Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 23:27:58 -0500

From: "Bethany K. Dumas" dumasb[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UTK.EDU

Subject: Re: redneck, nigger, good ole boy, kicker, etc.



On Mon, 27 Oct 1997, David A. Johns wrote:



It seems to me that the issue is the same one surrounding the

inclusion of the Confederate battle flag in the state flags of South

Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi, or the use of that flag or the

Li'l Reb mascot for high schools throughout the South. In these

contexts, the non-rednecks or non-fans-of-the-Confederacy are a

captive membership.



I think this issue has become doubly confused (surprise!). If I read you

right, you equate "non-rednecks" with "non-fans-of-the Confederacy." Is

that your meaning?



And if you do that (please correct me if I am wrong), you probably ALSO

equate "rednecks" (whatever your definition is) with "fans-of-the

Confederacy." Right?



Puhleeze! This is East Tennessee -- Union country! There are very few

fans of the Confederacy here!



Let us not mix labels any more than we mix metaphors!



Bethany, who had never known more than 2-3 people who admitted to being

Republicans until she moved to East Tennessee, and who still says that out

loud in public