A few years ago, Jeff Foxworthy came up with a comedy routine of, “You may be a redneck if…” A redneck would be an individual who lives in a rural setting and whose lifestyle does not fit the mold of the city-dwelling majority. Redneck pertains mostly to southern, white, men.

Bill Cosby coined the term “knucklehead” for individuals who don’t obey laws and offer little in support for their families. It pertains mostly to young, black, delinquent, men.

I propose a new term — “knuckleneck.” A knuckleneck makes no reference to skin color. They are black, brown, white and all shades between. It makes no reference to gender. They are male or female. It makes no reference to age or geographical region in which one lives. They are of all ethnicities.

I see knucklenecks as a counter-culture of less than desirable individuals who for the most part do not respect laws and who are constantly “figuring an angle” to outdo someone. They act inappropriately when interacting with other members of society and are either under-employed or unemployed because of their behavior. They do mostly what they want, when they want and to hell with you and yours.

You may be a knuckleneck if:

4You don’t maintain your property in a presentable manner.

4You had no lust for education and faltered miserably in an unenthusiastic attempt at it.

4You have shoplifted items from stores or stolen from your neighbors.

4You flee from and/or fight with investigating officers.

4You have shot or stabbed someone.

4You have been incarcerated.

4You live in government-subsidized housing and drive a new Lincoln.

4You trade your food stamp allotment for unauthorized purchases.

4You ripped off FEMA and/or other welfare programs.

4You have two or more ID cards and/or Social Security cards.

4You always feel like you are a victim and love to count your sorrows.

4You wear your pants below your buttocks and show the world your “whitey-tighties.”

4You use illegal drugs.

4You routinely sleep until after noon and go out after dark, to come home after 3 a.m.

4You drive through neighborhoods and parking lots where children are present, blaring your sound system of annoying music with filthy lyrics.

Some of the above identifying criteria may apply to all of us, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we all are knucklenecks. Most or all of the identifying points will apply to the true knucklenecks.

Being a knuckleneck is a problem. It’s a problem for society and it’s a problem for the knuckleneck. They tend to lie around waiting for someone to come help them.

Unfortunately, no one is coming; they must get up and help themselves and their family members.

Life would run so much smoother for knucklenecks, and they would get so much more out of living, if only they joined the vast majority of individuals who think more of families than they do of themselves.

Ed Field

Natchez