Andrea Mitchell calls us Red Necks!

[Gotch]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yep...the term comes from miners fighting the coal companies in the 20's...referred to the red bandanas they wore to designate themselves while shooting so they didn't kill one another. BTW the Hawaiians aren't really racist like we think racist....they just don't like most anyone that isn't Hawaiian...that includes whites, blacks and mexicans...I lived there 2 years myself. </div></div>

You are of course speaking about the battle of Blair Mountain and the other events leading up to it, such as the Matewan massacre. That is the common understanding of the origin of redneck, but actually the Scottish who many of those folks were descended were using the term in the 17 hundreds.

It actually isn't a "racist" term. It's a bigoted stereotype. There is a difference.

[sup-rbeast]

Heck...even if it is a stereotype, does it really bother you guys if someone calls you a redneck?

[Gotch]

No

Stupid, backward, inbred, hillbilly and not crack a smile.....yes.

It goes hand in hand. We need to stop being willing to be stereotyped.

[sup-rbeast]

IMO all political correctness in this country should be tossed..who cares what anyone else thinks of you...

[Gotch]

That's a slippery slop......

Might sound good at first. In fact it does to me, but the reality is it's impossible. So why agree to be the only willing victim?

[sup-rbeast]

I guess cuz I don't consider it to be offensive. If I did, when someone called me that I'd hurl a racial slur back at em...no big deal...the thing is tho, I don't.

[Gotch]

I'm not really talking about the term redneck as much as I'm talking about the broad stereotype of mountain people, which is highly negative.

Let me give you an example of why it can matter.

A few years ago I was contacted by Joe Rogan concerning the background and business practices of a certain grappling coach who produces numerous instructional tapes.

Long story short, Joe Rogan, Eddie Bravo, Jake Shannon (Scientific Wrestling Inc.) and little old me make some negative issues public concerning the guy.

Some time passes and he enlists the aid of conservative blogger Jeff Goldstein who immediately goes after Jake and myself, choosing not to confront the more high profile antagonists.

So what do you think his primary weapon against me was?

I was not credible because I was from Southwest Va., or West Virginia as he repeatedly claimed.

There's more to it than that, but you are starting with a handicap in many cases due to the stereotype.

[imported_elp6n]

Almost reminds me of a time a client in Blacksburg (client wasn't from Bburg) asked me where I was from. When I told him he responded in a tone of surprise: Wow! You're really articulate.

I'm sure it was meant as a compliment - but the guy was apparently surprised that I could speak in complete sentences without any of the expected mountain accent/grammar/lingo.

[CoeburnCane]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gotch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We need to stop being willing to be stereotyped.</div></div>

THAT is what it all comes down to, I believe. Let's not own the stereotype and be "proud" of it. Let's not perpetuate it. If we perpetuate it by accepting it, then eventually it becomes less of a stereotype or form of bigotry and more of a truth, unfortunately.

[imported_PioneerBlue]

When I read this, my first thought is who da [censored] is Andrea Mitchell?? My second thought was, yeah, I am, what's your point??