Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Politically Correct

My brother, who was born in Kentucky, informed me it is no longer politically correct to call him a hillbilly. He says from now on when he has to declare his ethnicity on legal (or illegal) forms he is going to put down Appalachian American.

I've given this a lot of thought. I live in southern Appalachia but I wasn't born in the South. I reckon from now on, just to be politically correct, I'm gonna list myself as a Damnyankee (all one word). I've been told (by honest to God Southerners) that a Yankee is one of them consarn Northerners and a Damnyankee is one of them consarn Northerners who fergot to go back. Yep, that's me alright.

2 comments:

Nabeel said...

I think the ethnicity option lists various ethnicities, I always select Asian ... as I am from Pakistan. But in your brother's case, it should simply be American.

Wamblings said...

Nabeel, Simply American would be boring. It is much more fun to write in something. I've tended towards European American (since my ancestors were largely European (with slight traces of perhaps the Mongal hordes raping their way across Europe)) but Damnyankee works too or sometimes simply Hoosier since Hoosiers really are a bit of a law unto themselves in a way like yet unlike Texans. My brother was born in Kentucky though raised as a Hoosier which might be the reason he also hates to settle for boring American when he could write in Hillbilly or Appalachian American.