Apparently Being “Redneck” Makes You Racist

Dealing With Ignorant, Close-Minded Individuals

Writing on a digital platform allows you to learn a lot about other cultures and races that you might not have known before.

You could write an article in America and someone from India could read it and leave a comment showing you a different perspective. To me, that’s really cool.

However, this leaves you open for other ignorant people to comment on something you wrote too. Not just on the story, but in a personal DM on other platforms.

As a writer on Medium grows more followers and begins to be noticed, it’s almost like a magnet attracting them in.

This is one of those stories.

Rednecks Aren’t Racist

I’m a redneck.

I hunt, fish, and work outside as a farmer when I’m not writing articles on Medium.

The term “Redneck” refers to a blue-collar worker that works outside resulting in a “Red Neck”. That’s where the term came from.

The current political environment has created a divide between Democrats and Republicans. If you are a “redneck” most people assume that you are a Republican and you side with Donald Trump. This is stereotyping and close-minded individuals make these assumptions.

I’m also the least racist person that people will meet. I’m a strong advocate for the BLM movement and whenever I hear the “N” word in public or online I make sure I tell them how unacceptable that is.

I love the word “Fuck”. It’s my favorite sentence enhancer. I also like to work on my truck and do redneck things. I enjoy hick hop and love a fat dip in my lip during deer season.

Just like some democrats don’t support the BLM movement some republicans do. You can’t judge someone just for liking certain activities.

All you have to do is read some of my more political articles to realize that I don’t support Trump and I vote democrat even though I live in the country and love guns.

If you don’t like anything I write you don’t have to read it, plain and simple. I’m not going to get down on my knees and blow you for a read. I’m also not going to stand for ignorant stereotypical comments to be said. That will earn you a block really fast.

The Culprit

I woke up to this message from this Karen on discord that took something I wrote and assumed it was racist.

I wrote my first draft of my response very angrily and passive-aggressively.

It felt good to get it out of my system, but after reflecting on it I let Second-Draft Rusty take the wheel.

I ended up leaving her this response:

“First of all you attack me for being “emotional” but that’s what writing is. I don’t owe you or anyone an explanation for what I write. Writing is an art and even if I don’t agree with anything someone said I’m pretty respectful of their opinion. However, your opinion is ignorant and written in hate like a true “Karen”. Being a redneck doesn’t make someone “racist”. If you weren’t ignorant you would know that. Your threatening to “report me” doesn’t scare me and I implore you to do so. I hope you do because anything I’ve written doesn’t fall under Medium’s terms of service for being removed or blocked. Which tells me you didn’t read their terms of service when you signed up. I created this place as a way to connect with other writers and learn from others’ views and opinions. You literally took that as a way for you to harass others. Harassment won’t be tolerated. I also feel bad for your husband because he’s obviously married to a racist that uses her marriage as a way to say “look I’m not racist, I’m married to an African American”. After talking to my “Homies” we have decided to ban you from the platform. Maybe you should consider looking at things with an open mind instead of a closed one. You make more friends that way :)”

Very tactful, I think 2nd draft Rusty nailed it.

Opinions

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

Opinions make the world go round and allow other people to see another point of view. A well-worded opinion has the power to change lives. As writers and people we have different opinions and that’s okay.

Even if an opinion is different than mine, I’m pretty respectful about it. I always answer with intellectual conversation and I understand that not everyone likes hearing fuck all the time, even if I love it. I’ve actually made friends over our love of the word “fuck”. So obviously some people enjoy it.

If you don’t like hearing “fuck” in everything I write, don’t read it. Pretty simple. I’m not going to bend over backward for you to like me. I’ve even written an article about it.

My point is, not everyone will like something you wrote. You are going to come across Karens and other people that don’t have this outlook. It’s inevitable.

I’ll keep doing me and you keep doing you, no judgment. I’ll even support you in that endeavor because that’s what good people do.

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