Have you seen the movie Gran Torino? It's about this crotchety old man who hates and shuts out the whole world. Many people would percieve him to be racist, as he uses words that are very insulting race-wise.
But, he's equally that way toward everyone. So does that make him a racist? Or does that just make him a hateful man? And if you dismiss him, he will continue to be hateful. Luckily, in the movie, the opposite happens.
Now, what is racism than judging people and labeling them as X before you even know them? So you say he's a redneck, sounds like you've just done what you dont' like him doing. Judging and labeling.
What I do, when faced with prejudice is to display how I'm similar (when it's me who is pre-judged). Or, when I encounter prejudice, I really talk about values, not skin. Take the focus off the outward appearance, and focus on the behavior.
For example, there is such a thing as "thug culture." Most people assign this to the black community, but I assure you, no matter what the skin color, yellow, white, brown, black... there are people who embrace the thug culture of all colors. So when some one talks about "acting black" I say, "Oh, you don't like that thug culture either? I can assure you, it's not just black...." and I talk about how it sounds like they have an objection more to the behavior and not the skin color. And go from there.
So you could try this. See if that works. Or, you can just judge him and dismiss him too. It's your choice. And no choice is more right than the other, I just ask that you decide for yourself, which choice will generate the result that is more authentic to what you want?
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