www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Western Pennsylvanians are Rednecks (Racists)

With all the people on the Forum who are from Pennsylvania,I'm surprised that this hasn't been mentioned:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j0q0L6_tj5OkoqKqBgOieU39awQAD93R80C80

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/17764334/detail.html

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/21/rep-murtha-calls-western-pa-redneck/

I've been called the same thing when the suburb brats from Chicagoland found that I was a native, down at SIU.

I know, I know, is it he does not want to re-elected?
Or is just that he has lost respect for himself and those around him since he has taken to calling them names. I am not from Penn., but my husband is and finds it quite ridiculous.

Christ is in our midst!! He is and always will be!!

I've lived in Western PA the bulk of my life. I do not drive a six-year-old-plus pickup truck. I do not carry a loaded rifle on a rack in the back of my pickup or other vehicle. There are so many other things that could be listed as "redneck" habits, traits, speech patterns, or behaviors. I have none of them. There is as much--or as little--culture in Western PA as there is in any other portion of this country.

If they taunt you in Chicago, it just proves that they haven't looked in a mirror lately. One big, glaring "redneck" trait is making fun of others who are different. It's parochial ignorance that makes a redneck and wherever you find that kind of attitude afflicting anyone you find yourself a real, true redneck.

One of our readings for tomorrow concerns the passage where the Chosen People are told not to oppress the alien in their midst since they were once aliens themselves in Egypt. The lesson for me? Remember the Gospel wherein love of God is inextricably bound up with love of neighbor. If you cannot treat a complete stranger with the utmost kindness you have no faith, no religion, no breeding, and possibly little more hope for becoming a civilized human being. If you cannot love the neighbor you see, how can you love God Whom you cannot see?

Boy, am I on a "cranky" today. And I've even had a handful of pain meds!! Maybe a hot cup of green tea and a good night's sleep . . .

In Christ,

BOB

Although I've been working and living in the Pittsburgh Area, I have kepted my voter registration in my hometown which is in the 12th PA Congressional District. I am a registered Democrat by choice, as both sides of my family were poor immigrants who came to Western Penna. to eek out a living in the bituminous coal mines.

I usually like to vote for all Democratic candidates, but with one exception. That would concern Mr. Murtha. I've never cared for his patronizing style of politics. He has been in his position for 34 years, and yet does little to improve the economic condition of the 12th PA Congressional District. It seems that Mr. Murtha is only concerned with the big defense contarctors and spends most of his efforts in getting these companys to build facilities in his district in exchange for their financial support of Mr. Murtha's election campaigns. Most of these companies employ very few local people. These defense contractors only build in Mr. Murtha's district because of the congressional allocations he procures for them. Building in his district is also very cheap, as the 12th Congressional District has been suffering economically for the last 30 years and taxes are very low in comparison to states that border Pennsylvania.

So am I surprised by the comments Mr. Murtha has made about Western Pennsylvania? No. It is just another example of him not really caring for the people who live in his district.

Ung (stepping off the soap box...)

At one time (before re-districting) Murtha was my Congressman, so feel my two cents is worth something. If he feels strongly that the people he represents are bad enough to be called "racists" and "redneck" then he should resign.

In a lighter sense, from what I've seen of the Washingtonian "favored" maybe being a redneck is actually a compliment.

Anyone who is honest has to admit that he is biased; to be totally unprejudiced is not human. Its when one's prejudice leads to hatred that it becomes evil.

By all means have the good night's sleep. And may I suggest strawberry or cherry-based tea? It's delicious, caffeine-free, and can be strengthened with the appropriate preserves, lemon or milk (I prefer lemon, but we live in a pluralist society), and sugar to taste.

Prosit!

Fr. Serge

Scroll down to the letter in Oct. 26th's Post-Gazette "My pork prejudice".

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08300/922727-110.stm

Ung

I'm glad they haven't gerrymandered him into being my representative. That's all I have to say on that issue.

Matt,

I drove up to Loretto-Cresson-Altoona from Windber two weeks ago. It was a very nice sunny day and the leaves were approaching peak color.
I haven't been to Penn State Altoona Campus since 1997. I am continuely amazed of the night-and-day economic difference between Johnstown and Altoona.
If Blair County is suffering from an economic recession, I couldn't tell. All of the shopping centers along Pleasant Valley RD. (Rt.220/I99 By-Pass area) were filled with shoppers. Compare that to the next day when I was back in Richland Twp. walking thru the Gallaria Mall. They have more empty store spaces than occupied store spaces. I mean it looked like a radiation ray had hit the area and had vaporized the local population. I'm always impressed how prosperous Altoona looks.

But then they have had Congressman Bud Shuster and his son as their represenative for more than twenty-five years. Bud Shuster fought for the federal highway monies and was successful in getting I99 built from the PA Turnpike exit in Bedford all the way to Port Matilda and eventually to Bellfonte. Because of I99, Altoona and the surrounding Blair-Bedford-Huntington County area is prospering.

Then there is the "Road-to-Nowhere" aka Rt. 219 in Somerset and Cambria Counties. The local people have been begging Murtha to fight for federal highway monies to complete the portion from Somerset to the Maryland border and from Ebensburg to Rt. 80. But Murtha doesn't care and it shows. Cambria and Somerset Counties are suffering and Blair, Bedford and Huntingdon Counties are booming.

The Pennsylvania economy is very dependent upon their Congressmen fighting for federal highway money. Some do care and fight for it, while others, like Murtha, don't care and don't fight for those monies.

Ung

Another example of the defense contractors taking care of Murtha.

"Gifts to Pet Charities Keep Lawmakers Happy" Sunday Oct. 19, 2008 NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/19/us/politics/19charity.html

Ung

Anyone here in "Redneck Western PA" catch the political rally at Washinton & Jefferson College? Clinton, Rendell and Murtha oh my!

Ung

UNG:

Clinton, Rendell and Murtha oh my!
Clinton, Rendell and Murtha oh my!
Clinton, Rendell and Murtha oh my!

Back up to the Wizard of OZ--

Walk along and repeat this a couple times and you'll surely scare the pants off many of the voters.

And, no, I avoid as many political rallies and speeches as possible, preferring to do my own research on candidates. After all, we rednecks don't have enough smarts to understand the high-falootin' talk of these people anyway.

BOB

"You might be a Redneck/Racist from Western PA if":
you are spoofed on SNL

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/road-to-the-white-house/787141/

Ung

"Redneck-Racists For Russell Unite"

I think that's a good campaign slogan for the PA 12th Congressional District 2008 Election!

Ung

Murtha calls you Pennsylvanians rednecks and racists and you vote for him.

Obama says you Pennsylvanians are stupid because you "cling to guns and your religion" and you vote for him.

What does that say?