[Torrey]

Originally Posted by arel

It saddens me when Vermont posts get insulting, hostile, nasty or anything like that. I sort of expect that on some NYC threads, but not on Vermont posts.

I have received nasty replies on the NYC forum, often due to someone's misunderstanding of what I wrote. And there is one NYC poster who reframes everything as a racial issue and then attacks. He has been roundly criticized for this.

But here, on the Vermont forum, I have been challenged and disagreed with, but with respect. I posted something about hunting being animal abuse on the "Domestic Violence in Vermont" thread. I expected a lot of contrary replies and I got them, but so far all have been respectful, on the order of "I disagree", etc. No one has called me any names.

Of course this is off topic, but since you brought it up... How is hunting animal abuse? There is nothing abusive about a cleanly killed elk, moose, deer, turkey etc. Some of hunt for FOOD. Then you will tell me why not go to the store. Well, maybe I don't want preservatives in my food, or maybe I don't want beef that came from cows shot full of steiroids. In my case, I am looking to leave Texas where I live now and relocate to New Hampshire and part of the 'master plan' is getting away from supermarkets, and growing my own vegetables, killing my own animals for meat, canning stuff for winter etc. Our supermarkets are what is killing us all before our time. Insecticides sprayed on crops, steiroids and other un-naturals injected into the animals or fed to them... It's no wonder people are lucky to live past 70 these days. I love animals too, but I also need to eat, and I do like eating meat.

[arel]

Your points are well-taken.

When I refer to hunting as animal abuse, I am not referring to hunting for food when that is needed. Need can refer to need for survival, and, I suppose, to need to avoid contaminated food from supermarkets.

And it is true that store-bought meat has also been killed.

My statement about hunting being animal abuse refers to hunting for recreation, for the thrill of the hunt.

[Yac]

Get back on topic, please.
Yac.

[kwalker]

The redneck stereotype

A redneck is a stereotypical southern United States socially conservative, rural, working class white person with red skin and northern European ancestry. The stereotypical redneck has a beer belly, consumes cheap American beer such as Bud Light by the case, and holds deeply conservative Dixiecrat political views. The redneck lives in a trailer, drives a large pickup truck with a Rebel flag decal and a gun rack in the rear window, has a trucker cap or baseball cap and a mullet haircut with long sideburns. Their favorite activities include hunting, professional wrestling, NASCAR, monster truck rallies, and car engine repair. Country is their preferred genre of music.

The popular etymology says that the term derives from such individuals having a red neck caused by working outdoors in the sunlight over the course of their lifetime. The effect of decades of direct sunlight on the exposed skin of the back of the neck not only reddens fair skin, but renders it leathery and tough, and typically very wrinkled by late middle age.

Visit
http://www.angelfire.com/sc2/andrewturner/index.html
to view a whimsical positive perspective on Rednecks.

[carolinajack]

Hate is Hate and doing so because someone is not exactly like you is not better than the so called Redneck, Rebel Flag Waving, folks talked about here. They are people too, just like me and you, but hey you can hate who you like just as long as the Redneck and others can hate who they wish to--makes them no more closed minded than the rest of us.

[BR22]

I respect your opinion. I currently live in a trailor. There are people who trash it out and then theres some who clean it up. I don't look down on any of those folks. They are all awesome people. I did want to clarify one thing, my boyfreind is from a small town in North Carolina, he is a redneck and very proud. He is not dirty, rascist or a drinker. He told me there is a diffrence between a RedNeck and a Hillbilly, I think the people you are talking about are hillbilly's, they are the ones with the messed up lawns and what not, he told me red necks love their lawns and taking care of their homes. I am not knocking hillbilly's, their cool people, they deserve respect too. That's just my opinoin

[ab8mi]

I have considered myself a redneck for many years as have many others. I grew up in a country small town environment, love to hunt, fish, shoot, etc., love NASCAR, Country Music, my wife and family, and God. I drive a four wheel drive (my wife too), I am not "PC", own a boat and love ATV's and motorcycles.

With that said I am an Electrical Engineer, my wife and I love plays and musicals, the symphony, museums, I am a huge history buff, the outdoors, kayaking or canoing, hiking, preserving our outdoor land and heritage (not a tree hugger though, balance is required in everything). I am into Amateur Radio and can't resist a good book, on almost any topic. I have coached, played and refereed hockey for many years. I love working with kids and volunteer time doing that. I volunteer time with our local emergency management teams and am a First Responder in time of disaster or Emergency.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the first thing a lot of folks would say about me is there goes another redneck, but underneath of most people is a lot more, if you just take the time to get to know them.

O top of that carolinajack you and anyone else would be welcomed into my home with open arms and some good food (bragging about my wifes cooking now). I also would be the first one to stand up and defend the first amendment rights of anyone. In a lot of places in America "Political Correctness" has gone way too far.

Wayne

- without the 2nd amendment, all of the others are so much paper

[carolinajack]

thanks yall, people in the ghetto trash their area too and but their are good people there as well and just because they are poor and their are some lazy, bad eggs doesnt mean I HATE any of them, anymore than I would a Redneck

[Torrey]

Originally Posted by ab8mi

I have considered myself a redneck for many years as have many others. I grew up in a country small town environment, love to hunt, fish, shoot, etc., love NASCAR, Country Music, my wife and family, and God. I drive a four wheel drive (my wife too), I am not "PC", own a boat and love ATV's and motorcycles.

With that said I am an Electrical Engineer, my wife and I love plays and musicals, the symphony, museums, I am a huge history buff, the outdoors, kayaking or canoing, hiking, preserving our outdoor land and heritage (not a tree hugger though, balance is required in everything). I am into Amateur Radio and can't resist a good book, on almost any topic. I have coached, played and refereed hockey for many years. I love working with kids and volunteer time doing that. I volunteer time with our local emergency management teams and am a First Responder in time of disaster or Emergency.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the first thing a lot of folks would say about me is there goes another redneck, but underneath of most people is a lot more, if you just take the time to get to know them.

O top of that carolinajack you and anyone else would be welcomed into my home with open arms and some good food (bragging about my wifes cooking now). I also would be the first one to stand up and defend the first amendment rights of anyone. In a lot of places in America "Political Correctness" has gone way too far.

Wayne

- without the 2nd amendment, all of the others are so much paper

You can like and do all those things, but that does NOT make you a redneck. You are NOT a redneck. You need to be low class to be a redneck.

[joer]

In my opinion, most rednecks are uneducated and poor. Does that make them bad people, not at all. They happen to be down on life and they either don't have the money to keep up their properties or they are simply unmotivated. However, growing up the way I did where my parents put an emphasis on cleanliness and taking care of your stuff, I see being poor as an excuse. Just because your poor does not mean you cannot keep your property neat and clean. On the flip side, I know a couple of retired NYC cops and fireman that are currently living upstate NY. I know they haver great pensions and more than enough money to live in a rural area. With that being said, they had the filthiest unorganized homes I have ever seen. I also know a farmer upstate NY who is rich (his parents left him tons of cash), however he walks around like he hasn't showered in weeks, is missing teeth and his farm is also disugusting. So to back-up Waynes post, you really can't judge a book by it's cover. We should rephrase this post from "Rednecks" to "Slobs" they come in all colors and from all socio economic groups!