Redneck

     Redneck, a term we have all come to know. Today, the term denotes a gun carrying, camouflage waring, slang speaking, beer drinking, throw it together with what you have on hand, fight picking, truck driving, idiot that does not ware a suit or dress and never will, unless someone dies or gets married, and it won't fit properly even then. Does that about cover it?
    Allow me to enlighten you. The term redneck originated in the coal mines. When the coal mines began, these were basically slave jobs that immigrants preformed. Immigrants were not offered many employment options. The company valued their donkeys more then their workers. The men were paid in script. This was only useable at the company store. The stores prices were much higher then an ordinary store. Therefore, the store gave credit. It wasn't till the 1970's that the company stores closed. The homes the miners lived in were owned by the company. The tools were purchased from and must be sharpened by the company for which the company charged. Payment was not given for any work until the coal came out of the ground and the wages were changed to suit the company as it profited them. If a collapse occurred, whom ever made it out or was not on that shift, would have to dig their coworkers out, dead or alive, as well as the coal, in order to be paid. If the husband died, their first born son usually died also, because the oldest would work with his father. Then the next son would take their place in the mines. If there was no son to work, the family was put out on the streets soon after. Rent could only be paid in script and the only way to get script was to work the mines. So, a widow with only daughters would have to leave her home with nothing but the clothes on her back.
    As one would imagine, the miners eventually revolted. The company hired Pinkertons to restore order. The minors left the small homes and lived in make shift tents. The women hung their pots and pans toward the top of the tents, in order to deflect bullets that were shot into said tents at night by the Pinkertons. The miners would distinguished themselves from the Pinkertons and company, by waring a red bandana around their neck. Thus the term "redneck" came to be.
     How do I know these things? My father-in-law, Joesph Smerdell, began to work for the coal mines when he was eleven years old. Before his death, at ninety one years of age, he was honored at a dinner for over seventy five years of membership in the United Mines Workers Association. At that dinner, a lady preformed a monolog, telling stories as a coal minors daughter. She recounted how one miner would go drink and gamble with his script and gain more. When he came home, he passed out. His wife, took the extra script and put it between the pages of her bible as she read it. When her husband woke up he asked where his winnings were. His wife said, "if you would just read the bible, all your questions would be answered". He just grumbled and sulked back to work thinking he had lost it.
     Much later, I found out there were those in my own family who owned coal mines. This sickened me. However, they had issues of their own. Go figure. So, now when you think of the term redneck, you will know where the term originated and the reason for it. Our country has a long history of treating outsiders badly. May we realize that all are made in the likeness and image of creator God, including rednecks.