Rednecks be proud!

You might be a redneck if……you own a crappy truck!?  We are the proud owners of an old 65 GMC.  My husband grew up in that truck and he loves it!  The city in which we live in does not!  A few years ago we got a warning from them because apparently we were in violation of city code whatever number.  I called the city and asked what the problem was and the man on the other end of the line said “well, vehicles that do not run are not allowed to be parked in the front of your home unless they are in the driveway” at the time the warning was issued the truck was sitting on a rocky area on the east of our property.   My immediate response was “so what you are telling me is because you do not like the paint job on the truck you assume it is run down and dilapidated!?” (It might be just a pinch dilapidated.)  He then proceeded to ask if the truck ran, well duh!   We had originally moved it to allow more space for our friends to park in the driveway, and a few days later moved it back.  The city person just happened to drive past during the few days it had sat on the rocks.  He promptly apologized, but told me the truck needed to be moved (already done).  He also didn't like our new lawn ornament (the frame of an old couch we had taken out of our 70’s RV) boy these city folk are picky!!! ;)    

In all seriousness though, the definition of a redneck depends upon who you ask.  I am pretty sure if you asked Jeff Foxworthy or any of his thousands of fans (yes I think he is hilarious) they are not going to take offense.  In fact, in the video I have posted Mr. Foxworthy gives a fabulous definition: a glorious and complete absence of sophistication. Anyone knows you don’t have to be from the South to fit that description.  Obviously from the above example I totally fit, and that is OK. 

I read somewhere that those who do find redneck offensive feel that it fits into the same slang category as cracker, hillbilly and white trash.  I grew up in a trailer park and have been called white trailer trash.  I guess I am just loud and proud lack sophistication!  Which leads me to another definition I stumbled across;  a redneck is simply someone who is extremely proud of their heritage. (Heck yeah, I have some great memories of Panhandle Trailer Court!)  According to Merriam Webster, a redneck is a white person who lives in a small town or in the country especially in the southern U.S., who typically has a working-class job, and who is seen by others as being uneducated and having opinions and attitudes that are offensive.   Just cause you’re a redneck does not mean you have an attitude or that you are offensive! I know plenty of very educated people who have a lot of attitude and are extremely offensive.  

OK, all joking aside when I really started to dig, I found that the term dates back to the 1830’s in the Carolina’s when it was used to describe the laborers in the fields who had a sun burnt neck after long days of hard labor in the fields.

Why must people take offense to innocent words?  Have the smarter mouth the next time someone calls you a redneck; immediately stop and check to see if your neck is sun burnt, if not make sure they know it or you can just play a little Foxworthy!