Jeff Foxworthy has promoted the word ‘redneck’ and put an undesirable, albeit funny, connotation on it. Such as: You might be a redneck if…
1. you think “loading the dishwasher” means getting your wife drunk.
2. you burn your yard instead of mowing it.
3. you think the stock market has a fence around it.
4. you have ever raked leaves in your kitchen.
5. you clean your fingernails with a stick.
6. the tail light covers of your truck are made of red tape.
7. you have ever been in a custody fight over a hunting dog.
8. you have ever financed a tattoo.
9. you lost a tooth opening a beer bottle.
10. you have a rag for a gas cap.
11. you have ever barbecued Spam on a grill.
12. you own more than 3 shirts with cut off sleeves.
13. when a sign says “Say No To Crack” it reminds you to pull your jeans up.
14. you ever cut your grass and found a car.
15. you wear cowboy boots with Bermuda shorts.
In reality, the word ‘redneck’ is not a new word; in the 1640’s in Scotland, redneck referred to those who rejected rule by bishops, signed the manifestos in their own blood, and wore a red cloth around their necks to signify their status as rebels in The Bishops War. The modern definition of a ‘redneck’ is a working-class white person, especially a politically reactionary one from a rural area.
In recent years the term ‘redneck’ has been used to refer to a Southern conservative. It’s also been used to denote a poor, uneducated white farmer, especially from the southern United States. The original term ‘redneck’ was drawn from the color of the neck sustained from sunburn after hours of working in fields in the hot summer sun.
In the early 1900’s, the term ‘redneck’ was used interchangeably with the term “wool hat boys”, as opposed to the rich men who didn’t have to physically work and wore silk hats. In addition, in the depression era many rural persons developed pellagra which caused skin to redden and added to the red neck description.
By 1910 this name was used to denote conservative southern members of the Democratic party and this same group of people proudly claimed the title of ‘redneck’ and began wearing red neckerchiefs to political rallies.
By the 1970’s, redneck became an offensive word but in today’s usage it has come to indicate a person who values his independence.
I’ve never considered myself a redneck although perhaps I do have some of those characteristics; I live in the rural south, I’m a conservative, I’ve had a sunburned neck on occasion, I value my independence, I’m patriotic, and I like Spam–however it’s cooked.
I start to wonder however if it’s the redneck quality coming out in us or simple ingenuity when we use duct tape to patch together a hose in the truck to get us home; or when we save and reuse plastic fast food cups for picnics; or when we use paper towels for napkins at dinner [hey, at least it isn’t toilet paper]; or when empty margarine containers become matching canisters in my pantry; or when I think an old commode looks cute with flowers growing from both the top and the bottom openings.
I’ve recently learned though that a Geo-Physicist whom I’m acquainted with uses tape to hold together various tools and equipment when he’s out to sea on one of his scientific trips….so it’s not just rednecks who do that. I believe maybe I’m just frugal like my Scottish ancestors, at least that’s what I’m telling myself these days. I guess as they say, if the shoe fits wear it…anyway, all things considered, there are far worse things to be than a redneck!
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