Why is it acceptable to call someone a redneck or a hillbilly? Why is it acceptable to make jokes about redneck's and hillbilly's? I find it strange that in the age of "political correctness" these two "nicknames" are left out. You aren't allowed to make jokes or comments about other groups of people, regardless of race, religion or national origin, reducing them to derogatory nicknames, yet it seems to be acceptable for redneck and hillbilly to be used. It seems everyone is safe from bad jokes and comments except rednecks and hillbilly's. I for one take offense at the "implied" reference in your column two weeks ago. I think it would greatly benefit everyone to see what Zell Miller has to say about it. The Opinion Journal from the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page, "Stereotyping, That Is Mr. Moonves, call off your hillbilly hunt". BY ZELL MILLER Thursday, February 27, 2003. Regardless of anyone's politics' he set's the record straight. http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110003127

But . . . who coined the term "Floridiots" and is that acceptable?

Wildflower

I have never made jokes or published anything using the word.

You are very defensive today Wildflower, I love you, wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a big hug, you seem to be having a confrontational day.

I haven't got time right now to explain but I will say that I have the upmost respect for both.

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True.

But . . . who coined the term "Floridiots" and is that acceptable?

Wildflower

Sometimes I get the feeling the whole world is against me.
But deep down, I know that's not true.
Some of the smaller countries are neutral.
~Robert Orben

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck

Im with Ms. Diane tho.. and as you GROW UP - you realize that petty things.. are as big as you build them...

Doh-nah-dah-go-huh-ee Do da da go hv I

and "I heart Aretha Franklin!"

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Again, first time I ever heard anyone call anyone a floridiot, it was my best friend who is a native of Boca Raton Florida Native.. screaming it at a passer by when we tried to ride mopeds and honestly.. that was better than what was on the tip of my tongue.. people dont pay attention anywhere much anymore on the road for many reasons I reckon.. but she herself said that.. and was the first place I heard it.. by a native floridian, to another person in Florida..

Im with Ms. Diane tho.. and as you GROW UP - you realize that petty things.. are as big as you build them...

Doh-nah-dah-go-huh-ee Do da da go hv I

and "I heart Aretha Franklin!"

Edited by - daughterofconfederate on 11/02/2006 6:25:06 PM

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Edited by - diane dyer on 11/02/2006 7:28:03 PM

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And thank you Daughter for agreeing with me, that doesn't happen often on here.

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Edited by - Logos on 11/02/2006 7:36:41 PM

Anyhow.. labeling wasnt right.. I THINK I have apologized for that but in case .. I do apologize for ever labeling.. however.. name calling wasnt a temper meter thing for me.. never.. I just missed that one.. Ive been called many things.. and I LAUGH.. cause to me, it is like the ole sayin.. Sticks and Stones ya know? :)

Ahh.. I think more agree with you Ms. Diane than you realize.. :)

Doh-nah-dah-go-huh-ee Do da da go hv I

and "I heart Aretha Franklin!"

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Ahh.. I think more agree with you Ms. Diane than you realize.. :)

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I certainly am not a follower. I speak my mind, even when I know others don't want to hear it or agree.

Not sure what rednecks, hillbilly's, floridiots, or as one poster here stated, that Californian's deserved the Karr/Ramsey guy? Whatever his name is? Seems to me that was a whole lot of categorizing, an entire state, of being worthy or a child rapist?

I don't categorize anyone, we are all individuals and all different.

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Logos what is the 80/20 rule?

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1) Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you. 2) Treat others in the way that they wish to be treated. 3) Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it would become a universal law.

Love It!

I dont think any of us agree 100% on everything.. and boy this would be boring if we did..

I apologize for sounding like Im mocking you cause I aint..

its all in personality..lol Who YOU are and HOW YOU accept things..

And I apologize if I am in the wrong.. and I am sincere with my apologies..

Doh-nah-dah-go-huh-ee Do da da go hv I

and "I heart Aretha Franklin!"

No, I don't feel defensive at all today.

I'm just my usual self. As everyone must know by now, I call a spade a spade.

I just felt that the "Floridiot" term deserved equal opportunity if we're going to talk of injustice. Matter of fact, when I moved to the area in 2001, it didn't take long for me to hear that term.

It wasn't aimed at me, because I had moved here from Texas. Little did they know that my family is in Florida and I grew up there.

I also heard the term "Flathead" while working in Franklin, NC, in addition to "Floridiot", and both were said with no shame.

I'm just pointing out that it goes both ways. Not that I really care much. I figure if people want to use a word to sum up people they don't really know, it's really their problem.

Wildflower

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I'm just my usual self. As everyone must know by now, I call a spade a spade.

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Careful, WF, that could be considered a racial comment by someone who is overly PC.

GrayEagle
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I consider myself quite a redneck. When used in the proper term, such as meaning a southern working class person, or someone who enjoys the outdoors (hunting, fishing ect), it is a compliment to me. When it is used as a deragotory comment depicting ignorance, backwardness, or stupidity, it means something completely different. As a matter of fact, on the front of my jeep there is a tag - confederaste flag with the word REDNECK written across it. This is who I am.
I do think that a lot of the problems we have with stereotyping is caused by the entertainment industry. For instance, do you believe that every person of Italian descent is in the mafia? That every person of Irish descent is a heavy drinker? That every person of Spanish descent is a great flaminco dancer? That every person of German descent is a nazi? I hope not.
I know that Jeff Foxworthy is a funny guy, but I think sometimes even he goes over the line. He may be making the big bucks, but at our expense. When it's like that, it's not funny anymore. Remember the show "Designing Women"? Suddenly, women were included in the degradation. We were depicted as spoiled, slow talking, ditzy, man-hungry gold diggers without a clue in the real world. I hated that show.

As for the term "hillbilly", I was not born nor raised in the mountains, but I have ancestors who were, so I guess I'm at least part hillbilly. Here's a point to ponder - Would or could the Native Americans who originally lived in the Appalachian mountains be considered the first Hillbilly's? After all, we've all been taught how backwards and savage they were, right? And hillbillys are supposed tobe backwards, right?

To sum up, I guess I am a part hillbilly, implanted flatlander with lots of redneck tendancies! I am proud of my heritage, of who I am and where and who I came from. If this means that I am a redneck, a hillbilly, or simply a Heinz 57 mix, then so be it. I think Gretchen Wilsons song "Redneck Woman" was written just for me!

Doh-nah-dah-go-huh-ee Do da da go hv I

and "I heart Aretha Franklin!"

Native American heritage is facinating.

On the redneck thing, I think a person can use their heritage as a strength or as a weakness, no matter what it is.

It becomes a weakness only when the person is hemmed in by only being comfortable with what they know.

It is a strength when the person takes the best of their heritage and uses it as a foundation, and leaves anything negative behind.

And by the way, I think all people's heritages are full of good and bad elements.

A perfect example is a man we met from Blairsville the other week. His family were among the first settlers here. When he looks at the mountains, he feels they are HIS mountains, even though he is developing family land, because his roots go so deep.

This man spent 20 years in the military and has lived all over. He got a very good education and saw the world. He said it took getting away to see how special this place is.

He is a very kind and gentle man; one you don't forget. His personality is one to aspire to. What I saw was a blending of the best of his heritage and his exposure to the world.

He kept the charm and kindness of his heritage and combined it with the best of the world's knowledge.

There is nothing more admirable than that.

My biz partner and I thought he was the coolest person we've met in a long time!

Wildflower

I hope I didn't offend as that was not the intention. I was relating to the fact that in many of the history books I have read or been taught from, all Native Americans are often represented as savage and backwards, simply because their way of life and their beliefs did not coincide with what the white man thought was proper. It goes to show that "history is written by the victors". Because they did not wear the same clothing, believe in the same gods, have the same ways of day to day life, ect., they "needed to be civalized". I in NO WAY believe this. I believe that just because someone or something is different from what I may call "normal", that doesn't mean it is wrong. What may be right for me, will surely be wrong for others and vice-versus.
I have great respect for the Native Americans as they have endured so much tragedy and still have been able to survive. Part of my heritage is Cherokee from this area, and from the Yamacraw near the Savannah river.

I agree with you concerning heritage. I, too, have lived in may places and have been expopsed to many things and many people. Sometimes growing up it was hard to hold on to and be proud of my heritage as it was then, as now, assumed that since I was fromt he south, I was automatically dumb, ignorant, or extremly prejudiced. It was hard living in Ohio and being called a "honky" and a "cracker" as a deragatory name. After growing up a bit, I realized that the ones who used these names were the dumb ones! Now, I'm just a Rebel till I die, Redneck a showin' and Proud of my Southern heritage.

I just figured the textbooks must have changed from one generation to the next. I just didn't realise it was so blatant before.

I was in elementary school in the 1960's.

Wildflower

Both are derisive terms and I personally do not wish to be a part of it.

Shucks

Blairsville, Georgia - home in the North GA Mountains

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