What's in a "Red Neck" Name

I am so lucky to have friends from all walks of life and from different races. When I first arrived in the US, my husband's close circle of friends were "white". Everyday, I get to know each of his friends and their family. At work, his friends entwined with different races. It never became a hindrance as to the working relationship and I get to know most of them as a real person. There were "blacks" from Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Jamaica and St. Thomas who were really our close friends. We have Spanish speaking friends from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Equador too. But, I never heard them saying anything bad if someone proudly announced the "redneck" word.

In my workplace at present, I am the only asian and everyone is American. I can sense the anger when my caucasian co-employee announced that she is a Redneck. My black co-employees were mad! Let us check the meaning of a redneck then:

is a derogatory slang term to refer to poor white Southern farmers in the United States

So, it has nothing to do with white or black right? If you live in a country, you are a redneck. Oh well, not true actually! But, even Sarah Palin says she is redneck! When I eat using my hand and set aside my utensils, my husband would tease me saying that I am a redneck! A term that is equal to "probinsyana" meaning those who live in the province. There is nothing wrong with the word redneck, or was it? But, it was a big deal to my black friends! One guy told me that he was mad because two of the women in our epartment says it loudly. As if bragging and telling him (the black man) to back off. He says that rednecks were the descendants of KKK and persecuted the blacks after the civil war. What is your point of view on this? As for me, I guess there is a misunderstanding with this case. The women did not know that they offended our friend. I tried to convince him that what they meant was that they are poor country girl and they are proud of it. The lesson to this story: Think before you talk. Words can strike like an arrow. Also, do not live in the past. Be realistic and adapt the real world we live in. If each one of us would do something like this, we will have a brighter tomorrow!