Should a six-year-old learn the term "redneck"?

[Taverner]

And not used in a good way...Tavernerboy overheard me making some disparaging remarks...and of course asked "What's a redneck?"

[Heidi]

1. More to the point, should a liberal adult man be using that term?

It usually refers to "lower class white people."

I'm not spanking you. Just sayin.'

[keroro gunsou]

2. redneck

itself isn't a bad word, it's all in the context in which it's used.

calling someone a redneck by itself need not be perjorative. calling someone an ignorant, bible-thumping, inbred, beer-swilling, cousin-fucking redneck, is.

as always, the devil is in the details. and he likes it there :evilgrin:

[MajorChode]

6. The term is perjorative

...even if it is embraced by the receiver.

However, much like 'hillbilly', it is widely used and accepted by most circles and few take offense.

[tekisui]

3. My seven year old niece sings a song with

"redneck" in it. I asked her what that meant, and she said, "You know, like when someone gets really mad and they are mean, and their neck gets red."

[gbate]

4. Some rednecks embrace the term.

To answer the question, no, I don't think so.

[MajorChode]

7. That's because stupidity and ignorance are considered a virtue for much of rural America

[EndersDame]

23. not necessarily true, my neighbor as an example

He takes pride in being a Redneck. He does competitive roping (which requires great skill btw) and has a Big Red Duelly Dodge Pickup (total redneck version of a modified Japanese import. )but he does use it to haul hey. He loves BBq,fishing, , drinking, dancing and country music It is just his way of life. He is also very well read and a great raconteur (nobody can tell a story like him which is a skill/artform that is being lost )

[trof]

24. I have a friend just like that. Self described redneck.

His work has always been hands on, outdoors, in logging and FEMA contracted debris removal. He's made a fortune and is about the sharpest businessman I know.
Not a lot of book learning, but smart as a whip.
And one of the most generous people I know.

[MajorChode]

25. Your neighbor sounds like an excellent example

You don't have to actually be ignorant or stupid, you just have to consider those qualities laudable.

[Taverner]

29. He may call himself a redneck, but he's a cowboy

It amazes me how many consider themselves rednecks, when in fact they aren't that at all

[MajorChode]

40. Funny you should mention that

It amazes me how many consider themselves cowboys, when in fact they aren't that at all.

[Deep13]

5. The term is not just lower class white people.

It refers to an ignorant belligerence that is usually motivated by race. It is someone who is not merely a white, Southern laborer, but one who is mean spirited and pathologically suspicious of outsiders.

I realize some Southerners have adopted the term in an effort to take the sting out of it the same way rapper stars have adopted the term n****r. Nevertheless it is a decidedly negative term and rather than saying red neck can be a good thing, I would rather point out that it is bigoted to assume that Sourtherners generally are red necks.

Sen. Sessions: red neck

Sen. Webb: a gentleman and a patriot

[Moondog]

8. + 1.

[redqueen]

11. Wrong. Look up the etymology of the term. (nt)

[Taverner]

12. I've heard it comes either from a "red neck" from working out side

Or that it denotes the Scotsmen who moved south to London - and for some reason they wore a red scarf...

:shrug:

[redqueen]

18. Like many words, it has more than one meaning.

When I first heard the term it meant the laborer who spent long periods of time working out in the sun... later I heard it used as a pejorative. Like so many other things, it depends on context.

[Demoiselle]

22. The origins are probably farm labor...poverty, no education, sunburned necks.. etc.

It's a pretty nasty term, and as far as I know, never meant in a nice way.
I wouldn't want little kids to learn it from me. (I will admit to muttering it at Senator Sessions frequently during the Sotomayor hearings, but I'm not proud of it.)
Then again there's the Randy Newman song. Which is sarcastic and funny and...but then, I love Randy Newman.

[Deep13]

17. Perhaps you can enlighten me.

I wrote how I had always used and heard the expression. Of course being a native New Englander, it may be somewhat biased.

[surrealAmerican]

9. It's too late to ask now.

He overheard you saying it, so he's already "learned" the term. You need to explain it to him or he will use it without understanding it.

[Haole Girl]

10. If you have to ask...

:shrug:

[jobycom]

13. Worry less about the word and more about the context.

If TB is learning that insulting others, hurling slurs,looking down on people who are different, and thinking vile thoughts about people is okay as long as he doesn't say the wrong word in front of the wrong people, then that's the problem, and it doesn't matter what words he uses.

If on the other hand he is learning a word that many people--myself included--use in a joking manner about themselves, and is not learning to hate or despise or even look down on people, but is instead learning that diversity is beautiful, then maybe just a warning that some people would be offended by the word in another context is enough.

Most people to whom the word might apply think it's a badge of honor, but those some people might whip out a heavy object and started swangin' if an outsider used it on them as a clear insult.

[redqueen]

15. Very well said.

:thumbsup:

[Rosie1223]

14. The original Rednecks were labor organizers

West Virginia coal mine union members and organizers wore red bandanas to identify themselves. Hence the term redneck.

http://www.wvculture.org/hiStory/minewars.html

If you explain it as a history lesson chances are he will ignore you after a few minutes and not use the term again.

[jobycom]

16. Worry less about the word and more about the context.

If TB is learning that insulting others, hurling slurs,looking down on people who are different, and thinking vile thoughts about people is okay as long as he doesn't say the wrong word in front of the wrong people, then that's the problem, and it doesn't matter what words he uses.

If on the other hand he is learning a word that many people--myself included--use in a joking manner about themselves, and is not learning to hate or despise or even look down on people, but is instead learning that diversity is beautiful, then maybe just a warning that some people would be offended by the word in another context is enough.

Most people to whom the word might apply think it's a badge of honor, but those same people might probably whip out a heavy object and start swangin' if an outsider used it on them in a derogatory manner.

There was a thread here recently that even made the front page that used it as a clear slur. That thread should have been locked and the poster suspended or worse, yet neither happened. So sometimes even when it's used as a slur liberals will embrace it. To their shame, obviously, but still.

[redqueen]

19. Even more well said.

:P

[jobycom]

35. I don't know how that happened.

:shrug: I mean, no idea at all. I didn't try to post it twice.

[Taverner]

20. Thing is I don't look down on "rednecks" for being different

I look down on any people who are willfully and choose to be ignorant, whether or not they have a Southern or Surferdude accent.

However, most of the people who say they are proud to be a redneck, happen to qualify under that banner

[jobycom]

36. Due respect of course, but isn't that kind of like saying

"I don't dislike Jews, but I dislike people who call themselves Jews?"

I mean, I call myself a redneck. Most of my friends do. None of us are willfully ignorant. I think there's some serious and sad stereotyping going on in your mind that has to do more with biased perceptions than with reality. There are people in any grouping you could invent who are proud of their ignorance. Just step into GD and you'll see it even infects us. I seriously doubt that the percentage of willfully ignorant rednecks is any higher than willfully ignorant liberals, Jews, African Americans, whites, atheists, people whose last name starts with Z, or any other identifying trait you could use. Assuming that it is strikes me as quite a problem.

[EndersDame]

21. My neighbor takes pride in being a Redneck

He does competitive roping and has a Big Red Duelly Dodge Pickup (total redneck version of a modified Japanese import )that he uses to haul hey and loves BBq,fishing,drinking and country music .It is just his way of life. He is well read and a great ranconteur(an artform that is sadly being lost

[Taverner]

28. He's a Cowboy, not a Redneck

Most self proclaimed "rednecks" really are cowboys.

Nothing wrong with being a Cowboy.

[redqueen]

30. Where does this urge to define others' terms for them come from?

Would you rather "redneck" was solely a pejorative? Is that it?

[Taverner]

32. No - I just think we should define those terms

Are they synonyms?

There is no clear definition - I was raised to think being a redneck meant an ignorant conservative person.

You have people like "Larry the Cable Guy" who refer to themselves as such, and guess what - he's an ignorant conservative racist who prides himself on his ignorance, conservatism, and racism.

Then I meet or hear about someone who owns a farm, does Rodeo or watches NASCAR or drives a Truck. They claim they are Rednecks, but they are not ignorant, racist or conservative.

You can see there is a disconnect here...

[redqueen]

33. Well, I was going to PM you about it...

but I guess I'll just leave you to discuss the matter with others.

[Taverner]

34. RQ - correct me then

I learn from errors, honestly!

[Shell Beau]

37. Rednecks can come in all forms I suppose.

They can be ignorant like Larry the Cable Guy, but not all of them are. I see that is how you define a redneck. As an ignorant white person, I am assuming. But here in MS a redneck can be a liberal. It doesn't have to really be about being ignorant. I really don't know how to explain it. Some people are proud of being considered a redneck. They can drive a truck, like NASCAR, like mullets, like country music, etc. But it doesn't define what kind of person they are inside. It seems to be more about the kind of things they do and like. Eh, I can't explain it. I do know people who are "rednecks" that are smart as a whip, very informed, vote for democrats, etc. Of course I know the exact opposite as well, but that isn't what makes them "rednecks".

[EndersDame]

39. I believe the term you are looking for is Cr@cker

One of my good friends from Shreveport , LA (shudder) said he did not find honky redneck or whitey offensive but cr@cker to be because it refers to a very specific type of redneck

[Inchworm]

42. Cracker isn't a specific type...

so much as it is what it is. There aren't branches of redneck that gather regionally under different titles.

Crackers are Crackers and Rednecks are Rednecks.

Each are made up of different individuals. Individuals are people.

:hi:

[HopeHoops]

26. ABSOLUTELY NOT - well, UNTIL...

... they are well schooled in the use of duct tape. THEN it is fine.

[trof]

27. At one time redneck referred to Catholics.

Red necks from heads bowed at outdoor altars.
See also: 'mackeral snapper', from the prohibition of meat on Fridays.
:shrug:

[Lex]

31. Of course, it's up to you to make damn sure he knows it's ok to make fun

of people.

[mitchum]

38. Yes, and I would also teach him "woolhat","hilljack", and "peckerwood"...

it will help him on his SAT

[Inchworm]

41. What if you woulda been asked.. "what's a mother fucker?"

Just sayin...

I don't really see the deal here. Coulda been cocksucker, bastard, douchebag, hoytie toytie, blow hard.. .. etc..

:hi: