Calling oneself racial and ethnic insults

[Davka]

The term "redneck" originates with the naturally pale descendants of Scots, Irish, and British people who came to America, who worked in the fields. They never tanned well and had a perpetual sunburned neck. It was a derogatory term applied to poor agricultural workers, by their better off town dwelling fellow citizens. The red scarf story is an attempt to remove the stigma. Nice try.

One thing which distinguishes other terms which began as slurs to differentiate racial, ethnic, and social classes, from the proper society of acceptable people, is "redneck" can be used on TFT, and not be reported.

Also, while it could apply anywhere, it generally applies to people from the South, and anti-Southern bigotry is accepted at TFT without anyone suspecting you of any mal-intent.

Being a redneck has jack shit to do with the South. Some of the most redneck parts of the country are out West. Places like Bend, Oregon. Or Bozeman, or Missoula, Montana. Barstow California.

A friend of mine wrote a little song about it while we spent three days trying to hitch a ride out of Yakima, Washington:

Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
so I could be a redneck too.
And if I had a four-by-four pickup,
I wouldn't pick up you!
I'd drive around, shoot my gun,
Kick some hippies asses and have some fun,
Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
So I could be a redneck
(I wanna be a redneck)
I could be a redneck, too.​

A redneck is just another name for a small-minded intolerant bigoted fuck. Sure there's rednecks in the South. There are rednecks everywhere. But the South also has long-haired country boys, hillbillies, and all sorts of other friendly folks who will give you a ride and invite you to go fishing and smoke some weed, even if you are from California and you talk funny.

Some of 'em even drive 4x4s.

 

[J842P]

Also, while it could apply anywhere, it generally applies to people from the South, and anti-Southern bigotry is accepted at TFT without anyone suspecting you of any mal-intent.

Being a redneck has jack shit to do with the South. Some of the most redneck parts of the country are out West. Places like Bend, Oregon. Or Bozeman, or Missoula, Montana. Barstow California.

A friend of mine wrote a little song about it while we spent three days trying to hitch a ride out of Yakima, Washington:

Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
so I could be a redneck too.
And if I had a four-by-four pickup,
I wouldn't pick up you!
I'd drive around, shoot my gun,
Kick some hippies asses and have some fun,
Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
So I could be a redneck
(I wanna be a redneck)
I could be a redneck, too.​

A redneck is just another name for a small-minded intolerant bigoted fuck. Sure there's rednecks in the South. There are rednecks everywhere. But the South also has long-haired country boys, hillbillies, and all sorts of other friendly folks who will give you a ride and invite you to go fishing and smoke some weed, even if you are from California and you talk funny.

Some of 'em even drive 4x4s.

Right. And a nigger is just an ignorant, low-expectation having mother-fucker who loves to keep it real.

Yup, it's not like there's any history associated with the word or anything. Certainly not any history that predates the 1970's.

 

[Davka]

Yup, it's not like there's any history associated with the word or anything. Certainly not any history that predates the 1970's.

Have you even bothered to read this thread?

 

[repoman]

I wonder how that Chris Rock bit would go over in the age of Youtube, Twitter and Facebook. Too much reactive witch hunting now.

 

[J842P]

I think it would go over just fine.

 

[J842P]

Yup, it's not like there's any history associated with the word or anything. Certainly not any history that predates the 1970's.

Have you even bothered to read this thread?

Yes, I have. I particularly appreciated your bit on the use of Yankee as a slur. I never knew that.

However, my point was that you are trying to white-wash a classist slur through imposing, by fiat, the way you've used the word in your own experience as a boomer onto the rest of us.

That's only natural. I think many millennials would never quite get the derogatory nature of the word "nigger" if they weren't taught it. They grew up hearing that word used as a term of endearment in their favorite media.

 

[Davka]

Have you even bothered to read this thread?

Yes, I have. I particularly appreciated your bit on the use of Yankee as a slur. I never knew that.

However, my point was that you are trying to white-wash a classist slur through imposing, by fiat, the way you've used the word in your own experience as a boomer onto the rest of us.

I don't think so. It certainly wasn't my intention.

In today's South, it's common to see bumper-stickers that say stuff like "Proud Southern Redneck." Just as with other slurs, the term "redneck" has been defused by being embraced as a mark of pride. If you google "redneck lyrics,' you'll come up with a bunch of songs about redneck pride.

Similarly, the term "Black" used to be used derogatorily, but the Black Power movement (including the classic Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud) took the term away from racists and made it a point of pride.

That's only natural. I think many millennials would never quite get the derogatory nature of the word "nigger" if they weren't taught it. They grew up hearing that word used as a term of endearment in their favorite media.

Do you think it can be turned around completely, so that it no longer carries any sting? I don't see how that can happen without dropping the claim that "only black people can use the word nigger." To some extent, white millennials seem to be doing just that - but i cannot help but groan when i see some white kids in a lily-white neighborhood listening to hip-hop, sagging, and calling each-other "my nigga."

Maybe I'm just an old curmudgeon.

 

[Bronzeage]

Also, while it could apply anywhere, it generally applies to people from the South, and anti-Southern bigotry is accepted at TFT without anyone suspecting you of any mal-intent.

Being a redneck has jack shit to do with the South. Some of the most redneck parts of the country are out West. Places like Bend, Oregon. Or Bozeman, or Missoula, Montana. Barstow California.

A friend of mine wrote a little song about it while we spent three days trying to hitch a ride out of Yakima, Washington:

Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
so I could be a redneck too.
And if I had a four-by-four pickup,
I wouldn't pick up you!
I'd drive around, shoot my gun,
Kick some hippies asses and have some fun,
Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
So I could be a redneck
(I wanna be a redneck)
I could be a redneck, too.​

A redneck is just another name for a small-minded intolerant bigoted fuck. Sure there's rednecks in the South. There are rednecks everywhere. But the South also has long-haired country boys, hillbillies, and all sorts of other friendly folks who will give you a ride and invite you to go fishing and smoke some weed, even if you are from California and you talk funny.

Some of 'em even drive 4x4s.

I'm a redneck. So, what are you saying?

 

[ZiprHead]

Porch-Monkey-4-Life. I'm taking it back.

 

[Davka]

Being a redneck has jack shit to do with the South. Some of the most redneck parts of the country are out West. Places like Bend, Oregon. Or Bozeman, or Missoula, Montana. Barstow California.

A friend of mine wrote a little song about it while we spent three days trying to hitch a ride out of Yakima, Washington:

Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
so I could be a redneck too.
And if I had a four-by-four pickup,
I wouldn't pick up you!
I'd drive around, shoot my gun,
Kick some hippies asses and have some fun,
Well I wish I had a four-by-four pickup,
So I could be a redneck
(I wanna be a redneck)
I could be a redneck, too.​

A redneck is just another name for a small-minded intolerant bigoted fuck. Sure there's rednecks in the South. There are rednecks everywhere. But the South also has long-haired country boys, hillbillies, and all sorts of other friendly folks who will give you a ride and invite you to go fishing and smoke some weed, even if you are from California and you talk funny.

Some of 'em even drive 4x4s.

I'm a redneck. So, what are you saying?

You may think you're a redneck, but in my book you're not anywhere near it. You're far too intelligent and open-minded. I bet you don't even own a confederate flag.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Gee, I thought you had just told me redneck wasn't a particularly Southern thing, and now you tell us that a good redneck owns a Confederate flag.

 

[Davka]

Gee, I thought you had just told me redneck wasn't a particularly Southern thing, and now you tell us that a good redneck owns a Confederate flag.

Bronzeage lives in Miz'sippi. Rules are different there. Rednecks in the Deep South are required to have at least two confederate flags - one on their pickup, and one in the front yard. They are also required to have a gun rack in their pickup, and a dog named "scrap iron," preferably a pit bull. They must drink crap American pisswater beer, usually Lone Star or Rolling Rock.

And they are not allowed under any circumstances to wear teal tank-tops, have gay friends, or opine that there is no god.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

And there's that anti-Southern bigotry that is so prevalent here.

First you tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about because I'm a minority, and now you can't resist describing my home (but not my family's home) in such derogatory language.

 

[Bronzeage]

Gee, I thought you had just told me redneck wasn't a particularly Southern thing, and now you tell us that a good redneck owns a Confederate flag.

Bronzeage lives in Miz'sippi. Rules are different there. Rednecks in the Deep South are required to have at least two confederate flags - one on their pickup, and one in the front yard. They are also required to have a gun rack in their pickup, and a dog named "scrap iron," preferably a pit bull. They must drink crap American pisswater beer, usually Lone Star or Rolling Rock.

And they are not allowed under any circumstances to wear teal tank-tops, have gay friends, or opine that there is no god.

Now you are just getting nasty. I live in Louisiana.

 

[Bronzeage]

Gee, I thought you had just told me redneck wasn't a particularly Southern thing, and now you tell us that a good redneck owns a Confederate flag.

You might be surprised to find how many people claim to have a Confederate heritage and their genealogy shows a relative who came through Ellis Island in 1895.

 

[Mumbles]

Truthfully, is depends on the slur, on who is using it, and why. There are two opinionsI basically refer on "nigga". First, there's Ta-Nehisi Coates, who likens it to calling his wife "honey". You don't get to just walk up and do that, even if you hear him say it.

The second comes from Rodimusprime at the Black Guy who Tips podcast. He basically had the opinion that, among black people, it means you'r "my ally, my struggle-mate". Coming from a white (or Asian, or American Indian, or...) person...no. You can be a friend, but we simply are not at the point in the country where people are treated equally, and that's really the much larger issue. It's a bit like how many people are now referring to a certain football team as the "Washington Racial Slurs". It's great to talk about words like "redneck" or "Pollack" but it's not really the same.

Or, as an alternative, think of Tupac Shakur embracing the word "thug". He was very clear that he embraced it because racists see black people that way. A white guy calling a black person the word "thug". Still suspicious at best, at least in the US.

 

[Davka]

Bronzeage lives in Miz'sippi. Rules are different there. Rednecks in the Deep South are required to have at least two confederate flags - one on their pickup, and one in the front yard. They are also required to have a gun rack in their pickup, and a dog named "scrap iron," preferably a pit bull. They must drink crap American pisswater beer, usually Lone Star or Rolling Rock.

And they are not allowed under any circumstances to wear teal tank-tops, have gay friends, or opine that there is no god.

Now you are just getting nasty. I live in Louisiana.

My most humble apologies, sir. I did not intend to cast aspersions on your sterling character.

iirc, the rules for rednecks are somewhat different between the two states. For example, in Miz'ssippi, it is mandatory for all rednecks to have at least one major appliance - refrigerator, stove, dishwasher - rusting on the front porch. In Loozann, the appliance is optional, unless you're down in bayou country.

 

[Davka]

Truthfully, is depends on the slur, on who is using it, and why. There are two opinionsI basically refer on "nigga". First, there's Ta-Nehisi Coates, who likens it to calling his wife "honey". You don't get to just walk up and do that, even if you hear him say it.

The second comes from Rodimusprime at the Black Guy who Tips podcast. He basically had the opinion that, among black people, it means you'r "my ally, my struggle-mate". Coming from a white (or Asian, or American Indian, or...) person...no. You can be a friend, but we simply are not at the point in the country where people are treated equally, and that's really the much larger issue. It's a bit like how many people are now referring to a certain football team as the "Washington Racial Slurs". It's great to talk about words like "redneck" or "Pollack" but it's not really the same.

No, it's not. Part of that has to do with history - we never enslaved Polish or Scottish immigrants. Slavery and all the attendant dehumanization of Africans casts a long, long shadow.

Or, as an alternative, think of Tupac Shakur embracing the word "thug". He was very clear that he embraced it because racists see black people that way. A white guy calling a black person the word "thug". Still suspicious at best, at least in the US.

Reminds me of the punks in London in the 1970s, but without the racial component.

I personally find the word "nigger" to be the ugliest word in the English language, bar none. When blacks use it to refer to friends, I get it, but I don't like it. It reminds me of the Orwell quote, "If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." I'm torn between whether the constant reminder of injustice is a bulwark against letting it continue, or an unintentional method of ensuring that it goes on forever.

 

[Davka]

And there's that anti-Southern bigotry that is so prevalent here.

I live in the South. Have since 1999. I get to mock my neighbors, that's the way it works. In turn, they get to call me a crunchy flaky lazy hippie bum.

First you tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about because I'm a minority,

No, you don't know what you're talking about because you're stubborn and don't want to learn. This is probably because you're a Libertarian.

and now you can't resist describing my home (but not my family's home) in such derogatory language.

Los Angeles is in the Deep South? I thought that didn't start until Capistrano, or at least Irvine.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

I said my home but not my family's home.

After having read my history in the other thread (which you probably read since you responded to it) one would notice that while my family is from Los Angeles, I was born on the east coast and moved back to Los Angeles.

Hm.

Tricky.

Lives in Los Angeles, not from Los Angeles. Refers to the South as home. Hm. Nope, there's no way for that to be parsed.

But what would a minority know about his experiences?