S.C. lawmaker proud 'redneck'

Source: Politico

Republican South Carolina state Sen. Jake Knotts is a redneck, he’s proud of it, and he plans to stay in the state Legislature even though his party wants him to resign.

“If all of us rednecks leave the Republican Party, the party would have one hell of a void,” Knotts said on the South Carolina Senate floor Tuesday. “I am proud to be stereotyped a redneck.”

The Lexington County GOP passed a resolution earlier this week demanding Knotts resign after he called President Barack Obama and state Sen. Nikki Haley, the leading contender for the Republican nomination for governor, “ragheads.”

...

He apologized — again — sort of. “I deeply regret the remarks that I said and have already apologized before anyone asked me too,” he said. “I’m sorry my disgusting remarks have offended some people …in these days and times anything you say can offend people.”


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38574.html#ixzz0qzNGpr7Y

they never fail to come through.

But he is an asshole.

He's an embarrassment to rednecks everywhere.

Origin of the term "redneck"

The popular etymology says that the term derives from such individuals having a red neck caused by working outdoors in the sunlight over the course of their lifetime. The effect of decades of direct sunlight on the exposed skin of the back of the neck not only reddens fair skin, but renders it leathery and tough, and typically very wrinkled by late middle age. Another popular theory stems from the use of red bandannas tied around the neck to signify union affiliation during the violent clashes between United Mine Workers and owners between 1910 and 1920.

Some historians claim that the term redneck originated in 17th century Virginia, when indentured servants were sunburnt while tending plantation crops.

An alternative origin of the term comes from Scotland. In Scotland, the National Covenant and The Solemn League and Covenant (aka Covenanters)signed documents stating that Scotland desired a Presbyterian Church Government, and rejected the Church of England as their official church.

Many of the Covenanters Signed these documents using their own blood, and many in the movement began wearing red pieces of cloth around their neck to signify their position to the public. They were referred to as Rednecks. Many of the early inhabitants of the US South were of Scottish Descent, and according to this theory, this term was applied to many of the southern Scottish immigrants early on, eventually changing into the term we know today.

"Redneck" and "Leatherneck" have also been associated with the U.S. Marine Corps. I would assume for the same reasons...working / staying outside for long periods of time.

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/19831

Having descended from a long line of Va. indentured servants, having been raised in the Presbyterian Church, having many union members in my immediate family, and having been a Navy nurse who had the privilege and honor to serve with the Marines, I am PROUD to be a redneck.

I know rednecks, and you, Jake, are NO redneck! What you are is a miserable, racist POS!

That's just cowardice, Knotts.

Union workers wore red bandanas around their necks when they duked it out with the union buster thugs hired by owners to squash unionization of mines in West Virginia during the turn of the century.

Ironic given the fact that this idiot would have sided with the thugs killing the "rednecks."

"Redneck" has been used since the 1800's as a disparaging term referring to dirt poor white farmers. "Redneck" was a reference to the fact that most spent so much time outside that they were always sunburned. Rich white farmers could afford slaves to do their work. Poor white farmers had to work their own fields and pick their own crops. The wealthy white southern gentry of the day looked down on the poor white farmer as a "lesser" person, so the term was meant as an insult. It was almost synonymous with "white trash".

Like "dyke", "n____r", and so many other bigoted terms through history, the poor whites adopted the word as their own and started wearing it as a badge of pride. It's an insult when a non-redneck calls someone a redneck. It's a badge of belonging when a redneck uses the term for himself or a friend.

I don't consider myself a redneck, but I come from a family full of them.

Well he certainly lives up to the uneducated backwoods image of a redneck.

Now if only he would resign so someone competent could come in.

Sadly, I have a feeling his popularity probably went up after he said it.

Face it - just because you live in the South, have a drawl, own a truck and like Country and Western does not make you a redneck.

Being ignorant and proud of it does

Just to be clear: This is a Republican saying this, right?

If so, then he might be just a little too honest for the teabaggers!

You, sir, are a racist.

:patriot:

to say you are sorry someone was offended.

An apology is when you own what you did.

"I'm sorry I said such ugly, nasty things."

That's an apology.