Are You a Redneck? Or Are You White Trash?
A redneck is a working class person who believes in traditional values and doesn't put a lot of thought to appearances, and they really don't even have to be white. (The term redneck is from the old south referring to the fact that some people were too poor to afford slaves and had to do their own work so their necks were sunburned as they worked in their own fields. It should have always been something to be proud of.)
Some people use these terms interchangeably because they don't know the difference. There is actually all the difference in the world. So with no offense meant to a couple of bloggers who use the term White Trash in their blog, even though they really aren't white trash at all, here are some simple tests to see which you are.
1. You're unmarried and your girlfriend is suddenly pregnant and there is no doubt that the baby is yours.
Redneck response: You take responsibility for your child. If possible you marry the mother and raise the child, hopefully teaching them not repeat your mistakes. If you can't marry her for whatever reason you gladly pay child support and have hand in childrearing.
White Trash response: You take responsibility for the baby by driving the mother to the welfare office.
2. Unemployment is about to run out and you have two choices: a low paying job or welfare.
Redneck response: You apply to flip burgers at McDonalds. If that doesn't work out then you will swallow your pride for the sake of your family and accept welfare, but will not stop looking for work.
White Trash response: You ask for directions to the Welfare office.
3. You are a veteran of our armed forces.
Redneck: You wanted to serve your country and maybe get a shot at an education.
White Trash: The judge gave you an option and the other choice was prison.
4. There are some couples at your family reunion that are little close in their bloodlines.
Redneck: It's only one or two couples, they aren't that closely related and their kids are normal.
White Trash: Your family tree looks like a stepladder.
5. You've got a police record.
Redneck: Either it was something stupid you did a long time ago and wish you didn't or you woke up a couple times in the drunk tank. You had it coming, you took your lumps and learned your lesson.
White Trash: The police have a file on you that reads like an encyclopedia of stupidity. It's all because the cops have it out for you.
6. You go to church every Sunday.
Redneck: You go to a church that preaches and tries to practice what you believe a true Christian should. Your church should be trying to make a better person of you and your community a better place to live.
White Trash: You don't care what they preach or practice as long as they have a food pantry and they don't try to change your life too much.
7. You own a couple of firearms.
Redneck: Of course you own them. You use them to hunt and if necessary, you will protect yourself and yours' with them.
White Trash: Everyone in town knows about them because you have threatened your neighbors with them and fired them off just for the fun of it, or you've been caught poaching.
8. You have well tended garden.
Redneck: It cuts food costs a by quite a bit and it's fun to do.
White Trash: You can't afford to buy your weed from the neighborhood dealer anymore.
9. You have a neighbor with lot's of nice things and money to spare.
Redneck: With hard work, a little luck, and couple of breaks going your way you could live the same in a few years.
White Trash: They think they're better than you because they got money. You despise them for being snobs. They probably stole it or ripped people off to get it.
10. Some people may think you're uneducated.
Redneck: You may have a college degree or you may have been forced to drop out of High School because of circumstances beyond your control (or it could have been a stupid thing you did as a kid) but you can read, write, do math, use a computer, do basic care for your car and other things you need to do and have never stopped learning.
White Trash: Who needs all that book learning anyway?
11. Come up with your own.
So are you a Redneck or White Trash?
Some people use these terms interchangeably because they don't know the difference. There is actually all the difference in the world. So with no offense meant to a couple of bloggers who use the term White Trash in their blog, even though they really aren't white trash at all, here are some simple tests to see which you are.
1. You're unmarried and your girlfriend is suddenly pregnant and there is no doubt that the baby is yours.
Redneck response: You take responsibility for your child. If possible you marry the mother and raise the child, hopefully teaching them not repeat your mistakes. If you can't marry her for whatever reason you gladly pay child support and have hand in childrearing.
White Trash response: You take responsibility for the baby by driving the mother to the welfare office.
2. Unemployment is about to run out and you have two choices: a low paying job or welfare.
Redneck response: You apply to flip burgers at McDonalds. If that doesn't work out then you will swallow your pride for the sake of your family and accept welfare, but will not stop looking for work.
White Trash response: You ask for directions to the Welfare office.
3. You are a veteran of our armed forces.
Redneck: You wanted to serve your country and maybe get a shot at an education.
White Trash: The judge gave you an option and the other choice was prison.
4. There are some couples at your family reunion that are little close in their bloodlines.
Redneck: It's only one or two couples, they aren't that closely related and their kids are normal.
White Trash: Your family tree looks like a stepladder.
5. You've got a police record.
Redneck: Either it was something stupid you did a long time ago and wish you didn't or you woke up a couple times in the drunk tank. You had it coming, you took your lumps and learned your lesson.
White Trash: The police have a file on you that reads like an encyclopedia of stupidity. It's all because the cops have it out for you.
6. You go to church every Sunday.
Redneck: You go to a church that preaches and tries to practice what you believe a true Christian should. Your church should be trying to make a better person of you and your community a better place to live.
White Trash: You don't care what they preach or practice as long as they have a food pantry and they don't try to change your life too much.
7. You own a couple of firearms.
Redneck: Of course you own them. You use them to hunt and if necessary, you will protect yourself and yours' with them.
White Trash: Everyone in town knows about them because you have threatened your neighbors with them and fired them off just for the fun of it, or you've been caught poaching.
8. You have well tended garden.
Redneck: It cuts food costs a by quite a bit and it's fun to do.
White Trash: You can't afford to buy your weed from the neighborhood dealer anymore.
9. You have a neighbor with lot's of nice things and money to spare.
Redneck: With hard work, a little luck, and couple of breaks going your way you could live the same in a few years.
White Trash: They think they're better than you because they got money. You despise them for being snobs. They probably stole it or ripped people off to get it.
10. Some people may think you're uneducated.
Redneck: You may have a college degree or you may have been forced to drop out of High School because of circumstances beyond your control (or it could have been a stupid thing you did as a kid) but you can read, write, do math, use a computer, do basic care for your car and other things you need to do and have never stopped learning.
White Trash: Who needs all that book learning anyway?
11. Come up with your own.
So are you a Redneck or White Trash?
posted by shoprat at 1:43 PM
19 Comments:
Akk these years I have heard them used interchangeable. I think I know some of those PWT guys. Thanks for the clarifications.
I have always been, am now, and will forever be a PROUD redneck! If I won powerball tomorrow, I would remain a redneck, a redneck with money. Oh, and in case anyone says you have to be from the south to be a redneck, wrong! There are just as many in the north. After all, we are south of Canada.lol
I fit the redneck description. I live in Southern California, but I have authentic Southern roots (North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas).
The other difference between a redneck and white trash is that a redneck will give money to his or her church or local non-profit organization to assist with the greater good. That's because a good redneck does not expect government to give a handout. That's what churches and other organizations are for. It's a concept that is totally lost on Dyn-O-Bama.
White Trash response: You take responsibility for the baby by driving the mother to the welfare office.
Sorry Shoprat but you got this one wrong - you don't take responsibilty, you drive your girlfriend off the chappaquiddick bridge.
AS far as me, my dad's family is from Arkansas, 100% redneck, but just a little trashy
Great post!
Would you like a Link Exchange with our new blog COMMON CENTS where we blog about the issues of the day...
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
Great post!
Would you like a Link Exchange with our new blog COMMON CENTS where we blog about the issues of the day...
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
Is that how the back of my neck got red ! :-)
Great post!
I wonder if my 'educated'-arty-liberal -Obama voting - friends would 'get it' if I sent it to them to read ?
Probably not - huh--
I do love them - so- I'll keep trying..
C-CS
I come from a long line of rednecks.
In fact, my ancestors were too poor to own slaves. Yep, my ancestors did their own work.
BTW, many of my redneck ancestors had college degrees and/or, if unable to afford going to college, finished the last grade of school offered in their region. Not a single one as far back as I can research was an illiterate!
One of them, an 8th-grade graduate, took out several patents for designing time-telling and navigation instruments. His education came from spending all his spare time reading and studying.
As we own a farm and have large gardens, we are definitely "Rednecks", both in the figurative and literal sense of the word. Well, Walt is one. My hair actually protects my neck from the sun.
Thanks, Shoprat! :)
I am definitely not
caucasianally-challenged crap.
I'm a redneck! Yes, I can blush and I burn even in my lighter hue! LOL!
I agree completely. Unfortunately the terms are used interchangeably nowadays thanks to snobbish liberals.
I'm going to link to this.
Joe far too many people use them interchangeably.
aa You can be a rich redneck as long as your heart is in the right place.
pcc you're right.
chuck Teddy boy is proof that you can be rich and powerful and still be white trash.
commoncents I will take a look at your blog and have no problem linking if I like it.
c-cs too many libs can't conceive of the difference.
gayle and Neo I knew you two were fine rednecks.
pjc Thanks for the link.
I seem to officially be a redneck.
Good, now I can correct all my dumb friends when they refer to me as white trash.
Shoprat: Great post! I'm one of "The Many, The Proud, The Rednecks!"
A little hard work never hurt anyone, and the results go a long way.
Yeah, I'm a redneck, and proud to show the scars on my hands.
I'm an Asian redneck; glad I'm not Asian "white trash".
i am definitely a redneck, a college educated redneck at that. i also home school...oh no...big time redneck. my husband is also a redneck. a college educated, financial services working, half Palestinian redneck...his other half is German, anyway, we are currently raising 2 small boys to be proud rednecks as well...
kw
Not quite redneck (not a really big fan of hard physical labor!), but definitely not White Trash.
BZ
Actually, the term redneck does not have anything to do with a sunburnt neck. It has to do the with red bandanas worn around the neck to protect against sunburn. Those first rednecks weren't stupid!
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