Redneck Neighbors

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In the never ending quest for chuckles I offer you this.

Redneck Neighbors



-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), April 27, 2002

Answers

Cap:

Have you read; Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories by Jean Sheperd. The story on this site is a very close reproduction of part of this late 60's book. Hmmmm. Delbert Bumpus would be pleased. ;<)))

Best Wishes,,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 27, 2002.


You keep talkin bout us and it's gonna get ugly.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), April 27, 2002.

I''m sure that Lars has read Sheperd. He is proud of Indiana and the state doesn't produce all that many world class writers.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 27, 2002.


The Golden Age of Indiana Literature coincided the invention of basketball.

-- (lars@indy.net), April 27, 2002.

Lars:

You didn't answer the question. Have you read Sheperd? He is one of our best.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 27, 2002.



I realize the neighbor was a little.... unfamiliar with the social norms of the writer, and kinda lacking in foresight (hibachi et al), but it seems he was at least trying, in his own way, to be free.

But he doesn't fit "my" idea of a redneck.

But then I got my introduction to rednecks in Texas back in 1973. I was living off base and there was this little bar across from the complex I lived in. I would go over and shoot pool. The bar was kinda a family place, everyone knew each other, some all of their lives. One day I was talking about this place at work (on base)and the guys got upset and warned me never to go there again. I asked why. They said it was a redneck bar and everyone carried guns and knifes. I said...ah no, I never saw weapons, and it was a family place, sold beer and wine and mixers for bring your own hard liquor. The kids would come in and Mom and Dad would tell them there was a pot of something simmering on the stove and for the older kids to feed the youngins. The people were nice. So the next time I went I told the people at the bar what I had been told, they all reached into their boots, in the back of their pants or purse and brought out their guns and knifes. They agreed that, yes, they were rednecks. I said "oh, OK" and that was that, I didn't stop going there, as a matter of fact they helped me pick out my first gun and took me to the shooting range to learn how to use it.

I don't see why redneck is supposed to be such a bad thing, except maybe for the bigotry that was/is so common amongst them, but even that was kinda the same as we considered commies. They accepted a black or hispanic or two as part of their group. It was just that their beliefs were 30-40 years behind what I was used to back home in Seattle.

-- Cherri (whatever@who.cares), April 27, 2002.


But Cherri, rednecks (white trash, trailer trash, Appalachians, po' whites, southern whites, etc) are one of the few groups that are still PC to villify. Actually, Jews seem to be becoming legitiment targets again.

-- (lars@indy.net), April 27, 2002.

The term redneck seems to me to be a loose construct as per how different people define it, with even different regions of the country having different opinions/definitions.

I wouldn't call the dude at the website a redneck, he would fall into the category 'stupid fuck'.

Hell, I'd rather be called a redneck than alot of other terms I know, like asshole, thief, etc.. besides, one sentence outa my mouth and people know I'm not a yankee ; )

Is a redneck a good thing or a bad thing?

How do you define/characterize rednecks?

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), April 27, 2002.


Z--

But you never asked me a question.

I have never read Sheperd. I think I heard him on the radio in the early 60s, long before I moved here. Maybe I should try him now but it's my experience that humorists are most humorous in their own time.

-- (lars@indy.net), April 28, 2002.


But Cherri, rednecks (white trash, trailer trash, Appalachians, po' whites, southern whites, etc.) are one of the few groups that are still PC to vilify.

Personally, I do not think it is right to vilify anyone because they belong to or fall into any "group". Personally I believe individuals can be vilified due to their actions, no one asks to be born of certain parents in a particular part of the world. Hell, they don't even get the choice of which culture or religion they are brought up to believe. As they grow and become adults people have the ability to think, learn and choose who they wish to be. That is when they can be held responsible for their actions and the way they choose to (continue/learn to) think and behave.

One thing I have learned is that society doesn't change it's views overnight, it usually takes a generation or two, with the children learning (out of the home) to change the ideas and views they may be fed by their parents. It took over a decade for Bin Laden to take a young group of male children, isolate them and feed them propaganda until they ended up indoctrinated into the terrorists they became. From what I have learned since 911 is that a large group of them, when sent out into the world, and even into America, decided on their own that he was full of BS and the propaganda was negated by their own experiences and the reality they saw with their own eyes and experienced. It appears it is only those who have been kept in constant contact with their peers, their propaganda constantly reinforced, that are willing to perform the extreme acts such as performed on 911. From what I understand, most of the 19 hijackers weren't even aware that they were expected to die, that except for the "pilots" the others may not even have known at all, or not until the last few days or even hours.

Bin Laden used the training our CIA had given him in his effort, but look at the Afghanistans, they had no choice but to "join" the Taliban. Those who refused were beaten or even killed, a lot disappeared in the dark of night to escape. Bin Laden had his training camps and propaganda, but when his trainees were sent out as moles into the US, their logic and common sense showed them that living in an 14th century dust bowl was not preferable over the individual freedom and comfort in this free society.

If there was an overwhelming desire of OBL followers, we would have had multiple attacks and a hell of a lot more damage than what happened on 911. Personally, I think they shot their wad on 911, there may be few others brainwashed enough to do much more. As for the suicide bombers going into Israel, that is because there is a constant conflict that goes on daily and is constantly reinforced. The reaction of Americans to protect our Muslim citizens against backlashes over 911 probably had a lot to do with preventing extremist and hostile actions here.

Only extremists like OBL twist what is a peaceful religious belief (Muslim) into something sick and violent. His teachings are not the norm and do not influence honestly peaceful Muslims in this country.

-- Cherri (whatever@who.cares), April 28, 2002.



Cherri, you said:

“As for the suicide bombers going into Israel, that is because there is a constant conflict that goes on daily and is constantly reinforced.”

So, as long as there is a ‘constant conflict that goes on daily and is constantly reinforced’, we should expect/accept the actions of suicide bombers?

A stupid statement and a dangerous premise.

-- FatOlsonLand (home@2.fools), April 28, 2002.


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