[fla2006]

I have been reading alot of posts about rednecks in Florida, where in florida are they, it sounds like in northeast Florida where exactly.
Thanks,

[LM1]

Define “redneck”
Anything inland, including South Florida, tends to have people who appreciate a more rural quality of living.
Many coastal communities in Northern Florida still have a "native" flavor to them, but this is dying fast and will be pretty much dead in a decade or so.

I am a NEFL Native.
I have a masters degree (working on my PhD), I make six figures a year (as of early 06) and my truck has a gun rack in the rear window. I surf, hunt, fish, shoot guns for fun, drink beer, ride 4 Wheelers, read Faust, participate in local politics, traverse great distances to hear a good symphony, appreciate wine on a pretty high level and I'm an avid chess player. Most of the people who would comment on my gun rack and call me a “redneck” because of it usually don't make 1/3rd what I do nor have 1/4 the formal education. Funny, how that works.

If you classify "redneck" as blue collar white folks who hunt and couldn't care less what people from the cities think about them, then yes. Northeast Florida has plenty. If you classify "redneck" in the same way as any given neurotic Brooklyn Hebrew who's retiring to West Palm and wants to avoid "rednecks", then you won't like any place south of Delaware, North of Massachusetts or west of New Jersey.

[fla2006]

Thanks LM1
Where in florida are you from, I am one of those New Yorkers that will be moving to the JAX area shortly, I read your post earlier about the 10 things and found it interesting, I hope i will be liked when I am there I would appreciate any further information you give me about relocating to the Jax area (Fleming Island) to be exact.

[LM1]

Jax is growing insanely fast.
Unbeknownst to most people, Jacksonville is actually the largest city for sheer landmass in the US. It's pretty much an entire county. As such, you have a wide array of classes and lifestyles that call “Jacksonville” home ranging from the very wealthy to the outright poor.

Also, I’d wager that Jacksonville has a higher percentage of natives than the few other similarly sized cities in the state. A lot of people who live in Jacksonville were born here. You won't have any problem with anyone as long as you aren't abrasive.

Fleming Island has developed into an upper-class’ish area, so you won't encounter many (if any) poor rednecks actually living there, but there are plenty of them close by in Clay County and a few poorer areas of Orange Park.

We like what we have down here, and apparently, so does everyone else since they all seem to be moving in. The only real disdain you might encounter amongst the locals with you coming from the Northeast would stem from a few cultural chasms that exist between New York and Florida (A number of political issues, a number of social issues, Gun Rights, etc). It isn’t to say that “everyone” believes in a certain issue, but you’re a lot more likely to encounter certain things here than you are in New York.

Florida is no different than anywhere else, in that it all boils down to the individual, but people moving here should be aware that there are some prevailing trends that are very different from the Northeast. Unless you're looking for a fight or an argument, it's probably best to live-and-let-live, or go home. Ask anyone who's moved to NE Florida from certain parts of the country, and the one of the first things out of their mouth will be "culture shock". Some people are more susceptible to it than others.

[Alaska-Florida]

Since I'm moving there too, I guess I need to be informed as well about rednecks.

Are they racist?
Do they not like newcomers?
Do they burn flags on peoples front yards?
Do they drive big trucks and hunt people they don't like out in the boondocks?
Do they look anything like the picture below???

[Linny]

Rednecks are no more or less scary, dumb, dangerous, harmful or harmless than other group of people you will ever meet. I am a native north Floridian. 45 years worth. I have two brothers as well as myself that I think most anyone would classify as a redneck. I do not find the term offensive. I consider myself as well as my brother’s well educated and well read. I have lived and spent time with folks in South Florida, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maine, Virginia, and Ohio as well as South Korea. I've met people that I would call rednecks, yuppies, snobs, city boys/girls, bikers, and intellectuals. I've never found any, as a complete group, that I was afraid of, or would warn others to stay away from. People are just people anywhere you go. Ted Bundy was not a redneck, nor was Jeffrey Dahmer a yuppie. I think the term redneck is generally applied to those who prefer to spend their free time outdoors. Those that prefer beer to wine. A four-wheeler or four wheel drive to a vehicle only equipped for "city" streets. Prefer hunting or fishing to surfing the internet. Country or Bluegrass to Opera or Hip-hop. Those that will scream ye-haw for any given reason. Know also, that this may not completely apply in every case. There are exceptions. Some may prefer Jim Beam to beer, and have never said “ye-haw” in their entire life. It's a matter of preference. They're in any city or town in any given place at some degree or other. It doesn't make any of us right or wrong, or any better than the other. I think what you will find, if you seem to find them more prevalent in the Northern part of Florida, is that this is an area where, for the most part, you will find the type of environment that the "Redneck" prefers. The more wooded areas and small towns that we like. The edges and more southern parts of the state provide more, and better beaches that draw different types of people from out of state. Or from in-state for that matter. There are vast and various reasons you will find certain types of people where you find them. You will find plenty of rednecks there too, I assure you, if you are looking for them! Don't worry. If you get in a situation where you are surrounded by rednecks and are getting a little nervous, just yell, "Anybody need a beer?" Be warned though. If you are going to take that approach, you really do need to have beer to hand out. That said, back up, there might be a stampede. If, after the free beer is passed out things still seem a little tense, one of you needs to say you have a car stuck way out in the woods. Everyone will load up in Bubba's big ole four wheel drive with the tires that are taller than you are and tell you to show them where. It doesn't matter if you find the car or not. Happens to them all the time. Too much beer, mighta smoked one or two, forget where we wuz when we got stuck. You know...

Just don't be a know-it-all. We're from down here. We do know it all! Just kidding.

The good part? You've made a friend for life. Right there in redneck territory where a redneck friend is a good thing to have.....

[Mountain Man]

Originally Posted by Alaska-Florida

Since I'm moving there too, I guess I need to be informed as well about rednecks.

Do they look anything like the picture below???

No they look nothin like that guy here is a video if you wanna see some true Rednecks and listen to some good music
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-49240851733494966 (broken link)

[DoctorE]

I agree with LM1's definition of rednck. I too, was from the northeast. New Jersey to be exact. I moved to West Palm Beach in 2002 and quickly learned what a "true" redneck was all about. My best friend is a self-proclaimed redneck. He has two great kids, who have been in a gifted and talented school since day one. He is a tow truck driver by trade. He doesn't have a gun rack, but is equipped for the next round of Islamic Fundamentalists who decide to take on the Red, White and Blue. His wife is Cuban.

We both relocated to South Carolina after Hurricane Wilma. I just met a very nice guy who has a Confederate Flag on his truck. So much for your traditional redneck definition.

And one more thing. . . I am handicapped and African American. God bless America.

[sunshine girl]

LM1, I think I love you. I loved your post anyway!!! Awsomely said. Many thanks and kudus for the post. I'm seriously still smiling!! Wait a minute, I want the NYC types to keep going to the east coast, and stay away from the more mellow west side! Quit scaring them away!! Peace.....

[Alaska-Florida]

A friend and I were discussing rednecks the other day. She mentioned this great comedian she heard of. He's actually from the south somewhere, and makes fun of the whole redneck thing. I thought this might be helpful to help the OP (and of coarse for the rednecks who might stumble across this forum and not realize that they really are true rednecks). So I did a search and here's what I found;

You know you're a redneck if:

You think Sherlock Holmes is a housing project down in Biloxi.

You've been married three times and still have the same in-laws.

You think a stock tip is advice on worming' your hogs.

You think TACO BELL is the Mexican Phone Company.

Your state's got a new law that says when a couple
get divorced, they are still legally brother and sister.

You got stopped by a state trooper. He asked you if you had an I.D.
And you said, 'Bout What?'

Your sister is the third generation
of women in your family to conceive
a baby as a result of an alien abduction.

You think that a six figure income & drinking wine will exempt you from redneck status.

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
the mens' room at the Flying J Truck Stop.

You think subdivision is part of a math problem.

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

White legs on the beach wouldn't bother you so much if only the neck wer' red to go along with it.

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 believe that people moving to your town from the next state over is like a hostile invasion of your 'native land'.

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

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

You've been to a funeral and there were more pick-ups than all other vehicles combined.

YOU REFER TO THE TIME YOU WON
A FREE CASE OF MOTOR OIL AS
"THE DAY MY SHIP CAME IN."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Anyway, if you ever run in to some good ol' rednecks, these are just some of the signs to look out for

Hey Mountain Man, the link didn't work. Could you re-post?