White supremacy is an ideology of peace

by OneEyedJoe 36 Replies latest social current

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  OneEyedJoe

  I'm tired of hearing these constant attacks on white supremacists after the events in charlottesville. Why are moderate white supremacists being lumped in together and sharing the blame for the actions of one reprehensible man that misinterpreted the ideals of white supremacy and became violent? Clearly the motivation of such attacks on white supremacists is nothing other than racism. And then people go around trying to get moderate white supremacists to condemn the actions of these few fringe groups that they are obviously not affiliated with. Those terrorist groups may have been brought up in the same basic ideology as moderate white supremacists and that may get used as a framework to radicalize them, but white supremacy is surely not to blame.

  These events would be more easily explained by looking at socioeconomic factors, not by the base ideology of the attackers. White supremacists have been attacked in the media, living in impoverished sections of the country, and have had their free speech suppressed for so long, it shouldn't be surprising that nefarious people motivated by political and economic goals would capitalize on their oppression and radicalize a few white supremacists into violence. That doesn't tell us anything about your average white supremacist at all! Most white supremacists are peaceful, kind people that just want to live their life and not be discriminated against. You might even be acquainted with a few white supremacists and not even know it! So why is everyone placing the blame where it doesn't belong?

  I'm sure there'll be a few that misinterpret this, but here's a hint: it's satire. I agree with nothing I'm writing in favor of white supremacy. I'm honestly interested, though, where the real difference lies between the ideology of white supremacists driving them to violence vs the religion of islam driving them to violence. They're both obviously wrong. They're both rooted in violent histories. They both support killing/cleansing based on arbitrary factors that are largely not in control of the victims.* They can both be reinterpreted at will to suggest that violence is not a core belief (obviously white supremacists want peace! whites are the most peaceful race! etc.) The criticism of both is likely to be considered racist by the supporters. There are large groups of both that are not vocal or actively violent (islam might have a slight upper hand here, but maybe not enough to make a substantive difference to the point I'm making). I haven't been super active in this fight so maybe I'm missing one but I honestly can't think of an argument against blaming islam for terrorism that doesn't also make the case against blaming the ideology of white supremacy for the violence of groups like the KKK and neo-nazis.

  *To be fair, islam has a slight upper hand here because you can technically choose to convert, but I suspect that most white supremacists would probably let a black man live if he converted and espoused their ideology too. For most, converting to islam is about as likely as a black man becoming a white supremacist, though so maybe islam isn't too far ahead here.
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  StephaneLaliberte

  Considering the statistics, I am sure there is a higher percentage of White Supremacist that turn to violence compared to Islam. Also, one group is fundamentally racist while the other is based on Religion. Sure, Religion teaches intolerance and causes division. However, we are still a society where such religions are considered the norm.
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  OneEyedJoe

  Again, not defending white supremacists by any means here (I keep saying this because sometimes it's uncomfortable playing devils advocate...)

  Considering the statistics, I am sure there is a higher percentage of White Supremacist that turn to violence compared to Islam
  

  I'm not aware of any such statistics, and I would also argue that moderate white supremacists (i.e. your everyday racist white guy) are far less likely to self-identify compared to muslims.

  I would also point out that religion in general is often pretty racist too...Jews in the bible proclaimed that they were a special race, to name one obvious example. Even when the holy books aren't explicitly racist, the doctrines are often so intertwined with racism that it's difficult to separate them, at least historically speaking.

  However, we are still a society where such religions are considered the norm.
  

  That's my main point for those that would defend islam regarding it's connection to terrorism. The only thing that separates it from other disgusting ideologies is that it makes supernatural claims and calls itself a religion. It's no more racist to criticize islam than it is to criticize white supremacists. It's just pointing out the obvious.
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  never a jw

  "That doesn't tell us anything about your average white supremacist at all! Most white supremacists are peaceful, kind people that just want to live their life and not be discriminated against"

  That logic can be applied to any large group.

  White supremacy lost popularity a long time ago, so if anyone wants to embrace it has to be willing to take all the baggage that comes attached.

  Of course the media will focus its attention on white supremacists a lot more than on liberals who want to see your dog and your neighbor as equal. I like that approach because peaceful white supremacists can easily convert into followers of Hitler-like leaders, and that Joe we need to prevent.
  
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  OneEyedJoe

  That logic can be applied to any large group.

  Essentially the point I was making.

  White supremacy lost popularity a long time ago, so if anyone wants to embrace it has to be willing to take all the baggage that comes attached.

  I'm not sure what the popularity of an idea has to do with someone's willingness to accept its requisite baggage. Are you suggesting that it was ever anything other than morally repugnant to be a white supremacist? Sure, I can see how it is less of an indictment of someone's moral integrity if they were a white supremacist in 1860 vs today, but that makes the underlying ideology no less repugnant.

  Of course the media will focus its attention on white supremacists a lot more than on liberals who want to see your dog and your neighbor as equal. I like that approach because peaceful white supremacists can easily convert into followers of Hitler-like leaders, and that Joe we need to prevent.

  Of course people concerned for their security will focus its attention on muslims a lot more than on crazy lone-gunman/unibomber types. I like that approach because peaceful muslims can easily convert into followers of bin laden like leaders, and that is something we need to prevent.

  Maybe you didn't pick up that I was making this argument simply to illustrate the logical inconsistency of those who are simultaneously defending islam in the face of islamic terrorism while attacking all white supremacists because of the recent events at protests. Or maybe I'm missing something entirely, in which case I would greatly appreciate it if you'd point it out to me.
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  Hecce

  Supremacy and Peace don't go together.

  Any idea of Superiority is Bad and will bring the Wrong Results.
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  Simon

  I think people confuse racism of "white supremacists" with government and society in predominantly white countries. People want to turn white-people-as-government into "white supremacist racism" and it is not fair or accurate or helpful to do so.

  The democracies, freedoms and values that many of us hold up as good things were developed in white-male ruled countries. Although some of those freedoms had to be campaigned for and sometimes fought for, it is almost unique in history for a far greater centre of power to divest so much of it to others so freely and to grant people rights. Other empires and cultures could have done this, but none did AFAIK, certainly not to the scale and extent that western cultures have. People were given freedoms and rights and a process of law and justice introduced to try and make things fair for all and not just used at the whim of those in power.

  I find it ironic when the democratic party are so "against" the laws and statues of the past - after they are the ones that introduced them and perpetuated them for so long.

  Every Jim Crow law was passed by democrats.

  Every KKK member was a democrat.

  They still seek to use racial division as a political tool.
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  silentbuddha

  I like where this is going!

  
  
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  JeffT

  Any idea of Superiority is Bad and will bring the Wrong Results.

  Inferior people of the world unite! Destiny calls.

  
  
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  Spoletta

  We're off to the races!