Aurora CO Theater Massacre

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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Hunter » Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:48 am

I wish people would stop using the word redneck. I come from a long line of rednecks. I am a proud white southern country boy, I am not a racist, I am not ignorant and I dont vote for the Tea Party. If people were to use this sort of slang for a Jew, African-American, Hispanic, LGBT etc, it would not be acceptable but it is ok to go around calling any white southerner a redneck. The people I know in the South are generally hard working, honest and good natured people, there are bad apples just as there are anywhere else.

What is worse is that the original meaning of the word redneck is that of a noble person, the original rednecks were the coal miners of West Virginia who banded together and formed labor unions to demand better working and living conditions from managment. They identified themselves by wearing red scarves around their necks hence they became known as the rednecks and they are a group of people many of us in the South are very proud of being that they were some of the first unionized workers and those who demanded better working conditions for themselves and others. These are the very people who laid the foundation of this country and made it the great nation it once was. I dont think it is fair to them or their cause to use that word in the way most people do today.

I see a lot of words like cracker and redneck used in these parts and it is slightly disappointing as I thought this forum was above that sort of thing. The use of such words makes one no better than those who use the N word for an African-American, the K word for a Jewish person or the F word for someone who is gay, it is the same mentality and it stems from a troubling and very particular kind of ignorance.


That is all I have to say about that but I needed to say it, no hard feelings.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Wombaticus Rex » Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:12 am

"Cracker" is just hilarious, easily the least charged racial epithet in common currency today. I am sympathetic to "redneck" as slur -- I read Jim Goad, too, but he was an abusive asshole in addition to being a gifted writer -- but cracker is just LULZ. There are no sharp edges anywhere on that word.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby 153den » Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:16 am

Yep, I hear ya Alchemy. I agree with you 100%, well said!
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Hunter » Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:30 am

Wombaticus Rex wrote:"Cracker" is just hilarious, easily the least charged racial epithet in common currency today. I am sympathetic to "redneck" as slur -- I read Jim Goad, too, but he was an abusive asshole in addition to being a gifted writer -- but cracker is just LULZ. There are no sharp edges anywhere on that word.

Well I am not a prude or anything, I can see the humor in cracker, I guess it just depends on how it is used, but yea I generally agree with you.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Wombaticus Rex » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:00 pm

I only spoke up on it because I use it constantly and will continue to do so. "Redneck" I'm less fond of as an insult -- because it's basically a term of endearment up here. "White trash" is hate speech as far as I'm concerned, especially coming from a cracker's mouth.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Hunter » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:33 pm

Wombaticus Rex wrote:I only spoke up on it because I use it constantly and will continue to do so. "Redneck" I'm less fond of as an insult -- because it's basically a term of endearment up here. "White trash" is hate speech as far as I'm concerned, especially coming from a cracker's mouth.

I can roll with that.


In other news:

Former college roommate of James Holmes speaks out.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby barracuda » Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:15 pm

Alchemy wrote:I see a lot of words like cracker and redneck used in these parts and it is slightly disappointing as I thought this forum was above that sort of thing. The use of such words makes one no better than those who use the N word for an African-American, the K word for a Jewish person or the F word for someone who is gay, it is the same mentality and it stems from a troubling and very particular kind of ignorance.


When southern whites stop naming their kids after Civil War generals and electing racist republicans to public office, I'll stop calling them rednecks.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby km artlu » Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:31 pm

barracuda wrote:"When southern whites stop naming their kids after Civil War generals and electing racist republicans to public office, I'll stop calling them rednecks."


hmm...for perspective on this statement:

- replace "southern whites" with any other ethnicity

- replace "rednecks" with the corresponding slur

- replace the verb clauses "naming" and "electing" with stereotypical behaviors of the alternate racial/cultural/ ethnic cohort

Presto! Instant unacceptable bigotry.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby barracuda » Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:49 pm

Yes, replace everything I said with something else and you might be right. Good call. But okay, let's try it.

"When british aristocrats stop living off the backs of the poor, I'll stop calling them nobs and toffs."

Racism is a function of power inequities. Southern white racists and the politicians they elect run half this country, consciously sustain a culture of ignorance and oppression, and have for a hundred years. Sorry to wound your white pride, but: fuck the rednecks.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby 2012 Countdown » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:04 pm

It is my understanding that 'redneck' was actually a positive, worker oriented term that has been perverted and now used as a slur.
The original term was positive (from my perspective) and refers to a field worker or laborer. The 'prolitariot', if you will.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Hunter » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:33 pm

barracuda wrote:Yes, replace everything I said with something else and you might be right. Good call. But okay, let's try it.

"When british aristocrats stop living off the backs of the poor, I'll stop calling them nobs and toffs."

Racism is a function of power inequities. Southern white racists and the politicians they elect run half this country, consciously sustain a culture of ignorance and oppression, and have for a hundred years. Sorry to wound your white pride, but: fuck the rednecks.


The irony here of course is that the rednecks were the very people who were fighting against the kind of shit you are railing about. The rich and those who exploit the poor working class folks. They banded together and demanded better treatment. So the only people you are insulting are the very people you shouldnt be.

Why not just say you dont like racists and those who vote for the bad guys and leave out the white southern stuff because racists and those who vote for the bad guys come from anywhere and everywhere and they are not all white.


In the end I support your right to say what you want and it doesnt offend me at all, but I think youre better than that and those pants dont really look good on you.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby Hunter » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:35 pm

2012 Countdown wrote:It is my understanding that 'redneck' was actually a positive, worker oriented term that has been perverted and now used as a slur.
The original term was positive (from my perspective) and refers to a field worker or laborer. The 'prolitariot', if you will.

That is exactly what it means and meant.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby barracuda » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:41 pm

2012 Countdown wrote:It is my understanding that 'redneck' was actually a positive, worker oriented term that has been perverted and now used as a slur.
The original term was positive (from my perspective) and refers to a field worker or laborer. The 'prolitariot', if you will.


Yes, that was true a hundred years ago. But at the moment it means this:



Alchemy wrote:The irony here of course is that the rednecks were the very people who were fighting against the kind of shit you are railing about.


"Were" is the operative word here.

Why not just say you dont like racists and those who vote for the bad guys and leave out the white southern stuff because racists and those who vote for the bad guys come from anywhere and everywhere and they are not all white.


Because I'm talking specifically about southern white racists. You know, the ones that elect racists and take pride in calling themselves rednecks. If you wanna call yourself a redneck, own it.

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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby yathrib » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:46 pm

@Alchemy:

I understand and sympathize. But language changes, and what "redneck" meant then is not what it means now. Used as a putdown for people who haven't had the opportunities for wealth and education, it's a slur, absolutely. But most people use it today to describe a tendency of thought and belief. Most of the rednecks I know in my day to day life have college degrees and six figure salaries. But they're rednecks, and many of them take pride in the fact. The popularity of the Jeff Foxworthy material would also tend to suggest that it's not especially wounding to many...

Anyway, i come down on the side of Barracuda. As long as they vote, act, and think like rednecks, they're rednecks. BTW, my own background could be characterized as redneck, even if it took place in a near sub arctic climate. Many of my own relatives are rednecks in their thinking, and yes, they're my relatives, but if you call them rednecks, I wouldn't be offended.
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Re: Aurora CO Theater Massacre

Postby 8bitagent » Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:00 pm

As Coleman posted, it's interesting that the cause of death of the Batman massacre nurse and Tony Scott was drowning, as well as the recent Rodney King death.
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