Every day I see things in the news that drive me absolutely crazy. I see at least 10 things each day that I want to write about just from Facebook. That doesn’t include what I hear on the radio, TV news programming, and from friends and family. The reason I chose to blog is because I want share my thoughts about these issues with you for comment and feedback. I have lived in the South my entire life, with 35 years of that in Tennessee. I am married with young children. I care about many things that touch mine and my family’s lives and I plan to write about those in this blog.
Now some of you may be offended by the name of my blog. Let’s talk about the history of the word, “hillbilly”. According to Merriam-Webster, this is what it means:
Definition of hillbilly
plural hillbillies
often disparaging + offensive
Hillbilly is a term (often derogatory) for people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas in the United States, primarily in Appalachia and the Ozarks, Uwharrie Mountains, and Caraway Mountains. Due to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term can be offensive to those Americans of Appalachian or Ozark heritage.
Now this is the definition I would use if Merriam-Webster asked me to rewrite the definition:
Definition of hillbilly
plural hillbillies
may be used to be disparaging or offensive, but that word is a source of pride for many who grew up in the hills and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains
The East Tennessee Hillbilly 