Why rednecks

But by many accounts, several people on these reality TV programs are not rednecks, at least in the accepted stereotype.

They are not inbred, they have their own teeth, and they are not all bigots. In fact, many are wealthy and well-educated.

So what is a redneck today? In America, the word redneck dates back to the s, and in different parts of the country at different times, its meaning has shifted. Over the course of nearly years, it has stood for the following:. These are all pretty degrading characterizations and perhaps what most people have in mind when they hear the word redneck.

But according to Patrick Huber and Kathleen Drowne , the term—originally an allusion to the sunburned red necks of farmers—was not always used as a slur amongst whites. Historians and local pastors and officials explained the word's origins, how it makes them feel and why some African-Americans would have a problem with the term. The word redneck has a sordid history that blends class, perseverance, race and prejudice.

Many calling themselves rednecks today see it as an expression of pride and some, like comedian Jeff Foxworthy, have even found commercial success with the word. Gundy, state president for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Gundy, who is black, said he didn't believe Johnson was racist but redneck can't be separated from a history where it was proudly used by bigots. City Councilman Don Redman, who is white, said the word doesn't have a negative meaning at all.

I can't imagine a person getting upset about someone using the term redneck. Sorry, this product is currently unavailable. Guaranteed Service. International Shipping. Free Home Delivery. Check Delivery. AuthorHouse Publisher. Product Specifications. Book Description. And the labor agitator Mother Jones traipsed up and down the creeks—streets and other public thoroughfares were owned by coal companies and closely guarded—to give lectures and hand out union cards.

This history is literally embedded in the walls of our museum, where bullet holes from a deadly shootout between mine guards and pro-union forces still pock the bricks. Coal ruled the economy of Central Appalachia during the time of the mine wars and for decades afterward.

But far fewer people make a living in mining here today. Between and , the number of coal mining jobs in Central Appalachia decreased by half, from about 60, to about 30, And that number is still falling.

Day after day, we awake to news of mass layoffs and mine closures. And the same thing is happening in manufacturing—another highly unionized industry in decline:. Seventy-eight percent of U. And travel in general is taking off in West Virginia. Most of these dollars will land in the pockets of locally owned small businesses, rather than going to out-of-state corporations.

The coal industry may have carted off our minerals, but it sure has left us with a lot of stories to tell. Maybe coal can be our future, after all. But instead of mining it for energy, we can mine it for stories, insight into the past, and guidance about the future. But the history it left is fascinating. These coins were issued as currency by coal companies. Coal Country Tours brings busloads of curious city folk from the eastern seaboard down to southern West Virginia for immersive guided tours focused on the West Virginia Mine Wars and the decades-long feud between the Hatfield and McCoy families in the late nineteenth century.