# Redneck is a racist term **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 2, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053 "2009-03-02T20:24:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/21 "2009-03-02T21:31:53Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > See post 6 If there are no Asian rednecks, then did the King of the Hill ep “The Redneck on Rainy Street” steer me wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/22 "2009-03-02T21:42:36Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Wrong. Do a search on this message board. It is CLEARLY used as a racist term. It’s not my job to provide cites for your argument. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/23 "2009-03-02T21:50:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Slurs like white trash were discussed in this thread about a month ago](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10683153&post10683153). **Ed Zotti** notes that SDMB policy echoes U.S. antidiscrimination laws, and “white trash” and "redneck " do not appear to be included as hate speech. Are there any terms that refer to white folks that are hate speech?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/24 "2009-03-02T21:52:43Z")
I’d have to say it’s derogatory not racist. The same as slut, or bum. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/25 "2009-03-02T21:54:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Are there any terms that refer to white folks that are hate speech?😕 Speaking for myself, and not as a matter of board policy? Nothing comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/26 "2009-03-02T22:06:58Z")
I have yet to have an intelligent explanation of why “white trash” isn’t hate speech in many of the ways I’ve heard it used. Are we really going to rely on the US Gov’ment as our model? May God have mercy upon our souls. Tell me how calling human beings “trash” is not a most hateful thing? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/27 "2009-03-02T22:10:11Z")
The question isn’t whether it’s hateful on its own terms, as lots of insults are “hateful.” The whether or not it falls into the category of racial or other slurs that aren’t allowed here. To date, board policy has been that it is not. I agree with that view. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/28 "2009-03-02T22:11:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Speaking for myself, and not as a matter of board policy? Nothing comes to mind. So, “whiteboy” or “honkey” is not racist? But other similar terms that refer to a minority are? :dubious: Are we going for “nothing you can say about a non-minority can be racist”?:dubious: If the population of the USA slips so that white people fall below 50% are those terms suddenly racist now? Some of our posters are in nations where white people are in the minority, would that make their terms racist in that case? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/29 "2009-03-02T22:28:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So, “whiteboy” or “honkey” is not racist? But other similar terms that refer to a minority are? :dubious: You switched up your terms there: racist, yes. Banned hate speech? No. > [@](#): > > Are we going for “nothing you can say about a non-minority can be racist”?:dubious: “Going for?” This is exactly how these rules have been enforced for years on this board. > [@](#): > > If the population of the USA slips so that white people fall below 50% are those terms suddenly racist now? No. > [@](#): > > Some of our posters are in nations where white people are in the minority, would that make their terms racist in that case? No. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/30 "2009-03-02T22:35:44Z")
So, only groups which are currently part of a minority here in the USA can be a target of hate speech? Doesn’t that seem a bit odd? I mean, why does the fact that white people are right now a majority in the USA make them forever immune to any terms which could be considered hate speech? Why is it that the current USA population % have anything at all to do with whether or not it is hate speech? Honestly- saying that Black people can be targted by hate speech but white people can’t, just because white people currently hold a slim majority of the population here in the USA seems a little, well- “racist”, no? Really, you need to rethink this. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/31 "2009-03-02T22:54:20Z")
No, it’s that words like “whitey” or “redneck” do not have the history that words like “nigger” or “darkie” do. Usually in the past, whites were targeted by names more specific to their ethnic backgrounds: wop, dego, polack, hunky, mick, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/32 "2009-03-02T23:02:17Z")
I’ve heard “bama” as a slur for a black person who is hick/country/corny/out-of-fashion. It seems something like redneck, but again is an expression for a subset of an ethnic group. ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/33 "2009-03-02T23:21:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > So, “whiteboy” or “honkey” is not racist? But other similar terms that refer to a minority are? :dubious: > > Are we going for “nothing you can say about a non-minority can be racist”?:dubious: > > If the population of the USA slips so that white people fall below 50% are those terms suddenly racist now? > > Some of our posters are in nations where white people are in the minority, would that make their terms racist in that case? I alays preferred ofay Dictionary: o·fay (ō’fā’) Home \> Library \> Literature & Language \> Dictionaryn. Offensive Slang. Used as a disparaging term for a white person. [Possibly of West African origin.] WORD HISTORY The commonly seen etymology of ofay—Pig Latin for foe—is of less interest than the more likely story of this word’s origins. The word, which is first recorded in the first quarter of the 20th century, must have been in use much longer if it is, as some scholars think, borrowed from an African source. Although this source has not been pinned down, the suggested possibilities are in themselves interesting. One would trace it to the Ibibio word afia, “white or light-colored.” Another would have it come from Yoruba ofe, a word that was said in order to protect oneself from danger. The term was then transferred to white people, regarded as a danger to Black people throughout the wretched days of slavery and beyond. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/34 "2009-03-02T23:30:23Z")
Personally I aspire to be vilified by “white devil” as I am torn apart by the swarthy mob. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/35 "2009-03-02T23:30:34Z")
I’d prefer to say it was charitable. Redneck retard would be more accurate. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/36 "2009-03-02T23:33:58Z")
I don’t think it’s disingenuous. I live in central Virginia, and I’ve come across plenty of Blacks and Mexicans who live and act exactly like the stereotypical white rednecks. So if some one says “I live next door to some real rednecks”, I don’t automatically assume they are white. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/37 "2009-03-02T23:39:18Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Oh thank god. I was offended for no reason. Phew! In all seriousness, are you actually offended by the word “redneck”? Or is this one of those “if I can’t say nigger they shouldn’t be able to say honkey” type things? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/38 "2009-03-03T00:10:09Z")
Redneck is not racist. It does not compare to the n word. Many whites seem to happily describe themselves as Redneck and like the Redneck culture and just point out that Redneck does not equal Racist. ---
**Author:** ![HolyFreakingMoly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@HolyFreakingMoly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HolyFreakingMoly)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/39 "2009-03-03T00:19:45Z")
Wasn’t “redneck” originally used to talk about farmers, field workers, who would have sunburned necks from bending over in fields all day? Unless “farmer” or “field worker” is a race, I don’t think it’s racist. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053/40 "2009-03-03T00:22:27Z")
If ever someone calls me a “honkey”, I correct them. “No, I’m a HUNKY, thankyouverymuch!” (My grandfather was Hungarian-Slovak.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/redneck-is-a-racist-term/488053.md?page=3)