Well, I'll agree to your definition of redneck and add on to my definition of hillbilly: hillbillies are the ones that have come up from rural and poor backgrounds and never turned their backs on where they came from. Where I live, most are white but we do have some black and even Latino hillbillies. For the most part they're pretty good folks who just want to be left alone to do their thing, which usually involves living out in the country or finding a way to get back out there. They're the ones who truly love fishing and hunting and the like. Rednecks are, like you said, the ones who want that lifestyle you described -- I have always given them a bit of the side-eye because they aren't from the countryside or haven't been for a long time...and most of them around here will not help a brother or sister out (something the hillbillies always do). To be honest, "redneck" around here is synonymous with bigoted, try-hard jackass, all smiles and Jesus while they stab you in the back. That's the definition of them around here. Maybe the definition your black friend thought of too. Words can mean different things to different people -- hillbilly probably means something different for you.

And yes, what you described as white trash is exactly what we've got around here -- they may not live in tar shacks (some of the poorer hillbillies have those), but they're some of the nastiest pos I've ever encountered. You were right to lock your doors...they're vile, the same as the worst in bad parts of the cities. White folks need to be as scared of them as non-white -- they're snakes, and no, you never know which way they'll go if you're unlucky enough to be around them (one of the reasons most of us around here would like to be able to defend our property).

Edit: sometimes they're not all that poor either -- most are great at playing the system; real masters at it...they just don't have shit to their names/can't pay their bills, won't feed/clothe their kids because they toss their money at drugs, booze, a half dozen jalopies with expensive rims, getting their nails and hair done, and parties.

Second edit: I'll add this because I don't want to come off offensive: you mentioned southern things w/ regards to rednecks (as defined around here to separate them out from the hillbillies, dirt farmers, and other associated townsfolk) -- that's part of the problem around here; I've seen some of the good ol' boys from the country club (there's a tell) doing the "I just love havin' good biscuits and sweet tea...blah, blah, blah" -- the jackass works as an operations manager for one of the big agri businesses in the area (who treat their workers like shit) and was born/raised in Wisconsin! He shouldn't try and fool people, and it doesn't work on quite a few (and other than him having money, he and his wife have the same morals as the white trash...none, maybe negative)

Well, I'll agree to your definition of redneck and add on to my definition of hillbilly: hillbillies are the ones that have come up from rural and poor backgrounds and never turned their backs on where they came from. Where I live, most are white but we do have some black and even Latino hillbillies. For the most part they're pretty good folks who just want to be left alone to do their thing, which usually involves living out in the country or finding a way to get back out there. They're the ones who truly love fishing and hunting and the like. Rednecks are, like you said, the ones who want that lifestyle you described -- I have always given them a bit of the side-eye because they aren't from the countryside or haven't been for a long time...and most of them around here will not help a brother or sister out (something the hillbillies always do). To be honest, "redneck" around here is synonymous with bigoted, try-hard jackass, all smiles and Jesus while they stab you in the back. That's the definition of them around here. Maybe the definition your black friend thought of too. Words can mean different things to different people -- hillbilly probably means something different for you.

And yes, what you described as white trash is exactly what we've got around here -- they may not live in tar shacks (some of the poorer hillbillies have those), but they're some of the nastiest pos I've ever encountered. You were right to lock your doors...they're vile, the same as the worst in bad parts of the cities. White folks need to be as scared of them as non-white -- they're snakes, and no, you never know which way they'll go if you're unlucky enough to be around them (one of the reasons most of us around here would like to be able to defend our property).

Edit: sometimes they're not all that poor either -- most are great at playing the system; real masters at it...they just don't have shit to their names/can't pay their bills, won't feed/clothe their kids because they toss their money at drugs, booze, a half dozen jalopies with expensive rims, getting their nails and hair done, and parties.