East Texas Rednecks (Houston, Dallas, Austin: sales, house, transfer)

[Frodo2008]

Is east Texas really a bunch of rednecks like most people in Texas seem to think or is this an untrue stereotype?

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by Frodo2008

Is east Texas really a bunch of rednecks like most people in Texas seem to think or is this an untrue stereotype?

I wouldn't call them rednecks. Most are Hard Working and Country,yes. Some highly religious. Most of the area is still poor, but land values are increasing, so it's only a matter of time.

Are there "rednecks," in the derogatory sense, in East Texas? Sure. Just like in South, West and North Texas.

The sad thing is, East Texans put themselves down more than other Texans do. They don't give themselves a break and understand the land they live on is beautiful.

[Mark-Tyler is Special]

Ahh, gee, just can't "hep" misef:

Ya jest board an nead tu git a thread started?

[theloneranger]

East Texas is very Southern. In most parts of the South, there are quite a few rednecks, but a far greater percentage of respectable and genteel people.

[Frodo2008]

I went to Texas Tech in Lubbock back in the 90s and I heard several people there talk bad about the people in east Texas. I've been living in Houston for almost 10 years now and I've heard a million people here talk bad about people in east Texas. When I say talk bad about them I mean make fun of them not that they don't like people from east Texas. I was just wondering if east Texans just got a bad, unwarranted rap or if this is true for the most part.

East Texas seems to be more southern than the rest of Texas because a while back I went to Lufkin and I ended up seeing several confederate flags that day. I grew up in the Austin area and during the 12 years I lived there I don't remember ever seeing a confederate flag. So it seems that in east Texas some people still wave the confederate flag but they don't do this in the Austin area. It seems the Austin area is less southern. Do I have the right impression on this?

[DC2112]

We own land in northeast Texas, but live in a suburb-of-a-suburb of Dallas. I will say that it is different than some other parts, and not just in the rural-versus-surbuban sense. My husband grew up in northwest Texas and it's a different mentality than northeast Texas. Redneck? Depends on your definition. Squirrel season is still sorta big there, if that counts. Then again, I know suburban moms who go absolutely bat-s**t crazy over the Red Apply sales at Macy's. It takes all kinds.

[joejitsu]

There are rednecks everywhere. Even in NYC.

[EasilyAmused]

Austin is not only less "Southern," it's increasingly becoming less Texan. It's landscape is chopped up suburbs and exurbs that stretch out near Marble Falls. It's filling with transfers and becoming increasingly liberal. Austin is no longer "weird," it's California Chic. East Texas is still very weird. ..and very conservative. I hope it stays that way in may respects.

[desertsun41]

I'm not sure if redneck is yet a banned word from our politically correct society yet....give it time and it will too. Hell yea there are rednecks here. But those rednecks will give you the shirt off your back and will always stop to help a complete stranger. They still do things and live a bit differently then societal norms.

When I first got to Texas just after hurricane IKE we stayed with family up in the real hick areas near my beloved Lake Livingston. Yes they still go in the woods behind their house to shoot the nights dinner and may all hunting seasons or no hunting signs be damned. Yes they will pick up road kill if it is freshly killed.

They believe in fixing rather then replacing. Most hold a good paying job and live a good life. You can always pick them out of a crowd at the Rodeo. I sit in the stands at AB Sallas Equestrian Park and can just point them out one by one. That's not a bad thing. I guess my wife was a bit of a redneck in her younger days growing up here and she turned out good.

Forget the stereotypes. They are just like everyone else. They just grew up in very rural areas having less restrictive laws then else where. They are probably happier then their city slicker comrads.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Frodo2008

I was just wondering if east Texans just got a bad, unwarranted rap or if this is true for the most part.

What kind of stories come out of East TX for the nation to see? Well let's see...

The Dragging death of James Byrd in Jasper is pretty famous.

Vidor was a sundown town and some people believe it still is. The rep is still around somewhat for all the white-flight towns in the Golden Triangle that aren't Beaumont, Port Arthur or Orange. (correct or not) One thing I know for a fact is "black" is probably the most vulgar word around here.

In Spring, the ''white power'' kid beat & sodomized a Hispanic boy with a pipe. Hispanic boy committed suicide by jumping off a cruise ship shortly thereafter.

Tenaha, the cops are allegedly robbing people (esp blacks) who pass through the town. There is a class-action suit brewing right now.

Now, several weeks ago in the Liberty area some deliverance-type inbreds shot and killed some children who were coming back from an evening @ the river.

So as you can see some of the most disgusting stories in the nation come out of East Texas. The media will continue to perpetuate these stereotypes until certain people out there clean up their act.

BTW, why is it so difficult to find a clean public restroom or fast food joint in E/NE TX??? This region is almost as funky as the Central Valley of CA. Somebody please pass these people some soap and show them how to use a sink.