The term comes from having darker skin around the neck. People who work in farming and ranching spend long hours in the sun. Their neck becomes sunburned around the collar of their shirt. It is a sign of hard work. Some people find it offensive, others do not. People in some rural areas tend to vote more for right wing, conservative political parties. It is a reflection of religious, economic and political values.

It is not always the case. There are parts of Canada where "rednecks" have voted for left wing parties. Saskatchewan was the birthplace of the National Democratic Party, Canada's socialist party. The left wing ideals sprung during the Great Depression. As Saskatchewan was runed into a dust bowl, the right wing governments failed to do anything to help farmers. People in those areas turned to socialism as a counterbalance to urban right wing conservatism.

I will never speak poorly of rednecks. I might disagree with their political views or their religious conservatism. However, they are the ones who plant and grow all the food I eat, and for that I am grateful.