I Might Be a Redneck

[The Bad Words #4]

When I saw this car in my neighborhood, I was inspired to create a redneck joke: “If your car is held together with bungee cords, you might be a redneck.”

Redneck is a mildly insulting description of white working-class people.  Calling someone a redneck is rude, but some people have reappropriated the word and proudly call themselves rednecks. You shouldn’t call someone a redneck if you don’t know him well. However, if you have a good friend who refers to himself as a redneck, it’s okay for you to call him one, too.

A few years ago, comedian Jeff Foxworthy made redneck jokes popular. The jokes follow a specific formula: “If you __________ , you might be a redneck.”

The jokes make fun of stereotypical aspects of redneck culture such as a love of beer…

If you ever lost a tooth opening a beer bottle, you might be a redneck.

If you ever got too drunk to fish, you might be a redneck.

a passion for hunting…

If you were ever in a custody fight over a hunting dog, you might be a redneck.

If your mother has “ammo” on her Christmas list, you might be a redneck.  ["ammo" = ammunition]

and unsophisticated tastes in food, clothing, music, literature, and everything else…

If you think a “turtleneck” is an ingredient for soup, you might be a redneck.

If you think “Outdoor Life” magazine is deep reading, you might be a redneck.

Surprisingly, redneck jokes were most popular with rednecks. They enjoyed the humor of the redneck stereotype without feeling any shame. Rednecks know that they seem ridiculous to outsiders, but they are proud of their culture.

A person with “Redneck Pride” loves living an independent life in the country, even if he is poor. He sees himself as hardworking, patriotic, and devoted to his family. He doesn’t care about developing so-called sophisticated tastes or following fashion trends. He likes what he likes, and enjoys a simple life that’s close to nature.

Sometimes I think that I might be a redneck!

_______________

Would you be offended if someone called you a redneck?

_______________