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Conservative columnist Thomas Sowell wrote an essay (summarized here: Black rednecks and white liberals - Thomas Sowell - Page full claiming that American black culture is largely redneck.
I see many similarities, one striking point is how many southerners still blame northerners for the dismal economy in the south while claiming black americans blame white americans for the same thing.
Quote:
So ... what does this have to do with the ol’ redneck culture? Plenty.
The roots of this crisis do not go back to Africa, but to the old South. Few of us remember this, but at at one time, the dominant influence in the old South was a chaotic culture that came from pre-18th Century regions of the British Isles, namely, 1) the Scottish highlands, 2) the “midlands” – the anarchic region between England and Scotland and 3) what is now Northern Ireland. Before the formation of the United Kingdom, these regions were unstable, lawless, violent and uncontrollable. Most southern Whites can trace their roots back to these regions.
Quote:
These people are creating a terrible problem in our cities. They can't or won't hold a job, they flout the law constantly and neglect their children, they drink too much and their moral standards would shame an alley cat. For some reason or other; they absolutely refuse to accommodate themselves to any kind of decent, civilized life.
This was said in 1956 in Indianapolis, not about blacks or other minorities, but about poor whites from the South.
Last edited by CaseyB; 05-28-2015 at 04:35 PM..
Reason: copyright violation
although i admire Thomas Sowell and have for years, and I can trace my tree to the border reviver of midland scotland, I do not agree with the redneck theory that is quoted here.
although i admire Thomas Sowell and have for years, and I can trace my tree to the border reviver of midland scotland, I do not agree with the redneck theory that is quoted here.
Yeah, but what he said is true.
You can disagree with truth all you want. But it's still the truth.
If Sowell is guilty of anything, it's overstating the case. It's unnecessary. This isn't something requiring a thesis.
African American's roots in this country are southern (unfortunately) in origin. Their culture encapsulates everything good (not much) and bad (a whole lot) about that culture from language to food to religion.
Blacks simply emulated the people who were in charge...the local white folks. African Americans are uniquely America's creation. They aren't like blacks in any other part of the world.
I'm no acolyte of Tom Sowell, but when he's right, I give him his due.
If Sowell is guilty of anything, it's overstating the case. It's unnecessary. This isn't something requiring a thesis.
African American's roots in this country are southern (unfortunately) in origin. Their culture encapsulates everything good (not much) and bad (a whole lot) about that culture from language to food to religion.
Blacks simply emulated the people who were in charge...the local white folks. African Americans are uniquely America's creation. They aren't like blacks in any other part of the world.
I'm no acolyte of Tom Sowell, but when he's right, I give him his due.
No it is not redneck culture. The black people I know are not drunks or alcoholics, do not spend thier money on "bling" (an outdated hip hop term by the way), and do not fight or spend money foolishly.
So what type of black people are you around? Where were their moonshine makers and
"They aren't like blacks in any other part of the world". How do you know that?
Is the War on Drugs a product of redneck culture? How would you explain that?
So your comparing inner city crime to rural southern rednecks culture?
Let me guess another dumb argument would be that northern blacks imitated the mafiosos. So if Sewell is correct, what do you have to say about this approach if he is so truthful?
If Sowell is guilty of anything, it's overstating the case. It's unnecessary. This isn't something requiring a thesis.
African American's roots in this country are southern (unfortunately) in origin. Their culture encapsulates everything good (not much) and bad (a whole lot) about that culture from language to food to religion.
Blacks simply emulated the people who were in charge...the local white folks. African Americans are uniquely America's creation. They aren't like blacks in any other part of the world.
I'm no acolyte of Tom Sowell, but when he's right, I give him his due.
That is so far from the truth. My wife is Liberian and many of our friends are West African. I've observed so many similarities between us and them that it is hilarious.
There are certainly similarities between poor Southern culture and poor African-American culture, in that African-American culture to a major extent is poor Southern culture.
One similarity is the exaggerated on personal honor. "Suh, you have sullied mah honah, and I dahmayand satisfaction!" boils down to the tendency of both poor Southern whites and poor African-Americans to pick a fight at the slightest hint of disrespect.
I doubt Sowell, though, has done enough real scholarship to trace it back to Britain--I suspect all the characteristic earmarks are almost wholly American in origin, both black and white versions of it.
However, "redneck" is not the same thing as "poor Southern culture," nor is it the same thing as poor African-American culture.
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