[Tax-chick]

This has an interesting relationship to the discussion about “cracker” over the last couple of days. It’s true that people can people can pick up what’s supposed to be an accusation and make it a point of solidarity, “Okay, I’m a redneck ... wanna make something of it?” However, I don’t think it’s helpful for people to embrace negativity.

As a counter example, our Puerto Rican deacon greets his friends coming into church with, “Hola, Cristiano!” not because they’re all named “Christian” but because it acknowledges the best and most important point about the gentlemen: that they are Christians.

[Albion Wilde]

Many don't know the origin of the word "cracker". "Craic" is a Gaelic word that means "talk, chatter, buzz, yakking" etc. Many of the original settlers of the South were Irish or Scottish Gaelic speakers. You can hear the word in the BBC series set in Ireland, Ballykissangel; and the word, either as a noun or in verb tenses, is still in use in Ireland. Here's a recent example:

From DailyMail online:

Barack Obama today received huge cheers in Northern Ireland as he asked a room full teenagers: 'What's the craic?'
To the delight of an audience in Belfast, the US President said the popular Irish phrase being used by students 'lounging in cafes' was proof that peace in the province was working.