General Discussion

enlightenment

(8,830 posts)

45. I don't think you're going to find consensus

Mon Nov 11, 2013, 04:15 PM

Nov 2013

about this on DU.

Why not just settle for thinking that it really isn't nice to label people with derogatory names, regardless of their skin color; ethnicity; cultural heritage; or other . . .

You're Japanese American, so I'll ask you this - when I lived in Japan (I grew up there), many of my Japanese schoolmates called me gaijin. Not a horrible word, but it was often meant in an ugly way. Was it racist?

I don't think it was, but it often was not very nice and as I was quite young, it was sometimes hurtful to be referred to that way. On the other hand, when I was with my American friends, we would refer to ourselves as gaijin - without batting an eye.

You - and your friends - live with the choices you make. I'd say take the high road. It doesn't cost any more than the low road, after all.

Just my humble opinion.

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Highlight:

A question about Racism (The term "Redneck") [View all] yuiyoshida Nov 2013 OP

I answered first libodem Nov 2013 #1

Thanks for your reply.. yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #3

Redneck seems like libodem Nov 2013 #4

okay but.. yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #5

I'm a proud redneck backwoodsbob Nov 2013 #100

Right, it's more cultural than racial Warpy Nov 2013 #68

I never heard that explanation for the origin of the term before. Jackpine Radical Nov 2013 #78

I don't understand why that is.. yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #82

"Hakujin" is not an insult, Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #128

Henna meaning yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #133

I don't think so when you see so many white guys especially go out there and say they are rednecks Arcanetrance Nov 2013 #2

By that logic, if a black person calls themselves "N" demwing Nov 2013 #112

Not really the contexts are very different Arcanetrance Nov 2013 #114

I disagree, with adamance. /nt demwing Nov 2013 #117

The Bellamy Brothers would disagree with you Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #135

Racism = bigotry + power gollygee Nov 2013 #6

I understand that.. yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #9

It might be a bigoted statement gollygee Nov 2013 #12

Popular myth Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #13

Well I double checked wikipedia on that gollygee Nov 2013 #14

See how far back it goes in it's usage. Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #16

A Scotch immigrant is anyone coming here with a bottle of Glenfiddich JustABozoOnThisBus Nov 2013 #92

Ooops. I was thinking Scotch-Irish, but left off the Irish because it didn't apply. Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #97

lol, my Scots-Irish ancestors would still quibble OriginalGeek Nov 2013 #111

LOL! I have seen it both ways. Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #113

I can promise you this: OriginalGeek Nov 2013 #119

That's sweet of you to say. Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #120

yup scots is the correct term, as the poster said scotch is the a drink loli phabay Nov 2013 #137

"[R]acism is specifically about having societal power." Hosnon Nov 2013 #85

From a moral point of view there is no difference, if one is a bigot while out of power Uncle Joe Nov 2013 #15

Interesting. enlightenment Nov 2013 #28

I do volunteer work for an organization gollygee Nov 2013 #66

Ah. enlightenment Nov 2013 #95

That is not the general use the word. ZombieHorde Nov 2013 #79

Hmm gollygee Nov 2013 #81

It's the basic dictionary definition. ZombieHorde Nov 2013 #96

That's institutional racism, and only one form of racism. Hosnon Nov 2013 #84

See post 81 gollygee Nov 2013 #89

Your training may focus on institutional racism for various reasons, Hosnon Nov 2013 #94

No gollygee Nov 2013 #98

It's news to me if only white people think racism includes individual racism. Hosnon Nov 2013 #104

You must not have had a terribly good trainer, then, I'm afraid. AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #107

Very true. Though institution racism is far more damaging overall.....nt AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #106

That's only describing *institutional* racism, tho....and not all racism is institutional. AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #86

See post 81 gollygee Nov 2013 #88

Okay, and? AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #99

Based on that response gollygee Nov 2013 #102

Based on your response..... AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #105

Which has nada to do with racism demwing Nov 2013 #115

I would call it classist as opposed to racist (nt) Nye Bevan Nov 2013 #7

To me, a redneck describes a lifestyle more than anything else AndyA Nov 2013 #8

I have always heard "Redneck" being applied to yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #11

In my part of Arkansas, at least, Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #145

If its intended to be so - yes. rrneck Nov 2013 #10

I kind of assumed libodem Nov 2013 #27

The term itself carries with it rrneck Nov 2013 #123

If it's used by an outsider to stereotype a group of people based on appearance, Gormy Cuss Nov 2013 #17

That is confusing.... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #21

I don't mean this as snark, but you need to read up on it. Gormy Cuss Nov 2013 #29

Thanks... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #33

The original rednecks were union coal miners. hobbit709 Nov 2013 #18

Nope. Spider Jerusalem Nov 2013 #20

It's not racist. Sheldon Cooper Nov 2013 #19

Please explain why those words are not yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #23

Racism is active - it's a mechanism of power usage, like Sexism. Bigotry is individual belief. haele Nov 2013 #35

Thank you so much... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #37

+1000 Tom Ripley Nov 2013 #38

OK, then it's open season on calling everyone anything cpwm17 Nov 2013 #25

What? hrmjustin Nov 2013 #72

I perceive racism as referring to an assumed sense of ethnic and/or racial superiority one group has Douglas Carpenter Nov 2013 #22

I'm something of a redneck. Throd Nov 2013 #24

okay but the question is... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #26

No, I wouldn't have a problem with it. Throd Nov 2013 #30

Look, "Redneck" is not a race. You can't be racist for calling someone a redneck - especially ChisolmTrailDem Nov 2013 #40

okay but isn't it assumed that yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #43

Every redneck I ever knew, me included, was proud to be referred to as such. It's a ChisolmTrailDem Nov 2013 #51

But you can still be a bigot. Lizzie Poppet Nov 2013 #49

Well, you see, one trait of a true redneck is that he doesn't recognize ChisolmTrailDem Nov 2013 #52

If somebody calls me a flaming white liberal libodem Nov 2013 #42

I don't think you're going to find consensus enlightenment Nov 2013 #45

Yes of course.... Its far better never to use yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #50

So you drink from Red Solo Cups not Crystal Stem? VanillaRhapsody Nov 2013 #56

Beer already comes in a can. Who needs fancy-pants cups? Throd Nov 2013 #74

I want you to know... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #108

redneck as racism.. Sylvarose Nov 2013 #31

A redneck is a member of a certain subset of Caucasians. ... JEFF9K Nov 2013 #32

Redneck may be a step up for you then. Go Vols Nov 2013 #53

Jeff said 'generally' and that's true, regardless of the charming picture above. IrishAyes Nov 2013 #129

Lol that's awesome! CFLDem Nov 2013 #134

No. Iggo Nov 2013 #34

It's a lifestyle choice 2naSalit Nov 2013 #36

+1000 Tom Ripley Nov 2013 #39

Oh bullshit. Most of the redneck culture is based on pride in hard work which ChisolmTrailDem Nov 2013 #48

Yeah, that's bullshit. n/t Skip Intro Nov 2013 #64

Country Boy, Good Ol Boy, Hick, Bumpkin, Redneck, White Trash, Poor White Trash... NightWatcher Nov 2013 #41

Did you notice that song has the yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #57

removed the song NightWatcher Nov 2013 #62

Thanks... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #65

I have never viewed the N-word as having negative context in that song. ieoeja Nov 2013 #103

it was easier to just not go near it NightWatcher Nov 2013 #109

white trash does not belong with the other loyalsister Nov 2013 #122

Rednecks choose to be belligerently stupid and are proud of doing so Tom Ripley Nov 2013 #44

lol,you an expert? Go Vols Nov 2013 #55

As a matter of fact, I am. I am currently doing field studies here in Georgia. Tom Ripley Nov 2013 #63

I don't think you are getting an accurate picture Go Vols Nov 2013 #67

Hmmm... 2naSalit Nov 2013 #125

Redneck is on a level with things like 'hick,' 'nerd,' 'jock,' 'hippy,' 'beatnik,' etc. Gidney N Cloyd Nov 2013 #46

yes nothing to do with the color of the neck lunasun Nov 2013 #118

its a life style beachbum bob Nov 2013 #47

There are black people in my area that are rednecks. It is the way they dress and choose to live. appleannie1 Nov 2013 #54

Do they refer to themselves as that? yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #60

Union History 101, no longer taught nadinbrzezinski Nov 2013 #58

Thank you. Being from a coal mining region, I heard that story from parents and grandparents, but AlinPA Nov 2013 #71

That is the other origin nadinbrzezinski Nov 2013 #73

Thanks. I was going to post about this theHandpuppet Nov 2013 #121

You welcome nadinbrzezinski Nov 2013 #124

wrong it predates that, its the covenanters where redneck comes from loli phabay Nov 2013 #139

I don't come from a race of Rednecks, Go Vols Nov 2013 #59

I used to think 'hillbillies' were only white Americans who lived in the mountains of the Southern Tikki Nov 2013 #61

I suppose for example if you yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #69

Lots of people live in hills and not all are called 'hillbillies' so it has an aspect of 'lifestyle' Tikki Nov 2013 #76

Yes, I have learned a lot today yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #77

I've been told "thug" and "gangsta" are racist terms. Skip Intro Nov 2013 #70

Maybe its how they are used... yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #75

Redneck is a classist term etherealtruth Nov 2013 #80

I don't recall Rednecks being enslaved.. HipChick Nov 2013 #83

Unless you're part of the group CJCRANE Nov 2013 #87

This is common sense yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #91

best post on the thread, and so true loli phabay Nov 2013 #140

Usually not, no. AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #90

What ya think?? yuiyoshida Nov 2013 #93

Maybe, I dunno. AverageJoe90 Nov 2013 #101

Hmm...I dont use the term but.. SummerSnow Nov 2013 #110

Prejudice is ugly One_Life_To_Give Nov 2013 #116

No rock Nov 2013 #126

I voted yes. Township75 Nov 2013 #127

Township, you're confusing "nigger" and "niggardly". Manifestor_of_Light Nov 2013 #142

classist perhaps... mike_c Nov 2013 #130

Apparently my vote has now been recorded but I still don't get a form to explain my vote; IrishAyes Nov 2013 #131

To appreciate how it can be racist, be called that while you're the only white person around. dimbear Nov 2013 #132

Culturally it's been used as a term of endearment alp227 Nov 2013 #136

Rednecks are a generally racist, bigoted, simple subset of the white population. Vashta Nerada Nov 2013 #138

Like so many things, it depends on tone and context... No Vested Interest Nov 2013 #141

Randy Newman - Rednecks Manifestor_of_Light Nov 2013 #143

the term redneck is not racist. that's just damn silly to even think that. n/t Whisp Nov 2013 #144