Why it's time to stop using the word redneck


As someone who has always been interested in history, enjoys genealogy, likes to read old books, and is, ahem, no longer young himself, I'm aware that certain terms that were once acceptable, suddenly turn sour, and people stop using them. If you've ever found a relative of yours in an old census form labeled as an "idiot", you know. And if you don't know how words evolve into something offensive, relax, I'll cut ya some slack. It does take a fair amount of effort to keep up, and I will often see people who, for whatever reason, have chosen to "drop anchor" at a certain point in their life, and just stop learning. They're not reading this blog post, by the way, and you are, so I'll see if I can explain why it's time to stop using the word "redneck".

I'm old enough to remember when redneck was a light and funny term. I enjoyed the comedy of Jeff Foxworthy, and especially of Larry the Cable Guy. And if I want to jump on YouTube, I'm sure that I can still find their stuff. That was then and this is now, and this makes perfect sense to me. I'm actually old enough to remember when the term "hillbilly" was used in the same way, and I very much enjoyed the TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies". But I sure wouldn't call anyone a hillbilly, any more than I would call someone an idiot. Unless, of course, they were a close friend, and I could say anything I wanted (which I do with my close friends who are all idiots, like me!).

Taking a more careful look at the word "redneck" itself, it started out as just referring to anyone who had a sunburned neck, and that meant people who spent a lot of time outside, in the sun. That is, a person who would live in the country, not the big city, and it meant the same thing as a "country bumpkin" (remember that one?) or a "hick" (my grandma scolded me for using that term back when I was a kid - she lived in a small town and that was wildly offensive to her). Of course, I remembered that (and still do!) and I would never use a term that I knew was offensive.

Now calm down there if you're an innocent, which is what I was when I was a little kid. It hurts to be corrected, even gently, and I'm sure that my grandma, who was a kind and gentle soul, simply said something like "Now, Brad-a-ley... we don't say those sorts of things..." She always called me Brad-a-ley, getting three syllables into my name, with great affection. She never really scolded me, I was just easily startled (and I still am!).

Times change, and how we use the languages changes, too. I had a gorgeous girlfriend in California in the 1980s who was Korean, and back then it was common to refer to people like her as Oriental. But now the correct term is Asian, and I've learned that. I do it out of respect, and because my memory isn't completely shot, not yet!

Redneck has taken on a much more sinister meaning nowadays, with it being associated with various groups that encourage hatred, and bigotry. I myself look forward to a kinder and gentler world, and the least that I can do is to keep up with how the language is being used.

By the way, if you're wondering what label to call me, I prefer to be called Brad, or Bradford. You can call me Brad-a-ley if you're my grandma, of course!

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