R i g h t a r d i a: Momma, don't let your sons grow up to be red necks

by The Major

A lot of people in the South take it as a compliment when they are called red necks. This is what Wikipedia has to say about that.

Redneck is a historically derogatory slang term used in reference to poor white farmers in the Southern United States. It is similar in meaning to cracker (especially regarding Georgia and Alabama), hillbilly (especially regarding Appalachia and the Ozarks), and white trash (but without the last term's suggestions of immorality).

In recent decades, the term expanded its meaning to mean bigoted, loutish, and opposed to modern ways, and has often been used to attack Southern conservatives and racists. At the same time, some Southern whites have reclaimed the word, using it with pride and defiance as a self-identifier.

The term characterized farmers having a red neck caused by sunburn or a mixture of sweat and the dust of red clay dirt common in the southern states.

I have farmers in my family, both cattle and dairy, and know most are hard working people who are not red necks.Many farmers have well grounded children who excel and most go to college. The family farm has been the American dream for many American families.

As Kansas Bob has put it:

You might be a Redneck if...Your idea of a 7 course meal is a bucket of KFC and a sixpack.

A citation from 1893 provides a definition (of red necks) as "poorer inhabitants of the rural districts...men who work in the field, as a matter of course, generally have their skin stained red and burnt by the sun, and especially is this true of the back of their necks.

We had the warning signs that one of our our sons was going to be a red neck when he was little. Little Tommy saw the world in terms of power: big v. little. monster trucks v. regular trucks and ordinary humans morphing into the Incredible Hulk.

He wasn't as bad as the baby in this graphic, but he was close: http://www.theredneckmommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Redneck-vs-Baby.jpg

As Tommy got older he developed a big lip that got him in trouble in school. He was a C and D student in school and my wife an I had plenty of parent teacher conferences about his attitude.

When he was a teen, he was a big fan of the Dukes of Hazzard. He liked the General Lee car with the confederate flag and the auto chases, but missed a lot of the satire about the Southland. He missed the parody about Boss Hawg who was recently reincarnated as Haley Barbour.

I remember when we took Little Tommy to the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Tommy wanted me to buy him a confederate flag from a street vendor in a city in which half the people are black. I suggested this was a bad idea. Tommy didn't really understand the political sensibilities that I was talking about.

Tommy's attitude at an early age was '"I'm right and you're wrong" and showed little respect for other view points. When he was 14 he wanted a weight set so he could 'bulk up" and get bigger. Being big was a core value that he had about himself. He needed to be larger than life like the Incredible Hulk.

I warned Tommy in his thirties that he needed to back off on bulking up "You going to bulk up naturally as you get older," I warned Tommy.

When Tommy was in his mid-thirties, he started complaining he was feeling bad all of the time. His mother finally got her red neck son to the doctor. Tommy had his triglycerides at 1000 and his cholesterol ratings were off the chart, too .

Tommy had worked as a personal trainer and he believed he could self-medicate himself with supplements from a health food store. This is peculiar because he had health insurance though the corporation he worked for, Would he go to a real doctor? No!

Tommy has started to listen to his doctor's advice and his weight has come down. He doesn't complain about his health as often.

When Tommy was 18 he told me that I was a failure and that he was going to be a millionaire by age 35 , live in a beach home, have two cars and a boat. He also planned to marry a model.

He was a real optimist for a young man with a general education diploma from high school.

My own circumstances aren't important, but I live in a nice home, a beautiful wife and two wonderful non-red neck children. I have lived the American dream but not as a boot-licking snot nosed corporatist conservative.

I have lived the American dream but not as a boot-licking snot nosed corporatist conservative.

I have made waves and wasn't afraid to speak up like the folks who watch Fox News and go to Tea Party events.

Tommy got the part about the two cars.right but that's about it. For reasons unknown, he didn't trade in his 14 year old vehicle when he purchased a late model used car. His living situation is atrocious and he doesn't live near a beach, have a boat and has remained unmarried. His few girl friends have been lovely, but are hardly models.

Today Tommy is nearly 39 and his prospects for marriage is low. People his age who have never been married have about a one in four chance for marriage. Once he reaches 40, The odds drop to 1: 20.

Tommy has said that Social Security won''t be there for him in his 60's, but he has made no progress toward owning a home. We heard constantly from our family red neck that renting was throwing money away.

Believe it or not, Tommy actually purchased a gun with his unemployment insurance after the 2008 elections! He also purchased ammo every month because he bought into the right wing scuttle butt that ammo would become scarce after Obama became president.

As a a red neck Tommy's life centers around his work, his vehicle, going to the shooting range on the weekend, camping once or twice a year and watching TV.

He likes to watch blue collar documentaries on the middle eastern conflicts, Larry the cable guy, ice road truckers, Alaska logger shows and shows on Louisiana swamp fisherman.

Tommy got into an argument with his mother last week in my home because she didn't want to watch a logging show. Although our cable service has 200 channels. according to Tommy "nothing else was on TV."

He is very anti-intellectual and unsophisticated about international events, US history and politics.He calls Japanese cars 'rice burners" and won't eat a Fuji apple which is delicious.

Yes, he is a xenophobe.

I warned Tommy repeatedly that he needed to either get a house or rent. Finally in the sixth year at my home, I had to threaten eviction to get some peace in my home.

Tommy was very upset dung the 2008 elections when I was supporting the Obama campaign and walked the neighborhood for the president and had an Obama sign on my front lawn. He thought that my children needed the other view; the right wing wacko world of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News. This caused constant heated arguments.

No way. One n'er do well red neck in my family was one too many. It was time for my red neck guest to leave.

It was a happy day when he moved out and I got my house and garage back. Well, that is another story.

I am inclined to think there some genetic issues are at play because all three of my children were raised the same way. Tommy is a step child so perhaps he has one of those brains with an enlarged limbic system that makes people more emotional than logical.

I don't know why Tommy was so different than the other children. Perhaps its genetics or a congenital issue.

Click to enlarge

Scientists have found that conservative have brains with larger amygdalas that is part of the limbic system, The amygdala is associated with anxiety and emotion.

Conservatives also have a smaller anterior cingulate than people with progressive views. This is the area at the front of the brain associated with courage and looking on the brighter side of life.

Many studies suggests the anterior cingulate performs error detection, anticipation of tasks, attention, motivation, and modulation of emotional responses to the anterior cingulate's cortex.