Rednecks.

[Starman71]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Except those persons you describe are not rednecks. I've mentioned this over and over. Redneck is a mindset. You can be southern, blue collar, and country, and not be a redneck. You can love fishing, trucks, and hunting, and not have the mindset of "redneck behavior". That is why I posted that link in my last post. The link to Thomas Sowell's "Black Rednecks And White Liberals". If you read it, it might give you an insight to what I'm talking about.

What is a redneck, in your definition?

Well see, this is where many people have a problem. You don't get to set your own definition for a word.

Of course, certain words - like this one - can be interpreted by one's own opinion to have different meanings, but it doesn't set the definition for others. Many self-proclaimed rednecks are as I described. They define themselves this way. Many (if not most) others would agree. But you can't come along and so, "No. They don't fit MY definition of that word, therefore they are NOT what they say."

You simply can't say that a "redneck" is someone with a bigoted, racist mindset. That may fit for a few, but you have to realize how wrong it is for you to lump the other self-proclaimed "rednecks" in with the ones you are referring to.

You ask for my definition. It is as others in here have described. A certain mindset of individual responsibility, work eithic, love for family and clan, etc. But it does NOT have to include a discriminatory aspect. Of course, some will be racist a$$holes, but some will be liberals, and Jews, and atheists, etc.

[Starman71]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

All I'm trying to say is this. Being southern, country, and blue collar doesn't make someone a redneck. Redneck is a state of mind. Many tenets of ghetto Black culture can be traced to redneck mentality.

But here again, you are not only defining another person's state of mind, you are IMPOSING your own definition on a word and expecting others to simply accept it.

Yes, it is a state of mind , but absolutely not inclusive to the racist one you have described.

Again, you don't get to assign your own definition to a word.

Well, I guess you can, but you're mistaken to expect others to simply roll over and bend to your will.

Edit to add: I guess what I'm trying to say is this: your definition of a redneck that includes the mindset of bigotry and racism will only describe a small percentage of those that consider themselves "rednecks". So it's kind of insulting to them for you to say that rednecks = racists. It's simply wrong. And you need to come up with another word in which to describe such jerks.
Actually, "racist jerks" or "*****holes" works pretty well, don't you think?

[lilyflower3191981]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Except those persons you describe are not rednecks. I've mentioned this over and over. Redneck is a mindset. You can be southern, blue collar, and country, and not be a redneck. You can love fishing, trucks, and hunting, and not have the mindset of "redneck behavior". That is why I posted that link in my last post. The link to Thomas Sowell's "Black Rednecks And White Liberals". If you read it, it might give you an insight to what I'm talking about.

What is a redneck, in your definition?

I think it depends on whom you ask.

If the definition is poor, southern, conservative. I have to say that majority of my best friends are rednecks and they have accepted me for me. I love rednecks. When I was in a foreign country struggling all by myself, my friends saved all their money (the Marine Corps disability benefit, not so much) and visited me.. I will always remember the kindness these people have given me.