Actually the term Redneck originated in Scotland and has religious connotations. When the Church of England was formed a Presbitarian (I think) minister was so opposed to it that he and numerous others signed a pact to continue to practice their faith. They were so serious about it that they signed with their own blood. They then wore pieces of cloth around their necks that had been collored with the blood, hence the derivation of the term Redneck. When many Scots immigrated to America they settled in the rural areas of the South and the name stuck.
Very interesting! I'd never heard that. Will definitely pass that on to my dad as his family originates from Scotland.
In the "Old South" this is what we were told: The term "redneck" came from farmers who toiled their lifetime out in the hot sun. It was explained that because most were dirt poor and held no formal education they had to rely on doing backbreaking work to make a living. Formally educated "gentlemen" never stooped to backbreaking work out in the hot sun, getting dirt on their hands and a "redneck" from the sun. This, supposedly, was the first of many ways to tell a redneck from a true gentleman.
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I was very offended by the OP calling FL Rednecks and Crackers.......with both the definitions of rednecks that have been explained thus far, I don't think it is something to be ashamed of............hard workers should never be ashamed! But thanks to Jeff Foxworthy most people think rednecks are people with very little education and poor upbringing but considering that most Floridians hail from other areas and are so called well educated how can we be rednecks!
Doesn't cable here seem very expensive? I'll admit that I do miss HGTV, but I'm just too cheap to pay $45 a month for cable!
