define redneck??? (Ozark, Florida: high school, to live in, shop)

[kyla]

I know this may sound funny, but i have been out of the states for many years, and it seems like redneck is now something people are proud of. In my time it was not. Has the definition changed from days of old: racist, under-educated, falstaf beer drinking{only}, ect... Is it political?? Demographic?? WHAT???
We are returning to live in Mo. and hope to be enlightened before our return.

[msjbrent]

I know the term redneck in Alabama and it is nothing to be proud of. Here it goes:

Poverty stricken, obese, uneducated, never really been anywhere, live in a small rural Southern town, Wal Mart is your Friday night, your Fried Chicken and maybe if your really something, your low paying hourly job and you can't afford clothes that aren't from a second hand store.

Nope- nothing to be proud of.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by msjbrent

I know the term redneck in Alabama and it is nothing to be proud of. Here it goes:

Poverty stricken, obese, uneducated, never really been anywhere, live in a small rural Southern town, Wal Mart is your Friday night, your Fried Chicken and maybe if your really something, your low paying hourly job and you can't afford clothes that aren't from a second hand store.

Nope- nothing to be proud of.

huh! wow! so you know you're a redneck if....


--'rocco

[northbayeric]

Well probably most of you who are reading this thread have heard of Jeff Foxworthy. He's written some really funny redneck books, and I probably can't specify any titles or it would amount to advertising. Just enter his name on Amazon.com and it will come up with quite a few records.

I also enjoy the song "What This World Needs is a Few More Rednecks" by Charlie Daniels. In this song, 'ol Charlie sings:

"Now what most people call a redneck/Ain't nothin' but a workin' man/Who makes his livin' by the sweat of his brow/And the callouses on his hands/Now you intellectuals may not like it/But there ain't nothin' you can do/Cause there's a whole lot more of us common folk/Than there ever will be of you."

Well, for what it's worth anyway. It's a good tune I think, if not as well known as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" or "In America."

[Ozarks21]

I consider myself a proud redneck, though I am well-educated and prefer expensive wine to cheap beer.

I like guns, power tools, fishing, hunting, driving 4-wheel off road, wearing camouflage, pitching horse shoes and having parties that involve a bon-fire and wild game on a grill. When I'm among other rednecks my speech slips into a rural, folksy dialect that is almost indistinguishable to the non-redneck. We say 'tater, skeeter, and cain't. But these indications of redneckedness are not the source of pride. That comes from the mentality of humility (even the wealthy aren't showy), neighborliness and warm spirit. We're just good people. Even when we cuss, fight, get drunk and chew tobacco, it's understood that we're all pretty good folks at heart, even if we ain't the perdiest bunch.

[Versatile]

Originally Posted by msjbrent

I know the term redneck in Alabama and it is nothing to be proud of. Here it goes:

Poverty stricken, obese, uneducated, never really been anywhere, live in a small rural Southern town, Wal Mart is your Friday night, your Fried Chicken and maybe if your really something, your low paying hourly job and you can't afford clothes that aren't from a second hand store.

Nope- nothing to be proud of.

I totally disagree with you. Here is why. You seem to be describing my cousin and he is one of the greatest guys in the world.
1. Poverty stricken: Grew up in a rural area with little job prospects.He has had a medical condition since childhood that stops him from working and his medical apperance rules him out from even many jobs that are not in the rural area.
2. Obese: How can being over weight make you a redneck? If that alone makes you a redneck well then i know hundreds and some of them are even black.
3. Uneducated: Education level has very little to do with the values that are instilled upon you as a child. Just because you may only have a high school education does not mean that you are a redneck. I know several individuals that are very well educated and worth millions and i consider them redneck's.
4.Never really been any where: Television and books totally debunk this one!
5. Walmart is your Friday night: What a crock! Sure my cousin goes to Walmart(only 40 miles away) and he does like fried chicken as well. Seems pretty smart to me to go to a store where your money goes a lot farther.
6. Low paying job: Show me small rural towns that have high paying jobs.
Just because you live in a small town with low paying jobs has no basis on being a redneck or not. I know of several individuals with super educations and astute family backgrounds and they are each with net worth's in the millions and i consider them rednecks!(oops i repeated my self).
7. Can't afford new clothes. Does thiis mean that just because you cannot afford new duds that you are a redneck? Wouldn't that mean that a poor black person that cannot afford new duds; is a redneck?

My definition: A redneck is someone not matter how well educated, well traveled, no matter how well dressed, nor how good a job they have, or where they live. A REDNECK uses the N word on a regular basis and actually believes in all the racial bias they expouse.

I have probably done a very poor job of explaining myself. I do agree that the original poster has mentioned a lot of things that someone rednecks emulate. To paint all with such a broad brush is just wrong. IMO

[LeavingFlorida05]

If you drive a pickup, unecessarily, and listen to country music, that qualifies you in my book. If you have arguments about which is better, Ford or Chevy, that qualifies you as well.

P.S. Ford and Chevy both suck. American automobiles are a joke. The Chinese make more efficient automobiles than the US. The Chinese!

[Versatile]

Originally Posted by LeavingFlorida05

If you drive a pickup, unecessarily, and listen to country music, that qualifies you in my book. If you have arguments about which is better, Ford or Chevy, that qualifies you as well.

P.S. Ford and Chevy both suck. American automobiles are a joke. The Chinese make more efficient automobiles than the US. The Chinese!

What brand of Chinese pickup do you drive?

[LeavingFlorida05]

Originally Posted by Versatile

What brand of Chinese pickup do you drive?

None, I drive Japanese. They're more efficient than the Chinese, who I don't believe export vehicles to the US, anyway.

I don't drive a pickup, either. Why would I? They're inefficient, in general. For work that demands them, I have no problem. Driving an F-350 to go grocery shopping? Why don't you just tatoo "I'm a consumer gone wild" on your forehead?

[northbayeric]

I think Ozarks21 has it right. Charlie Daniels is about as far from being a racist as you can get. And I would think anyone who would use the N word on a regular basis isn't a redneck, but white trash instead.