"I knew lots of rednecks that had taken potshots at the [Goodyear] blimp."

April 29, 2001 6:29 PM

"I knew lots of rednecks that had taken potshots at the [Goodyear] blimp."
posted by holloway (9 comments total)

the "redneck vs. crazy texan" debate intrigues me. it reminds me, somehow, of a certain rationalization i've heard from some bigots. i've heard "people" (and i use the term loosely) argue that "not all black guys are n*****s, and not all n*****s are black". It's a semantic gymnastics routine that some people use to separate themselves, in their own mind, from the Ignorant.

there's not a direct correlation between that argument and the one here, but they have the same flavor.
posted by jpoulos at 6:54 PM on April 29, 2001

..."a lot of rednecks WHO had taken potshots..."

Rednecks are people, too (more or less).
posted by caraig at 7:48 PM on April 29, 2001

I always thought that the term "redneck" originated in the West Virginia coal mine wars from the early part of the last century.

According to someone's research of the OED, the term "redneck" was first used in 1830. (Scroll down to "redneck").
posted by Dick Paris at 11:51 PM on April 29, 2001

I had always heard "redneck" originated with what the slaves in the south called their overseers because in the plantation sun, they would sunburn much easier than the slaves...
posted by owillis at 12:39 AM on April 30, 2001

i've heard "people" (and i use the term loosely) argue that "not all black guys are n*****s, and not all n*****s are black". It's a semantic gymnastics routine that some people use to separate themselves, in their own mind, from the Ignorant.

I mostly agree. White folk who use such rationale to pass themselves off as more enlightened make me want to run away screaming.

But... Chris Rock addresses the above distinction in one of his earlier HBO specials, and it's pretty damn funny, so part of it has to be attributed to the acrobatics of who is allowed to say what about whom.
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 1:21 AM on April 30, 2001

yep its slang for whites used by southern black slaves who could tell the poor from the gentry by the red kneck from the sun and dirt of doing manual labour. Back then everyone wore lots of clothing and the classes were seperated by those who did manual labour and those who didnt. The "do it yourself" movement of the 1950s kinda mellowed that some but I think with our service economy we are makeing a comeback.. personal chefs, lawn care, maid care.. you name it, theres nothing you cant rent or pay for someone to do for you these days even on a middle class budget.
posted by stbalbach at 6:15 AM on April 30, 2001

Dick Paris: Interesting story on the strikes. As a Tennessean, we always thought those of us from the mountains (Tenn., Kentucky, W. Va.) were "Hillbillies," while those from the lowlands in Alabama, Georiga, S. Carolina, etc. were "Rednecks."

Jeff Foxworthy (a Georgian) has made a career out of pointing out that "anybody, even someone from Michigan or New York, can be a Redneck. It's an attitude and lifestyle, not a geographic designation."
posted by darren at 7:02 AM on April 30, 2001

The OED seems to indicate that redneck is a name given to the poorer classes of whites by the aristocratic whites. No mention of any slave origin there. Granted, since the OED only traces written evidence, there may still be some truth to it.

It does however mention a reference in a book on Southern dialects that basically reinforces what darren noted: "The hill-billies came from the hills, and the rednecks from the swamps."

-Andrew
posted by ahughey at 8:19 AM on April 30, 2001

I just thought it was a cute story. Geez.
posted by holloway at 9:26 PM on April 30, 2001