Does NYC have just as many 'redneck' type attitudes as everywhere else? (New York: sale, high school)

[proroc]

This isnt pc to say but all nationalities can be racist.

[muman]

Originally Posted by proroc

This isnt pc to say but all nationalities can be racist.

Not many people will disagree with you there. I want to get to somewhere where there's as little of it as possible, no matter who it's coming from.

[jcoltrane]

Originally Posted by Elvira Black

OK, Howard Beach incident from many years back: redneck mentality

Gay bashing: redneck mentality

Not literally redneck unless they were from the south.

There is very little in life that is "right" or "wrong." If there was, there'd be no forums like this, and life would be a bore.

The reason this is being revised is because of this thread. The OP is coming from a place where there's a redneck mentality, and since everyone can take this as a point of reference, he is asking if this is true here (in a New York kind of way); i.e., intolerant people, racists, and yes, people who will kill (and have killed) others when they invade their "turf" (Howard Beach) or when they venture into hoods where more tolerance is common (gay bashers in the West Village).

Mod cut: no comments on moderator actions

Well, let us disagree.

I do believe in right and wrong. The fact that too many people do not comprehend this is what holds society back from progressing. Though, that is for another discussion.

Right and wrong pertaining to this discussion, for example, is one of:

2+2=4 not 5, there is no gray area in that. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.

The racist actions and gay bashing that occurs in this city, are quite different in impetus and origin than that of a southern redneck.

Each has prejudice at the core, BUT the purpose of the redneck goes deeper, much deeper. A bunch of Italians seeking to preserve their neighborhood as they see it, and reacting to any infraction they perceive as altering their little nirvana is one thing; but outside of their neighborhood or world, they really couldn't care.

A redneck mentality is part of a faded greater purpose which stems to the beginning of slavery and germinates in the origins of the Klu Klux Klan, and is perpetuated in modern day race-oriented white supremest groups. There has always been an or organization to it, with a purpose of oppression of an entire people.

There really isn't an argument to this, just one of acceptance. You can limit your view to that of simple racism or prejudice, and find commonality, but I rather comprehend fully and completely.

[Ninjahedge]

Originally Posted by jcoltrane

The only problem with that is, again, the liberal bias. You're still engaging in sterotyping. All so-called rednecks aren't necessarily "familiar with the outdoors". What(?), there aren't cities in the south or west?

And most of the rubes that come from cities in the south are not generally classified as "rednecks". At least, not by the definitions that I have heard.

You are taking a general disdainful appellation and placing it on the shoulders of all southerners, and therefore saying it can apply to northerners as well?

Redneck is a hick. A yokel. A moron, a rube. But it has a different flavor. It has in its inherent definition of someone who is more farm and field oriented than your ordinary numb-skull. I have seen it also apply to rural individuals more inclined towards other tasks such as mechanics and the like, but still, mostly a farm-boy feel to it.

As a native NYer, I strongly beg to differ!

Uh huh.

There are at least two neighborhoods that have been overrun with a class, I, and many of a like mind, would describe as you have termed above.

Please read the EXACT PHRASING I have used.

Lemme help ya:

Generally speaking, there aren't many specific subclasses of moron in the city

Many /= any. And you fail to mention any of them in your response. You think there are specific classes or idiocy in the city proper? No, I do not mean the Iron Triangle, or some odd neighborhood in Brooklyn. I am talking about a group that is easily seen by all, is numerous enough that most NYers would recognize them and can be differentiated from your generic moron.

My point being that NYC definitely has its share of idiots, much like the rest of the country. But defining them as one particular genre of flavor is difficult in that NYC is so large and so divergent. You find 200 people that are all idiots with the same uninformed bias, prejudice and stigma as another, fine. But 200 in a town of millions is squat.

THAT is what makes applying a term like "rednecks" a bit difficult to see for this area.




Side topic. What is the root of "redneck"? I have heard two.

The first is just simple sunburn on the back of the neck (between collar and hat). The second is that, when asked a question, rednecks have a tendency to put their hand behind their neck, bow their head a bit and rub back and forth while thinking (leaving a red mark on the back of their neck).

I can easily see the first, as it is more a farmer-tan kind of thing, but the second does not seem far off, especially when "redneck" is not exactly complimentary.....

[Elvira Black]

Perhaps you'd care to re-read the title of this thread?

[Elvira Black]

Originally Posted by jcoltrane

Well, let us disagree.

I do believe in right and wrong. The fact that too many people do not comprehend this is what holds society back from progressing. Though, that is for another discussion.

Right and wrong pertaining to this discussion, for example, is one of:

2+2=4 not 5, there is no gray area in that. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.

The racist actions and gay bashing that occurs in this city, are quite different in impetus and origin than that of a southern redneck.

Each has prejudice at the core, BUT the purpose of the redneck goes deeper, much deeper. A bunch of Italians seeking to preserve their neighborhood as they see it, and reacting to any infraction they perceive as altering their little nirvana is one thing; but outside of their neighborhood or world, they really couldn't care.

A redneck mentality is part of a faded greater purpose which stems to the beginning of slavery and germinates in the origins of the Klu Klux Klan, and is perpetuated in modern day race-oriented white supremest groups. There has always been an or organization to it, with a purpose of oppression of an entire people.

There really isn't an argument to this, just one of acceptance. You can limit your view to that of simple racism or prejudice, and find commonality, but I rather comprehend fully and completely.

Sorry, I should have included the quote in my response. Please see title of thread. We are talking about redneck "mentalities" in NYC.

[Ninjahedge]

EB, if you are talking to me, I have read it!

I think the phrasing is confusing, as it is literally asking if there are many 'redneck' type attitudes. That is a whole part and parcel, not just racism. That combines things that were mentioned like drinking (not just drinking, but cheap beer and booze, etc) and many other stereotypical behavior and attitude traits.

Its general attitude towards women, and politics, and just about anything else. The guys from Howard Beach were racist mother........bad guys, but they did not fit my, or just about ANY persons definition of a "redneck". So when asked if NYC has a lot of redneck like attitude, I would have to say no.

That is not to say it does not display some isolated traits both have in common, but still, every bird has wings. They all ain't Cardinals.

[Elvira Black]

Ninja:

No, I wasn't responding to your comment, but the one before it (you talkin' to me? lol...)

[analyticalkeys]

Originally Posted by Ninjahedge

Side topic. What is the root of "redneck"? I have heard two.

The first is just simple sunburn on the back of the neck (between collar and hat). The second is that, when asked a question, rednecks have a tendency to put their hand behind their neck, bow their head a bit and rub back and forth while thinking (leaving a red mark on the back of their neck).

I can easily see the first, as it is more a farmer-tan kind of thing, but the second does not seem far off, especially when "redneck" is not exactly complimentary.....

I've always known it to be the former.. never even heard the latter until right now.

[The_Fairfaxian]

I have just graduated from a university that's dominated with a lot of individuals from out of state, particularly Northeastern states, and people from the NYC area (North Jersey, Long Island, Westchester County) were in very good abundance. And from that experience I've dealt with, I - as a black dude - would much rather deal with locals from the Deep South, particularly in the realm of race! Not to say that the people from the home state weren't racist, but I have never dealt with so many narrow-minded people who felt as they were "tolerant" yet had this fear and broad-brush judgment of blacks. And don't tell me that they were sticking to their "nationality," these people were more willing to accept Asians (South and Eastern) and "Americanized" Latinos and Middle Easterners into their cliques. There have been some people who were racially open-minded (most of these people were notable from Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and there were times where I have wrongly judged individuals from the NYC area and it has caused me possibly knowing some good people and having some interesting chicks (including some self-proclaimed Yentas; don't ask why, but I love the NYC-based accent i.e. Fran Drescher). But the amount of narrow-minded Long Islanders and North Jerseians significantly outnumbered the more open-minded ones! The Mod cut: languageof it all is that now many of them are planning to stay in the DC area (all while I'm stuck in the DC area due to the economy) and I can feel their narrow-minded vibes via the racially exclusive white/Asian yuppie scene that dominates the DC 20s crowd. And this is honestly the reason why I'm very skeptical to move to NYC as a recent college grad (along with the fact that many entry-level positions seem to not pay a salary suitable for a decent standard of living).