Why Isn't "Redneck" (or its derivatives) a Racist Term?

[mrplunkey]

I think it's contextual, right up there with it being okay if black people call each other "the N word" but it's strictly off limits for Caucasians. I can think of a ton of situations where you run into that, where a term is okay to use if you're in that group (Italians calling each other guidos, gays calling each other faggot or mo) but if you are an outsider saying the same thing is a huge faux pas. Women can refer to each other as bitches affectionately but let a man say it even jokingly and look out, that sort of thing.

My father grew up in TN, he actually referred to his favorite horse as a peckerwood. I'm in SE PA and terms like hillbilly, redneck and cracker are insults, usually meaning the same basic thing: White trash.

Peckerwood I never hear unless spoken with a drawl.

I've heard the argument that certain subgroups "own" the would-be offensive terms used against them hence they're allowed to use them. I buy-into that argument. There can be words (and phrases) that are offensive when used by someone other than the group to which they refer.

But let's go back to the bumper sticker example. If Dial Tone put that "paddle faster..." bumper sticker on his car and drove through rural Georgia, it wouldn't be a big deal at all. Like I mentioned before, I'd find it funny. Now say I put that "drive faster..." bumper sticker on my car and drove through South Knoxville. That would get ugly in a hurry.

That's the asymmetry that seems ridiculous to me.

 

[WoodyO]

Bunch of rednecks in here

 

[musclemom]

I've heard the argument that certain subgroups "own" the would-be offensive terms used against them hence they're allowed to use them. I buy-into that argument. There can be words (and phrases) that are offensive when used by someone other than the group to which they refer.

But let's go back to the bumper sticker example. If Dial Tone put that "paddle faster..." bumper sticker on his car and drove through rural Georgia, it wouldn't be a big deal at all. Like I mentioned before, I'd find it funny. Now say I put that "drive faster..." bumper sticker on my car and drove through South Knoxville. That would get ugly in a hurry.

That's the asymmetry that seems ridiculous to me.

The world is becoming a much smaller place. It is impossible to imagine what society in general will be like by the time your grandchildren are in their 20s. I don't think prejudice is going to entirely die out in the next few hundred years, but with information becoming more widely disseminated people become more tolerant. In our lifetime there won't be one place on this planet that doesn't have cell service and information technology will be as common as air.

Hell, I can remember when you never, EVER saw a biracial couple, now gay people can marry in 14 states. That's just a little over 30 years. What will happen in another 30?

Humans are barely a blip on this planet's historical timeline. It's going to take thousands of years for us to stop being brats, get through puberty and start acting semi-civilized. Maybe if we manage to exist for a fraction as long as the dinosaurs all the petty bullshit will dissolve

As for why it exists now ... why are children so damned mean to the odd kids (glasses, overweight, bookish, shy, you name it) in the class? Why do pack animals turn on or drive away the one that's colored differently? There are certain behaviors that are hardwired into all animals, those behaviors encouraged survival to this point in time. The question really is will other behaviors and native skills emerge that are more suited to the lifestyles that are prevalent or are we done?

I see a lot of things, i.e., hormonal birth control and/or plastic surgery causing unnatural mate selection, modern medical techniques permitting the survival of those who once would not have made it out of childhood or those who once couldn't conceive to have children, lack of a natural cull of certain undesirable physical, intellectual or social elements, etc., etc., and I wonder just exactly what is going to happen to the human animal in another 200 years.

 

[-SD-]

Because minorities can talk shit about whites and you cant and thats just the way it is so deal with it

 

[bigpokey]

 

[zwhit]

yeah cool fucking story. too bad I was never let in on this bullshit white privilege

 

[bigpokey]

nigga cause u ugly

 

[nangiggles]

nice non-existing video life

 

[nangiggles]

I do.

I care about everyone.

I'm sensitive.

By sensitive do you mean premature ejaculation?

 

[nangiggles]

The world is becoming a much smaller place. It is impossible to imagine what society in general will be like by the time your grandchildren are in their 20s. I don't think prejudice is going to entirely die out in the next few hundred years, but with information becoming more widely disseminated people become more tolerant. In our lifetime there won't be one place on this planet that doesn't have cell service and information technology will be as common as air.

Hell, I can remember when you never, EVER saw a biracial couple, now gay people can marry in 14 states. That's just a little over 30 years. What will happen in another 30?

Humans are barely a blip on this planet's historical timeline. It's going to take thousands of years for us to stop being brats, get through puberty and start acting semi-civilized. Maybe if we manage to exist for a fraction as long as the dinosaurs all the petty bullshit will dissolve

As for why it exists now ... why are children so damned mean to the odd kids (glasses, overweight, bookish, shy, you name it) in the class? Why do pack animals turn on or drive away the one that's colored differently? There are certain behaviors that are hardwired into all animals, those behaviors encouraged survival to this point in time. The question really is will other behaviors and native skills emerge that are more suited to the lifestyles that are prevalent or are we done?

I see a lot of things, i.e., hormonal birth control and/or plastic surgery causing unnatural mate selection, modern medical techniques permitting the survival of those who once would not have made it out of childhood or those who once couldn't conceive to have children, lack of a natural cull of certain undesirable physical, intellectual or social elements, etc., etc., and I wonder just exactly what is going to happen to the human animal in another 200 years.

Robots, marrying robots, which will pave the road for marrying objects, all those with assorted paraphilia will finally show their true colors.