How to be a redneck

Now, before you get offended, don’t. I just want to know the difference between country, hillbilly and redneck. So I’m just offering up some advice that I have been accustomed to during my lifetime. 

Okay, so moving right along. My daughter and her fiancé were in Louisville last week in an upscale pizza place. They were just having dinner when they overheard a conversation from a man that they think was from Canada. 

He was talking about some rednecks that he’d met that had hunted and ate raccoons. Well, first off- we say coons but anyway. My daughter and her finance said- he didn’t even know that he was sitting next to rednecks right there! 

You see, we can blend in or be set apart. It just depends. I do know that there are people that are rednecker than me. 

Let’s do some exploring. According to Google- this is what a redneck is: Redneck is a derogatory term mainly applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the southern United States. Its meaning possibly stems from the sunburn found on farmers’ necks dating back to the late 19th century. Sounds degrading, right? 

Okay, how about a Country person? “Country” is a broader term, encompassing people from rural areas regardless of class or specific stereotypes, and can be used in a neutral or positive way. So I guess a country person would be less offensive. 

Maybe. I guess in order to be a redneck, you’d have to be country 2.0. Maybe only you can determine which category you belong to. If you hunt, are you a redneck or country? If you drive a truck with a dog in the back, are you redneck or country? I also read that redneck is of the working class, is uneducated and has offensive opinions.  

So rednecks work and so do country people. How about them hillbillies? What do they do? An article that I read says hillbilly suggests someone whose ways are backward because they live in remote hills or mountains. 

Ok, maybe that’s where I fit in actually. I’m a small town girl. I believe in manners and morals. I like living in a place that I have a creek and stars and whippoorwills. 

Hillbilly can also mean uneducated. And I do only have a high school diploma. Hillbillies live simple lives. Rednecks, according to the internet want to appear poor but actually are not poor at all. Why would anyone want to appear poor? That surprises me. Hillbillies are labeled as poor, uneducated, dirty and ignorant people. 

My talk would identify me as hillbilly. When I can’t stress my sounds the correct way. My E’s and I’s and Y’s get twisted. I actually don’t know how to be a redneck. Maybe fight and holler and drive a loud truck? How to be country? Maybe hunt and fish and drive a big truck. How to be a hillbilly? 

Come sit on my porch and we’ll talk about it if you won’t to. 

Southern Slang- (I use this one a lot!)

“You good?”      “You okay?”

“You good?”      “You’re okay.”

“You good?”       “How’ve you been?”

“You good?”       “You get enough?”

“You good?”       “You’re welcome.”

“You good?”        “No need to say sorry.”

“You good?”        “You need some money?”