary.

So please enlighten me what you all think "redneck" really means.

I have a feeling that to people from other parts of the country, "redneck" may be a code word for "locals." I also think some people who have an overly inflated opinion of themselves seem to think anyone who is "blue collar" or "working class" is a redneck.

I remember my Momma being told by someone from Chicago that the only thing wrong w/ the South is "all the rednecks." Her reply?

"Well, for heaven's sake. These are good people. I would rather be a redneck than a snob."

jerseygirl34 · 02-11-2008, 10:46 AM

I equate "redneck" with people that don't take care of their bodies or their property. When i see someone chain-smoking or living in a house with a pile of crap and ten cars in the yard, I see red.

nail in da coffin · 02-11-2008, 10:51 AM

Last name: ________________ First name: [_] Billy-Bob [_] Bobby-Sue [_] Billy-Joe [_] Bobby-Jo [_] Billy-Ray [_] Bobby-Ann [_] Billy-Sue [_] Bobby-Lee [_] Billy-Mae [_] Bobby-Ellen [_] Billy-Jack [_] Bobby-Beth Ann Sue ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Age: ____ (if unsure, guess) Sex: [_]M [_]F [_]None Shoe Size: ____ Left ____ Right ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Occupation: [_] Farmer [_] Waitress [_] Mechanic [_] Dirty Politician [_] Hair Dresser [_] Un-employed ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spouse's Name: __________________________ 2nd Spouse's Name: __________________________ 3rd Spouse's Name: __________________________ Lover's Name: __________________________ 2nd Lover's Name: __________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Relationship with spouse: [_] Sister [_] Aunt [_] Brother [_] Uncle [_] Mother [_] Father [_] Son [_] Cousin [_] Daughter [_] Pet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Number of children living in household: ___

Number of children living in shed: ___ Number of children that are yours: ___ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mother's Name: _______________________ Father's Name: _______________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Education: 1 2 3 4 (Circle highest grade completed) If you obtained a higher education what was your major? [_] 5th grade [_] 6th grade ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do you [_] own or [_] rent your mobile home? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vehicles you own and where you keep them: ___ Total number of vehicles you own ___ Number of vehicles that still crank ___ Number of vehicles in front yard ___ Number of vehicles in back yard ___ Number of vehicles on cement blocks ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Age you started drivin ______ (If over 10 are you are still slow lerrnin ? [_] Yes [_] No) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Firearms you own and where you keep them: ____ truck ____ kitchen ____ bedroom ____ bathroom/outhouse ____ shed ____ pawnshop ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Model and year of your pickup: _________ 194_ Do you have a gun rack? [_] Yes [_] No; If no, please explain: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Newspapers/magazines you subscribe to: [_] The National Enquirer [_] The Globe [_] TV Guide [_] Soap Opera Digest [_] Rifle and Shotgun [_] Bassmasters ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ___ Number of times you've seen a UFO ___ Number of times you've seen Elvis ___ Number of times you've seen Elvis in a UFO ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How often do you bathe: [_] Weekly [_] Monthly [_] Not Applicable ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How many teeth in YOUR mouth? ___ Color of teeth: [_] Yellow [_] Brownish-Yellow [_] Brown [_] Black [_] N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Brand of chewing tobacco you prefer: [_] Red-Man [_] Skoal ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How far is your home from a paved road? [_] 1 mile [_] 2 miles [_] don't know ------------------------------------------------------------------------

jackcapture · 02-11-2008, 10:53 AM

Good topic! I grew up in Florida, and my view there was a gung-ho, pickup-drivin, tabaccky-chewin', rebel flag wavin' good ol' boy--which I had no problems with. Some of my best friends were Florida rednecks. :}
But when I moved to South Carolina in the mid 80s, it was slightly different. They tended to be as described above, but more racist, and closer to the land.
When I met my wife in the early 90s (she's an SC native) her definition was very different from mine. For her, the main symbol of a redneck was ownership or desire of an 80s Camaro or Mustang. It just seemed to fit the rednecks in her region. Of course, once again, these are fine people for the most part, they just had some different interests than she did.
White trash is another story in my view--a redneck is not necessarily white trash, especially the sub-genre my wife refers to, the "dressed-up redneck".
So we have both carried these perspectives to Charlotte, where we don't see many rednecks.
But I agree with your Momma--I'd rather be a redneck than a snob too.

It reminds me of something I read years ago--a writer trying to pinpoint where the yankees really are. According to the writer: In the south, everybody up north is a yankee. Up north, they tend to point to New England. In New England they point to Massachusetts. in Massachusetts, they point to Boston. In Boston, they say, "Well, it's really a small group of people in the past--the term doesn't fit anymore."
But a true redneck is proud to be one.

BigCountry · 02-11-2008, 11:05 AM

Great topic.

Some believe the term 'redneck' actually comes from a NY civil war calvary. Go figure!

They wore 'red neck ties' to disguise themselves among Confederate troops but actually fought for the Union army.

Quote:

"...while acting as an aide to General Custer, took a flag from the hands of the color-bearer, rode in front of the line that was being driven back, and, under heavy fire, rallied the men, reformed the line, and repulsed the charge..."

15th New York Cavalry Home Page

brokensky · 02-11-2008, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCountry

Great topic.

Some believe the term 'redneck' actually comes from a NY civil war calvary. Go figure!

They wore 'red neck ties' to disguise themselves among Confederate troops but actually fought for the Union army.

15th New York Cavalry Home Page

interesting! I have never heard this!

TheEmissary · 02-11-2008, 11:12 AM

I'm sticking with Jeff Foxworthy's interpretations and leave it at that!

jlovefla · 02-11-2008, 11:25 AM

You think Sherlock Holmes is a
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You think a stock tip is
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You've been married three times
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You think TACO BELL is
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Your state's got a new law that says when a couple
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Your house still has the
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You got stopped by a state trooper.
He asked you if you had an I.D.
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You think Genitalia is an Italian airline.

Your sister is the third generation
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If you can burp
and say your name at the same time,
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You think Possum is
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You carried a fishing pole into Sea World.

You hooked up with your present girlfriend
as a result of a message on the wall of
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The centerpiece on your dining room table
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You think a quarter horse is
a ride out in front of the Wal-Mart.

You lit a match in the bathroom and your house exploded right off it's wheels.

Your huntin dawg had a litter of puppies in the living room and nobody noticed.

You think safe sex is a padded headboard.

You think subdivision is part of a math problem.

You think there's nothin wrong with incest
as long as you keep it in the family.

You may be a Redneck if ...
You and your dog use the same tree.

You think God looks a lot like Hank Williams, Jr., and heaven looks a lot like Daytona Beach, Florida.

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Your father executes the "pull my finger"
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You believe dual air bags refer
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You've got more than
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You think the OJ Trial was a
Sunkist and Minutemaid taste test.

You were acquitted for murdering
your first wife after she threw
out your Elvis 8-tracks.

You think watching professional
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The people on Jerry Springer's show
remind you of your neighbors

Your front porch collapses
and four dogs git killed.

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Your grandfather died and left everything to his widow.
But she can't touch it until she's fourteen.

Your kids take a siphon hose to "Show and Tell."

You've ever had to scratch your sisters
name out of a message that begins,
"For a good time time call..."

You know yer a redneck when you take a load to the dump and bring back more than you took

Your whole family is Democrats
'cept little Mary.
She lernt how to read.

You think fast food is hitting a possum at 65 mph.

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You can get dog hair from out of your belly button.

You have a bumper sticker that says,
"MY MOTHER'S AN HONOR STUDENT
AT SOUTH LITTLE ROCK JR. HIGH."

You take a six-pack cooler to church.

Your family tree has no forks.

You have refused to watch the Academy Awards since "Smokey and the Bandit" was snubbed for best picture.

You had to remove a toothpick
for your wedding pictures.

You use a weedeater in your living room.

You consider your license plate personalized because
your dad made it in prison.

You have a rag for a gas cap.

The blue book value of your truck goes up and down
depending on how much gas it has in it.

The third grade teacher says little Bubba
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Fifth grade was the best six years of your life.

You have to go outside to get
something out of the 'fridge.

A seven course meal is a bucket of KFC and a sixpack.

One of your kids was born on a pool table.

You have spray painted your
girlfriend's name on an overpass.

Your lifetime goal is to own a fireworks stand.

Someone asks to see your ID and you
show them your belt buckle.

Your dad walks you to school because
you are both in the same grade.

Mailpouch sends you Christmas cards.

Down where you come from reruns of
Hee Haw are called documentaries.

Your house doesn't have curtains,
but your truck does.

You need one more hole punched in your card
to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos.

You have flowers planted in a
bathroom fixture in your front yard.

On your first date you had to ask your
Dad to borrow the keys to the tractor.

You think the Mountain Men in Deliverance
were just "misunderstood".

If you refer to the fifth grade
as, "your senior year".

Three quarters of the clothes you
own have LOGOS on them.

The Halloween pumpkin on your front porch has more teeth than your wife.

Your `huntin dawg' cost more than the truck you drive him around in.

Your belt buckle weighs more than three pounds.

You've been to a funeral and there were more pick-ups than cars.

You just bought an 8-track
player to put in your truck.

You've ever climbed a water tower
with a bucket of paint
to defend your sister's honor.

It's easier to spray weed killer
on your lawn than mow it.

You think the three primary colors are
John Deere Green, Ford Blue, and Primer Gray.

Your pickup has a two-tone paint job
-- primer red and primer gray.

Ya can't get married to yer sweetheart
'cause there is a law against it.

You've been on TV more than 5 times
describing the sound of a tornado.

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The beer can collection in the
town museum is the big tourist attraction.

You dated your daddy's current wife in high school.

Your aunt and your grandmother went to the funeral and had a fight over who gets to be the widow.

You can tell your age by the
number of rings in the bathtub.

You may be a redneck if you ever
used a toilet brush as a back scratcher.

You can change the oil in your truck
without ducking your head.

During your senior year you and
your mother had homeroom together.

You're a lite beer drinker 'cause you start drinkin beer when it gets light.

You think the stock market
has fence around it.

Your stereo speakers used to belong
to the Moonlight Drive-in Theater.

You own a homemade fur coat.

Your entire family has ever sat around
waiting for a call from the Governor
to spare a loved one.

Your wife has ever said,
"Come move this transmission
so I can take a bath."

You think loading the dishwasher
means getting your wife drunk.

YOU REFER TO THE TIME YOU WON
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"THE DAY MY SHIP CAME IN."

The FBI surrounded your trailer park
twice so far this year.

You use a NASCAR credit card.

Your brother-in-law is your uncle
AND your grandfather.

you might be a redneck if....
Your parents met at a family reunion.

You believe that beef jerky and Moon Pies
are two of the major food groups.

You stare at an orange juice container
because it says, "CONCENTRATE".

YOUR IDEA OF HIGH-QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT
IS A SIX-PACK AND A BUG-ZAPPER.

You wonder how service stations
keep their restrooms so clean.

Anyone in your family died right
after saying, "Hey, y'all watch this!".

You couldn't learn to swim
because
your gene pool is too small.

Your wife's job requires her
to wear an orange vest.

You have the local taxidermist's
number on speed dial.

On Thanksgiving Day you have
to decide which pet to eat.

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Your school fight song is"Dueling Banjos".

You think "taking out the trash"
means taking your in-laws to a movie.

Your coffee table used to be a cable spool.

You got Clapper devices controlling
the appliances in your house.

You think a hot tub is
a stolen bathroom fixture.

The gas pedal on your car
is shaped like a bare foot.

They just raised the drinking age in your state to 32 on account of they wanted to keep alcohol out of the schools

You hammer bottle caps into the
frame of your front door to make it look nice.

The Home Shopping operator recognizes your voice.

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The taillight covers of your car
are made of red tape.

You have every episode of Hee-Haw on tape.

You've ever been involved in a
custody fight over a hunting dog.

The KKK kicked you out for being a bigot.

You think a turtleneck is
a key ingredient for soup.

You think the French
Riviera is a foreign car.

Your toilet paper has page numbers on it.

You no longer drink wine ever since
the screw cap got caught up your nose.

You think that Dom Perignon is a mafia leader.

That billboard that says,
"SAY NO TO CRACK"
reminds you to pull up your jeans.

Your wife's hairdo was once ruined
by a ceiling fan.

You go to your family reunion
looking for a date.

You think a Volvo is part of a woman's anatomy.

Your Junior/Senior Prom had a Daycare.

Your high school basketball game got rained out.

You've got more than three cousins
named 'Bubba'.

You have a close relative named "Cletus".

You ever won first prize in a tobacco spittin contest.

You wish your outhouse was as nice
as those at the state park.

Last year you hid yer kids'
Easter eggs under cow pies.

Your family always goes to the movies in groups of 18 or
more 'cause they were told 17 and under are not admitted.

Jack Daniels makes your list
of "Most Admired People"

Your dog can't watch you eat
without getting sick.

You think the winter olympic sport of curling
is part of the "Big Hair" competition.

When you was little, your front yard got toilet papered
and your momma thought it was a gift from God.

You've painted a car with house paint.

You're banned from the Memphis Zoo because you disturb the monkeys.

You ever named a child after a dog.

You have more belt-buckles than pants.

You removed the back seat from your
car so all yer kids could fit in.

You think taking a bubble bath starts
with eating beans for dinner.

Your child's first words were
"Attention K-Mart shoppers!"

YOU'VE EVER COME HOME
AND FOUND CRIME SCENE TAPE
ACROSS YOUR FRONT PORCH.

You think a woman who is
"out of your league"
bowls on a different night.

InSouthPark · 02-11-2008, 11:35 AM

Those hillbillies blocking the road to the whitewater park...I think they paddled upstream from the chattoga river (Deliverance).

brokensky · 02-11-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InSouthPark

Those hillbillies blocking the road to the whitewater park...I think they paddled upstream from the chattoga river (Deliverance).

Oh lord! They were not rednecks in Deliverance! They were psychopaths!

I was scared to go canoeing, tubing or white water rafting for years after seeing that movie. Now the people blocking the entrance from the whitewater park - they were just exercising their property rights. That is the American way - you get to protest.