define redneck??? (St. Louis, Union, Osage Beach: new home, purchase, campground)

[rollagirl]

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!

Re: the cars/trucks.....American's tend to be lazy, esp. the younger group. Now don't holler at me....but not all, of course. I have kids and I have a good work ethic that was passed to me by my folks. My husband is also a hard worker...and we have taught this to our kids. Out of 4 kids, the 2 middle ones are the lazy ones. But I see it everywhere. G....when the cash register doesnt work...no one seems to know how to even count change....let alone make a car work right. I agree. American cars suck. I've had only 2 forgein cars and they were the best. I still love America...I just wish that our future generations would do the same.

[rollagirl]

Originally Posted by kyla

I can see now, that redneck, is really just a view-point of the individual. I grew up on a farm near Hannibal, poor as dirt, as we used to say. I guess, i just thought redneck and KKK, well i know thats out-dated, but i dont know what they are called now, were sort of one and the same. I too, would not classify people as rednecks if they were: lower income, BQed, drank beer, or drove a pick-up. I thought it had more to do with closed minds. The undereducated thing i mentioned, was not necessarily "formal" education, but an upbringing lacking in tolerance of those who are different. I think that this is a most interesting thread. We are looking to buy a small farm in Carter county, and i hope that our neighbors are as quick witted, and fun to chat with as all of you.

I appreciate your post.

[Visvaldis]

Having grown up in Chicago I had heard the term "redneck" often, and mostly is was used in a negative way.
A "redneck" was lacking in education, suspicious of anything new, hadn't seen much of anywhere (unless he travelled via a military assignment), not very tolerant of different people or customs, fairly easy to fool, and consume cheap kitsch. I sure cain't remember any physical description. Actually, I think the Chicagoan's image of a redneck was a slim man wearing jeans, an old hat, and chawing on a weed. The white, racists types always wore hats and suit coats, even if it was 95 in the shade. They smoked cigars and smirked a lot.
Usually "redneck" was applied to Southerners, rural and urban.
Does anyone remember the Dodge TV commercials with the Alabama State Trooper?
But I guess now things have changed. The cities are more progressive. And 'redneck" can be applied to rural Midwesterners as well.
But, shucks, Charlie Daniels is a dope.
My favorite Foxworthy joke is, your daddy walks with you to school everyday, because you're both in the second grade.

[sandman72]

Originally Posted by Visvaldis

Having grown up in Chicago I had heard the term "redneck" often, and mostly is was used in a negative way.
A "redneck" was lacking in education, suspicious of anything new, hadn't seen much of anywhere (unless he travelled via a military assignment), not very tolerant of different people or customs, fairly easy to fool, and consume cheap kitsch. I sure cain't remember any physical description. Actually, I think the Chicagoan's image of a redneck was a slim man wearing jeans, an old hat, and chawing on a weed. The white, racists types always wore hats and suit coats, even if it was 95 in the shade. They smoked cigars and smirked a lot.
Usually "redneck" was applied to Southerners, rural and urban.
Does anyone remember the Dodge TV commercials with the Alabama State Trooper?
But I guess now things have changed. The cities are more progressive. And 'redneck" can be applied to rural Midwesterners as well.
But, shucks, Charlie Daniels is a dope.
My favorite Foxworthy joke is, your daddy walks with you to school everyday, because you're both in the second grade.

Very good point!! Rednecks, again, are people's perception. When you take an African American and say that they eat fried chicken, or you take an Asian and have them own a dry cleaning store, that again is perception. I think the same thing has happened with the rednecks of the south. The Confederate flag, beat up pickups and a yard full of dogs have all compounded together to create the ultimate stew of white trash, at least in the rest of America's mindset. I don't agree with everyone's perception, neither do they agree with mine. BUT, I do agree with you on the definition that you posted, <B>suspicious of anything new, hadn't seen much of anywhere (unless he travelled via a military assignment), not very tolerant of different people or customs</B> But if you read Sam I Am's post earlier in this thread you may see a diffrent angle he had on it. Time's they are a changin' and no matter who the hold out is they will either change or simply become extinct. I to am from a big city and love various aspects of small-town living; however, the good comes with the bad and I find myself weighing out which is more important in my life, clean environment or fitting in with the 50th generation townies.

[deadliestformula]

I will say only a few thing about this (seems like it was turned into a debate really)

1. The Georgia state flag encorporates the confederate flag on a portion of it. I don't think that it was done to 'promote' slavery as much as it was done out of 'southern pride'

2. Southern pride is very strong. Many folks view the confederate flag as a symbol of the south. And display it as such....

3. I would agree with whoever it was that said that the correct term for what everyone was trying to describe is 'hoosier' although the River front times had an interesting article on that word's orgins/meanings St. Louis - News - Hoosiers

And whatever you want to call it Joe Dirt (from the movie...) embodied it perfectly........

[heather_denver7]

Just thought yall would like to know what I believe a redneck is...well in my words...I believe a redneck can listen to all types of music, and drive any type of vehicle, and somebody who can be educated and not raciest, and somebody who does have money, and a good job. I believe that being a redneck is a good thing....the rednecks I know are alot nicer than most others, and know how to take care of their familys and friends. I consider myself a redneck. I have always considered myself as a redneck and I'm far from raciest....I even know people of other raciests that are rednecks...I mean look at Cowboy Troy...he has some of the best music, and he wears the cowboy hat. You can go to those country clubs and see people of all races in there.
My husband jokes around and tells me all the time that I am a true redneck because he has never seen my father wear a shirt or shoes, and that my dad has cars all over his lawn and well you know all those redneck jokes...that does sum up my father ,and he jokes that I have actually had family members on cops, and that since I did go to school, but I'm not all that smart because the school system sucks at teaching what they are suppose to. But still you know what I'm proud to say hey I'm a redneck!!!!! So what you gonna do? I care for my family and my friends and you know what if any of them ever needed it I would give them the shirt off my back. Not all rednecks are raciest and stupid, and shop at walmart....**** I shop at CABELAS!!! So don't say us rednecks can't have a decent job, and make money and are uneducated and can't afford clothes, because sometimes being a redneck can be a bit pricey...you know if you have to have a new gun every month or so for the hunting and then the fishing and camping gear. Like I said before I'm proud to be a REDNECK!!!!!!!

[7th generation]

Good thread....OK I live in a town with 255 people. I fly 3 U.S. flags daily..I drive a Ford pickup (actually own 2)...... I live in the northeast...chew tobacco...am college educated....believe in God and Country....love Charlie Daniels and country music.....love to fish and hunt......and I am a Redneck

[bbriscoe]

If you really want to know what truly defines a redneck, then the questions you need to be asking are who considers themselves rednecks and why? I personally consider myself a redneck and I'm very proud of it. I'm not uneducated...I'm 19 years old and I'm certified in business and computer sciences...I'm not poor...I have a nice car...being a redneck is way more complicated than it seems. I live in a town with a population of 93...does that make us rednecks? No...that makes us country folks. It's a farming community...what do you expect? Being a true redneck is something to be proud of because you have a quality that most people don't have. It means you grew up with nothing so you know how to live with nothing. You don't need money to be happy. You stay true to your roots. You fly the dixie flag proudly because you understand it doesn't resemble hate...it's herritage! I grew up living on a campground in a tent...on the way home at night if we ran over an animal, it was good news...that meant supper! We lived on the river with nothing...being a redneck is not about having an accent, or driving a 4X4 truck, or being uneducated...or anything else that was posted in this forum. My family lived in a house with no indoor pluming for 7 years...we had no electricity...not because we couldn't afford it but because we didn't need it. Jeff Foxworthy has nothing on us...come spend a day in my life..you'll see what a redneck is...so you ask for the definition of redneck? Here it is: a huge stereotype. Want a description? Here you go:

Backwoods country folk that work for everything they have...choosing to have just enough money to get by with...having their own little peice of land away from this new way of life dubbed "civilization"...hunting and growing the food they eat...driving a 4X4 truck not because of a stereotype but because if they don't have 4-wheel drive they can't get out of the driveway...using state aid not because they are lazy but because they are required too...<---yes in some cases it's required...I know..I've been there...listening to music that describes life...just because you listen to country doesn't mean you are a redneck..I listen to everything from country, classic rock, modern rock, metal, heavy metal, classical piano, jazz, the list goes on and on...

[Darlynn0217]

Here is a lengthy definition.... Redneck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was a show on the history channel this morning talking about the Hatfield's and McCoy's and the labor disputes in West Virginia in the early 1900's....the "Anti-Union" people wore red scarves around their necks for identification.

Proud to be a "modern" redneck!

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by Darlynn0217

Here is a lengthy definition.... Redneck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was a show on the history channel this morning talking about the Hatfield's and McCoy's and the labor disputes in West Virginia in the early 1900's....the "Anti-Union" people wore red scarves around their necks for identification.

Proud to be a "modern" redneck!

lol, kinda of a good point here - how two separate yet highly quoted entities are evidently so different in their claim of the origin of a term. True, wiki is not highly scholastic, yet, it does receive a lot of attention and corrections. On one hand, History Channel, per your post, puts much credence towards the red scarf origin of the term, whereas wiki claims that is hogwash, as the term existed much before that occurrence. Sorry, not picking on you, just a geek that loves the history of words...