People think when I refer to myself as a hillbilly or a redneck that I am degrading myself. Quite the contrary. I am proud of the fact that I am a hillbilly and a redneck. I was born and raised in these Pennsylvania Mountains. There are many who are more rednecks and hillbillies than I am. We do not need a lot of material things to be happy. We do not sit around and wait for the lottery to drop a bundle in our lap. We work hard for everything we have and we mostly live with very meager possessions.

I have lived with a lot and I have lived with very little and either way I can survive. My happiness is not based on the material things I own but rather on the memories I have of a loving godly father who give me unconditional love and taught me how to give it. I also have memories of a mother who was always there when I came from school. We had what we needed, we didn't have all that we wanted and we are better people because of that fact.

My best minutes of the day are when my young children hug me and tell me they love me, when my older kids call or pile in on me for Sunday dinner. We are not unlearned but rather we are driven to never stop learning. We just enjoy a more simple life, we love the land and we love our children. We don't go looking for trouble but mess with our children and our families and you have a tiger by the tail.

Some redneck jokes are funny to us too, because we see ourselves in them. Some are not so funny! For the most part, the community that I live in is a very religious community. I don't expect other people to take on my beliefs or my religion or any religion if they choose not to. But I am a little sick of people making me feel inferior for my moral and religious values. It's okay to degrade everyone’s beliefs and religion and everyone just lets it slide. But speak up for what you believe and you are a troublemaker or a religious fanatic. I'm glad I was raised the way I was and I'm proud that I am referred to as a redneck hillbilly.

Nobody needs to take on my views of the world or my views of my God, but they are mine and if I decide I want to profess my beliefs than I should be allowed. I don't write like I talk. Maybe the way I talk makes me sound like I am unlearned...but I am not. It is the language of the backcountry I live in and I am proud of it. Sometimes my hillbilly words are written just as I say them.

Yes! I am proud to be called a hillbilly and a redneck but most of all I am just proud that my children call me mama, and they do so with love.

Old biased hash and 'over the top' verbiage? NAH I don't think so. We are not biased...we just believe what we believe and we're sick of being told it's wrong. AND even hillbillies and rednecks have class. And don't take none of this personal. I have nothing against you. We rednecks can be opinionated at times and we ain't afraid to express our opinions.