Check out this article about Obama and white supremacists. No, the movement is not dead; it was not driven into obscurity by the groundswell of populist racial solidarity that seems to have swept through the country last fall. But when was the last time you read a story or watched a TV feature about some off the hook neo-Nazi or KKK family? If you're under thirty, and even if you've been paying attention to the popular media feature stories in recent years, I'll wager that you've probably never heard of the Aryan Nations, David Duke, W.A.R., Posse Comitatus, and the A.N.P. That last acronym, by the way, stands for the American Nazi Party.
I can assure you that such stories were commonplace in the 1980s and most of the 1990s. There was talk of the entire state of Idaho being taken over by white supremacists--and some people argued that we should let it happen in order to "just get rid of this country's rogue elements." You could hardly turn on the daytime television without surfing past a story about a family that thinks Satan lives on earth disguised as a Jew or that black people "rose out of the mud." The news of marches and beatings and secret societies captured the public imagination back in those years. And while these groups never went away, they've certainly not captured the interest of mainstream media outlets for well over a decade.
But they're back. The skinheads, the Nazis, and the Bruders Scheweigen--they're all back and they have some things to say to everyone who is not a convert. They want to talk about this Barack Hussein Obama guy. They have some things to discuss about Mexicans and gays and lesbians...and this country's future. And if we are to believe the following article, pretty soon we're all going to once again start finding their recruiting leaflets on our windshields when we return to our cars after a fun day of search for blue light specials at K-Mart. I'd like to imagine that we've moved beyond such polarized thinking, but I'm afraid that that has not happened. And so we are probably in for some rather interesting 20/20 episodes--"Are there Nazis working somewhere in the White House?" On the bright side, the return to the limelight of these nefarious characters will surely keep Jerry Springer on the air for another four years.
"Obama Called a 'Visual Aid' For White Supremacist Recruiting"
207 comments:
1 – 200 of 207 Newer› Newest»The posted article is honestly shocking to me. The mainstream news does not report on these attempted attacks and groups that are forming because of Obama’s presidency. As a relatively progressive thinking student it is hard to believe that these groups exist. All I know is the progress we have made as a nation. I have been taught that race doesn’t matter. Sure, I know over time attitudes have changed, and it was not an over night occurrence and acceptance of equality. For example, I see the progression in my own family from my grandparent’s attitudes, to my parents to my own. I finally feel we as a country are at a point where we look at character and qualifications rather than color. This is proven by Obama’s election as president. We are moving forward, slowly but surely. And when these supremacist groups form it feels like we are making a step backwards. So why are these groups forming? Bitterness. There are many times in history where such groups have formed to protest the majority. But that is a fact, these groups are minority groups which proves to be a positive thing. And as views continue to progress these groups will get smaller and smaller.
When I first started reading this article I was angered by the fact that these stories are not reported on by the mainstream news and rather grassroots sites like the one where this article was found report on them. But then I realized this is probably a good thing, not giving attention to these groups. Making it seem as if they have no power over the majorities views. But that may be dangerous as well. What is a decent amount of coverage and news about these groups? We as a nation can not be ignorant that these groups are out there because they are and they are filled with very angry bitter people that don’t want things to change. But I do believe we are smart people and the majority knows there will always be those that have differing opinions and thoughts, but we chose not to dwell on it because just knowing that they are the minority is good enough. The article is alarming because it states that these supremacist racist groups are “swelling their ranks.” This is what we have to be aware of and not underestimate these groups and take precautions. I believe the government is doing a good job with this. These groups are not succeeding; the government is catching their activities before they go through with them. I think it is important to know when the president is being threatened however, because airing these attempts and failures may show these groups that they cant fight with the majority and they will not succeed.
The article “Obama Called a “Visual Aid” for White Supremacist Recruiting” is both shocking and typical. With all the hype of having the first black President, the media has been glorifying how big of a change America is undergoing. In reality, there are people who are still extremely racist and who are only being incited by these news articles. This is a similar situation to the lecture on “Christian killers.” We believe what the media is telling us, so it appears that everyone is excited to have a new (and the first black) President. Obviously, this is not the case. White supremacist groups are springing up all over the country, from California, to Maine. Even though I expected some people to be racist in the aftermath of the election, I did not realize how far people would go. Making death threats online… burning effigies? Let’s get real. We are in the year 2009 and people are still doing these things over someone’s race? I find this absolutely ridiculous.
This is proof that we have not achieved Martin Luther King’s dream. In a previous article I said that we would not achieve his dream until we elect a black President and don’t make a big deal out of it. I would like to amend that statement to say: We will not have achieved MLK’s dream until a black President is elected and people are not threatening his life. I do realize that all Presidents receive numerous death threats because of the position they hold. There will always be people who disagree with the views of the person in office, but there should not be people basing these feelings solely on race.
Obama has received more threats than any other President-elect. I find it hard to believe that so many people would hate a President because of his views. It is clear that these threats have much more to do with race than his qualifications for office. The article also says that angry supporters of McCain and Palin called Obama a terrorist. Perhaps I am misinterpreting this, but I think this has to do with his middle name Hussein. Our society cannot seem to get past stereotypes. Because Saddam Hussein is a well-known terrorist, anyone with a name sounding similar is suddenly guilty as well. If Obama wasn’t famous in the political arena, we he be pulled aside in an airport and checked more thoroughly? Probably.
The last thing I would like to talk about is the fact that, in Rexburg, Idaho, second and third graders on a school bus chanted “assassinate Obama.” This makes me sad, to be honest. Sam emphasizes learning to think for yourself, not for your parents. I always thought that my generation did a much better job of thinking for themselves than generations passed. Obviously I am wrong. These kids are still being influenced by what the adults around them think. If we have any hope for rising above racism in this country, it will have to start with the people who are children now. The future doesn’t look good.
I have to disagree with Shanna on her response to the “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’” article. The article does not shock me; I simply find it pathetic, a feeble last-ditch attempt to maintain white supremacy. With every great movement there will be detractors, some more radical than others. It is of no surprise to me that the election of Obama has brought “racists” out of the woodwork. However, the fact remains that the MAJORITY voted him into office! The MAJORITY of the United States of America, all black/brown/yellow/white, supports Barack Obama! Therefore, these groups can “claim” thousands of new enrollees all they want, but in reality these claims are farcical. It is true that the Dream of Dr. Martin Luthur King has not been realized fully…yet. But look how far we have come! Who would have though that there would be a Black President? There will always be supremacist groups, both black and white, but I feel that our country really is coming together. Let these groups continue to spout their petty hatred, because the MAJORITY of the country is not listening!
I do want to touch on the last portion of the article that speaks on the vilification of Latino immigrants. I am half Spanish, my mother moving from Madrid at a young age. Nothing makes me angrier than hearing remarks directed toward Hispanic immigrants. These men and women are simply coming to this country to earn a better life! It’s disheartening that they are met with such oppression and characterized with such villainy. That being said, I do think that the immigration process needs to be revised. The system is presently flawed, and more regulations must be instituted to protect against the monetary problems that are associated with illegal immigration. However, this country has been built off of the hard work of immigrants. Whether it be the Irishmen or the Mexican. These men and women do the work that few want to do in order to provide a better life for their children, and who are we to criticize them for such an admirable act?
Speaking of Hispanic culture, I am writing this article from the Chaka Fattah Conference in Philadelphia. The conference has been tremendous; I cannot begin to express how much I have learned about the graduate school process. In addition, the words of encouragement from various minority officials have been nothing short of inspirational. However, there are a decidedly low number of Hispanic students at the conference. Are we not minorities? I feel that Hispanics should have access to the wealth of information that is present at the conference. That being said, the conference has lit a fire under me. I now have a goal of creating a conference that has widespread access to all minorities.
When I started to read this article I wanted to laugh. I wanted to believe that it was farce and that twenty-first century Americans could not be so ridiculous. But it wasn’t farce and not a laughing matter. The fact that there are Americans who are excited Barack Obama is president because it has increased their numbers in their white supremacy groups sickens me. I was disheartened to read about the racist events that took place when President Obama was inaugurated last month. For people to be so naïve and have such hate in the “free world” infuriates me.
The fact that there are second and third graders that are chanting on the bus to assassinate the President of the United States actually makes my stomach turn because I cannot fathom what their parents and/or guardians are saying at home and what they are being taught at school to say such horrific things on their way to school. I don’t understand how anyone that is educated could inflict such horrible viewpoints on their children.
Regardless of whether or not they supported Obama through his campaign is irrelevant. He is now the President of the United States and deserves the utmost respect from Americans. He won this election after hard work and dedication to the American public and the majority of the public believes that he will do wonderful things for the country; either that or he will fail miserably and prove people right that a “black” person is incapable of running one of (in not the) most powerful countries in the world.
Regardless of the success of his term in office, he has proven to all of America that an African American has overcome all those years of being suppressed and treated as inferior to whites. He has proven to minorities that there is hope and possibility for all to achieve the American dream, no matter what that may mean to you. He is young and black and that scares a lot of Americans, but it may just be the change that we need in the world today in order to remain one of the super powers of the world and help fix the global economy.
President Obama has his work cut out for him but with any luck (and a lot of time and hard work), he may be able to improve the way of life for all Americans, not just the corporations and the wealthy. It is time for the middle and lower class citizens to get some of the money and power that the rich have had for so long. I admire Barack Obama’s dedication to the cause and the tremendous pressure that he just accepted to lead our country through these troubled times.
Obama called the “visual aid” for white supremacy group recruiting. Well, let me be honest. I saw this coming for a mile away. My first thought was, CHANGE is great! An African American in the white house! Who would have thought? Amazing! Let’s see what he can do…and so on. I didn’t vote for him but as an American it is my duty to stand behind him. I identify as white and have no problem that he is black. All that matters to me is how he does his job. But my second thought was, OMG, someone is going to try and kill him. And Lets be real, im sure other white, and even black people, thought the same thing. Not to single out the south, but people in the south still wave the confederate flag high and proud. I’m not saying it’s everyone but I feel as though things haven’t changed as fast as it has in the north. No matter what people will always be racist and people will always have some sort of problem with a race that isn’t their own. So I think people shouldn’t be surprised that these white supremacy websites and groups have received more traffic in the past year and during the election. I’m am actually kind of surprised that people are shocked and just NOW figuring out that racism and more racially charged violence is happening. You would think that our country would be better than that, and unite since there is change happening in the white house. Race is always going to be an issue, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what country you live in. There are always going to be problems with race and having a Black man in the white house kind of just fuels the fire for someone who is already racist. We talked in class about MLK’S dream being reached and my answer to that is no. Have we made progress? Yes. But we wont be able to reach his dream as long as people judge one another by the color of someone’s skin. Again, I am not shocked that more and more racist groups have emegered from Obama being in office. Perhaps these groups are something he needs to address in the future. I went online and checked out Dixienet.org, the league of the south’s website and it didn’t just bash Obama but it bashed McCain. It wants to be a free and independent southern republic. Now, I think we could do a whole blog about just how wrong this website is. So all in all, I don’t think its right that there are anti- Obama sites, but it just comes with the territory, no matter if you are black or white.
Ignorance: n. A Contagious disease spread by those who refuse to seek a way to better themselves and their community for the benefit of the whole.
Why do I open up with that? Well, it's quite simple. Those who hold these racial supremacy blogs seek to try to display something that they don't have: Power and numbers. White supremacists groups such as the Neo-Nazis and KKK as well as other organizations are very frowned upon by a mass of society that seeks to do away with a majority of these groups. There are fun tie-ins though that seem to go with these accusations of mine. For instance, in rural communities ideals of religion and conservatism run much more rampant than those of more change and liberal ideals; and, at the same time, ideals of racism seem to thrive in these communities as well. It seems that people just love going back to the days of sharecropping, when people who had nowhere to go went back to their jobs previous to the end of slavery. In the system of sharecropping, those who were white had naught to hold onto, especially if they were poor because now, not only was a black man equal to them, but had the ability to be better than them.
To add more ignorance to this argument; what most of these supremacist groups, or, if you had asked them, they'd call themselves "empires" don't know is that when you open up an internet blog, or forum, or organization such as this, you aren't getting influxes of new members each and every day. What you get is the same members from different forums joining new ones to find people who are like them and to share their ideas. The Neo-Nazis and the KKK for example are both organizations that are not only against other races as a whole, but against other religions, such as Judaism or Islam. While it may appear that there are more and more people joining these sites, in reality there are only a few million people out of the 400 million that live in the United States that join these. Their ideals do not represent the majority, as shown by the election results as a whole with a LANDSLIDE in favor of Barack Obama. Hopefully before these groups next seek to inflate their numbers, they'll do checks on their members to see what other organizations each belong to. Oh, and let's not forget that a lot of these members that join these groups also work for the CIA and other government agencies meant to protect Obama, so they post a message with a certain link that leads to a message of killing him, or other people; retrace the IP; localize it and then find those who seek to offer such indignities and disgraces to our country. Perhaps if they wanted to know the real pride of being an American; they'd rip their heads out of their asses and take a look at the 21st Century.
When I first read the attached article, I was in shock more than anything else. I could not believe that in today’s society we are still facing many of the same racial tensions that occurred during the Civil Rights movement years ago. I was thinking that we made some improvement when it comes to racial acceptance, but the reports of these hate crimes makes me think that we have just taken two giant steps backward.
Although I was initially shocked by this report, after thinking for some time about the issue, it does not really surprise me all that much any more. Just like we were talking about in class last week, every country has their radical citizens. Whether they are radical in their religious, political, or racial beliefs, they are there creating issues among today’s somewhat accepting society. It is one thing to disagree with someone’s politics. Obviously, not everyone in the United States voted for Barack Obama to become our next president. He has is fair share of critics. However, the way that some people are radically displaying their feelings is downright wrong.
These radical individuals need to take a step back and look at things in a new perspective. They need to look at today’s American society, and really take in the strides we have made over the years. They need to realize that they are only holding this country back in it’s progress. Yes, you have the right to be critical of President Obama because of his political beliefs and what he does during his presidency. However, you have no right to be critical of his supporters or judge him purely on his skin color. They will be stuck living in the dark ages for their entire lives if they do not get some sense knocked into them and start to accept everyone, no matter their religious preference, skin color, or ethnic background. Instead, judge President Obama by his actions and be willing to give him a fair shot at it before jumping down his throat.
I am a Republican, and I did not vote for President Obama. We may not share the same political beliefs, but I am more than willing to give him a fair chance in showing us what he is capable of in office. Individuals in our country who display actions, such as those mentioned in the article, need to adjust the way they share their beliefs and feelings. What they are doing is wrong and they should be punished for it. They need to adapt their narrow-minded ways, and be more accepting ofeveryone. They live in the United States of America, where everyone is created equal. When they lash out at others, they are going against a very important cornerstone of what our country is built on and how we function today.
Despite how sad and scary the reality of this article is, it does not come as a shock to me, either. Yes, as a nation we have taken a huge leap forward with the election of Barack Obama, but the election also served as fuel to these racist fires. It would be naïve to think that these groups have disappeared just because we haven’t heard from them in the mainstream media. Although the election of Barack Obama may have uprooted a lot of racial tension, it doesn’t mean that it’s one step forward and two steps back for the United States. These groups have always been around, they just haven’t had anything substantial to get too ruffled about until recently. The truth is that we are moving forward, and their resistance to this change is just proof of it. They are showing us where we still need to grow as a nation. So while keeping them out of the mainstream media definitely has its benefits by giving them as little attention as possible (as they say, “any publicity is good publicity”), we also can’t ignore them completely and wait for them to settle down again. Turning a blind eye to them didn’t work in the past and it won’t work now. All that will happen is that they will continue this ebb and flow of ‘gaining strength’ and laying low as we continue to progress as nation of equality. Plus, people do need to be aware of the increasing amount of threats out there towards minorities, especially people of those minority groups so that they can work to avoid such situations. I would love just as much as the next person to see these groups disappear and for them to find peace and acceptance in the much-needed change to the United States, and I can hope and pray for that until the end of time but the reality of the situation is that now, in this present moment, they are here and they are angry. I’m not saying that I have a definitive solution to the problem of white supremacists, as much as I would like to. All I know is that whatever the solution is, it cannot contain violence. Fighting fire with fire solves nothing. If anything, we need to understand where they are coming from from a sociological perspective, to figure out what the forces and factors are that are causing them to react in such a way so that we can possibly create a shift in that thinking. Like I said, I don’t have a concrete solution to the problem, but either way, it does need to be acknowledged if there is ever to be peace between the races of this increasingly diverse nation.
In response to Sam’s blog entitled______________, I was so appalled and embarrassed to be an American after reading the article in the link of Sam’s blog. I had no idea about the extreme measures some hateful people took to show their distaste after Barack Obama’s recent victory in the election. Although I was aware that many people were quite angry and some were even irrational, I didn’t realize the extent of it. I thought that it had only been a few insignificant people, not enough to make an impact. It deeply concerns me that these White Supremacist groups claim that their websites crashed because of an overload of traffic to them. I have a hard time believing that that many people have that much evil in them that they would actually go to these websites, especially when you consider the population of people who would go to a website. These are most young people, our youth, and our future. It scares the hell out of me that there are still young people in the world that feel that way. We all know that many older people are still stuck in their ways, but it seemed as though our world was heading in a good direction- not just breeding more of these hateful people. Although it makes sense that these people would teach their children to be hateful, racist people. In the case where second and third graders were chanting “Assassinate Obama,” I believe that the parents should be held responsible. This is not okay and these kids should not be let off the hook for being young. They need to be taught that hatred based on skin color. There is no way that one could argue that this is simply a case of people not agreeing with a candidate’s views because these children couldn’t even possibly understand political views at that age. If they actually could understand this, they need to know that assassination is never okay and should never be taken into their own hands. A stand has to be taken against these people. We cannot let these people spread their hateful ideas throughout our country once again. It may be naïve, but I will continue to believe that these groups inflated their numbers and embellished their stories rather than to accept that there are that many people like this in our world. I have high hopes for Obama’s presidency, and I believe that once everyone sees the wonderful things he does, regardless of what color his skin is, we will see these groups start to phase out. I see it in many people who weren’t particularly fond of Obama, but the more they get to know him, the greater respect and admiration they have for him and in turn the more acceptance and equality will result between the races.
The first words that came to my mind after finishing this article were “you have got to be kidding me.” It saddens me that we live in a world where educational opportunities are endless yet so many people still live in such ignorance. Something doesn’t seem to be working in America, even if it is in the minority of people. If someone wants to hate the president because of his politics or because of his character, okay. But simply because of the color of his skin? Give me a break. Instead of funneling hate and frustration about the current state of the economy and everything else on someone because of the color of their skin, try educating yourself on politics and policy and making the changes necessary that way. I don’t understand how someone can be a “visual aid” when they just got into office and inherited the current set of problems this country is facing. If seven and eight year old children are chanting “Assassinate” over and over on the bus, there are serious flaws in the education they are receiving. I cannot reiterate how crucial education is when it comes to acceptance and race.
I am also ashamed that the media has not taken more of a responsible role in pointing out these instances. I was pleased by the positive role in reporting hopeful and inspiring messages after President Obama was elected. It made it seem like this country was making positive strides towards what was spoken in previous blogs as Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality for all men. It is shocking to believe that the number of hate groups is increasing so much. Before reading this article I was led to believe that those groups were losing numbers and interest. I guess I was naïve.
These hateful instances need be reported to the American people so we don’t all go along thinking that all people are coming together and that racial boundaries are being shattered. As a student of journalism and media studies, I feel the media for the most part has left us a little blinded by not catching wind and reporting on these instances.
This by no means is saying that I believe these Neo-Nazi hate groups should be given any publicity towards their cause. I don’t want to see their messages. It would make me sick to think of them having their racist, bigoted messages broadcasted or published. But if people know what is going on with the arsons and the beatings and hateful words and graffiti the people of the country may come to understand where we actually stand when it comes to race. We have come very far, but there is still so much that faces the American people, and this is a perfect example.
Well I first want to say that everything about this article and topic is pretty awful. I was not shocked to hear about white supremacist groups still existing, despite being away from mainstream media for a while, because these types of groups are unlikely to ever completely disappear. I really cannot imagine a time where everyone will be over racial and religious differences, and that is the sad part. Think of the number of students who take Sociology 119 or other race related classes and then all the other schools in the nation that offer similar courses, and yet we hear about groups that are the extreme of racism even while so much consciousness and information exists. This article was an eye opener to read because I really did not realize that these sorts of things were currently happening.
Also, until reading this article, I never linked the election of Barack Obama to an increase in white supremacists. However, after reading it does seem quite logical and predictable. Obviously there are people and groups out there that are strongly enough opposed to Obama that they are engaging in crime and offensive acts in response to his election. However, I was shocked to read some of the things that have occurred. For example, the incident reported about the convenience store that was having a betting pool on a date for Obama’s assassination. This along with acts of violence against Obama supporters, and the report of young children chanting about assassinating Obama is very disturbing. I cannot imagine what sorts of parents instill these views on their child at such young ages.
In addition, I never realized the election of a black president would cause an increase in members of white supremacist groups. The article mentioned the increase of people visiting websites of such groups, such an increase that the websites lost functioning due to intense trafficking. The groups consider Obama as a visual aid. I think it is sad that Obama has to hear about, not only people who just would have preferred McCain or someone else as president, but also those groups that are committing acts of violence towards his supporters. I do not understand what these people think they are accomplishing by committing hate crimes or by joining hate groups. Well I guess they are accomplishing their goal of hurting others that are not part of their racial ideals. However, I do not see what benefits they gain. They do not really get rewarded, they do not receive money, and hurting others does not really improve their life.
Hopefully, these groups’ negative actions and crimes lessen over time and do not get worse. However, with their new motive they may attempt more hate crimes then they previously were engaged in.
After reading this article I am astonished. I have two feelings towards this article. For one I feel that it is ridiculous that after the many years people in the United States still have such harsh racial attitudes. What is especially astonishing is that people are still acting on their racial feelings. You would think after the changing times people would grow with the changing times. But I guess as we can see from the racial incident reports that people still have racial feelings. I think the people who haven’t changed with the growing United States norms are people whose families grew up hating Jews, Blacks or Gay and Lesbians. I believe that people who still have harsh beliefs like these grew up around family members, or friends who lived when Black equality was the biggest fight and focus of the nation. The way you grow up and the beliefs that your parents and other family members have, I believe has a big influence on what your own values become. I am not saying that everyone become racist because maybe one of their parents is, but I’m just saying they have an influence. For example one of my friend’s grandparents is very racist. He grew up in the south and still believes in the white-man being higher than the black, but my friend’s parents and she would never think that way. So sometimes your family beliefs and values have influences on them in a bad way and sometimes people grow with the nation and the new belief that everyone is equal. The second feeling I had after I read the article was that there have always been racist people in this nation and maybe they have been laying low and once a black person becomes President they are outraged and begin coming to the lime-light again. It is sad to think or hear that there are racist people in our world, and it is even sadder to think that they are still going to be some years down the road. Unfortunately there are people out there who have not grown with the nation and who may never will if their family values and beliefs stick through the generations. I believe the white supremacist groups have finally found something to voice their views about again. Before it was the fight for equality among blacks and whites and now it is the fact that there is an African American in the highest political position possible. I have to say though I didn’t know of these groups coming up again, maybe because they weren’t broadcast in the main news stations, which I believe is a good thing. Maybe there are good people who stopped the articles before they hit big news, because they have grown with the nation and don’t believe in these harsh views of white supremacists, and believe that the people of our nation won’t want to hear these preposterous things. Which I for one do not!
After reading this article I can honestly say that I am not completely shocked at there still being white supremacist groups existing in the United States of America. Today’s society has come along way from the days of the past, however, that does not mean that racism has completely disappeared. Although myself and the people I surround myself with do not have anti racist remarks that does not mean they are not around. I definitely still come across racist remarks, which proves to me that there are probably definitely people around to take part in white supremacist groups. I also had to do a research project on the Neo- Nazis, which really opened my eyes and made me realize that these organizations are present in society and doing extreme damage even if many people in society may be unaware of their actions.
Although I am not surprised by these organizations exisistance, I can only say that I am very disappointed that after as far as our nations has come we have obviously not come far enough. I am so proud to be alive during the election of our nations first black president however, disappointed that our nation has not reached the point where all Americans are proud of this great accomplishment. The media does not normally show the white supremacist organizations on the news, which I believe makes many people oblivious to the reality that these terrible groups do exist and something must be done!
Another point that did not surprise me was the fact that the economic crisis is leading to a rise in these groups. Just like the article said when there is a problem people need to find a scapegoat and there is definitely an economic problem in this nation. Therefore, the rise in these groups is no surprise to me because there is a problem and everyone needs to find someone to blame for these problems.
A fact from the article that did surprise me was that Obama was called a “visual aid” for these organizations. Although all presidents get hundreds of death threats it is extremely worrisome that the new president is a catalyst for these supremacist groups and has already had so many death threats. It saddens me that a man that symbolizes hope in so many Americans eyes can cause an increase in hate in others eyes.
Another fact from the article that surprised me was the type of crimes these groups are committing. Burning a church, and brutal beatings are disgraceful. I think it is also disgraceful that a group of such young children could be screaming such hateful things. These actions prove to me that these crimes need to be seen in the media because maybe, just maybe if more people knew about these crimes something could be done to eliminate these groups.
With the emergence of the first African-American president, there will of course always be people who disagree. It is almost as similar as those who are upset that there is a Democrat rather a Republican in the White House. Calling Obama a “visual aid” for white supremacy recruiting really is not all that shocking. Of course anyone who truly believes in these groups would be against him as not only a President, but as a person. By using one of the most powerful men in the country as the number one reason for why they need to lash out seems quite fitting to me. At the same time I do not believe the emerging supporters who joined these groups just because they wanted to see McCain in office rather than Obama are true supporters of the white supremacists cause. I think they are just out there in spite and joining every group that is against Obama as they can to show their continuing loyalty to a man who clearly lost by more than just a small margin of all of the votes. Many Americans are very stubborn about their views and unwilling to give the other side a chance, or even listen to what they have to say, so it is not surprising that those who are against another race would be more up in arms about the result of the recent election. Every time there is a new president, I’m sure a new group emerges to speak out against what a terrible decision our society has made. As long as these groups remain law-abiding, who cares if they hold their meetings about what really grinds their gears each week. I’m sure we’ll even see a few of them make the news and call into a radio program every once in a while to try to find others who think like them. We can’t infringe upon their right to speak and print what they want, but we have the right to ignore them if we don’t agree. While white supremacists have not been as main stream as they were in the eighties and early nineties, they never stopped existing. Every once in a while you would see that odd ad in a paper or flyer on your car indicating that they are out there and constantly recruiting new members. I think there are enough people in the world who are accepting, and clearly enough who are ready for a black President (see current election results) that there is really nothing to worry about.
While I do not think we should ignore anyone’s opinion and it is important to keep an open mind, I do not think giving the white supremacist groups any extra attention will benefit anyone. Their radical ideas and backwards thinking has no real sentiment or positive outlook for the future. I believe that the President is ready to deal with the extra threats and the secret service are prepared for any situation they may face, so the world does not need to create a fuss over these groups that are “so outraged” by who is in the White House. I do not think that majority of the public takes these groups too seriously anyway, based on how they are shown to the public, just like the blog states, we usually will see them as characters on the Jerry Springer show and used for amusement.
Until the day that I die, I will never understand where white supremacist groups get off thinking that they have the right to kill people based on their race. There are a lot of times when I find myself really disappointed with our nation as a whole and this article is absolutely one of those times. In class we watched that video about “Christian soldiers” and that is another thing that makes me ashamed of our country. Since the election and inauguration of president Obama, I have felt proud of our nation because of the progress we have made in race relations. Unfortunately there are still people out there who believe that minorities and Jews do not deserve everything that they have worked so hard to accomplish. It seems completely ridiculous to me that people in such a forward-thinking country like the United States of America are still dwelling in the mid 1900’s. This legitimately blows my mind.
Being a Jew, I feel the effects of anti-Semitism sometimes and can see that we live in a nation that was constructed for white Christians. That being said, I could never say that I know the actual hardships that people from my religion went through years ago when they were treated worse than farm animals. This nation has come so far from the way that it was back then and I am so grateful that I do not have to be afraid like my ancestors were. The fact that there are still people in this country-and a lot of people, that are dwelling back in that time seems crazy to me. When Obama was searching for a running mate one of the main things that I could think of was “I hope I like the person he selects because he/she could very well end up being the president because of all of the attempts that are going to be made on his life.” I think it is horrible that I would think something like this but the truth of the matter is that it is a very scary reality because of the crazy people out there that believe they have the right to kill him because of his race.
When I hear stories like this one, I always feel sorry for the children who are taught to hate. At the end of the article there was a list of different things that happened after Obama’s election and one of them involved elementary school children yelling “assassinate Obama.” My first thought was that when I was that age I did not even know what the word “assassinate” meant and here we have little white supremacist babies chanting it on the way to school.
When I started to read the article I didn't know what I was going to get but as I read the post and the article it really shocked me. I would never have thought that all these groups were growing because of the claim of Obama becoming our president. I understand that there are going to be people who do not like our president, there will always be some but I never thought it would be surging membership into these radical groups. I felt that President Obama becoming president was a good step for our country. I thought it showed the progress we are making. He is a well educated man and seems to be qualified for the job. He is also black, as he identifies himself. I think it is amazing that we have progressed from the days of slavery to now where we can have someone diverse in the office. I think we need to have someone in the office who is going to get the best job done. People need to stop worrying about his color, race, and stop stereotyping not only with him but with everyone else too. I was disgusted that little second and third graders would shout assassinate Obama. When you hear this you know these children are getting their opinions from their parents and you would think that parents would have enough sense not to teach their children things like that. It is just so disheartening to hear sometimes how we have made progress but still have people like that around who are teaching their children only their point of view. Children should grow up and learn all different points of view. We need to keep making progress because progress can lead to great changes. I also found in the blog it interesting that we don't hear about these groups on the news anymore when they were always in the news during the 80 and 90s like Dr. Richards said. I feel that the reason is that most people in our country are not that way. People are not that extreme to hate because of a color of skin, i am not saying people do not do it but I am saying that I think we have changed. I think that we have learned about diversity and learned together as a whole about different people and learned to get along with everyone because we are all still human and what is really unique about us and no two people are exactly alike. We all have different backgrounds, looks, and personality. When you look at things that way the color of your skin really should not be an issue. Like the saying 'you can't judge a book by its cover' we need to stop judging people by their skin and start trying to see everyone for who they really are.
All I have to say it, get over yourself! Hitler is dead and gone and for a good reason. The old slavery (the one in which whites in America exploited blacks) has ended and once again, for a good reason. If people can’t accept and tolerate different cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, etc. then get the hell out of America. I know these groups of extremists think they’re making a comeback, but newsflash! Obama was elected president of the United States. Well maybe the KKK’s heads are too far up their asses to realize it, but that means that he got the majority of the votes, that means that somewhere along the way of white supremacy he won the hearts of millions of Americans, it means somewhere between now and 100 years ago people got over their racist ideas and woke up and took a good look around. Contrary to the early 20th century, being racist isn’t “cool” anymore. Its not “neat” to hate on someone for their skin color or religious beliefs. Sure its fun to make fun of your Jewish friend now and then, but they usually have a good comeback for you. If you have enough time on your hands to plan an attack on the president of the United States, get a job or take up knitting. I wish I had enough spare time to try to finagle a way to get past the secret service and FBI. I also wonder where they found all the time to think so highly of themselves that they have the right to kill others just because they think they are better than them. Man the things I would do if I had 40 hours in a day. I can be sarcastic and share my opinions about these white supremacy groups all I want, however, and it’s not going to make a difference. The sad part about this article is, that in a way these groups are right. The numbers don’t lie, their membership is skyrocketing, and in reality these groups still exist. I can write whatever I want and say whatever I am and it’s not going to stop the extremists. So now I think a better thing to look into is not how much we hate these groups for their actions and beliefs but how we are going to stop them. The fact that they aren’t getting media coverage…that’s a start. At least if no one is giving them the time of day (except for their sick members) they aren’t getting the publicity and no one is paying attention. Maybe if they realize no one cares about their hate, it will just disappear. What utopia am I talking about? The reality is that it’s never going to stop. The racism in this country didn’t start with Obama and it’s not going to end with him either. If we had another white, Catholic, southern boy president, half the nation would still hate him, sorry Bush!. It’s impossible to please everyone and it always will be, I’m not a pessimist, it’s just a reality of life. There are millions of people in this nation, all of them with a different background and culture and not everyone is going to agree. Regardless of how hard you try to stop it, someone just doesn’t like you, and that’s the way it is. I completely disagree with these white supremacy groups, but I also disagree with telling someone they can’t voice their opinions. As much as I disagree with their beliefs, I have every right to tell them about it, so in all fairness they have every right to tell me right back. It’s a vicious circle, but even though it is illegal to kill, it is not illegal to say you don’t like the president (or Jews or Catholics or Hispanics). It’s the beauty and the ugliness of America.
In this present day and age, the idea that this kind of thinking still exists is shocking. Everyone has, at one time, heard about the KKK and the horrible things they have done to minorities, Jews, etc. In school, this and other hate groups are at least mentioned and always taught to be a horrible detriment to society. I personally grew up thinking that these groups were bad and the people in them had some serious issues. However, it is true that most people believe that many of these groups have pretty much disappeared. You simply do not hear about them quite as often anymore, which would lead any normal person to think that they died off. I knew that the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other various groups were still around; however, I did not imagine that it was still to this caliber. It pains me to think just how twisted and cold-hearted some people can be. The fact that there are still American people out there who are killing other American people is ridiculous, and it shows just how barbaric these groups are. Black people have earned their spot and an equal footing with white people today. They have earned their right drink from the same water fountains, go the same schools, vote in presidential elections, and even become president of the United States. This may have taken some time, but it is all done at this point. However, then I think to myself of these hate groups: Where have they been the past sixty years? Do they know that everyone is now equal? Apparently, when they see a black man in the executive office, the only thing they see is a way to gain support. They see an important black guy who needs to be killed. This perverse idea seems to me to be backwards in thinking. Instead of seeing people of color equally because there is a black president, these hate groups are just getting pissed off. These groups need to open their eyes and see what the world really is today. They much see that it is not their little fantasy world where they are the only right group of people. Even if they do not believe in it themselves, does not mean they cannot accept the truth. One of the beautiful parts of this country is the ability to believe in exactly what you desire. However, when this is turning people into killers simply because they do not believe black people should be alive is wrong. This is when something needs to be done. I am not proposing a mass genocide of all hate groups because that would only be hypocritical and morally incorrect. The truth is though that these groups need to somehow realize that change is inevitable. Their cause is too primitive and they should get with the times. On the contrary, it is scary that this primitive cause is somehow gaining support. The fact that more and more Americans are thinking like this and uniting is downright unnerving. I think, rather, that this “fad” will pass once people see Obama get to work in the White House to better this country. Hopefully, the idea of equality and maybe even some morality will spread through all parts of the country and to all types of people.
Many of my classmates expressed feelings of shock upon reading the posted article, “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ For White Supremacist Recruiting.” I did not share these same feelings because there always have been and always will be white supremacist groups. Unfortunately, these groups are unlikely to ever completely disappear. They will cease to exist only when people stop fearing people different from themselves.
Furthermore, it does not surprise me that President Barack Obama receives more death threats than any other president-elect. I know people who still believe Obama is a terrorist, and believe that he has planned a near future attack on the United States. I know people who still stomp on pictures of President Obama in the streets. It infuriates me when I hear people talk of such nonsense or see people perform these ridiculous acts. And what should I say when I hear or see these acts of ignorance? Is it my responsibility to say something? Or should I keep quiet because these people that I know are friends of friends and really none of my business. Regardless, is this not the 21st century? Are some people so ignorant that they choose to ignore the facts? Why do some people just refuse to see the truth?
What stuck out most to me in the article was a quote stated by the leader of the National Socialist Movement who said, “historically when times get tough in our nation, that’s how movements like ours gain a foothold.” This struck me as odd; I would like to know why the leader of such a movement is advertising that white supremacist groups are successful only when things aren’t going well in the nation. To me, that says that such groups are not legitimate and should not be tolerated. So why can’t everyone see the irony behind such a statement?
As for the second and third graders chanting “assassinate Obama,” I am truly mortified! Learning of such behavior is eye-opening. To exhibit such ridiculous behavior at such a young age is beyond my grasp. Today, we are given all the opportunities in the world to know and love someone who is different than us, whether this may be a culture difference or a difference in race. Why are some people so afraid to get to know something or somebody that is different than what they know? What is so bad about being different? I do not understand why some people let their fear inhibit them from reaching out and opening themselves to something that they are not accustomed to. Honestly! I just don’t get it. My hope is that one day, people will stop being so afraid. Maybe then white supremacist groups will disappear forever.
The media is doing a good job of congratulating America for bringing about such great change in this country. They are obviously aware of the small sectors in society that are opposing of any advancement this country makes towards a better nation. These groups are living in the past and if the media starts highlighting their efforts, we stand a chance of being dragged backwards with them.
As long as these radicals remain a minority, we should not dwell on their threats. Perhaps this minority will continue their unpleasant actions and attempts until the public listens to them. A lot of anger is sometimes created out of a need for attention and this may be the case for these mad supremacists. Obama receives hundreds of threats from different parties weekly. Why should this group be treated any differently? The majority of the general public may be ignorant about them but as long as the government is working towards silencing them, we should not continue to dwell on their wrongful behavior and potential harmful but not probably actions. We are dumb to think that by advertising these supremacist we will accomplish something. We, the people, do not have a clue about how to handle them anyway.
These radicals share an excitement for the election of Barack Obama for all the wrong reasons. It is appalling to think that they are thrilled because more people will flock to them out of distaste for our new president. Those not in favor of President Obama need to get over their displeasure because there is absolutely nothing they can do about it for the next four years and should instead begin to work on showing a great sum of respect for Barack. Maybe his next four years in office will prove to those who share dissatisfaction that an African American is just as equal (if not more qualified) for this job as a white man.
I think the main reason for their unwarranted lashing out is a lack of knowledge and education. They are incapable of looking at this situation in a different light and giving a man of different skin color a fair chance. If, by chance, our new President does a poor job of representing our country, then all individuals have the option to change their opinions of him. It is pretty clear that these radicals have not reacted because they disagree with some of Obama’s political views; instead, they disagree with this skin color.
There will forever be conflicting opinions and ideas on projects in this country. It would be impossible to please all parties. If they chose to fight with the majority, no doubt, it would be a losing battle for the minority.
Surprisingly enough there may just be more citizens against Obama than former President Bush. What a scary thought.
As I read the bullet points detailing recent violent events that have occurred in relation to the election of our nation’s first black president Barack Obama, my jaw literally dropped. Second and third-graders chanting “assassinate Obama?” How disgusting it is that in this country, where peace and equality for all is preached, we can still have people teaching their seven and eight year old children to wish for and encourage the murder of a man simply because he has a different skin color. However, what is even more disgusting are the reported actions of grown adults, people who are not just listening to what their parents have to say, but genuinely possess such a strong racial hatred for our president, even in the year 2009.
Up until this point in my life, I have been fairly blind to the existence of extreme racial hatred in our country. I’ve learned about groups such as the KKK, of course, but until now they seemed like nothing more than a page or two in my American history textbook. While their actions were terrible, I mainly viewed them as just a part of the past. Now, in a time where much of the world is celebrating the historic election of a man of color into the position of President of the United States of America, there apparently seems to be another celebration going on: a white supremacist celebration.
With our country already engaged in a war across seas, the idea of a domestic war between races now seems as though it may be closer than we think. To what extent will these extreme groups go to recognize their goal of killing our country’s first black president? Is this new man in power really such a problem for them that they believe assassination is the only answer? It seems crazy to me that there are people who can actually answer yes to that question in a non-joking manner.
Another part of the article that surprised me was the mention of Obama effigies being hung at university campuses. As a student at Penn State the opposite seemed to be true. In fact, you were hard-pressed to find a college student here who wasn’t a big-time Obama supporter. For months, my classmates cheered President Obama and the ideas of change, equality and possibility that went along with him. It seemed that our generation was one of the first generations that really was ready to accept a man of a different race into this position of power. To hear that other college students across the country, students the same age as my classmates and I, chose to so violently oppose this candidate is, understandably, shocking to me given the context from which I viewed the latest election.
I am shocked by the article “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting.” I feel as if this tension and fuss about the first “black” president is never going to let up. Barack Obama was a highly qualified and the most deserving candidate for this 2009 election and I still do not understand why the color of his skin is playing such a big role in his presidential image. Barack Obama is just as white as he is black, so why isn’t he labeled as just another average white president? As I look back over the years, I always thought that this nation had taken a lot of action towards the disposal of racism from our society, but this election has actually turned my thoughts around. I knew, from day 1, that Obama’s black descent was going to affect this election tremendously. Sad to say, with all of the crazy racists there are in this world, I believed that Obama would be assassinated strictly for his heritage. I feel very ashamed to say that about this country, but this article has just proved my point. In lecture, Sam told us that the average president gets about twenty death threats per day, whereas Obama is getting even more than that. That is just shocking and unbelievable in my eyes. He has not even been sworn in for a month yet and there have already been assassination plans broken up and arrests made. Obama has received more armed protection than any other president, and they fear for his life more than any other president as well. And the reasoning behind all of this is one simple word—black. America has highly disappointed me.
What I am wondering though, is how come these hate groups and supremacists are not being publicized on the national news? As a citizen, I feel as if I am very ignorant when it comes to the current presidency because I, and all other citizens, am not being informed. I feel as if we need to know what types of people exist out there because we can help to make a difference. I am hoping that these groups stay the minority and eventually let up. Without them receiving a lot of public recognition, I believe that they will feel as if their fights are going unnoticed and will give in. Nevertheless, I feel as if America has taken steps backward since the Civil War, etc. We are supposed to be overcoming racism and joining hands as one, regardless of our color, religious views, or anything else that may distinguish us from one another. “Different” should be seen as a positive word, and all human beings should strive to achieve that title. In my perspective, President Barack Obama is extremely brave and a hero. I am glad that he did not let the negativity of certain citizens prevent him from helping to better this nation. Change is what Obama symbolizes…and change is exactly what America needs.
Lacey Carney
Section #13
I was not surprise when I read this article “Obama Called a “Visual Aid” for White Supremacist Recruiting." Even though most American people had move on and overcome this racial issue, it will always be major issue in some parts. It is really what some people are still living as they are better than minority but having a black president is just going to make them hate color people more than ever. It is even more embarrassing that there are people in the 21st century that are burning houses, beating people and breaking people's noses because they are supporting a black candidate. Even though people expected some people to be racist after the election to know that people were making death threats and a busing Obama's supporters is just ridicules. White Supremacist is forgetting that Obama did not win because black people voted for him. They need to remember that Obama won because of his potentials. People voted for him because he was a better candidate than McCain. People are tired of Iraqi war they didn’t want to put another Bush on the chair. The economy is in deep crisis, so people wanted a president that can better the situation that America is in not worsen. Those kind of people need to open their eyes. Don’t they think that black people had it enough? The world had moved on to so many better things than dividing colors. So many black people got killed for Obama to accomplish what he has accomplished. It is not even just Obama it is the black people as a whole. Martin Luther King was assassinated because he had this vision, the vision of equality. He made it easy for African Americans to attend Penn State and other great schools. Even though this is not surprising to me it is still something America has to face. Obama has received more threats than any other President-elect. I am not surprised with this fact at all. This is not hard to believe that so many people would hate a President because of his color. It is clear that these threats have much more to do with race than his qualifications for office. America is an old country but we have proven to the world we can make changes to but it does not mean everyone will change or except changes.
What surprised me the most was that the fact that, in Rexburg, Idaho, second and third graders on a school bus shouted “assassinates Obama?” I think this is only because these kids are only exposed to what they see and what they is what goes on at home and school. May their parents dislikes the fact the president of the United States is black. If that is the only thing they know they might think only a white person is suppose to be a president in their little world. Even though I did not expect them to be on a bus and scream assassinate Obama. It is scary when you think the only people that don’t like our president older people or people that race issue because our generation is much more open minded and you hear that third graders were shouted it make you think that may be America has not change at all.
After reading both the blog and article entitled, “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting” by SPLC Intelligence Report, I did not find it surprising that supremacists would be using Obama’s name as a scapegoat for their cause. The reason why I use the term scapegoat is because they are trying to blame their actions on someone else, but to me it is completely ridiculous. I don’t think that these articles have been hidden or not as prominent in the media as it is stated in the blog, but more so that there have been so many other issues in the United States that people are glancing over them as another bunch of crazies trying to promote people to their cause.
Being that I am Jewish, I have heard of the different Neo-Nazi groups, and the terrible stereotypes and violence they are promoting to one group. During the reign of the Nazi party, they used Jews as a scapegoat for the poor economic and governmental times they were having in Germany, and that is exactly what they KKK and other white supremacists groups are doing today to Obama. These groups no concept that the actions of themselves, and of others like them also have paved the way for the state that our country is in right now, and would rather blame the “others” to make themselves feel better.
Before Obama was elected, I was absolutely in support of him, but I also was very worried about these groups coming back into power. Many people prior to the inauguration asked if Obama would be wearing a bullet proof vest and he was. The question that we don’t ask is how many other presidents wore bullet proof vests when being sworn in? Obama has received more threats than any other president elect, but to me although I think it is horrible, I do not think it is out of the ordinary. Once something deviates from the norm, you have all of the hate groups come out and try to protest through force, violence or threats; if the first Jewish president was elected, the Neo-Nazi groups would be in full force.
When reading the article, “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting,” it made me sick that people would have the audacity to be quoted as a Neo-Nazi. All I can say is really Jeff Schoep?! I hope you get a lot of backlash for this, get fired from your job and lead a miserable life. And also, do not group everyone into your, “we are the answer for white people.” I am white, and I can most definitely tell you that you are not the answer to the economic problems in the United States.
Well the first though that came to my mind right after I read this article was what if a white person voted for Obama? Would these white supremacy groups do anything to those people? I think not, which gets me very angry. I mean if you are beating up people because they are supporters of Obama, then you should beat up anyone that is supporting Obama ANYONE. I just feel that these groups are very biased when it comes to about anything they do. And of course for the white people, but this time is different because now these white people voted for a black president. Also, if some of these groups’ vandalized houses and cars that supported Obama how do they know that they aren’t white. So if they are white then you would be going against everything the group stands for by vandalizing the white person’s house or car. To me it seems like a very large lose lose situation for these groups.
My biggest fear though, was that these groups are getting more and more supporters just because of who was elected into office. What if Obama gets elected for his second term? What then? Is this going to go even farther? To me it’s inevitable but that’s the scary part, it’s going to happen. There will be posters up all over the place recruiting people knowing that some white person out there is looking for an answer and they have one. This can affect everybody’s lives in one way or another and not in a good way at all. I also fear that Obama might do something stupid when it comes to bringing everyone to the table, and listening to what they have to say. Because now you never know if there is a white supremacy person that just might have that much influence in or around president Obama. I mean these internet sites are exploding with people visiting them. That means that these people are at least interested if not serious. And these people who don’t join the groups but care enough to do something for the cause are going to do something for the cause, knowing now that there are other people willing to do the same. I think that these blogs that are coming up all over the place now, unfortunately, are going to be very influential and will spark something. I don’t know what it will spark but something is going to happen here soon, and the worst part is that we know where it’s coming from and we can’t stop it from happening. I just hope that president Obama knows what’s going on and doesn’t make the wrong move to do something about it!
In the year 2009, I can’t believe hate groups are still around let alone flourishing. And the fact that Obama’s win has made people come out of the woodwork is equally appalling. I wish the people leading or caught up in these movements would devote their energy to a more constructive cause.
On the bright side, I think Obama’s winning shows that a majority of people here value tolerance and progress and are not stuck in the past. I also find it encouraging that these progressive people don’t stand for the activities and mentality of these hate groups. I remember in high school, a group of white supremacists (I think the skinheads) staged a hate group rally at Valley Forge near my house, and I believe there were more people who attended to protest the event, not participate.
Now I really don’t understand how people can become so absorbed by hate that they can bring themselves to attend rallies and be quoted in national newspapers, but I guess it makes it easier to spot racists when they are not just closet bigots. I’m not sure which is worse, but reading some of those hate crimes and demonstrations makes me very nervous.
I’m not sure what the best remedy for this problem is. Obviously the police should continue punishing those who instigate hate, but I think much of assuaging the problem comes in educating people to be more understanding, which would be very difficult. Expanding understanding requires a willingness of all parties to possible change how they feel about race. It reminds me of Laurie Mulvey’s book and how she calls herself a convert. It really takes a lot of introspection and many times people don’t want to take the time to change themselves because it’s easier to go along in life without giving important issues much thought.
One of the best parts of Obama’s victory is that it has really reopened the dialogue on race in America. For quire some time now, it’s seemed the topic o race has been dormant in this country, and Obama – especially with his speech in Philadelphia – is making it clear that there are many things still not accomplished since the Civil Rights Movement. Obama’s win shows we as a whole have moved past petty differences like color and are moving toward equality. Racism will always exist, and hate groups will always be spreading their messages. But we shouldn’t let this stifle our efforts. If anything, as these hate groups are refueling, we too should refuel our efforts to bridge the color gap and build greater understanding. I think it will take some time to see the effects of the new presidency, but I am genuinely looking forward to it because I have a feeling it will be interesting and positive.
The article about white supremacists and President Barack Obama is a very interesting and definitely scary article. I knew that there where those type of organizations out there like the KKK and the American Nazi Party. Just with our history there were bound to be ignorant people who believe that one race is superior to another. However, I was hopeful that there would be a day when people would not have to deal with stuff like this. I guess we have not come that far yet, and from the article it is clearly going to take a very long time before organizations like this do not exist, but I am not even sure if that is possible.
What I found most disturbing about the article was the fact that certain websites such as “Stormfront” and the “Council of Conservative Citizens” crashed due to the amount of people visiting the website. Are there really that many people out there who would consider joining one of these organizations because of a black president? White Supremacists are hoping for an “Obama backlash” and for more people to join there groups. Honestly, I would have laughed at that because I thought that people were not that ignorant, but from the amount of the hits to those websites I am not to sure right now.
With the economy the way it is many racist extremists seem set for a revolution of some kind. It is scary to think that it is during these economic times that these particular groups tend to thrive in the United States. Of course, everyone knew that the election of the first black president was going to be something of great importance, but the fact that Obama has received “more threats than any president elect” is really terrifying for this country. Really….what kind of “civilization” do we live in where so many people want to kill one person simply because of his skin color. I feel ashamed that I live in a country that has racist groups attempting to solicit new members for the sole purpose of being the “supreme race”.
Another thing about the article which I found both interesting and disturbing was the “sampling of racial incidents” as a result of Barack Obama’s election. Specifically, in Idaho were second and third graders on a school bus were chanting “assassinate Obama”. Seriously, what kind of parents or environment do these children live in that they even know the word assassinate, much less apply that word to a human being. Our youth is suppose to be more understanding and accepting than the previous generation, but with this incident and the fight of white supremacists I am nervous about the future of my country. Could it really be possible that organizations like the KKK could be on the rise and getting new members? It is really a scary thought to me. The idea of the president being killed is scary because he is the face and leader of this country. It does not speak of highly of the citizens of this country who would even consider doing something like that, but that fact that there is a racist reason behind it is even worse.
This article really made me think about what country I want to live in, and it is definitely not one were racist organizations thrive and we have to worry about the safety of our president. For the sake of this country I hope that these groups do not succeed in their goals, and that the rest of the nation is not dumb enough to believe their bullshit. No race, culture, or sex is greater than any other, and people that think so should really find somewhere else to live in my opinion. We are a country of diversity so it is time to get used to that because it is not changing anytime soon.
To say that I didn’t expect and up rise in white supremacist and hate groups after the election of Obama would be a lie. Although not popular amongst the majority of people in the United States I was still aware that people and groups like these still existed. Not only did I know they existed but I also knew of the inconceivable amount of followers these kinds of groups have. I was born in raised in Newport News Virginia. To some this is considered the South and to others not, but I can tell you that some people there still carry with them the same attitudes towards minorities as those did in the deep south prior to the Civil Rights movement. In my last year at home before I came to college I was reading the news paper only to find an article covering what had been a massive rally slash meeting for the KKK. The meeting was held in Yorktown on one of the battlefields that hosted a battle during the Civil War. While reading the article it became clear to me that the hate of minorities was still ever present. After reading the article my friends and I were so curious we wanted to go check it out to see if it would be like what we read in history books growing up. Let me remind you that we did not go to support the rally just out of pure curiosity. Once we got a few miles away the traffic was so congested and the line was so long to the battle fields we ended up turning around. My point here is to try and show the abundance of people who still support these groups and share the same beliefs, it’s disturbing. Being someone who never judged someone based on color and even had intimate relationships with females of a different race I was dumbfounded by the number of people pouring in to this rally. While a lot of the people could have been just like my friends and I, curious to see what a white supremacist rally was all about, my gut tells me that this wasn’t the case. There had to of been tens of thousands of people that showed up to this rally. What they talked about and what went on I will never know but it opened my eyes to the harsh reality that many Americans are not aware of. The hate is still there and more than likely will probably never die. It does not surprise me that Obama has had more threats then any other President in the time he has been in office. I am positive that there were a lot of Americans who would have rather died then to see a black man become President. The shitty thing is there is nothing we can do to ever stop these people. These people associate with people alike and then breed and spawn new little hateful babies, so the hate is inevitable. The best thing that can be done is those of us who see no colors can band together and fight off these numbskulls by uniting and showing them that we don’t care, maybe then they will become tired of the fight and give in.
While reading Professor Richards’ post and the subsequent article, “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting,” a number of random thoughts arose in my head. First, I – and many others, I hope – take immense exception to society (or the media, at least) extending any dignity or recognition toward these groups by simply labeling them as “groups” or “organizations” or anything else that seemingly legitimizes their existence. All of these groups – Aryan Nations, David Duke, W.A.R., Posse Comitatus, and the American Nazi Party (ANP) – are hate groups, first and foremost. Each of every one of these hate groups is not a constructive component of society. They are hate groups hell bent on breeding and spreading hate, pure and simple. They are hate groups with nothing beneficial or valuable to offer society, unless you count their ability to single-handedly sustain the white tank-top industry, continually drag down the national literacy rate, and valiantly protect the mullet from complete and utter extinction. Second, in contrast to my previous statement, I believe the widely-held perception of white supremacists is that they are ignorant and unintelligent rednecks from the south with no formal education whatsoever. However, as we have discovered so far this semester, most stereotypes are not true. In fact, a good percentage of white supremacists are educated and articulate, which makes their view on life much more perplexing. The fact that they have studied history and other cultures, yet still decide to live a life of hate, is very troubling. Third, in regards to Professor Richards’ statement that “while these groups never went away, they’ve certainly not captured the interest of mainstream media outlets for well over a decade,” I wonder if these hate groups actually did disappear beginning in the mid to late 1990s or if all media outlets made a silent, yet collective, decision to no longer report on hate groups. It would be extremely reassuring if the latter were true, but I reckon that both the latter and former were responsible were partly responsible for the lack of media coverage in the past decade or so. Fourth, it is easy to understand why recruitment for hate groups likely decreased in the ten to fifteen years before the election of President Barack Obama. When everything in society remains the same, people are less and less willing to seek out extreme alternatives to guidance, such as the types offered by hate groups. The reason for this, I believe, stems from the fact that white supremacists, by nature, are xenophobic. Therefore, when there is no change, there is no need to aggressively promote hate. However, when there is drastic change, such as President Obama’s election, then we see how quick white supremacists are to mobilize. Fifth and finally, I was reminded of one comedian’s take on why hate groups still exist while I read Professor Richards’ post. To paraphrase what the comedian said: I do not understand why hate groups still have meetings. Can you imagine what these meetings are like? “Okay, everybody, let’s come to order. We still hate everyone, right? Alright see you next week.”
I’m surprised that people are so surprised about this issue of extremists living among the American population. But then again I don’t blame the people for their ignorance. I blame the media. If you, for example, live here in State College which is a nice and small town with relatively few incidences of racist acts, one wouldn’t tend to think that the issue still exists today. The reality is that racism is still very much alive today it’s just more concealed than it has been in the past. This country clearly seems to be in denial of how racially divided it really is. Yes we have a new black president, which is amazing and definitely a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go. Some people would argue that by shedding light on the issue you would be giving these supremacists’ the national spot light and attention they are craving for. Which is a fair argument, but one also has to realize that these groups are already growing in size at alarming rates without the media’s attention and this problem cannot be fixed until people admit that there is a problem. By not acknowledging the fact that these groups are a serious endangerment not only to individuals but to the nation as a whole, for example if the president gets killed, the whole country is bound to be forever crippled from making any meaningful growth or ever having a people who feel united at one.
I think the last lecture did a good job of showing how people rarely put themselves in other people’s shoes and try to understand pressing matters from all sides of the spectrum. I think that these supremacists’ tend to forget that first of all the only true owners of American soil are Red Indians and they are European immigrants who have just as little rights to be here as they claim Mexicans do. Just because you’ve been here longer doesn’t mean you have a right to be here. So who are they to judge what a “pure” America is? Second of all, the American constitution clearly states that all men are created equal. You can’t create legal document and choose to follow some parts that better suit your own selfish purposes and ignore the others. This country was founded by people of different nationalities that fled inequality from whence they came and wanted to forge brighter and better futures for themselves and future generations. But that simple fact seems to slip people’s minds so easily and they turn to oppress others. By choosing instead to be hateful, supremacists’ are stunting the potential growth of this great nation.
I believe that if this country really wants to see a difference and become united as one to accomplish the hopes and dreams that Obama has implanted into people minds and hearts, people need to learn to reach across the divides of race and learn not to be afraid of something different.
I am shocked and disappointed to see that actions like this are still about in the 21st century. It is sad to see that because someone dies not like the way the government is going, they have to create racial comments and actions and try to convince people that it is a problem. First of all, if one likes or dislikes the president of the United States, it has nothing to do with the color of their skin, or the color of any one’s skin that supports him. I thought that we got past this several years ago. In fact, our country is supposed to represent the invitation of all cultures and beliefs. That is what we stand for and what we fight for. To act like such barbarians is to take America’s ideals and rip them apart to shreds. These actions bring us back to cave man days and we are more than that. We need to come together even more as a country and overcome this ridiculous mindset of certain groups across the country. We must set an example and prove that it doesn’t matter what background we have, but who we are on the inside. These Neo-Nazi and groups may try to pull people into their belief system, but not enough to overcome what a nation stands for. As the economy struggles they are holding tight to civilians’ weaknesses and have found a perfect time to make their existence known, a time when everyone is unsure of their future. But as we have before, the United States will overcome this struggle and this inhuman society will dissipate. As for those who have been beaten down both physically and emotionally, stay strong. As time passes hopefully this nation will advance as it has in the past and maybe someday, all will be completely and unarguably equal. There always has been discrimination and for many years there will continue to be discrimination. But as each year passes and each generation grows, discrimination has lessened more and more and will continue to do so. As those discriminated stay strong, those discriminators will realize their faults, even if it is one at a time. Without the reaction they want, they have nothing to go from. They have nothing to spark their fire. Therefore as we grow as a nation, and come together more and more as a country, the voices of those against equality will drop and disappear. The entire state of Idaho will never be overtaken by white supremacists, the country will never go back to its old ways, and no one will ever allow a racism run this country. That is why we are here in the United States. It offers a place to those who want to start over. That is what it was to every immigrant and every ancestor that ever came here, and that stands for every one equally.
Now that Obama is president I would imagine the racist groups such as the KKK and the Neo –Nazi to come out and push their hardest to kill or do something to Obama or someone of color. It is just a shame that those groups are still here today, we’ve made so much progress but then again it’s like the saying “we took one step forwards to be taking two steps back”. We have not fully reached the dream Martin Luther King Jr. had, we only reached it half way, but that is not good enough. That is how it feels and how I see it and I know many others feel that way also. We should stop looking at things for color but that is impossible because people of those groups and those who couldn’t see a black man running the country won’t allow it to happen. A lot of people changed and faced the fact that we have a black president but others didn’t and those are the people who will ruin everything. I really don’t like the fact that the news hasn’t reported these things and we had to find out about these stories from underground news. I think everyone should know what is going on and the threats the president is getting, so everyone can be informed of what is going on in their world and around them. All the threats that Obama have received probably wasn’t because of what he believed in but because of his color or what he calls himself. I’m not saying that all his views are what everyone believe or agree with but the media was putting too much spotlight on his color. I don’t think bringing what they did to people all over the world would make it any better but I also don’t feel like keeping it a secret or underground would make it any better also. So it s a win-win lose-lose situation. I don’t find it hard to believe that all these crimes have been going on especially the second and third graders chanting “assassinate Obama”. This is something I would think of happening just because children only repeat what their parents tell them or what they see, some of them don’t know any better. I would also think that since Obama is a “visual aid” now to these white supremacy groups that more racist people would come out and join groups because of the hate they have for him. The only thing that would shock me is that these groups have real courage even trying to come back out and do these things to blacks. They just don’t care to live anymore because they will get what is coming to them. Many people said that they were “shocked” while reading this but I don’t think you can be shocked at this story, all you can do is laugh and say “ I knew it was going to come to this soon enough, what took it so long”. ?!
It is absolutely crazy to think that as a nation we could “come so far” in our forward thinking about race, only to realize that we haven’t really come far “as a whole nation” at all. It’s a shame to think that there are still people in this nation who are filled with so much hate. Everyone has some type of stereotype that they fall victim to when looking at people of other races. This is just human nation. But to be outwardly racist and hateful against an entire group of people is absurd. And even if one does have such views, why the violence? As a white person, I find it embarrassing, and as much as I’d like to pretend that I never knew these groups existed, I see them all the time. My mother was raised in the south, and so we still have family down there. When we go down for visits, we inevitably run into one situation of another where we see acts of hatred and racism. Many of the people speak openly about their hate for the “colored.” It’s really quite disheartening. And then I think of some acquaintances I’ve met through my boyfriend. He goes to school with a bunch of boys from Texas, and the exact attitude that was discussed in the article comes from these boys’ mouths all the time. Now I’ll be honest, I’m not a HUGE Obama fan myself, but I support the nation’s president, and my dislike certainly is not for racial reasons. Yet, even I was offended by the comments these boys would make. Instead of talking about Obama’s proposed policies, they always spoke about his color. It was appalling. And it makes us all feel a lot better to think that these feelings lie only in the south, and that we’re very far away from such opinions in the north. WRONG. There are many white supremacist groups right here in Centre County. One of my friends actually went with a buddy to a party, and when he got to the house where the party was being held, he could hear hate music blaring from all of the speakers. This was in State College. And these people are as happy as ever in their ridiculously hurtful ways. It proves the fact that ignorance is bliss for them, and I have to take a step back and wonder how does one become so ignorant? Are these people seriously living under a rock? They must be. The whole thing just sucks. I am white, and reading about this offends me terribly, mostly because it’s just flat out embarrassing. I can only imagine being of a different race and having to face such hatred from such inhumane people. It really is a shame.
After reading this article I am absolutely shocked and horrified at the same time. Call me naïve but I honestly didn’t believe that groups such as the KKK and other white supremacy groups still existed in full force. I thought for sure that these groups had been broken up a long time ago. It seems as if America has come so far in accepting others of a different race but in fact we have a long way to go. This article also scares me because I fear a surge of white supremacy groups taking over the nation and destroying all of the progress that as a nation we have made. It is also very frightening that there have already been two assassination attempts on Obama. This in itself is probably the one of my main fears about having Obama as the president. This would not only be a devastating blow morally but would set our country back from the progress it has made. Having Obama is really critical to the wellbeing of our nation. For one, he will help our nation get through this crisis and he will help the rest of the world realize that color is only skin deep that’s it! I myself in fact did not vote for Obama because I am a republican who does not agree with some of his views. However, I still think he is an intelligent man and that he will surely help this nation come out of this crisis. Why can’t others see that too? Do they really think having a black president is really going to destroy and attack all whites and ruin this nation? Don’t they want to get out of this recession? Obama is a smart man and he is probably our best shot at getting our economy back on its feet.
More importantly, where was the media on the assassination attempts? Better yet where was the media on any of this white supremacy group increase? Did they just choose not to tell America about this because they were afraid of the immense fear that would surge through our nation? If that’s the case then why is it that they are so quick to tell us about the latest product that causes cancer. I believe that the media chose to disregard this because they do not want to believe it themselves. They think that there aren’t a lot of those white supremacy groups out there but really they are. They refuse to believe it and make the public aware of it! This is disgusting to me that America still has those types of people who continue to hate in the most extreme form. And the worst part is that these groups of people are growing! In 2009 America is slowly slipping back to the extremist way of white supremacy, something I thought we were getting closer to overcoming.
Whoa! The article, “Obama Called a "Visual Aid" for White Supremacist Recruiting,” made me think of a lot of things. Just because we have the first ‘Black’ president in office, it does not mean that these radical groups will diminish or that these race issues we struggle with as a country is over. We have been so caught up in this particular change in history that we have forgotten about these hate groups and their mission. I think that it is partly because of the media, the media shows us what they want and they are supposed to have the ‘people’ best interest. Therefore through the freedom of speech, and press clause they can deliver even what the government might try to keep covered. I feel like in order to abolish or eliminate these hate groups, then we need to at least know about what they are doing. The media has done a bad job of letting these groups and their motives be known. I find it really scary living in this world with people who hate me because I do not look like them, and who will go as far as killing people to take over. These groups are known and are allowed to exist and I find it ridiculous, especially when they are plotting on killing the president! I want to know their every move, plans, motives, geographic location, their jobs, and how many people are involved. I think these people are dangerous and they are no better than Hitler or terrorist. These are people whom I might see every day and I am oblivious to the fact that they are a part of one of these hate groups. They could be on campus. What if they decide to hurt or kill people on campus who are not like them? Maybe the media doesn’t want to alarm people. I just find it really troubling. As far as these groups go, I do not think that Obama is the cause for people joining these groups, I think that these people are going to do what they do regardless, but because we have a black president in office they are just doing what we expect them to do and for that reason as well as to gain attention to their group. Just a way of them saying, “We are still here.” Personally I hate the unknown, and to me these groups or I should say the people in these groups are unknown. And since they are unknown, we do not really know how much power they have. Bottom line they need to just get over the fact that we have a black president in office and not use that as a stimulus for their crooked behavior.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been sincerely moved by something I have read. This last blog and the follow-up reading I did moved me in a way that I’m not accustomed to. It caught me off guard; it threw me off. I was brought up with the delusion that while, yes, horrible things had happened in the past, everything was all right now. Upon coming to college, I quickly saw that this wasn’t true – everything was NOT okay. In fact, very little surrounding the bubble of my “okay” existence was actually okay. I didn’t know that my clothing was made my slave labor. I didn’t know that we’ve fucked the environment, and I didn’t know that there was still genocide occurring. Upon learning, I was horrified and devastated. And then I was angry. How could this all have been kept from me for so many years? Since broadening my understanding, I have attempted to stay informed.
This blog had me feeling a sense of shock and dismay all over again. White supremacy? Really? As Sam mentioned, no, we didn’t grow up with that sort of thing on the news. So to hear that it’s making a big comeback is utterly shocking and completely appalling to me. Disgusting, even.
Earlier today, as we were walking by the HUB, my friend mentioned that there were a lot of Arabs around (the comment was an unbiased observation). I told him that before Soc 119, I didn’t know exactly what classified as person as “Arab,” and that while I remember seeing a list of those classified as Arab, I couldn’t for the life of my remember it. I went on to tell him that all human classification systems are incredibly hard for me to remember (almost as difficult as cars. I have friends whose cars I can’t identify after 3 years.). The reason? I’m just not interested. I’m not interested in labeling, and I’m not interested in creating unnecessary division. I think that to feel pride for something of which you had no control is nonsensical. I was born a female. I’m pleased with that, but am in no way “proud” of it. I did nothing (consciously) to influence my sex. Similarly, I was born Jewish, a group of people who tend to be very proud (and somewhat elitist, if you ask me). I just don’t feel it. I identify with the culture, but I’m not proud of it – I contributed in no way to its formation. I was born, taken to temple, and told that I was Jewish (and that I should be proud of it). I could have just as easily been born, and taken to a church, or born, and taken to a mosque. Either way, I would be expected to feel pride in my religion, my race, my culture.
After reading the blog, I spent some time looking through white supremacy websites. It made me feel physically exhausted – distraught, even. This white supremacy thing is something I have never really seen the face of. The sites are…well, horrible. The hate, the disillusionment, the propaganda… And it’s so unfair to those born into it. Those born and immediately taught to hate, to view others are inferior based on superficial qualities. It’s heartbreaking to me. Is this all a result of boredom? A failure to perceive the beauty and perfection that lies untouched and omnipresent?
In responding to the blog White Supremacist Recruiters “Thank” Obama, that is not a real surprise to me at all. Matter of fact, I had a feeling as soon as Barack Obama became president of the United States of America that it would raise the racial tensions higher. A lot of hate groups really hate the whole idea that America having an African American president running things now. I knew hate groups such as the Aryan Nations, the Skinheads, the Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan’s, and other white supremacist hate groups were going to come out and start to progress even more because of Barack Obama. The United States of America has a lot of white supremacist hate groups but, the commonwealth state of Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of white supremacist concentration in the United States. Mainly the white supremacist hate groups are in central and but more in western Pennsylvania and have a big recruiting head quarters out those locations. Since Barack Obama has been elected as the first African American president, some white people especially from rural communities do not want to see an African American run America. All of these low lives, trashy, close minded, simple minded people are just out right ignorant and uneducated. It is 2009 and we as citizens of America and as African Americans still have to tolerate with racism. This should stop before it gets out of hand because, we as African Americans just had enough. All men are created equal and no one has the right to judge someone of their skin color. The United States of America still have a real long ways to go to put help decrease bigotry. Now the Skinheads are starting to recruit more white people that are racist to not only harm African Americans but, this goes for Mexicans, Jews, gays, lesbians, and other people who are not like them. These Skinheads, Ku Klux Klan’s, and other white supremacist are just mad at society just because they were failures in life. These white supremacist are just losers and want some attention that Barack Obam is getting from a lot of people. These white supremacist can criticize Barack Obama but, no matter if they don’t like it he is still our president of America. I believe Obama in the White Should screen everyone, and contact some agencies such as the Federal Bureau Investigators to make sure that his security is air tight, and no one who works with him is involved in a hate group. It is very disturbing that the United States of America still some individuals have to focus on race and when we sing the Pledge of Allegiance, still justice isn’t for all because racism really does still exists today.
We have come so far as a nation and yet division and hatred has us stilted. The ignorance and ill mindedness of some people is a slap in the face. I am not surprised at the fact that white supremacist groups still exist. The shocking thing, however, is the behavior and the incentives behind these groups. It is interesting to find that supremacist and extremist groups use the economic crisis as an opportunity to increase recruitment. It is even more interesting that these groups use Barack Obama as a scapegoat for crisis. You would expect that the supremacist groups would backlash at the election of Obama. I would have been surprised if we did not see a backlash after his election. So when I read that Obama has received more threats than any previous president-elect it made sense. If Hillary Clinton had been elected, she may have received more threats as well, just because she is a woman. What upsets me is the fact that the groups want to use Obama as a “visual aid” as a means of recruitment; and then to go as far as blaming Obama, and minorities in general, for this depression is ignorant. What these people fail to realize is that this economic crisis is beyond the control of minorities. If extremist want to point a finger, they should look back at the bush administration.
The extent of discretion that the mainstream media uses is also surprising. During the election, the media tells us how much the nation needs a change and how Barack will administer that change. Yet we did not hear about the slew of racial incidents occurring at the wake of the election. Of course, no one wants to watch the news just for bad news, but the fact that the media withheld, or mitigated, such news is interesting. The most shocking incident I read in the article was about the second- and third-graders that were chanting, “assassinate Obama” on a school bus. It saddened and sickened me to believe that such young children would say such a foul thing. And at that young of an age, it only makes sense that these children are carrying the beliefs of their parents. Those children are at the tender age where their brains are like sponges. They absorb everything around them. And if all they hear about is hatred for minorities, it is going to mold their thoughts and ideals to develop that hatred even without having been exposed to the groups they were raised to hate. Those people are raising their children as white supremacists and its sad. What we need to do is educate our children to be open and accepting to all people, regardless of color, gender, sex, etc. That is the only way we can make a true change in this nation.
I cannot say that I was at all surprised to hear that there are still white supremacists roaming around the United States, or that they began to take action when there was a threat of a “black” man living in the White House. These hate groups have been around for so many years, living under the radar of popular media, so much that us “normal,” tolerant Americans seemed to forget about them a little bit. Of course they are going to step out into the spotlight when a “black” man was elected president; they obviously have a huge problem with it and they are trying to gain more supporters to help them in their fight. Of course this issue is not their only problem, they still have hatred (and show it as well) for homosexuals, immigrants, Jews, etc.
These people scare me to death. I remember one of my first encounters with this kind of group was on Jerry Springer or Maury when I was probably around 8 years old, and a woman had just learned that her uncle was a very important member of the KKK. I was scared of his traditional garb and I didn’t even really know what he did. I probably asked my parents about the KKK after I saw the show because this man made me very nervous.
I don’t understand how these people can still think like this after all that the United States has been through in the past 8 years or so, and because the US is an enlightened nation (in some aspects) and most of the citizens have gotten over the whole “I hate you because you’re not like me” issue. My question is: where are these people learning these awful values from? I understand that beliefs get passed down from one generation to the next, but aren’t all schools teaching children to be tolerant, kind people? That was definitely a major lesson in school for me every year when I was younger. Hopefully as the years progress, there will be less and less people joining these groups just because they know better. However, the fact that some of these groups online websites crashed because too many people were interested after Barack Obama was elected, and that more people are trying to join these groups now, is not very promising.
Hopefully these groups can be stopped before they even get started, but I think the majority of the country is too scared of them; I know I am! They haven’t really been successfully stopped in the past, so how would we begin this now to decrease the risks to our new president, and to all of his supporters? I do not know if we should be expecting a mass rally by these white supremacy groups in the near future, but I think the government should be ready to handle them at any time. But at the same time, I don’t know how much I trust the government to do before a big outburst of supremacy groups poses a major threat to the country. I guess we will just have to wait and see for ourselves. Kind of scary.
This article can be looked at in a number of different ways. Different perspectives give you different opinions. I see two main ways of deciphering the article. On side, we have white supremacist groups that are still extremely racist and hoping the election of Barack Obama will help in their extension and growing as a small group. We can be mad at the media, for only showing reports on the glory of change, and showing how we are “finally living out Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream,” when in fact there are groups of people who want to thrive off race hate. Or, we can be grateful that the media is not giving these racist, white supremacist groups the attention they are craving. Either way, one could say that we have not reached full equality. However, if that is how you define equality, here is another way to look at the situation and article. There are always going to be people who rebel against the normal way of living. There are always going to be those iconoclasts. Sam always says he’s an iconoclast in class. He uses his iconoclasm to get people to think differently. It almost seems as those his iconoclasm is the epitome of equality. But this is not always the case. Which is shown in the article. Clearly a majority of the United States wanted Barack Obama to be elected into the office of President. The most powerful position in the world. But, there are always a few people who are going to disagree. Maybe they truly feel strongly about the subject, in most cases, I feel like they are just doing it for attention, either way, they are going against the norm. Being iconoclasts. If people want everyone to get along and agree with every single issue, it is very unlikely that that is going to happen. If that is Martin Luther King’s dream, I am fairly confident that it will never be fulfilled. People can make a big deal about the racist white supremacists, but there are also a number of groups against other races, including white people. I have no knowledge of the fact, so I am merely guessing, that there are probably an equal number of groups for each case. None of them are getting media coverage. And no one cares. Do people only care that white supremacist groups are not getting any coverage? Is this racism? Oooooh. That was just a joke. I don’t know. It seems like people are just taking it too far. There is always going to be that annoying kid in your class who has to argue every point made by the teacher. Whether he is doing it for attention, or his own understanding, we’ll never know. I feel like the same is true for this article.
It is shocking to me that there are people out there who still continue to be a part of hate groups. I probably would have still continued to think that this did not exist anymore and that it was only a part of history. I do not believe that they will become powerful enough to cause any major problems regardless of an increase in potential new members. There cannot be enough people who agree with these white supremacists to make a difference which helps me feel optimistic about our country and how far along its come. There will be many more people who will ignore or prosecute the members in the event of the members creating violence. I do not believe however we have reached a point where equality among everyone living in our country has been reached. We do have a biracial president and other black people who hold higher positions but it still is not enough. There are stereotypes that need to be broken in order for hate groups and such to no longer exist.
I would not even know how anyone could really put an end to hate groups. They might always exist as long as even a small group of people form together just because of their common hate for a group of people of a different race, religion, or ethnicity. Who has the authority to break up groups if they are not doing any harm? Physical harm that is. Is it possible for a group of people to be stopped just because they are trying to spread their message of hatred to other people? This issue has never really occurred to me. I feel groups like these are potentially dangerous and the public should be more aware.
I would like to see what Obama does, if anything, about these groups. He is the president who has received the most threats. Trying to stop these hate groups would really say something about him as a president. He would be addressing issues that many people have not been thinking about. It would continue to push our country along the way of diminishing our racial problems. It’s a shame that Obama being elected as president has brought so many white people to become open about their racist or prejudice feelings towards people of another race. That in a way might have maybe taken our country a few steps backwards because of the new awareness of more white supremacists. I believe that is actually a good thing because we can see what people really think, the true statistics. Many people may have been silent about their feelings for people of other races until someone of another race came into power.
In my opinion, the article should not be surprising to anyone. We all think that the Civil Rights Movement was something that happened a long time ago and that since we have finally elected the first black President, America is going to change. Wrong. People’s opinions are something that they will always hold true to themselves. For most of us, Obama brings excitement and history in the making - we are living in a time where we think change has officially arrived. But for many people, who still fight for white supremacy and who are raising their children to hate everyone who is not white, electing a President who is part black into office is really just fuel for their fire.
I hate to say it but my grandparents are definitely not fond of having a black President. However, their opinions were not passed down to my parents, and further were not passed down to me. My parents and I, as well as most of our generation I’d hope, aren’t concerned about the color of Obama’s skin – we care about his intelligence and his ability to serve as President. Yet in some places, these opinions formed generations ago are passed down each time someone new enters the family. The fact that second and third graders in Idaho were chanting “assassinate Obama” on a school bus is proof of this. In second grade, you’re just learning how to form opinions of things. You know what clothes you want to wear to school and what friends you want to play with. But how are you supposed to form an opinion of the President? You don’t even know what he really does. These children are impressionable and are only following what they hear. They are growing up in a place that dangerously breeds white supremacy. Thus, I highly doubt any of it will ever end.
None of this should be surprising to people. We have all heard racist remarks and must know that there are people who would take those remarks to the extreme of killing someone. It is rare, however, that we see evidence of it through the media. Most papers and television stations are more excited to announce the election of “The First Black President” and those were the headlines we all read. We overlook the fact that the white supremacy movement has not ended – in fact, it’s only about to get worse. Though Obama has definitely broken some racial lines by becoming President, it has only opened the door for more people to do so. For most of us, this is great news – some day we will elect a black President or any other type of race and not make a huge deal about it, it will simply be the norm. But for others, their opinions will never waver and they will continue to promote white supremacy.
In todays world consisting of close to seven billion people, there are a lot of thoughts floating around in the minds of humanity. If you were to take all of those thoughts, there would be way to many to count and if you tried to classify them, it would be impossible. There are an infinite number of different thoughts. That what makes humanity a blessing, everyone is entitled to their own opinion free of the thoughts of others. Now this is not to say that people will not judge others thoughts, but as long as they are safe inside ones head, they cannot be judged. This means that with this infinite combination of thoughts and opinions, no two people will have exactly the same argument on every subject. This is a truly great thing as everyone functioning like this and coming together makes society happen. However, despite this magnificent correlation of people, the fact that there are so many opinions obviously means that there are going to be negative thoughts and there will be the “wackos” of the world that have them. For example the radical white supremacists obviously would belong to this group. This means that no matter what happens, even if they all go to Idaho, another group will still emerge. There will always be people like this just due to the fact that there are so many people in the world and each has his own thoughts. This is always going to be the case. However, with increased white supremacy leadership taking advantage of the current presidential situation, it could be a bad time for Obama. If he is to screw up, which I’m sure he will because he is only human and every president has ultimately screwed up in some way, white supremacists and other groups similar to this will lash out and try to gain a larger following. On top of this, it could not have been at a worse time. Obama took office at a horrible time not only in the United States, but a horrible time for the whole world. This becomes increasingly worse when put into the context that the United states is currently the largest power in the world and what he does could in fact dictate the lives of many people in remote countries that may not even know who he is. All of this means that Obama must tread lightly or the blame will come down upon him with more force than any other president has ever experienced.
I was never afraid for our country having a black president until I finished reading this article. It really surprised me there are still white supremacy groups in the United States with memberships increasing extremely rapidly with the election of President Obama. In the article, “Obama Called a “Visual Aid” for White Supremacist Recruiting” reported that many white supremacy groups grew by the thousands on November 4th, the day Obama was elected. It simply baffles my mind how you can deeply hate someone based no other factors than the color of someone’s skin or what they are ethnically and still call yourself a Christian. Isn’t one of the Ten Commandments “love thy neighbor like thy self?” What about “thou shall not kill?” I cannot believe that throughout everything that has happened in the course of our history as the United States and still people continue to hate but why? I sat at my desk before writing this trying to come up with a logical reason as to why these groups still exist. The sad thing is that there is no logical reasoning why these people think the way they do. They are programmed to think the way their leaders want them to think, programmed since they were born to hate and breed hate. The article reported many acts of hate that have occurred since Obama’s election many very disturbing and unsettling. The one act of hate that really stood out in my mind was in Rexburg, Idaho where second and third graders on a school bus were chanting “assassinate Obama.” As a future teacher I found this to be the most upsetting act of hate that could happen. These kids have no idea what they are chanting but simply repeating what the people around them have been saying. Children’s minds are like play-dough, they can be formed anything and it is our job to mold them into good people and upstanding citizens. As adults we need to teach tolerance to these children not breed hate and ignorance. Additionally, according to this article, white supremacy groups are going to use Obama as “visual aid” for angry white Americans who start to resent having a black man in office. I could not believe just how ignorant people are in this country today. Who cares what color he is?! He is the person we have chosen to be our leader and despite personal opinions have to realize that he has our best interest at heart. Yes, he is going to make mistakes he has said that, no one is perfect and I believe most of the people of this country know that. Unless President Obama ended up becoming another George Bush, I would be very surprised if the American people would gain up enough resentment towards him to join these white supremacy groups. Additionally, I think that as much as these groups are increasing memberships I do not really think that they will ever grow to the regime they once were during World War Two (knock on wood). After all, Barack Obama, a black man, was elected into office by a good percentage against John McCain. Not all of America believes like these white supremacist and hopefully it will stay like that.
I would have assumed that most of the Nazis were wiped out. Of course there will always be someone or few people who still believe in the Nazis, but more than a hand full is ridiculous. I thought we moved on from that a long time ago. I guess not. What David Duke said about Obama being a visual aid for angry white people and will increase in the ranks of extremist is so stupid. I don’t understand, there many black people in this country and they want to target Obama. Ok he’s the president, so what get over it. And for increasing ranks of extremist, that is also stupid. I feel that if you are an extremist than that’s exactly what you are. I feel like some of these so called extremist are just going to join other extremist just to be a part of something. They don’t have a mind of their own. Ok, you might not like black people but were you ever an extremist before? I hardly think so. The increasing ranks of extremist are just loser white people that want to feel a part of a group because they feel left out. And that is just being a follower.
The whole burnings, graffiti, and intimidation are so uncalled for. Like I said in one of my other journals, racism is so played out. The threatening part is a given, one because he is the president and the other because he is half black. All presidents get threatened; Obama just gets a lot more. I’m sure he knew that when he applied for the job. I totally agree that another things that’s aggravating white people is the economy being so messed up right now. White people just need a stress outlet and the first target that comes to mind is Obama. If you think about, harming Obama will not help the economy. People will still be jobless regardless. Harming Obama is not going to pay bill and open more stores and create more jobs. I mean yes white people might be happy for a second that there is no longer a black president, but after a while it will set in that the economy still sucks.
The increasing amount of hate groups, who cares? Everyone is this world and that you meet will not like you. I think Obama is very strong and courageous. He knew what being the president would entail and yet he still chose to take on the job. He knew if he was to be the president that his job would jeopardize his family but I think he took the job because he cares so much about this country. He wants so much more for this country and he looks past race. I believe he took on the job of the president because he knew that being the president would not just be a dream for him but a dream for a whole heap of people of all different races and backgrounds.
I really do not understand hate when it is illogical or for reasons that are overtly untrue. Hate is obviously never a good thing, but to hate someone because of their race, for me at least, has to mean there is something else going on there; there must be a different underlying reason for someone to have such strong feelings about another person because of a biological aspect that they had no control over. Would you hate a person just because they are blonde or they are short? So what are some of the real reasons that people sprout these intense negative feelings toward a certain minority group of people. Well for one hand being white allows an individual to be included in the majority giving them unearned power that can be used if they care to do so. I think that though people would not admit it and they do not necessarily do so consciously, everyone takes advantage of other people if they can. It is human nature to serve your own best interest, so if someone is passive and/or has been forcibly been put into a inferior position, than they will be taken advantage of. Now unconsciously committing certain actions to better ones own outcome is not the same as purposefully being discriminatory; hate crimes most people would agree are not part of an “average” person’s agenda. Also, there is the whole history of black oppression that should be taken into account, though I do not feel the need to explain that in detail here. So the first needed aspect involved in being racist or committing hate crimes is to have power, the second is to then take action. Still the reasons for these crimes to be enacted are unclear. There are two polar opposite reasons that I can think of: one being ethnocentrism and the second being fear and or actual inferior feelings about ones own self worth. I am sure there are people, for whatever deluded reasons, that think they are better than all other races and ethnicities. They like their own looks, culture, and ideas better and do not agree with any other ways to live. It makes themselves feel good to know that they are leading the “best” life that there is in the world and they can be proud and happy with everything that they do. On the other hand, some people fear what they do not know or understand. That is why it is proven that getting to know someone of a different race or ethnicity lessens ones own stereotypes and discrimination. When someone feels inferior themselves, they can take out their feelings of less worth and hurt on other people which makes themselves feel better. Putting other people down makes a person feel better, when they do not have enough confidence in themselves. I am simply glossing over these ideas, though I think the main points are fairly clear. The example from the article named Obama Called a “Visual Aid” for White Supremacist Recruiting where John McCain supporters called Obama a “terrorist” at a campaign rally is irrational and ignorant. This proves how racist extremists have to make up a reason to hate Obama for his race and/or ethnicity because there really are not any logical or intelligent reasons to simply hate him because of this fact. There still is a lot more that should be discussed in depth on why there are extreme racists, hate crimes, and white supremacist groups are increasing because of Obama being President.
I’m not surprised by the article at all. During the inauguration day procession, when Barack and Michelle Obama got out of the armored car and were walking down the street, I was praying that they had bulletproof vests on underneath their coats. I think that a lot of people idealize America, they thing that as Americans everybody here is tolerant and welcomes diversity, that’s not the case at all. Maybe I’m just a little bit cynical but I really do feel like people need to wake up—it is a dangerous world out there and just because we live in State College doesn’t mean that the bad guys can’t get us.
People are at a low right now, the economy sucks and because Obama was elected president, people’s subconscious prejudices are emerging. I think that it is unfortunate that this is happening, but I find people who are surprised at this a little bit naïve.
In an earlier blog the question was asked, “Do you think that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been realized?” and I responded with a no. I said that we still have a lot of work to do. Until minority president can be elected without causing such a negative backlash throughout the country, we still have a lot to accomplish. We have made a monumental step in the right direction, Obama’s election shows that the majority of voting American citizens see through skin color, but there are still people, especially in the South, that are ignorant.
I read another response to this post, somebody said that they have been taught that race does not matter—I beg to differ. Race always matters. People are not color-blind even if they pretend to be. If you are walking down a shady alley in the middle of the night you are going to be more hesitant of approaching a black man than a little Asian guy. I’m not saying that that is right, but that is the way things are. We have our subconscious stereotypes, and yes, it sucks, but it’s true. To ignore these stereotypes or to pretend that they do not exist is to be almost as ignorant as the people waving around swastika laden flags. At least the supremacists recognize what they’re doing. Again, I am not defending hate groups, but no one can deny that they are straight forward in their (skewed) thought processes.
The other response post also asked why these stories about swelling hate groups and minority targeted violence hasn’t been reaching the mainstream news outlets, and I have to wonder how often that person watches the news, or reads the papers. I have read several reports on this and have heard a few news stories about it too.
Bottom line: It’s very unfortunate that people are ignorant, but to disregard your own ignorance is just as bad. We have to confront our own stereotypes before we can try to change other people.
Wow, this article really upsets me. The fact that he has received the most death threats than any other president of elect. I do not understand why people cannot just accept a black man in office. He is a human and not an ape; he has two legs and puts his pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. People need to please accept this. I am very offended by the plots intended on assassinating our president, or the raging fires that were found all over the country after the inauguration. Black people were brought to America on boats and treated like they were only one/ sixth human and through the course of through repeated and persistent advocating for rights were finally granted them. So with this said people should not be in shock that one day a black man was going to rule America.
Now the economy right now is in some serious turmoil due to the previous president and will most likely take years to be reformed and people need not use Obama as the scapegoat for why things are not getting better. It is a long and hard process, and what America needs is a president that can provide economic growth that will and can be effectively and efficiently be sustained throughout the years and this type of reform cannot occur in a months, but years and people have to be patient. I do not like how these groups on using Obama as a scapegoat, and I pray to God that everyone can behave with some sort of rational and not work against him because basically our President now needs the support of our nation to come out of this problem. If people decide to work against him that will further escalate our nation’s economic crises, but if we can all come together as a nation and show our support than I believe there can be a change that we all can believe in.
President of elect Barack Obama was elected for a purpose and he won by a landslide this was definitely not a debatable topic, so this means more people support him than do not. So people in these supremacist groups need not bother and waste their times formulating ways to attack our president, for it would only be a waste of precious time that could be used in supporting him. It is very scary to me that people feel such a strong hatred for someone of a different race. I know everyone has their own individual biases and dislike but to want to kill someone on the basis of the color of their skin is just sickening to me, and like Martin Luther King Jr. said people should be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
Wow, this article really upsets me. The fact that he has received the most death threats than any other president of elect. I do not understand why people cannot just accept a black man in office. He is a human and not an ape; he has two legs and puts his pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. People need to please accept this. I am very offended by the plots intended on assassinating our president, or the raging fires that were found all over the country after the inauguration. Black people were brought to America on boats and treated like they were only one/ sixth human and through the course of through repeated and persistent advocating for rights were finally granted them. So with this said people should not be in shock that one day a black man was going to rule America.
Now the economy right now is in some serious turmoil due to the previous president and will most likely take years to be reformed and people need not use Obama as the scapegoat for why things are not getting better. It is a long and hard process, and what America needs is a president that can provide economic growth that will and can be effectively and efficiently be sustained throughout the years and this type of reform cannot occur in a months, but years and people have to be patient. I do not like how these groups on using Obama as a scapegoat, and I pray to God that everyone can behave with some sort of rational and not work against him because basically our President now needs the support of our nation to come out of this problem. If people decide to work against him that will further escalate our nation’s economic crises, but if we can all come together as a nation and show our support than I believe there can be a change that we all can believe in.
President of elect Barack Obama was elected for a purpose and he won by a landslide this was definitely not a debatable topic, so this means more people support him than do not. So people in these supremacist groups need not bother and waste their times formulating ways to attack our president, for it would only be a waste of precious time that could be used in supporting him. It is very scary to me that people feel such a strong hatred for someone of a different race. I know everyone has their own individual biases and dislike but to want to kill someone on the basis of the color of their skin is just sickening to me, and like Martin Luther King Jr. said people should be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
I can not believe that there are still people as racist as these White Supremacist people in America today. I would have hoped that encountering these types of people would be an extremely rare occurrence, but now it seems like I just might witness a White Supremacist. Why are these people around and why did so many people decide to join the “cult” after Obama became president? Are these people really that displeased with the progress we are making in America's history? Seriously? That is just way too immature. It is extremely embarrassing to me that these people are calling themselves Americans. America is a place of equal opportunity and diversity, if you really can't stand the idea of minorities ruling your country, let along being in here at all, then how about you go back to your own country where Aryan people thrive and can live in happiness in a colorless world. If you aren't a Native American this isn't your country anyway so cut the crap. I can't stand these types of ignorant people living in America and acting like they own the country. This world is made of many different types of people. The highest population of people in the world is not even close to being Caucasian, it's Asian, but you don't see Asians forming supremacist groups. You don't see black or hispanic people forming supremacist groups either. Why is it that white people are the ones that are prone to be the extreme racists? If Africans were the first to invade America then would there be black supremacists?
These White Supremacist people are just so highly uneducated. Their ignorance consumes them and leads them to believe foolish things such as that Satan lives on earth disguised as a Jew or that black people "rose out of the mud." Any educated person would know that this is not true. You could have an elementary school education and know that it is impossible for people to be born out of mud. So I am sure that these people are home-schooling their “future supremacist” children so that they are not exposed to the truth; that America is a country full of diversity and equality. If their children were to find out and rebel against their parent's idiotic beliefs then they would probably have to disown their children. I would imagine that they are stubborn enough people to rather stick with their beliefs than their “n*gger-loving” daughters, which is absolutely ridiculous. All they are doing is hurting America's future by stunting their children's educational growth and acceptance of other people. Such closed-mindedness will definitely be their downfall in the long run. This white supremacist movement can't go on forever.
The stories about white supremacists were made very obvious in the 1980s and 1990s because they were broad-casted on the news. Even though the news now focuses on different things in our daily lives, I do not really feel white supremacy has ever been flushed away completely. People all have their own views of how the world should be run and who should be in charge. But many people are afraid to come out and state these views unless there is a whole group who stands with them and believes the same thing. Because of the lecture on ethnocentrism, I realized how another group of people are thinking about certain issues. I never would of thought that they viewed the United States that way until I put myself in their shoes. I think that the thing that made these groups ban together again is the whole idea of change and fear. Sometimes it is very hard for people to step back and look at a situation from another point of view. The white supremacists seem to want exactly what they want and are not backing down from it. I think some are scared because they are not really sure how to react to this new change, or president. Honestly, I was not really surprised by the threats and burnings that had come about because of our new president. People seem to do things like this with every president, when they do not get what they want. Again, I think that the reason these people are acting out in this way is because of ignorance and fear. White supremacists need to find answers and this is the way they seem to be finding them. But what answers are really being found when we take our anger out on innocent people? These white supremacists are apparently taking out their anger on the wrong people. A black teen was beaten with a bat and a black church was burned down after Obama was elected for president. I think it very ironic that white supremacists are attacking minorities when a majority of white people also voted for Obama. If white supremacists are attacking minorities, what is this accomplishing for them? Does it take Obama out of presidency or change anything that they want? No, it does not. If we could look past a name or race, I think that is where all of our answers lie. We need to communicate with each other to better understand each other. The story about the second and third graders on the bus who were chanting “assassinate Obama” seemed crazy to me. I could not believe that children that young are saying things like this. It is obvious that this children learned this from somewhere outside of that school bus. The story about convenient store in Maine, that put up a betting pool for when Obama would be assassinated is outrageous. Obama is everyone's president and to see change is what everyone wants. When people are going against their own president right in the beginning of his term, what good can we expect to come out in later years?
After reading the articles about the white supremacist movement being opposed to Obama in office, I have to say that it is pretty upsetting that some people in this country can be so intolerable. They are hanging onto views that are so old, it’s ridiculous. Nazism and Hitler existed over sixty years ago and to think that something so insane still is believed by droves of citizens is pretty unfathomable. The different examples of hate acts that have gone on since Obama’s election are incidents I have never heard of. I guess it was a little naïve of me to think that things like that would not occur. I just see what is around me and I know that many people were ecstatic over his presidential win. It hurts to know that people can be attacked just by thinking that a black man, well half black, would be a good president. I feel as though the people that opposed him must not have done much research into all of the good things that he has done for this country. He is obviously not a terrorist and to even think that is pretty out there. Maybe they assume that they are correct and that the majority of the country is just plain ignorant.
To use Obama as an excuse to recruit more members into the white supremacy movement is not something that surprises me. As much as his presidency means breaking certain racial barriers, others who oppose can use this to their advantage to do the opposite. It was stated in the article that the number of members sky rocketed after his inauguration and in my opinion I feel as though they were just looking for an outlet for their rage. Even if they weren’t strong supporters of McCain’s policies they probably joined. Sometimes I wonder how many people actually believe what Hitler did. Do they really believe that a half black man being president is the end of the world? I would never completely oppose someone if they were Indian, Asian, Latino or anything else. I do not believe that I voted for Barack because he was black. I believed in what he promised for this country and feel as though we needed a drastic change from the past.
No matter how many people are in white supremacist groups, I think it is pretty evident that they will always be the minority. As Barack stated many times, we as a country have come so far. We as a nation will overcome many more racial barriers and ideas of hate. It is sad that these people resort to such violent acts and I hope that they learn to accept what has happened. Not everyone in the country can be satisfied with the choice of president. It is pretty interesting because Barack won by a landslide. You would think others would maybe rationalize that if the majority of the people believe in him he must be a pretty good candidate, or at least somewhat capable. It would be nice to think that the movement will eventually die down due to the newer generations becoming more tolerant but I guess only time will tell.
In response to the article, “White Supremacist Recruiters 'Thank' Obama”, I think it is an extremely important to realize how important the situation of white supremacists is in the current society. President Barack Obama has only officially been the President of the United States of America for only a few weeks now and there has already been a couple reports of suspected assassinations. One man from Wisconsin posted on a website that he wanted to kill Obama and later was arrested for his actions. According to the article “Obama Called a 'Visual Aid' for White Supremacist Recruiting” and David Duke, who is a Neo-Nazi, white supremacist groups have been involved in beatings, burnings, graffiti, and threats all pertaining to Obama being the new President of the United States. These white supremacist groups have apparently been on the rise and have increased their membership rate greatly. Two examples of the these groups are Stormfront and the Council of Conservative Citizens.
According to the first article, the skinheads, the Nazis, and the Bruders are back and aiming at targets, such as President Barack Obama, Mexicans, gay, and lesbians. There have been reports of marches, beatings, and secret societies forming targeted at those groups. Before Obama was in the running for president, word of these white supremacists groups was not popular in the media. Not too many people of our generation have even heard of Aryan Nations, W.A.R., Posse Comitatus, A.N.P. , which stands for the American Nazi Party, and David Duke- at least I know I have not. These kind of people, the white supremacists, think that “Satan lives on earth disguised as a Jew or that black people 'rose out of the mud'.”
As I stated before, I think it is extremely important that Americans take the idea of white supremacists “recruiting” new members for their group very seriously. It is a scary thought to think that Obama has already received threats pertaining to this work and more importantly, his life. It was definitely in the back of some Americans' minds when they were voting, whether for Obama or not, that there is a strong possibility that Obama could potentially be assassinated. Obama being the first African American president is obviously what triggered that thinking. That is a sad fact to think about especially because blacks were legally stated as equals over a hundred years ago, even though some people did not necessarily view them as equals. There are still many acts of discrimination and racism in the world today. It is also weird to think that the Ku Klux Klan is still in existence. Even though the KKK has not been as active as they were before, they are still around, which means their views of blacks are still around. This article should serve as an eye opener to Americans and should help put an end to white supremacist groups.
In all honesty, I expected this to happen because of President Obama’s election. In fact, I told people that if Obama was elected, this would happen. Can you honestly say that you honestly believed that those groups were totally and completely eliminated? Have you ever been down south? Maybe it’s because I live in a small town near what is considered “the South” I know about this. But don’t get me wrong, I by no means live in the south. Anyway, even in my neck of the woods town there are racists and people displaying confederate flags. I wasn’t home for the election, but I bet there were many furious people down there. And that’s just in my town. Drive further south and you will see even more racist remarks. Obviously this white supremacist doesn’t define the south. There are many blacks down there that are probably ecstatic about Obama’s election. And I’m not saying that the racism is only in the south. There were incidents reported in California, New York, Massachusetts. It is everywhere, and it saddens me.
In my town, way back in the day, the community center was home to the KKK and the fairgrounds were concentration camps. My town knows all about white supremacist and racism. But I am happy to say that for the most part, we have moved past it. We are growing as a community and the number of different races moving there is growing. It is still predominately white, but we are getting different races. With that said, I am one-hundred percent certain that there are still members of the KKK living there. Yes, America has become more accepting. Yes, America has evolved. Yes, America is becoming more diverse. But those white supremacists don’t see it as a positive thing. They see it as “immigrants” taking over America.
It is sad to see that these groups still exist. It is sad to hear that they are attacking people because of the new President’s race. But going into what Dr. Richards has been lecturing about, they are clearly portraying ethnocentrism. Why is being white so much better than being African, Asian, or Indian? That is what these white supremacists are thinking, that they are better than every other race. In today’s society, race shouldn’t matter for anything. There are increasing numbers of interracial marriages and multiracial children that those boundaries that race puts up should be knocked over by now. I really don’t care what color the President is, as long as he or she has the qualifications to lead this country in a positive direction and make it better than before. Race has this quality about it that draws boundaries, and it’s ridiculous.
And also, if these white supremacists have been paying attention to anything at all, they would know that Barack Obama isn’t even completely black.
There are just so many things I could say about this topic and I know they aren’t coming out clearly. So for my final thoughts, I’m just going to summarize my feelings. First of all, of course there are going to be death threats against Obama. He’s the President of the United States. Add in the color tone of his skin and hell yeah the number of attempts or plans increases. Yes, we live in the United States, the land of the free where everyone is created and treated “equally”, but no, people don’t treat others the way they should and yes, race still matters, unfortunately. The fact that white supremacist groups still exist doesn’t shock me at all. I think that throughout Obama’s term, those groups will try to recruit members, especially because of the conditions that Obama was left in (i.e. the economy, the war, etc.). If people actually put the blame on Obama then they are ignorant to the world around them and to Bush’s mistakes. And finally, I think that ethnocentrism is a huge factor in this issue and the sooner we can push past it and have everyone see from other people’s perspectives, the better the United States, and the world, will be.
Both of the articles posted for this week are disturbing on many levels. First of all I don’t understand why these groups are so desperate for Obama to fail. One of my friends is an extremely conservative person and he even recently said that he hopes Obama does well in office because it’s needed for the current situation we are all in regarding the economy and the war. I get that these groups don’t see past the color of his skin to his education, polities or ability to lead, but these people can’t possible want to see more companies shut down or laying off jobs. Also, with respect to the death threats and assassination attempts those happen for basically every president and I think that focusing more specifically on them now is somewhat ridiculous. Especially when one of the main cases is some guy from Wisconsin posting on a blog.
I am actually a little confused on why the abuse of minorities as well as vandalism did not warrant media attention. I’m a journalism major and on one hand I think that editors may have chosen not to run these stories out of a worry that more misguided people would feel the need to go out and attack people. On the other hand I feel that some of the media outlets are acting as if racism and bigotry were automatically cured on November fourth. As this shows that is not the case. I personally feel that journalists should be trying harder to cover all aspects of the presidency not just the happy human-interest pieces regarding the next first dog and the Obama family’s code names.
Also, on the quote in USA today from the leader of the National Socialist Movement saying that people are going to look for answers and that they will be the answer for white people is, personally funny. Like what dump Americans are looking to these people to fix the economy? I probably shouldn’t be quick to judge considering I know nothing about these people, but I’m going to assume for my own personal ranting purposes. But Americans with a basic understanding of the world and the economy, or not for that matter, should and are looking to people with PhD’s in economics or people who have been working on the House Budget or Appropriations committee or the small business committee, hell just someone who has worked on the stock market or managed a bank. I really think it is a stretch to think that white Americans are going to look to them for help when they have absolutely no clue about the cultural and economic complexities and flaws to the war, or anything about how to invest and macro-manage the US banking system, or how to increase spending to curb job loss. Like really your organization is going to be the savior of the U.S. and world economic collapse. In the end these people are clearly idiots running a club full of idiots.
I am completely shocked about this article. I do not think it is shock about what they are saying, but more so along the lines of I cannot believe this is happening, how pathetic. I cannot believe these white supremacist groups gained a surge of new members and a ton of hits on their websites. It is crazy to think about and I hate that it is happening. I am saddened to know that these groups still exist and are still rampant through our country. I was glad to see Obama elected President and think he completely deserved it. I do not like hearing about the other side of it- the side that is furious that there is now a black president. I see the progress we have made and I like to think that our country is really changing for the better and then I see articles like this.
It scares me to hear that our current president has received more threats than any other president and assassination plots have already been broken up. I knew that throughout the election a lot of people were always questioning the fact that a black president may bring about a lot of assassination attempts, racist attacks, and whatnot. I just wish that more people could come to accept him. Joining these racist groups really is not the answer. It is just horrible to know that hate groups have risen by nearly fifty percent and are turning their efforts towards Obama. I knew that there would be acts of racism after Obama’s election; I just do not think I realized the extent of what would come. In the article, it talks about a group of white men who beat up a guy wearing an Obama shirt. This is not right. It is the United States of America and people can display their opinions. But, if you have an opinion you should not be beating someone up because of it. It is just not right.
Yes, America is definitely changing. We have overcome a lot to have achieved a black president. But, at the same time we still have a lot to work on. Despite all the good that is being reported, there are plenty of stories like this article shows that are going on across the country that are not necessarily displayed and need to be dealt with. We do still have a lot to do and people need to realize this. Even from taking this class I hear the stories of my classmates and know that there is still a lot that needs to be done in order for our country to really achieve what is necessary. I hope that soon people will stop all these acts of racism and we can come together as a country and support one another.
First of all, let me say that I believe all Americans are entitled to their opinions on different issues and people. This is one of the fundamental freedoms that the United States offers. With that said, the article linked to by the blog scares the shit out of me. To think that these groups whose only purpose is to unite people in hatred of different racial groups have doubled in the last nine years is nothing less than shocking. A few weeks ago, we were discussing in our discussion groups whether or not Obama’s election fulfilled Martin Luther King’s dream. At the time, I didn’t think the dream had been achieved, but was optimistic that it certainly could be met. I mean, we’ve gone from segregation to the first black president in about 40 years! I thought to myself that there was no reason we shouldn’t see a vast improvement in racial equality in my lifetime.
After reading the article, however, I have my doubts at whether we can ever grow up enough as a people to have racial equality. I had already been disgusted with the almost Nazi Party-like McCain/Palin rallies towards the end of the 2008 general election. I remember the first place where I saw reports of the “Kill him” shouts was The Daily Show. I kid you not. The Daily Show on Comedy Central had better coverage of those types of incidents at McCain rallies than CNN did. The reason I mentioned the media coverage of the craziness at those rallies is because it seems as though the resurgence of white supremacist groups is getting the same lack of coverage.
I don’t think I can say enough that this is a frightening development for many people. Although I am white, I still fear these people because I am disgusted by their beliefs and by their tactics. Also, as an American, I fear for the safety of the president of my country. The possibility of harm coming to Barack Obama really bothers me because he has a young, beautiful family. It’s hard to imagine those two young girls losing a father because he is a prominent black man, and thus is a lightning rod for these hate group terrorists.
The last bit of that article which lists some racial incidents which came around the election shows how far away we truly are from a semblance of racial equality. The part about young children on a bus chanting “assassinate Obama” really strikes me. These are young kids who should think that the president is an important man and recognize that he is the leader of their country. I just can’t fathom how an entire bus full of children could be that racist that young in life that they would chant “assassinate Obama”, because he is a black man.
I find it pretty shocking that there are still such close-minded, ignorant groups of people living in the United States. I think people who are uneducated and unaware of Obama’s principles are the ones who provoke so much hatred toward the President of our country. I understand that not everyone has to agree with all of Obama’s principles, and that's fine if they thought McCain was a better candidate, but that is no cause for such outlandish behavior. In the article, Neo-Nazi Jeff Schoep refers to the National Socialist Movement as the answer for white people. I think this is a very prejudiced opinion to believe that all white people are in such despair over having a half black man rule the country. The fact that the number of hate groups operating in the United Sates has risen to such high numbers since 2000 is just disturbing. I thought we were a forward thinking nation who was open to change of all forms. Apparently, there are some very ignorant people still living here today who judge people by the color of their skin, or by their country of origin.
I find many of the racial incidents that happened in the wake of the election very alarming. The one that sticks out the most to me is the bus full of second and third graders in Idaho chanting “assassinate Obama”. What kind of school system are these children enrolled in? I find it extremely alarming that at such a young age, these children are using such radically racist language. These children have to be hearing this racist language somewhere, either from their parents, or someone in school and I find it so alarming that grade-schoolers already have these ideas.
The reports of people getting beat up just because they were wearing a shirt with Obama’s picture on it, or because they yelled his name are just as alarming. People are entitled to their opinion on all sorts of matters, but this does not mean that they should be punished for their beliefs.
The fact is that some people are just unintelligent. The fact that our President is half-black should not have been a factor in anyone’s decision when they were voting in the election. It isn’t about the color of someone’s skin that makes them who they are, it’s about their morals and principles. America should be coming together to elect the most qualified and beneficial candidate to represent us and take on the struggles that our country is facing. I thought our country was supposed to be the melting pot, where people of all cultures and backgrounds can come together on a common ground. Apparently, there are people out there who disagree, and abolish anyone who are different.
After reading the article “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’” and reading some of the comments posted here on the blog, I find this whole subject very interesting. Someone said that this compares to the "Christian Killers" lecture and I totally agree. The media is perceiving everything going on with our government right now as great and exciting, and not that it isn't, because our country is finally getting the change it needs, but there are still those very radical people out there. But we don't hear about them. We don't hear about the people who didn't vote for Obama only for the fact that he was black. (Half Black). But those people are out there. I will admitt I am a white girl, white as white can be, and I voted for Obama. I work at Wal-Mart as a cashier, and I was waiting on a mother and daughter one Sunday afternoon, actually the Sunday after the election. The two had very thick southern accents, and I myself lived in Nashville until I was nine, so I asked where they were from. They said that they were from Tennessee and I was excited, being that I miss my accent as it's grown wry being in Pa for the past 11 years. I asked what they were doing here in PA and they said they were here visiting relatives. I thought that was pretty cool, so I asked if they liked being up here and they said oh yes absolutely. I was surprised because personally I prefer TN, but they said they liked it better here because there were less BLACKS. I was appauled. I looked at them as they were leaving, and I simply said "Ya know, they are people too, just like me and you." They both gave me dirty looks and left. The rest of the day I was so angry at what they said. In a country as bad economically as it is right now, you'd think that everyone would want change from the Bush administration. Anything, whether it's a black, white, or Korean person is going to make this country better. It's shocking to learn that such real extremists are out there, and that we don't hear anything about it, like they are trying to be hid. It has really made me realize that for the first time in this country, I really feel like OUR GENERATION (People born in the 80s and 90s) we actually have a voice. I remember the picutre that was put up in class of the Obama family and Sam kicked it out for us to say how we felt, and one girl said that she felt like it meant more to her mom than to us. I completely disagree. More people in my generation voted in this past election than in any other in history. We have a voice, and we understand that racism is wrong for the most part, and the fact that we now have a Black president means that WE ARE BEING HEARD. I think that is crucial and so so great. This country is changing, and although there will always be STUPID RADICALS, there will always be our generation there to help teach what we have learned about such subjects. Eventually, hopefully, our country will be rid of people who can't get over a difference in skin color.
After reading this article, I don’t think I was completely surprised by it. To be honest, when the presidential election first began, I immediately took Obama off my list of people who I thought could potentially be president. While, I voted for Obama and he was my favorite candidate, I truly believed that America had too many white racist people for him to be elected. I really didn’t think that we had reached the point of change in race relations in America. Therefore, I wasn’t too surprised to hear that these groups have emerged or at least have become more active since the election. It’s really unfortunate that there are people out there who hold such strong beliefs and who really consider their race to be so much greater than any other race. What truly surprised me from this article was the increase in members of these groups and the lack of media coverage of the increase in these groups as well as the rise in violent incidents after Obama was elected president. While, I was always aware that there were white supremacy groups out there, I was surprised by the sharp increase in website traffic and members joining. To me this just reflects all of the racist white people who never felt that they would live to see the day when there would be a man of color for our president. Since the day has come, these people don’t know how to handle the situation, therefore they join these absurd white supremacy groups basically because they realize that change is upon us. These close-minded individuals realize that they are beginning to lose their battle of placing the white race above others. Therefore, they feel it’s necessary to join these groups and find people who share the same narrow thoughts they do. And as terrible as it sounds, I do fear for Obama’s life because there are crazy people that are willing to take his life if they can. While I would like to be hopeful and say that there is no one out there that would go through with it, there are more than a few that probably would. It is reassuring to know that the United States is well aware of this issue and probably has more security than they have ever had for a president. But, I still think how unfortunate it is they have to, simply because of his color. After reading this article, it was frustrating because if I hadn’t been in this class, I would have been completely unaware of this situation. It seems as if it’s just another example of how the media deprives the public from knowing significant information and rather exposes the information that has no importance or true value. The fact that there has been an increase in violent acts/crimes due to race and Obama’s election is something that I think needs to be put out there. While, I don’t know how much can really be done to prevent these acts, it is still something that I would like to be aware of. It actually disappoints me because here I am thinking that America is truly changing, when in fact brutal acts are being brought upon innocent people because of these changes.
The article that is posted speaks of a shocking, but horrifyingly brutal reality. I am a very liberal person and was raised to accept everyone for who they are, no matter the differences that we may share. I am not blind to the reality; I do know that not everyone in our country has the same views as I do. I am aware of the constant hatred that is out there towards minorities such as Blacks, Jews, Asians…the list unfortunately goes on and on. The strong opinions of these people that are talked about in this article repulse me. Our country has elected a Black man into office, a huge accomplishment and step closer to the end of the struggle against racism. It is sad that some people, such as the people mentioned in these white supremacy hate groups, have the potential to hold our whole entire country back from eventually reaching the end to the long-term fight against racism and hatred.
In my opinion, President Obama is the most qualified leader our country has seen in a long time. Obama wants to bring change to our country and make our nation better and stronger as a whole. It is unfortunate that he is receiving so many threats and assassination warnings. Obama’s policy and beliefs are not the reason he is receiving these threats, it is simply because he is of a different skin color. The media displays our country as coming to a turning point for racism. It shows us cheering for our nation’s new Black leader and celebrating the end of a long fought struggle. The media does not show the threats of assassination and the ignorant views of those who are against Obama. The media does not show the black churches being burnt down a few days after the election and people betting on the date of our new president’s assassination! Children as young as 2nd and 3rd graders are chanting “Assassinate Obama!” on school buses? What has our country come to?
The truth of the matter is, we cannot allow these people hold our country back. Hate groups such as the KKK and other white supremacy organizations have always been around in the United States. If we let these people ruin our pride for the change that is in the near future and our pride for our new president Barack Obama, we will be giving them what they want. The goal of the hate groups is to bring our country down and allow them to live and thrive in the type of country that they wish to have. Our country is strong and for the most part, people do not feel this way. The select few who have ignorant and immoral views should not bring us down, and ruin the pride that most Americans have in how far our country has come.
Unfortunately, I think the sudden surge in members in organizations like the KKK, ANP, and Aryan Nations is an inevitable response to President Obama’s election. These types of groups have existed throughout the United States’ history and Obama taking office has just added fuel to their fire. I do not think that Obama taking office actually converted anyone into adopting these beliefs, the new members probably always followed white supremacist ideals and have now decided to act. The type of person that participates in such organizations has probably had their beliefs passed down to them from multiple generations in his family and these ideas are ingrained into his mind. I do not think there is much hope in changing these individual’s minds about racial issues.
The fact that people still follow the extremist views of the Nazis and the KKK shocks me. Racial equality has progressed so much throughout the last century that it is very odd for me to think that there are still individuals out there who believe they are better than others based solely on the color of their skin. Although I have always been well aware that such groups exist, I have never actually seen them. I feel that knowing something exists is far different than seeing it in action and experiencing it first hand. So even though I know these organizations are out there, if I ever come across any kind of white supremacy meeting or rally, I will still feel completely shocked and uncomfortable. I cannot even fathom the possibility of a Nazi working from inside the White House. I hope that if these groups do become more active and start handing out flyers and pamphlets that law enforcement officials will intervene. I would feel very uneasy if someone from these organizations approached me or tried to recruit me and I am sure that many other Americans feel the same way I do. Also, I think that the Secret Service and the other individuals and organizations that protect Obama need to be extra careful and alert. I honestly cannot think of a more scarring incident than if some white supremacist extremist assassinated him. With the current state of the economy, the US needs stability and an assassination could send us plummeting further into the recession. Additionally, Obama has a beautiful family and such a tragedy would devastate not only them, but all of his supporters as well.
Even though these groups have recently become more active, I cannot imagine that they have more support than they did in the past. As we distance ourselves further from the horrific events of WWII, I would think that support for white supremacy would slowly dwindle. I am interested to see polls of the actual numbers of ANP and KKK members over the years. I suspect that the number of members has steadily decreased since the end of WWII. If this is not the case, however, maybe the article is correct in saying that these groups are growing and gaining more support. Hopefully, these out lashes against Obama will greatly diminish as he progresses further into his presidency and carries America out of the current recession.
Amazing to think that less than fifty years ago our country was facing serious segregation and hate crime issues. Only in America could such drastic strides towards equality be made. In general, people have expanded their minds and left ignorance in the dust, but even with this vast progress, I don’t think anyone saw this monumental day approaching so rapidly. As recently as 1998, Tupac Shakur wrote the song “Changes”, which features the lyrics “And although it seems heaven sent, we ain’t ready, to see a black president”. Merely ten years late, Tupac and much of the black community’s dream came true. For anyone that is “over the hill” or roughly fifty years and older, Obama’s victory is righteously stunning and dramatic, but for the youth of America it only seems so epic because of how it is portrayed in the media and parents’ reactions. Don’t get me wrong, it is indeed a historic event, but when one grows up and the only place they ever witness segregation or loathing of a minority is in a history book, it doesn’t seem that far fetched or strange in the least bit to have a president with a different color skin than your own. This ability possessed by the youth to see beyond color, justifies and consolidates the transform America has relatively recently made regarding racism. But what if Tupac was right? What if “we ain’t ready, to see a black president”? Since President Obama took office, racist and white supremacist groups have reported an immense surge of Internet and telephone traffic. Not to mention the numerous racially motivated incidents that have occurred and are occurring around the country. Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke claims that President Barack Obama will stand as a “visual aid” for racially prejudiced Americans, and provide the necessary push toward action. Consequently leading to the “dramatic increase in [the] ranks" of radical white supremacists. Two websites, Stormfront, whose logo is a white cross bearing the words “white pride world wide” and the Council of Conservative Citizens, which brands a similar logo, both reported that their website servers crashed after an unusually large amount of activity following the election. Clearly people are upset, and although the outcome of the election speaks for itself, Lee Harvey Oswald made it very clear that it only takes one nut job with a high-powered rifle to divert America’s current course. Penn State Sociology Professor Sam Richards said “not to worry” and that he thought “the president was in good hands”, not to say he isn’t, but I distinctly remember reading an article in the New York Times Magazine regarding racism in the Secret Service. That doesn’t mean that the Secret Service might be involved in a plot to assassinate the president, or take their job any less seriously, but if the people in charge of protecting the president are being accused of being racists, I wonder what to call the uneducated and ignorant minds of the Mid-West and South. There are a lot of windows and grassy knolls out there, and with the number of racially disturbed and violent Americans growing, it might be hard to keep an eye on all of them. Although this is a scary thought, it is far scarier to think that it were questions and fears like the ones I have prompted in this article that are stopping or slowing racial progress, or any kind of progress for that matter. Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The only thing to fear, is fear itself.” Clearly the outcome of the 2008 Presidential Elections is going to bring some ugly and mean-spirited people, remarks, and ideas to the surface, but with progress comes a price. Many revolutionaries, such as Martin Luther King Jr. paid that price with their lives; along with the understanding that if you want to make a difference in the world you have to keep your head held high and just hope the good outweighs the bad.
I have been well aware of these racist groups existence since I was born. My religious school would routinely remind us that these groups exist and are stronger than people think. I think Jewish people are a little more concerned and aware of that stuff because of our history. I think all of this recent talk about supremacist groups is coming from the media, not the actual rise in the popularity of these groups. I think now that Barack Obama is president and the media decided that racism was over, now they have to stir up some controversy and say racism is stronger than ever. They just need something talk about. These radical racist groups have always been around, and will always be around.
All of the beatings and the violence is obviously fucked up, but its been around forever. It’s nothing new, and I don’t think all the media attention to it is healthy. People should be aware of these types of things happening, but the way the media talks about them is basically advertising them. These articles are talking about how these groups are becoming more popular and more acceptable, and it would probably make someone who was on the bubble about embracing them more likely to go for it.
Most of these racist groups are in rural areas and small towns. It’s pretty scary that there’s huge groups of these people who want to re enslave blacks and kill all the minorities and support all of this violence. I think it really stems from their anger at the world. I’ve never met someone who was completely happy and still racist. Obviously its more complicated than that. There is a whole nother culture in this country that I’m barely aware of and don’t understand at all. All of these radical christians and skinheads really blow my mind. I feel like I don’t live in the same country as them. I don’t understand how someone like Sarah Palin can get as far as she did. George Bush thinks he talks to God, and these videos we watched in class, its all so beyond me. I think it’s crazy that nobody took a minute and was like I don’t think I want a president that believes he has actual conversations with Jesus. From my upbringing, I always thought America was more like it is at Penn State, but it seems a large amount of America is this Christian reicht.
I guess hearing about this surge of racism and how big these racist groups really are has a dual effect on me. On one hand, I don’t feel threatened because I don’t see this stuff and it seems unreal to me, but on the other hand, it scares the shit out of me knowing that all of these people want me dead. Actually wanting to kill someone requires a strong amount of hate.
It is ridiculous to see a world where there are hate groups such as the KKK not in check. I feel that they are pushing our world in terms of intelligence and tolerance back hundreds and thousands of years into the cavemen days. I feel that it is pathetic to allow people to behave in such ways that fear is evoked from certain races and ethnicities. I realize that there is still genocide and slavery and hatred all over the world today but to experience this in a society that prides itself on achievement and advancement in the world is ridiculous.
Thinking about the many different ways that the world has advanced through politics and education it is depressing to hear of such things as neo-Nazi groups banding together against the black president. It makes me feel as if they are acting in a terroristic way and planning the destruction of the government system. When I think of groups such as the KKK and Neo-Nazi’s I am completely terrified. I have no ties to anyone black or Jewish and I do not have any reason to be afraid of them but to see such hate filling up a person is more than I can handle. It pains me to see little children brought up to think of certain people as lesser and to view them as animals. I feel as if it is child abuse and a way of setting a child up for failure in the world.
As I said before I do not have any personal connection to the Jewish culture or the African American race but I do know that there is no difference between a person with black skin and a person with white skin, if someone speaks Hebrew and celebrates Hanukah or if they celebrate Christmas and I feel that this is the main piece of information not programmed into these Neo-Nazi’s heads. I realize that in America the freedom of speech is a very important thing and to take it away from someone because of their different beliefs is wrong. In the case of the KKK and Neo-Nazi’s I feel that there is a point to which freedom of speech is tolerated and there is a line that is often crossed by these groups of people. When freedom of speech becomes dangerous to different races and ethnicities and when it threatens the lives of innocent people I feel it should be taken away. I am a strong believer in, “If you don’t have something nice to say don’t say anything at all,” and I am pretty sure these Neo-Nazi’s were never told that by their mothers. When hatred expands past words and becomes acts of physical violence there needs to be actions taken to keep these groups of people in check and not hurting any more innocent people.
There are several elements of the AlterNet Southern Poverty Law Center special report which anyone with a critical eye would identify as the earmarks of a radical group trying to portray its extreme opinion as being “of the mainstream.” First, I found myself extremely skeptical of the “post-election surge of new members” in such white supremacists groups as the Stormfront and the Council of Conservative Citizens. I don’t doubt that some members of the white community felt angry and bitter that a black man had finally become the President of the United States – in part because this directly threatens the role at the top of the hierarchy that white people have enjoyed since the dawn of this country – but I have trouble believing that these people went to such extremes as to break from what is considered socially acceptable in mainstream America to join such groups. I think this is a tactic of propaganda, used by white supremacists in an effort to bridge the gap between mainstream society and themselves, and in a sense make their views seem less extreme and more like legitimate attitudes and actions towards other races, thus making them more accessible.
Yet what I found most alarming – and also most obvious – in this article was the discussion of the idea that white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups thrive during times of economic hardship, when people are generally looking to point fingers and pass blame for their problems. Essentially, this means that the very same economic crisis which allowed our country to expand its generally narrow approach to politics and seek a candidate who promised to challenge the status quo, is the very thing which is causing a surge in hate crimes and racism. This is a throwback to post World War I Germany, where the original Nazi movement was born in a time of severe economic hardship. This ultimately resulted in - though I’m sure people need not be reminded – the death of approximately six million Jews. As evidenced by the article, white supremacists have no shame in admitting that they take advantage of such circumstances. Of course, while their solution to such a problem might include such things as slavery or genocide, I would argue that the thought of mass murder doesn’t sit well with most sane people.
This also applies to the discussion of the assassination threats against President Obama, as well as the racial incidents which focused on President Obama. White supremacists thrive on such radical ideas, much as they would thrive on the chaos which would presumably occur if such an assassination attempt was carried out. I think it is particularly important to understand the tactics of these groups and the conditions in which they are most successful in recruiting followers and propagating their ideas; by doing so, we as a society stand the greatest chance at successfully combating their ignorance and hatred.
I don’t know if any of you have ever seen the Chris Rock movie called Head of State, well in the movie Chris Rock is a normal African-American male, and somehow lands the opportunity to run for president. On Election Day Chris is leading the polls on the east coast, and the other presidential candidate (who happens to be white) is getting a little worried. So he comes up with a plan, the plan is to release the poll results to the media hoping to showcase that he is behind. Once the poll results were released, the movie jumps to a scene in California, showing a middle class neighborhood; and all of a sudden all these white people come rushing out their house and down the street to vote! Although the director meant for the scene to overly dramatic, it actually has a lot of truth to it. The majority of America is resistant to change; people hate it; even if the ideas are clear concise and well thought out there is always a strong resistance. Now in the white supremacy case this was expected, and the resistance came as no surprise to me. Obama is in charge of the executive branch, and has the most power out of any individual in the United States, so naturally people are going to hate white, black, blue, or brown. But the white supremacist went about it in such a backwards way, that it makes me kind of laugh. Listen to this, not too long ago I read about an article about the resurgent’s from the white supremacist party. Believe it or not the article was about the number of white supremacist voting not against Barrack Obama but FOR him; in hopes of him winning so they can recruit more members to the cause. I’m not a white supremacist but I’m pretty sure the goal of this group is suppress and eliminate any rights to power that Jews or blacks may have. How is voting for Barrack Obama fulfilling your cause once so ever, how dumb are these people, I mean sure your giving your party more affiliates but at the same time giving someone you hate the power to determine the next 4 to 8 years of your life; stupid just stupid. I really feel for many of these people because to them ignorance is bliss; enlightening themselves about other races or other people would be too hard for their ignorant brains to handle. And I really hope the media shut’s their mouths about these radical movements or what white supremacist may have in store for the future. By discussing these groups were only giving them more power, broadcasting their message for anyone who wants to receive, scaring people who really have nothing to be scared of, and once again proving how ignorant Americans can get. They don’t have the power over you if you don’t give it to them; plain and simple.
The article, Obama Called a 'Visual Aid' For White Supremacist Recruiting really does not surprise me at all. I mean once Obama won the Democratic nomination for the 2008 election and then when he won the presidency I assumed that there was going to be multiple threats placed against Obama from an extreme white supremacist who never in his or her lifetime wanted to see someone of the opposite race run the country. I mean it is hard to believe that it being the 21st century that there is still racism that exist but it is true. I grew up in a small rural town that most of the citizens were white republicans. There were multiple citizens in my town that would often display the Confederate Flag on their trucks, bandanas, or on their t-shirts and these citizens for some reason did not like the black race and some even thought that the south should of won the Civil War. So I mean for me I am not surprised that enrollment into these white supremacist groups have increased. I know that I am not surprised by the increase in numbers of white supremacist in the United States since the election but I am still taken back by all the racial attacks that occur on Barack Obama. The one thing that I found a little disturbing was in the article when it talked about the different racial incidents that occurred and it reported second and third graders yelling out of the bus “assassinate Obama.” I know that these children do not understand to the severity of a thing they are saying, but I would never want to hear my children say something like that. This incident just shows parents that they need to be careful what they say around their children.
I think that with Barack Obama as the president the secret service will have to be more cautious and I think there should be more of them protecting Obama because of his race there will be more assassination attempts on him then any other president in the past. It is a good thing that Obama wants to bring change about this country and with the state that our current economy is in; Obama has a lot of obstacles to deal with trying to rebuild the nation’s economy. However, what I fear is that if Obama cannot change the nation’s economy for the better or make any other mistake that hurt the United States I think that there will be even more white supremacist that will come out. I fear that there will be a strong hatred that is developed between races because if Obama does horrible in office I think there will be white citizens that will lose their respect for the black race. Citizens might feel that the last 43 presidents were white and did not mess up our nation until we place a person of another race in office. I mean I hope that never happens and I hope that Obama will be able to change around our economy and in other ways make our country better.
Barack Obama knew that he would face more adversity and opposition than any other president in United States history. Before he even started his campaign to win the Democratic candidacy, he knew that if he were to eventually become the leader of the free world, he would be the target for an unthinkable amount of attacks. While every president receives their fair share of death threats, the article claims that Obama has received more than any before him. As if being the first man of color to reside in the White House were not enough, President Obama also inherited a lot of issues when he was inaugurated last month. With considering the turmoil in the Middle East and our current economic situation, our country is far from the best shape it has ever been in. This allows for the set-up to make a hated man hated even more. I can definitely see the truth in Jeff Schoep’s statement regarding white Americans flock to white supremacist groups for answers when they are experiencing economic slowdowns. Aside from trying to figure out how to solve the recession, President Obama must know acknowledge that the rise of these hate groups may become a significant problem. I’m 22 years old and, while I was always aware that these types of organizations existed, I never saw or heard much of an impact by their hands. I think I drove past a KKK rally in high school, that that is about it. To be honest, most of my opinions on the subject were molded by films like American History X until recently. If hate groups like these are experiencing overwhelming interest by the public, enough to actually cause their websites to shut down, and people joining on their own, it is only a matter of time until they get large enough to step into the public eye permanently. I can only imagine this would lead to recruiting younger, more impressionable people to join their cause. Although some people may think that teaming up with groups like this will help them emotionally through trying times, they are in reality causing additional problems. These are times when we need to stick together, embrace what we have, and educate ourselves. We need to find solid, non-violent, logical solutions to our nation’s problems. Americans have a right to free speech and assembly, but the rise of these groups in numbers and stature could potentially lead to a nation divided. Who knows what could eventually occur domestically if these groups gain more and more authority? I don’t even want to think about what this will do to our country’s image abroad. We are already judged enough by the rest of the world without appearing excessively unstable. Why can’t we all just get along?
Yes, I knew these type of people still existed. I also remember thinking, while watching Barack Obama's speech declaring his candidacy, “great, all the crazies are going to be coming out now”. It really is a sad world that we still live in. Granted it is not nearly as bad as it was years ago, especially during segregation, but it is still out there. Many people do not believe it happens, but they are not exposed to it. I think it is naive to think all people love everyone. I am also not surprised that, according to the article, many of these radical groups have had increased membership and additional traffic to their websites. Some people are really that angry over a black president being sworn in. So angry, that their hatred has grown even more and has forced them into these types of groups. To me, this is personal weakness. This is stupidity. This is unnecessary hatred.
Then, to add insult to injury, there are effigies of our President Obama hanging from nooses on university campuses around our country! AT UNIVERSITIES? I thought we were mature and educated. No, this just goes to show that even the educated can be close-minded and hateful. This disgusts me. These students performing these acts are my peers. My generation. My name and my reputation lies in their hands and that is what they do. Americans are using our free speech “right” for wrong. I believe in free speech, and I believe they have a right to express whatever they want. However, I also believe in respecting other people's feelings and culture.
To add to the stupidity, the article discusses how Obama has received more threats than any previous president-elect. In addition, the current economic struggle is actually helping to create conditions in which the racists and extremists THRIVE in. Why? Apparently when the economy is failing, it is all the minorities fault. Blacks are the reason. Asians are the reason. Hispanics are the reason. Anyone that is NOT a white, male, is causing the economy to plunder. White males would NEVER do anything wrong! REALLY? This thinking it absolutely ridiculous. This kind of thinking drives me insane. It is really hard to believe people think like this. That they seriously have to stretch that far to just make excuses. Does there have to be a reason for everything? Can't it be that things just aren't going okay in the world economy? Could it, gasp, even be the result of a bunch of white men's policies and decisions?
When it all comes down to it, people will do, say, and believe whatever they want. There is not anything we can do to change their mind. We can simply stick to our beliefs and morals and know that we are being the better people. Still, I'd love to be put in a room with one of these extreme racists for two minutes. They'd get an earful.
The article does not shock me, but it does surprise me whenever I hear about the close-mindedness, intolerance, and discrimination of others in America- especially when it involves violence. It is one thing for someone to think negatively about others- but it quite a whole different think to act on it. I suppose it is a bit judgmental of me when I originally assumed that white supremacy and racist thoughts swarmed in the South- where the majority of segregation ruled before the 1950s and 1960s. But I was surprised to learn that today it is not just in the South, but in all part of the United States that white supremacy groups and acts of violence is still prevalent. This small, select list of samples of racial violence after the election given in the article describes incidents from California to Louisiana to Maine. I suppose white supremacy groups have always still been around- but the mainstream media does not report on them nearly as often as they once did. I admit I can fall victim to living in a bubble of my own. Most of my family, friends, and peers have a liberal perspective and so do I. So to hear that others can not only be so conservative- but so ignorant ad intolerant- it does boggle my mind sometimes. During a time of national and global financial crisis and uncertainty I can understand how easily many people could fall into the trap of needing someone to blame. But I think finding a scapegoat is very dangerous. It automatically reminds me of how Hitler blamed the Jews as scapegoats- and that led to the Holocaust. I suppose I can even understand how those who dislike or even hate President Obama might turn to white supremacy groups as a welcoming community- but is the alleged spike in white supremacy group members all merely because of a new racially-mixed president? Black people have been in political position of power for quite some time. Is a black president really all that much different than a black Senator or Congressperson? Maybe it is. But maybe it’s not. I’m not sure I really understand how Obama is a “visual aid” for white supremacy groups. I understand the concept that having a black president gives these people the ultimate image to hate on. In their minds the ultimate position of power has been taken by a person who racially is a part of a target group they hate. But does it really make their argument any different? Does is make it any more powerful or strong? I highly doubt having a half-black president means that black people will take over the country any more than it means that white supremacy groups will take over the country. The bottom line is that I think many people need to stop being so ignorant and wake up to an ever-changing reality.
In response to the white supremacists thanking President Obama, a few things immediately pop into my mind. I think to myself: ‘they had to see this coming’. I mean seriously, if a homosexual were to win presidency, there would be many anti-gay groups that would see rises in their membership. I tend to think that a lot of people kept their racism to themselves prior to the election, but many people showed it, and, even joined white supremacist groups after the election. I believe these people joined these types of groups to “cope” or to “feel in the group” with the people that had the same views. However, I do not understand why white supremacist groups feel the need to publicize these events to the American public. The only reason I think the groups did this was merely to intimidate the president, especially since the numbers have risen. However, I also wonder if President Obama really even cares. Seriously- (not trying to be offensive, but) I bet Obama receives several death threats each day. Every President receives numerous death threats per day, so who really cares? Do these groups really think they will accomplish anything by publicizing that their recruitment rates had risen since the election of the new president?
Another major thought comes to mind when I read these events. What do you think would happen if Adolf Hitler were still to be in power today? What if, hypothetically speaking, there was either a black, a Jew, a gay, or a gypsy in a high level American office while Hitler was in power? Do you think there would have been more discrimination or even threats against the president if Hitler were still in power? I believe so. I think this is an extremely important point to make, especially since Hitler was the one who founded the Aryan Nation principles.
I think there is another interesting point to make to Sam. He wrote that our generation had probably never heard of the groups like Aryan Nation, David Duke, W.A.R., etc. However, I feel that our generation has become very knowledgeable about these people and who they are. Maybe we don’t seem to see as many of these people these days, but aren’t the “true Rebels” pretty much the same thing? Aren’t their principles mostly aimed toward the same thing? I believe our generation actually cares enough to learn about these groups and their principles, because we want to help cure this problem. I think it will certainly be a wonderful thing when generations after ours look back and wonder why the 2008 election was “such a big deal”. Hopefully, our generation can help to relieve this problem that is occurring right now.
Why does it seem like every time this country does something good- like overcome centuries of racial prejudice to elect our first Black president- some group of people are there to try to take it all away. After reading the article “Obama Called a "Visual Aid" for White Supremacist Recruiting” I was both angry and embarrassed. It reminded me of a situation where your younger brother or sister is acting like a complete idiot in front of tons of people you know, and you just want to scream, “This isn’t what our entire family is like! We’re not all crazy!” Yet somehow these white supremacists think what they are doing is right, and that it is reflective of the entire nation’s opinions. Last time I checked Barack Obama became president after the majority of America voted for him- and this included whites, blacks, and everyone in between. On November 4 after they had called Obama as the winner, I went on to Facebook to see my friends reactions to his victory. Some people were thrilled, quoting in their status lines from the speech he gave to Grant Park in Chicago. Others did not even bother to hide their disappointment, saying things like “I hope he can keep united in the United States of America.” In my opinion I cannot remember a time when the American people seemed so united in hope about a political leader. Of course after I read the article included in this blog I could not help but wonder that in our one step forward, have we also taken two steps back? Grade school children chanting “assassinate Obama” and adults placing bets on when this will happen seems to prove that not only is racism not behind us, but also that it is stretching from the generations above us to ones below us. I have always thought that our generation, having no memory of segregated bathrooms and water fountains, would be able to break free of this idea that white is supreme. But just having hopes that our generation will be better than the previous one is not enough. While there were still many race related problems at home, the WWII Generation had to face the horrors of white supremacy at its most extreme in Europe. After such massacre occurred I am sure most believed that a lesson would be learned about the dangers of white supremacy. Yet not even two decades later, violence erupts all across the United States as Blacks fight for rights that were promised to them long ago. It seems that problems almost always occur when we try to fight necessary change and cling onto stale ideas of the past. Who would think that over sixty years after the terrors of the Holocaust, people would have swastikas tattooed on their face, or an image of Hitler on their back? We must learn from the mistakes of our parent’s and grandparent’s generations if we ever want to move forward.
Upon reading the article titled, “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ For White Supremacist Ruling” I was shocked at the state of our country. Not shocked that the racism, bigotry and hate exists, but by the fact that I was not aware of the magnitude of the situation. As the article pointed out, there were dozens of incidents of assassination and other terror threats within days of Obama’s election. I was shocked that this was the first time that I heard of all these different occurrences.
I must say that I was not seeking out each and every minute detail during the election to maybe glance over these acts of hate, so part of the surprise was due to my ignorance. However I didn’t see a single one of these stories make headlines of papers, or news shows. And that fact says a lot about our mainstream media. Or I am just an ignorant and aloof citizen who has turned a deaf ear to the conversation about these problems in our country. While I understand that racism and acts of discrimination have been occurring and are still a problem, I did not know just how far-reaching and numerous the acts were.
The article helped me devote more thought to the role of media in our culture, specifically before, during and after Obama’s election. As a classmate mentioned before, there would be no incentive for news companies to detail all the tension and hate against Obama leading up to the election, because that would only add to the problem. On one hand, I think detailing these acts of hate would cause others to join against Obama because they are now able to join the fight with others. One the other hand, I think citizens of the United States should know what acts of hate are going on to stand up against them. So the question is this: will the revealing of these shameful acts stir up more hate, or stir up a sense of urgency to fight racism?
In my opinion, the news companies did not want to cover such an explosive topic and face the danger of being labeled racist or prejudiced for showing acts of hate against Obama. The entire country seemed to be holding its breath on inauguration day and many of us were afraid of the dangers of assassination that Obama would face on his first day in office. Had news agencies covered many of these incidents, they may have added to that danger Obama faced. But this fundamental question remains in my mind: how then are we as United States citizens, able to aware of these situations and act to fight against the deep-seated bigotry in this country? Clearly it will take looking much further past new on the television and in our newspapers.
I don’t think that I will ever be able to comprehend the reasons why people are racist. I don’t understand how skin color makes a difference to some people. Like ok so this person has darker skin than you. Please explain to me how that fact makes you better than that person. I was absolutely shocked when I read the article and saw that second and third grade students were chanting, “Assassinate Obama” on a school bus in Idaho. It is appalling that children, who are basically innocent by nature, have been raised and taught to hate. Kids that young are completely impressionable. If their parents and other influential family members or peers are racist, they are more likely to be racist than other kids. It is so sad, but it really is an unstoppable cycle. This is not always true, of course, because there are exceptions to every rule, but in general, if kids are raised by extremely racist parents, they will become racist themselves, and then when they grow up and have families of their own, they will marry a racist spouse and raise more racist children. This is one of the main reasons why racism has not gone away after all these years and also why hate group memberships and hate group web site hits have increased since Obama was elected.
Over the summer, I went to a Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock, and Rev Run concert. I had the feeling when I made the decision to go that there would potentially be a lot of people who, even though they have probably lived in Pennsylvania or somewhere else in the north their whole lives, thought that they were as southern as people who were born in Mississippi. I expected to see a lot of Confederate flags, not even in a necessarily racist or White Supremacist kind of way, just in a “support southern rock” kind of way. What I had not intended on seeing was one of the most incredibly frightening-looking men that I had ever seen in my life. While my friend and I were in line at the concession stand to get a drink, a man in the line next to us caught our attention. He was bald and shirtless. Around the waistline of his shorts was a belt decorated with Confederate flags. Covering his body were tattoos. Oftentimes, I think that tattoos are really attractive. But this man had Nazi symbols randomly placed all over his body, along with a massive statement covering most of the center of his back that said “White Loyalty.” To tell the truth, I really don’t know how this man has survived all this time. It seems to me walking around shirtless showing off what a bigot you are is like making yourself a target to get shot at by someone. Or at least really, really beat up.
I can’t say that I’m very surprised by this article. With Obama in the White House at a time with very uncertain economic and foreign issues, it creates a very easy target, especially for those such as white supremacists. Why does it surprise so many people that a prominent black figure such as Obama is being attacked verbally and threatened by white supremacists? White supremacists have always attacked prominent black figures throughout history and Obama is no different. Obama represents a change, whether that change is racial, cultural, good or bad, it doesn’t matter. There is now a different type of leader in America and some people have a problem with this. If people decide to join a white supremacist group because of their dislike for Obama then that is their choice, although drastic, this is a choice that some people make. It seems obvious to me that someone who has a dislike for blacks would join some type of group such as white supremacist groups when they feel it would be a better choice for them. Although I disagree, if someone I disliked were to become the leader of America I may also feel the need to join some type of group that includes other people who feel the same way I do. By joining one of these groups, it gives people a way of communicating their feelings with other people who feel the same way. In some rare instances, these groups become violent, including the KKK, neo-nazis, etc, however, these are isolated incidents and many of these groups can be forums for people to discuss their feelings on issues that they are facing. Obviously, many people have problems with these types of groups and what they represent, but at the same time how many types of groups are there that may be offensive to certain people? Do Bible study groups, gay pride groups, etc offend some people? Of course, but they are no being criticized right now because they are not being put at the forefront of our nation. Obama represents a group of people that some people do not like. This is why we see a spike in the number of groups that oppose Obama and not only whom he represents, but they will oppose the job he is doing and how he does it. Because of this, these people will hold him at a higher scrutiny than they would have if John McCain had won the presidency. It is a sad fact of our society today, but it is one that will hold true for as long as there are free elections that any American born citizen can win. There will always be a group of people that opposes the President of the U.S., whether he is white, black, brown, yellow or green. This is how it’s been and this is how it always will be.
The election of Barack Obama was a monumental time in our nation’s history. For many it was a turning point and proof that anything is possible in the United States of America. Yet while some were overcome with joy after the election of a black president, others saw it as a day that America was taken over by the people they hate the most. It is terrifying to think that the radical days of white supremacists may be back. While they apparently thought they were making progress the last few years and remained out of the spotlight for a matter of time, they feel the need to reappear now.
I personally have never understood the hatred people feel towards others without even knowing them. They make assumptions and jump to conclusions about groups of people based on the fact that they do not look like them or they hold different values and morals from them. I think they are afraid of these differences and instead of admitting that, they choose to attack them for these. Of course I agree with the fact that to each his own, and I have no right saying someone is wrong for having radical views. But when it is detrimental to other people’s well being, then I have to say that they are irrational extremists.
As a liberal person, I never have any hesitation when it comes to accepting others for their differences. I believe Obama is the best chance our country has right now for healing and coping with all of the problems that have been created in the past years. And of course not everyone is going to like Obama. There are always people who will never be satisfied with what is happening in the country. But letting these white supremacists even make anyone question the role of Barack Obama in our country is absurd. The fact that young school aged children have made a chant about assassinating the leader of their country, it is evident that these people are very far from the norm.
I find it very sad that after a new president was elected for America, the numbers of people visiting white supremacist websites dramatically rose. In what way do people believe this is going to make a difference? It is scary to hear that Obama has received more assassination threats than any other president. But at the same time, I would have expected it because he is the first minority president elected. Obama is a beacon of hope for many people, and I wish that some of these extremist people set their hatred aside for just long enough to realize that he could be an incredible president if they give him a chance.
It is strange to see how calm and organized the leaders of these white organizations seem. Although I am sure they could talk my ear off with racist propoganda, it seems like they are viewing their hate groups more as a business venture, where they are trying to recruit members and improve web traffic, rather than in a way where they are merely filled with hate towards a race. This could be an attempt to seem more legitimate, but to me it looks more like they are in it for the power and manipulation, rather for any actual personal beliefs.
This whole thing shows just how far away from MLK’s dream we actually are. Having second and third-graders chant “assassinate Obama” shows how deeply rooted parts of America are in hatred and racism. Obama’s election, at least, can bring this out into the limelight so that we as a people can deal with it. The importance of race relations, and this class, just got a lot greater after this election. These are the same groups of people who claim questioning the war in Iraq is anti-American, and yet they believe that vocally sharing a hope in our president being assassinated is somehow not incredibly anti-American. It will be extremely difficult, if not impossible for even this new outward racisim to dissappear, even in the next four (hopefully eight) years of the Obama administration. After this economic crisis has settled down, I believe that Obama may have to re-address the race issue in some kind of public display. To hear that there is backlash in some of the communities against racism is promising, as it shows that some people aren’t willing to sit back when they see something so terrible being said or done. This has to be pushed harder, the importance of acting, instead of sitting back. As MLK said, “in the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Just like we were talking in our discussion groups, and as was said in the blog, many of these racist acts have been hidden from major news outlets, or at least from being disseminated to students. I thought it was interesting to hear that few of my discussion group members knew about the 2001 protest at the HUB, which I believe was a major event. I myself had not heard about it until this semester, in reading about it in another class. I believe that this proof that racism is still prevalent, even on our own campus, is something that people should know about. Hiding these things is only going to perpetuate the problem, until another major event occurs. How many more death threats will it take before our university does something beyond signing another list of demands?
Racism is still around, and its interesting looking at it post Obama election time. In one way, people say that America is over racism, hence the black dude in the white house. On the other hand, it’s going to allow racist groups to come mainstream again. Also, when Obama makes his first mistake in office, the racist groups can play the race card, saying that blacks should not run the country. That’s obviously not true, but the KKK will be all over it. Many people, including myself, were afraid for Obama to win the election. I really was. It is not because he is black, and I even voted for him, but I was afraid that some crazy white supremacy leader would go and kill Obama. The President always is in danger, but there are very few anti-white Christian groups. But I really am afraid that some crazy guy will try to kill him. Although most of America doesn’t mind having a black president (he won obviously) there are some people that would never think it, and that don’t want their kids growing up with a black president. I read the article, and it said that even immediately post election there were beatings, effigy burnings, and racist graffiti. One of the problems is that racism is technically not illegal. You can stand on a corner or hand out fliers that talk about white supremacy and say how blacks are inferior. You can do that and no one can stop you. Freedom of speech goes both ways. Because of this, I feel like we are going to hear about more anti-black rallies and effigy burnings and what not. And because it cannot be stopped, I think it will work. The white leaders were saying that they hoped their numbers would increase after the election, and I think that they will. Now because I have been negative for this entire article, I will tell you exactly what is going to happen. Yes more racist things will arrive mainstream, and white supremacy groups will see a rise in numbers, but it won’t last. The election proved that most Americans are fine with a black president. Even though Obama only got 53% of the votes (McCain got 46%), not all of the people who voted for McCain did it because they don’t want a black president; they did it because they liked McCain. Here is what is going to happen. Racism will slightly increase, we will see it happening more and more, but within 2 years it will decrease, and I feel that in three years the white supremacy groups will have even less power and people then they now have. Of course, when Obama runs for reelection (and I think he will win), the racism will start again, but I think that the white supremacy leaders should enjoy there next few years, because I think they will be the highest number of supporters that they will ever have again. I think this election marks the fall of the groups, even more then they already are.
On a related note, if you want to go to the KKK capital of Centre County, take route 26 towards Huntington, and turn at the sign that says Corn Post Mills. It is rumored to be a pretty racist part of Pennsylvania.
My initial reaction to the content of this article was one of fear. I was truly disturbed and discomforted by the subject matter being discussed within this write-up, as any citizen of the United States should be. Sure, we are taught in high school that Hitler capitalized upon the economic distress experienced by Germany after World War I as a means by which he could realize his own interests, that being the genocide of an entire group of people. His own personal and deep-seated hatred for Jewish individuals caused him to devise a plan to exterminate such people, doing so by publicly targeting them, distributing the blame for Germany’s economic dilemmas upon their shoulders and persuading desperate and panicked German residents to believe that Jews were at the root of every problem the state endured. But can this concept known as ‘scapegoating’ be happening today, in the year 2009? Is this approach toward “resolution” still alive in the world at present? Are there individuals living in America at this current moment who truly believe that assassinating President Obama and murdering members of the black race will cure the United States of her recent economic downturn? The unfortunate and terrifying truth of the matter is yes, this thought process does exist and may become ever more prevalent in the weeks and months to come following Obama’s entrance into the White House.
I do not understand the logic behind this way of thinking, and how the white supremacists leading these hate movements actually procure followers. When one takes the time to stop and contemplate the issue, it is not difficult to see that the concept of scapegoating is nothing short of ludicrous and nonsensical. How can one particular ethnic, racial, or religious group be the sole cause of an unfortunate event within a nation’s history? The source of a problem confronting a country most often lies with the issue of a deficient or faulty policy. For instance, it can be proven, upon revision of records and documents, that America’s current economic downturn is a direct result of fiscal irresponsibility and negligence. The issue at hand has nothing to do with African Americans. Nonetheless, white supremacists see the financial recession as an opportunity to target this community, and pursue their desire for the demise of these peoples’ existence. Regardless of the fact that this bigoted opinion is based upon no practical or rational grounding, and is entirely ill-founded and absurd, the sad reality is that the present situation is an emulation of Hitler’s fear-induced dominance and the carnage he impelled upon millions of guiltless people. Although it is a different place, a different time, and a different group of people being victimized, it is, however, the same intensely severe problem. Hatred is an evil which knows no boundaries, and has the grave potential of destroying—and ending—innocent lives.
It is truly a shame that there are individuals residing within the United States of America whom seek to murder the leader of their own nation, their own home, merely because of the color of his skin. Moreover, it is regrettable that the exterior appearance of President Barack Obama is more prevalent to some than are the decisions and modifications he will make within the next four years as he attempts to mend, repair, and improve the American condition.
White Supremacist Recruiters “Thank” Obama
The ignorance of today’s society has provoked this widespread belief that white supremacists no longer exist in America. Personally, I have never even heard of the Aryan Nations, David Duke, W.A.R., Posse Comitatus, or the A.N.P. It could just be that I am generally not very knowledgeable about anything other than the basics of politics, but I still had no idea that things like this still occurred in America today. It is probably because society has developed in a way that the main source of where our generation receives news and updates about everything is through the television and newspaper – only mainstream media. This is an issue because the media tells us what is important and what we should pay attention to. The media decides what is the most important thing for people to read or watch about because it’s the top story or on the front page of the newspaper, so people believe it and agree. I believe this is another reason, as well as ignorance, why most people in today’s society are not informed about issues such as white supremacists and the hate crimes and unjust acts of which they display in our country. Personally, I think that second and third graders on a school bus chanting “assassinate Obama” is more important news than a lot of what is viewed on mainstream news channels or in the newspaper today. The fact that a group of white men attacked a black man wearing an Obama T-shirt and injured him severely enough that he had to get several surgeries while screaming profanities about Obama is more important of an issue than some other stories that are discussed on the news. But these white supremacist issues are ignored in society because the mainstream media, our society’s main source of the news, chooses not to make them important by excluding them from the news. While the media is a major reason as to why the majority of America’s population is uninformed about these issues, this also leads to another explaination pertaining to possible solutions to these issues. If more people knew that white supremacy is taking off now that Obama has been elected president, maybe something more could be done to stop white supremacy and prevent these tragic, unjust actions. Additionally, I was personally shocked that these hate groups still exist, and that people rapidly began joining them just because Obama was elected President. That just goes to show that despite having a President of color, racism still exists in America and is always going to exist. I do not think there is any way to completely eliminate it. People are always going to think that they are superior to others for some reason or another, whether it be race, religion, or anything else. Racism exists, white supremacy still exists, and it is the job of mainstream media to deliver that message to the public so that something can be done about it.
I, like many of my classmates, am not shocked that these types of groups exist in our world today. I admit, I am that person who watches these different people and groups on shows like 20/20 and Jerry Springer. It’s quite entertaining and extremely interesting.
That brings me to the topic of ethnocentrism. We not only discussed this word in lecture, but my section discussed it to. Ethnocentrism is defined as judging other cultures by the standards of your own, which you believe to be superior. Isn’t that exactly what we are all doing when we blog and write journals about these different white supremacist groups? Aren’t we being ethnocentric by calling these people a disgrace, horrible, a disappointment, and an embarrassment to our country? Can we all honestly say that we take ourselves out of our own shoes and try to understand how and why the people who dislike Obama are the way they are? I know that I don’t do it often. I just see them on the T.V. or web, and I see how the media wants to portray them. I just find it really, really funny that we write and say they are wrong for their actions, and we are right for ours. What is right, and what is wrong?
Also, although I am NOT a Bush voter or supporter, I am sure that there were groups created against him (Black, White, Latino, Asian, etc.) that showed just as much violence and/or hate towards the man. Of course, these types of groups are never brought to the public’s eyes. I partially blame the media. I wish more shows and news broadcasts like 20/20 were on about racist groups, serial killers, kidnapers, polygamists, and porn stars. Real life news with real life people and real life stories in real life situations. Instead, and I am totally guilty of this, people are only interested in hearing about celebrities and Hollywood gossip. I think it’s a shame I know more about the Chris Brown/Rihanna scandal than I do about brutal beatings on black teens by white supremacist groups. I think our society can learn valuable lessons off these T.V. shows if they would air the stories of different cultural groups. One blogger, Justin, wrote that he thinks that the news didn’t want to broadcast such anti-Obama groups in fears as being labeled racist or prejudice themselves. Isn’t the news supposed to share information to the public in a non-bias way? By not showing us, it only did us a disservice.
Of course Obama is going to get threats. He is the President of the United States, duh? Of course people will blame him for his actions because he is black. People always find reasons to blame someone else, whether they are black, white, gay, ugly, pretty, mean, nice, guy, girl, Jewish, Christian, Atheist- you name it. He took what is in my opinion, the world’s most important yet shittiest job. The weight of the world is literally on his shoulders, and to please everyone in this entire universe is virtually impossible, so yes, the President- black and all- will be hated, loved, and envied my many (and few).
The picture of the man with all the tattoos on his face is crazy in my opinion, but not because of what his tattoos say. I honestly didn’t even know the meaning to most of them, and the one tattoo (yes only one) that I knew, I really couldn’t tell it was that anyways. He is crazy because he will never get a job with that on his face! He looks terrible. But again, here is ethnocentrism at its finest.
February 12, 2009
I wouldn’t really consider myself surprised at hearing that there seems to be an increase in these white supremacy groups following the election of President Barrack Hussein Obama. I mean, most white people hate black people, right? They just leave it alone because it doesn’t directly affect them. Well, now that Obama is in the White House as the President of the United States, white people around the world are outraged at having the country’s if not the world’s biggest and most influential leader be a black man. While that comment is somewhat facetious, I think there is some truth to it. Unfortunately, maybe white people are still prejudiced against blacks and all sorts of minorities. Whether this stems from ignorance, as I’d like to think, or just from deep rooted beliefs passed on from generation to generation and ingrained into their heads, it exists. Especially in the typical, “hick” or “redneck” societies, who tend to lack exposure to diversity and mixed culture, black people are still “negroes,” “coloreds,” or even “niggers.” It is a complete shame that this is the case, but it is, even in some not so rural areas. As Sam discussed in class, we all have that racist uncle. So, while many of these people may have racist views, I think that most of them kept their feels somewhat subdued, or at least, didn’t go around burning crosses and wearing hoods. That being said, such racial feelings and beliefs were always on the forefront of their minds. When President Barrack Hussein Obama was elected, these people did not know what to do. What a complete insult to us, our country, and the title of the President of the United States! I mean come on! This was perhaps the exact motivation needed to get them to act. Thus, they joined some of their local peers in white supremacist groups, because change is needed. After all, isn’t that the main aspect of Obama’s platform? I remember hearing that the police arrested a few younger men for a planned attempt on an assassination. Already? That didn’t take long. What always makes me laugh, (not literally, just at how dumb these people are), is that these people can have a swastika tattoo on their left shoulder and an American flag tattoo on their right. Are you kidding me? Have you ever heard of irony? Contradiction? Hitler and the Nazi Party stood against all of the freedoms that we are currently living. We did fight them in World War II. Yet this symbol is idolized by these “patriotic” white supremacists. That’s like having a tattoo of the bloods gang on your chest next to a crypts tattoo. I think that maybe if these people were able to get an education and not be so sheltered, perhaps they could at least coordinate tattoos.
This article is shocking and saddening. Some many times during the election you see headlines on newspapers about the first black president and how great it is. I never hear about these types of group and the growing number of them all because we have a half black president. I do not know why the media has not shined more light on the subject. It is sickening to think that the white supremacists are happy about this election only because it helped the number of their new members rise. Do they not realize that the majority of the United States does not feel the same way they do? I can understand if you did not vote for him and do not like his views on certain subjects but he is the president now so shouldn't we as Americans stand by him like we did George Bush. I did not think that so many people still thought like this, obviously there will always be supremacy in America but to this extent is a little extreme. Maybe I have just been living under a rock in a city where there is so much diversity; it is pointless to hate people because they are different from you. Why must people be afraid that they may be beaten up or even killed all because someone does not like the way they look on the outside? To me this is ridiculous, I could not even imagine hating someone that much because they are of a different racial group than me.
What saddens me the most is the second and third graders on the bus shouting assassinate Obama. Obviously these children did not learn these things on their own but were taught by their parents, guardians and/or teachers to believe this. How can anyone call themselves educated if you still have these viewpoints? If you believe in "white power" fine but do not push your absurd opinions on an innocent child, let them develop their own belief on the subject. It is a shame that they will not be able to grow up and make their own opinions but be influenced by what they have been taught their whole lives.
It seems like in America there will always be a racial divide, so many people have talked about America moving past color because of the election of Barack Obama but with this article and I am sure many more will be coming to light, that divide will always be there. How can the divide go away, especially with little kids growing up in the homes of these white supremacists? Maybe eventually if will get smaller and smaller but I am not confident that it will ever be small enough to not be a problem let alone fully disappear.
I wasn’t naïve enough to think that President Obama’s election would unite the entire nation and ease all racial tensions, but this article shocked me. White supremacy groups largely disappeared from our radar, but obviously they are still around, and apparently more powerful than ever. This is momentous moment in history, which should represent how far we come as a nation in about 150 years, instead represents for some groups the time for white people to “take back” the nation. The image of Obama should unite people in hope, not hatred.
Nearly half of American voters cast their vote for McCain, which is frightening, and Sarah Palin, even more frightening. This means that there is not unanimous support and excitement about our new president, this dissension of course is what makes a democracy a democracy. Opposing viewpoints and different perspectives keep our nation dynamic and great. President Obama has said, as we have already talked about on this blog, that he will bring “everyone to the table” during his presidency, meaning he is fully open and respectful to new, even opposing ideas. It is sad to think that some people are so unwilling to be open to him because of the color of his skin that they can’t see him as the great man he is, and can’t get over their hatreds. Regardless, I choose believe that the vast majority of Americans, including the vast majority of conservatives, are not white supremacists. However, it is frightening that these groups are on the rise and gaining power. Ignorance breeds ignorance so I suppose there will always be pockets of extreme racism, and people who truly believe that this should be a white nation.
One issue with claiming that all white supremacists are ignorant though is that some of the most educated people are the most ignorant in this country, and have been throughout its history. In very twisted and manipulative ways, white supremacy leaders use actual scientific and psychological theories to back up there ideas and beliefs.
Racism and ethnic conflict often do arise during times of economic hardship, when resources are scarce. We are obviously going through one of these times, but I have faith in the majority of American people that we can work through this time, without resorting to hatred, bigotry, or worst of all violence. I believe we have come far enough as a nation, and in our race relations that we will not start widespread conflicts, especially based on race or ethnicity.
The assassination attempts and plots so far are not surprising despite being frightening. I suppose I just never thought that white supremacists would view the election of Obama as a positive thing for their organizations. Obama represents so much hope and promise that hopefully more people will learn to recognize it, and these extremists will return to their relative obscurity.
This article and all of the examples of crime across the United States just goes to show that racism and supremacy are alive today. It’s interesting that Sam makes the comment that the stories of violence were commonplace in the 1980’s, but seem to have diminished until late. My one question about this article is whether or not there is a significant increase in the amount of racially charged violence, or if that number is about the same and now more centered on Obama. Though racially charged violence has never been dormant, I wonder if the media is just exploiting it in a new light. It makes good news to hear that third graders are chanting “assassinate Obama” on a school bus. But were they chanting other things prior to the presidential election?
Honestly, the thing that worries me most about these articles is the idea of white supremacy. It baffles me to think that whites continue to believe that just because their skin is a different color and they are Christian they are better than other people…because they aren’t! It makes me wonder how this problem can be solved. The first things that come to mind are harsher punishments for racist, religious and homophobic crimes, better education in targeted areas like Idaho, and treating the hate groups as if they were gangs. The differences between hate groups and gangs don’t seem very apparent to me. They both commit acts of violence, are considered dangerous to the American public, and are exclusive. So why aren’t hate groups handled like gangs are, busted up by the police?
I often try to look at the pieces to the big picture. In a situation like this, white supremacy still exists today because it is passed on generation to generation. Or maybe it’s the kids at school who decide with their friends that when they get out of high school, they’re going to form a white supremacy hate group. I think it just shows how far off some cultures are, and not to target the south or Idaho, but it seems to be in the south and Idaho. It caught me off guard that Idaho was such a “supremacist state”. Not that I’m trying to get inside the mind of a white supremacist, but I have a feeling they believe that they came from a much better place than black people, making them better. These were the people that had slaves, and enjoyed having slaves, and probably would have slaves to this day if they could.
In the end, though, I think sometimes a lot of us feel elitist to others. I have a friend who goes to the University of Pennsylvania. It’s an Ivy League, and he therefore thinks he’s hot shit. With the groups I am involved with on campus, everyone seems to feel a little elitist about themselves. I had a friend in elementary school who wasn’t allowed to hang out with me on the weekend because my mom is a school lunch lady, and that was far too lowly for her. Again, it all stems back to the culture. We’re raised to think that if we do things that are better than what other people do, we’re better than them…period. If we come from places that are better than others, then we’re better than others.
In the article “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting” I am honestly not shocked at the amount of racism and racist actions which occurred shortly after the election of President Obama. I personally believe that in our country racism as a whole is declining but I also believe it is a problem which will never see an end. One of the main reasons for which I believe we won’t see an end to racism as well as a reason to why it exists in the first place is ignorance. A large amount of White America grows up in an atmosphere where white is sometimes not only the predominant race but the only race. These white people are not being personally exposed to other races and ethnicities and therefore lack the abilities to relate with another race. Their ideas and opinions on other races stem from what they view on television, hear from stories through the media, but most importantly what they learn at home from their parents and community. If a child grows up in a home learning to fear or hate “the black man” and this idea is strengthened by the same ideology of the child’s white community, what other opinion on race would you expect them to believe in? It is only when theses white people from small towns with jaded views of race and culture finally interact with people different from them will they understand how little difference there is between the two groups.
But as long as there is that minority of white people who live in fear and ignorance of different races and cultures, white supremacy groups will be able to thrive. These groups are able to prey on others’ terrors and lack of information to gain new members, providing the ignorant with a so-called safe haven of race unity. I believe most of these new members which the white supremacy groups are claiming to have recruited were almost indifferent to issue of race before the election (because if they all were true white supremacist racists why weren’t they in the group to begin with?). White supremacy groups saw the election of our first black president as an opportunity to misinform those people who had no true opinion on the matter to begin with. These groups of hatred will not disappear in the near future because hate and ignorance have always existed and will always exist, but it is no reason for the majority of America to stop working towards a more equal and understanding country. The efforts of America as a community to educate races about other races and to expose how little difference truly exists between them will help unity America.
Seeing that picture of that white supremacist with all those nasty tattoos on his face literally made me cringe. I grew up in a small, homogenously white town, two hours away from the closest city, and I have never seen these white supremacists. The only other time I have seen this kind of stuff was on the movie American History X. This is a great movie because it explains how two white boys joined a white supremacist gang out of sheer revenge for their father’s death. The moral of the movie is basically that extremist, in any way shape and form, are misguiding individuals or are looking for a type of support in the wrong areas; there are power in numbers and enthusiasm. This point reminds me of a psych class I had when the teacher showed us how Adolf Hitler got a huge following- he was charismatic, gave people something to believe in, and made a few legit points; the legit points would make it easier for people to believe in the horrible ideas he had.
As far as the article about Obama’s presidency spiking enthusiasm and number in white supremacist groups is scary to me. For the first time, in a very long time, our country has over come a race issue, AND in a time of major crisis. These people are only going to add to our difficulties. The whole white supremacist thing just sounds so narrow-minded and barbaric. And I have to admit, I’m scared of Obama being assassinated because of these extreme groups. If he is assassinated, I think it’ll set us back in the way that the entire nation will not want to elect another minority in future elections because of their safety.
If white supremacists are against those who are different than them (not white), then why aren’t they prejudice against different kinds of white people (Irish, Italian, German, Greek, ect). I understand that these white people think that colored people are corrupting our economy and such things like that. But pointing out the problem doesn’t change it. These people need to change. I realize I’m not sounding prejudice again white supremacist, but I just don’t understand how- especially in this day and age- people can still think this way. It’s a waste of our, and especially their, time.
So do white supremacists wish to whip out all other races? Or do they think that people of the same kind of race should stay together? Either way, a life with people looking similar to you, in my eyes, would get boring. Most the current recruits of these groups are younger and have not lived in segregated America, so how can they even adopt these old fashioned ideas.
I’m in awe at these people. And I do not like to think about them. It gets irritating.
I suppose I am not surprised to hear the white supremacists are growing in number again or that, as a result, they are gaining more media attention. Even though Obama received death threats, he is certainly not the first to. I learned that every president in the past was quite used to receiving as many as several a day while in the White House. Little attention was paid to them though by the media. Of course, however, since Obama is black, we suddenly pay more attention to it. The media must capitalize on this angle of our new president for profit. Because his race is a sensitive, controversial topic, it therefore is one that provokes interest from the public.
Despite my opinion that the media will continue to exploit racial incidents that occur during Obama’s reign, I do agree with the fact that he definitely has more haters than past presidents. I think an assassination is a little more realistic and that he will have to be closely looked after.
What about these white supremacists though? Why in 2009 are there still neo-nazis?
Frankly, I was surprised to learn about the recent incident that occurred when a swastika and the "N" word were drawn on two Penn State dorm room doors. Or am I? After all, we’re located in the middle of white, central farmland, Pa. I think I’m using the word "surprised" wrongly. It would be more accurate for me to say that any shock value I felt came from being disgusted, not surprised.
And then, here I am, denouncing white supremacists, but why am I better? I clearly just stereotyped rural areas as being more racist! Is that wrong of me? Probably. But have we established that some degree of truth is usually behind most stereotypes? Yes. I’ll say it: I think those brought up in virtually all white areas located far from cities where change happens tend to be racist either because of how they’re brought up or because they simply aren’t exposed the people and society-changing events that occur in urban areas. Let’s examine a particular club at Penn State for example: CREW. No, it does NOT stand for the rowing team like I thought when I first got here. It actually stands for Christian Crusaders. It is a religious group. Nothing against religious groups, but let me tell you, no college in central NYC will have a Christian group actually named that. And here’s why: NYC is full of Jews. And the Christian Crusaders are the name of a group that was responsible for going on a rampage and killing thousands of Jews who refused to convert during the 15th and 16th centuries. Any area with a large Jewish populace would probably be a little more sensitive to naming a religious group that. Here in the middle of Pa., though, I doubt it crosses most peoples’ minds. I mean, I get it: The alliteration sounds cool and makes for a clever name of a club. I’m sure it was named innocently. But being a Jew from New Jersey, I couldn’t help but think, "Wow, really?"
In other words, I don’t think every white supremacist out there is as equal to blame as others. I think all of them are ignorant, but I think some are ignorant in the more innocent meaning of the word, in that their ideologies were influenced by the ideologies of those they group up with and where they are from, and I think some are ignorant in the guilty meaning of the word, in that they CHOOSE to be this way despite knowing the facts. This meaning of ignorant ride the fence in being synonymous with arrogant and ethnocentrist too, then.
Every time I come across recent news about the KKK or any other hate group I just cringe. Nothing angers me more than finding out how racist people still are even these days. These racists band together to form groups like the Aryan Nations, David Duke, W.A.R., Posse Comitatus, and the A.N.P. Groups like this infuriate me. The country as a whole, not just one city or state, but in entirety, elected a black president. This means that most people living in the United States believe that this black man is the best choice to run this great country of ours. John Mccain, a white man, had the equal opportunity to win this position but lost. Hatred towards Obama because he is black is just not fair. He is extremely qualified for the title of President of the United States.
People in these hate groups are tremendously ignorant. I was raised as a very liberal person. I was taught to accept people for who they are not what they look like. I went to a public high school in the city of Philadelphia. I had the opportunity to befriend, meet, and interact with people of all different races and cultures. I understood that you cannot judge a book by its cover. Everyone is a human being no matter how you look at him or her. So, to see that people still hate others for their skin color or religion, really offends me.
I propose some hatred myself…I don’t know if I am contradicting myself by saying this but I HATE these white supremacy groups, racists, bigots and so on. I feel as though I do not even need to meet the person to label them as crap. Am I contradicting myself? These hate groups hate people because they are black, Jewish, Asian, and so on. I hate these groups for hating people because of their race and ethnicity. I don’t think how I feel is worse than their views. I honestly can’t see a human being hating another for having their skin pigment being another color. I can not fathom the thought process that goes through these people’s minds. I ask these questions… How were these people raised? What things influenced them to hate like this? Why are they like this?
I would love to eliminate and diminish every single one of these groups. With the election of a black president, we are moving forward and away from racism. I would hate to move a step back because of the KKK or the ANP. These groups make me sick to my stomach. All I have to say is “F” these hate groups. If we can avoid them and ignore them we can be a better country as a whole. I don’t think the media should give them any coverage. They don’t deserve it. Let’s embrace our diversity and our new black president!
I also agree with the majority of the people in saying this news is appalling, yet not surprising. In going with the class discussion last Thursday, the majority of people in the United States support or at least tolerate President Obama. However, select groups of people who choose to remain ignorant possess these radical traits. These radical thinkers who feel the need to damage property and post death threats against President Obama remain in a naive state seen in this country years ago. The members of the KKK, Neo-Nazi party and other similar group refuse to live in the present day. Rather, they continue to be extremely narrowed minded about race and power. I feel that a majority of these groups are most prevalent in backwards and white dominated areas where integration is not necessary, which allows these ignorant thoughts to exist.
No matter who the President is, there are always going to be radical people who do feel the need to gain fame by attempting to assassinate or harm our President. Take Lee Harvey Oswald for example. He had serious mental problems leading to his assignation of President John F. Kennedy. I also feel that these extreme groups lack modern day thinking about race and power. Similar to Lee Harvey Oswald, their psyche is drastically different from the majority of Americans. I firmly believe people who have the ability to plan a murder (notice I said planned) have mental issues they need to combat. Similar to the extreme Christians groups we learned about in class last week, all these radicals and extremists have a crazy mindset that is down right bizarre. I feel an altered psyche coupled with a lack of cultural upbringing (including education) allow these types of groups to still exist today. No matter how many hurdles we overcome in the realm of race, ethnicity, gender etc, there will always be narrow-minded people who refuse to think logically and practically. The issue is we, as individuals, cannot succumb to the ignorant and bizarre behavior of these radical people, even if it is on a smaller scale. It is important to educate ourselves and become cultured in order to not be brainwashed by misleading ideologies such as the KKK and Neo-Nazis. These extremists are always going to exist in the United States and other countries as they live cult-like lifestyles teaching their children and children’s children to think in such ways. Our responsibility is to act more mature and deem these groups irrational. These groups are not going to subside anytime soon. If anything, they might become more prevalent with the recent turn towards minority power in our country. We can hope people become more educated in order to not fall into these traps. If not, we better hope these are not the views other countries associate with the majority of Americans or we just may be doomed.
After reading the article “Obama is a Visual Aid”, I can’t help but think how crazy the human race has become. For an individual who is devoting to protect our country, there are people who still despise him. In fact, after history was made with our nation’s first black president, white supremacist groups are gaining more attention as they recruit more people. Leaders of the white supremacist feel that even with our economy in a downfall, that they are the solution to stop this problem. It seems that Martin Luther King’s dream has not been fulfilled because we are only concerned for how people look rather than noticing their abilities. It’s clear to say President Obama does receive numerous threats online but that’s not what he cares about right now. He wants to help our nation grow back since December 2007 and the role he has taken already makes him brave. We know about the assassination plots that were targeted towards him but what makes this whole situation revolting is how innocent lives are being beaten for it. What’s the point of freedom of speech then? Those people whose cars were vandalized only because they had Obama slogans were only showing their compassion for our president. There was no reason for damages to their vehicle. Another situation that seemed shocking to me was the black church that was burned down by white men. It seems that they were never worried if adults let alone children were in there. This message doesn’t show anything but represent how inhumane individuals can be at some point. I feel that this also depicts that most people are being pessimistic about our society due to the economic turndown. They feel that since more businesses are being closed down, then more people will start hating our president. Let’s not forget that President Obama was given this task to handle after George Bush resigned. It will take time for our nation to grow but people have to be patient and understand the long term effect. As for now, racism needs to stop or innocent lives are going to get hurt perhaps dead. For instance, he two racial groups Stormfront and the Council of Conservative Citizens have felt they have gained more power with their recent surge of members. Even they know they are representing a racist group, they feel that have more power over the authority which would include the police. Knowing that, it seems that their stupidity is hindering their common sense of the law. We are still combining racism and politics, which I have said before is the worst result. People are doing everything they can to protect their families from this economic recession while others feel violence is the best solution. Most importantly, I think the white supremacists should think twice before gaining more members. I feel optimistic about the stimulus plan and when our economy has gained balance, hopefully these cruel acts will stop.
I feel that white supremacists are going to be coming out in full because of Obama’s presidency. In my hometown there used to be one of the leaders of the KKK that lived in Punxy which is only twenty minutes from my house. It is such a scary thought that these ignorant people are going to getting attention soon. This is especially scary for me because I have two cousins that are biracial, and it just upsets me so much to think people think they are better than them just because of skin color when they don’t even know them. They are amazing people, and if people wouldn’t place so much stress on race they would realize they are just like anyone else. I find it so hard to believe that there are still people out there that think the white race is so much more superior to any other race. This is surprising to me and I come from a town of no diversity what so ever. There is only one family of black people in our town and only a couple mixed raced families, but I can’t see any of the people being a part of the Ku Klux Klan. I feel like we have come so far, and to let the white supremacists regain power in our society will be such a step back for all of mankind.
I have seen things the Ku Klux Klan is capable of doing and it makes me sick to my stomach. When I think about the KKK I think about the movie A Time to Kill where the boys rape the 10 year old girl. I don’t think that it would ever come to those extremes in this day because there are more black people that are higher up in society now, and I feel like there are more white people willing to accept people or who they are. Therefore, white supremacists may get more attention, but I know I see them as inferior because they are missing out by not accepting others.
Racism is still in my neighborhood a little though, but it does continue to keep getting better. The last time I heard a racist remark was from my grandfather who will never change his mind about different races because he was raised that way. He was talking about Obama, and he said he didn’t think he was capable of being president because of his color. I think the racism problem begins with the older generations who were raised to believe they were better. I believe that if they would break out of their comfort zone, and mix with different races for some kind of gathering they would start to believe differently. Racism would only continue to get better if people would try.
It is horrible that they are actually thanking Obama for the new surge of white supremacists members. It is even more horrible that these groups and organizations even exist in our day and age. I am honestly shocked that Obama is being a called their “visual aid”. I am not naïve and am completely aware that racism definitely still exists. It just truly disturbs that in this time of change people want to rally for hate. It bothers me that people that want to do terrible and ugly things in this world can come together for their horrible causes, yet people who want to do positive things cannot. Yes, there are people who do positive things in this world, but you never hear about sudden staggering surges of new membership in positive groups like in these white supremacist groups. I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that no matter how far we’ve come in this present day there is still a staggering amount of people that want to drag us back into the mud of inequality and overwhelming racism that we have fought to get out of. I guess it’s kind of like the old saying “Out of sight; out of mind”. I never really thought about these white supremacist groups because they are not really prevalent in our culture as it was in the eighties and nineties such as Sam stated in his blog. There are just so many negative factors adding fuel to the flame in this situation. Since our nation is in a time of economic crisis there are increasing numbers of hate crimes due to many trying to use minorities as the “scape goat”. It upsets me that people still do this because I would like to think that people have learned that you cannot just blame innocent people for their hardships. When I was reading the incidents of hate crimes in this article I could not help but wince while I read them. People are capable of such terrible things and it truly disturbs the hell out of me. Even though it is a minority of people that feel the way these white supremacist groups do, it is frightening how much of an effect they have on our nation and how they can scare people to even walk outside. We were asked what we believe is a definition of a terrorist. If these white supremacists are not considered terrorists, than we are being blind to the injustice and terror in our own home. The fact that people have to worry about being hurt over the color of their skin or the political party they agree with is to me the epitome of terrorism. You do not have to be from a foreign nation and blow stuff up to be a terrorist and I feel people are very one sided when it comes to issues such as these. All we can hope and pray for is that no harm comes to Obama or any other innocent people.
Well I’m surprised the media hasn’t been as quick to bring this up as usual. It seems like all we hear about today are all the bad things going on in the world. A man saves hundreds of lives by crash landing in a river and no one hears about that, but if those same lives had been lost you can bet it’d be all over the headlines.
I kinda figured things were still a little shaky on the side of racism. I mean sure, every president since the beginning has had enemies. The secret service has been around a lot longer than Obama. I guess this just follows the laws of nature. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. A lot of people vehemently support Obama. It should be safe to assume at least an equal number of people hate his guts. What are you going to do?
Actually I don’t understand where people were going with the whole letting Iowa become a white supremacy state. I mean, what was that supposed to solve? Yeah, we’d know where they were but then so would everyone who wanted to join them, swell the ranks. That neo-Nazi thing caught me by surprise, though. In a country where people can’t name their kids Hitler, there’s still a group supporting his views? Weird.
Well, America is a land of rights, so I guess people have the right to hate other people. Not much we can do about that. I can’t help but wonder how the general public would react to finding these flyers for all these groups on their windshields… For that matter I wonder how I would react. Until it really happens I don’t really know.
Okay so we have racist groups, what’s the opposite of that? Civil rights groups I guess. Do we have any of those in the United States anymore? I can’t really see that they would have as much to fight for as they did back in the day, but that’s me. I’m uneducated as far as this goes. I mean really, what can anyone do against ethnocentrism? Oh I’m not saying we should lay down and take whatever these racist groups have planned. By all means we should fight back at least as far as protecting potential victims and punishing criminals is concerned. But such hate… what can men do against such deep anger?
I’m still caught up on how long this has lasted. I’m willing to bet that by now every one of these so-called “pure white” supremacists have at least one person of color in their immediate family history. But I guess this whole resistance to these violent groups are sort of based on ignorance too. I mean who among us can say they really understand where it is these people are coming from? I know I don’t.
Luke Abecrombie Section 026
Although I was unaware of the frightening levels of racism that still exist in this country, I am not surprised to hear that the election of someone as atypical and revolutionary as Barack Obama has ignited the fringe element of our society. We as a society are always left completely astounded when some of our own act out highly alternative lifestyles, because we seem to believe that we are above that form of prejudice and bigotry. In fact, we see it as entirely un-American. To me, this is a striking example of in-group out-group bias. Why do we believe that decency is inherent in our society, and indecency, extremism, and fundamentalism are products of the others? And by others, I mean other nations, such as Iran, North Korea, or essentially any non-white country. It is a wonderful example of in-group bias that we Americans (United Statesians, technically) are somehow above such moral and intellectual poverty. All we need to do is notice the slightly racist undertones of our beloved grandparents to fully realize the potential for awfulness on the outskirts of our society. If our grandparents can be racist, imagine what the most extreme racists must be feeling, and how they see the world. And right now, with change potential running rampant, and the normal way of life (relative to some) threatened at the highest levels, it is only natural to see a resurgence of our ugly side. So, first of all, we certainly should not be surprised that these people exist. Secondly, I don’t claim to understand the ideology of these outsiders, but I‘m pretty certain that what they are doing is being done in the name of their interpretation of America, and the way they believe America was meant to work. These people are Americans, through and through, and I think that is an essential message to get out of this. We as a collective people are no better or worse than everyone else in the world. So where do we get our assertion of moral superiority? Well to explain that, why not turn it around back at everyone else. If we believe we are morally superior, and we’re just like everyone else, than that explains the eccentricities of some people throughout the rest of the world, and similarly, a lot of the jealousy and frustration directed at us. So when a Neo-Nazi, who firmly believes in his own rightness, wants to kill Obama, he/she is acting out against his own sense of powerlessness. They are wrong in their beliefs; there is no doubt about that. But acting out is completely unavoidable when one feels increasingly pushed into the minority. In short time, the media is going to have a lot of trouble making sure we don’t get any news about our ugly side.
I’m just curious how long it will take for people to actually get sick of talking about the color of Obama’s skin. I feel like every day in class, every Thursday in our group therapy, every time I read the news, someone has to remind us that Obama’s black. Whether it’s comparing him to other blacks, discussing the controversy over him being black, questioning if he got elected because he’s black, questioning how black he really is, or trying to measure the effects on the black community within our society, it seems everyone is caught up in him being black.
As an American, and a proud one at that, I’m disappointed every time I hear about the controversy Obama’s skin color is causing. It just shows you that people in this country are really stupid. Not ignorant or confused, really just stupid, idiot, losers. I mean it, I’m not trying to be offensive, but if you are openly racist to the point of thinking your skin color should give you power over someone else I hope you can’t see or hear- because that’s really your only excuse. There are animals that function smoother in society than racist people- dogs for instance. A long time ago before we had science and all the knowledge we have now I can see how racism survived. But now, we know better. We have concrete proof that tells us- people are people. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, your brain is working just like everyone else’s. Racism is inexcusable, intolerable; I don’t even think racists should make the media, other than to be called assholes in front of the whole country. It’s time to get over it. He’s black, or half black, or whatever you think he should be called. Now that we’ve acknowledged this, let’s move on.
Since there is such comprehensive knowledge on race theory, it’s reasonable that people would find other reasons aside from the simple “white is better” explanation to put down people different than themselves. The economy is an obvious factor. People don’t want to lose their jobs, and they definitely don’t want immigrants snatching up all the blue collar jobs left. America’s really in a pickle here. I mean we’re in debt, our relationship with other countries at this point is lacking some finesse- we’re tangled in this war, and the entire world is pointing out our blatant disregard of human rights. A blogger in Yemen made the news (as did many others with similar remarks); when he said “Every year the world waits for the annual U.S. State Department report on human rights. Today, it is America that awaits the world’s opinion of its human rights policy. From Gitmo, to Abu Ghraib, to secret prisons in Europe, the world accuses America of not respecting human rights.” If our image isn’t tainted enough now we’re going to start committing hate crimes against immigrants in our country because we’re poor. It just makes me feel lousy about where America is headed. Every great empire falls. According to NPR 598,000 jobs were lost in January, and since then even more have been devastated by unemployment. I don’t have a career, a job, a family to support, rent to pay, or groceries to buy, but I someday I will, and when I do I hope I’m never so afraid of losing everything that I turn against an entire race of people; or all other races.
America is made up of immigrants- and that’s what’s cool about us- it’s our thing. Everybody looks different, and acts different, has different family history, life experiences, and perspectives. Who cares where you’re from? You’re here now. We’re all living on the same globe, and we all share the same basic goals. Why should one’s worthiness be measured by how long they’ve been living in America. Why do I deserve a job before an immigrant? We both need money. I wish we could all just forget about race. It is what it is. I was raised to see people for people. I rarely recognize the color of someone’s skin unless I find it particularly beautiful. I’d much rather view everyone on an equal playing field. By constantly pointing out the disparities we’ve created an “us and them” mentality. I like humans, and I like Obama- I think he’s a smart guy, and he happens to be black, so what?
This article is more than disturbing to me. I’m embarrassed to live in a country that hosts these kinds of people. However, I have to say that I’m not shocked that white supremacy still exists. I see it among my some of my friends who don’t even realize how they come off. I see it in parents and grandparents who are supposed to be wiser than their offspring, but are just so narrow minded. Not only are these people narrow minded, but they are stubborn, and therefore crippling themselves from viewing realistic perspectives. I think that most of all, these people are cowards. They know that their beliefs are morally and culturally offensive to the majority of the United State’s population today, so they hide in their groups and plot how to manipulate people. In my very own neighborhood, a suburb of Philadelphia, I was driving home from work one night a couple of years ago and saw a KKK meeting. It was about midnight and the area was dimmly lit, so I thought that maybe I was seeing wrong and turned my car around to take another look. I just couldn’t believe it, but after seven drive by’s of disbelief, I confirmed that yes, it was a KKK meeting, white robes, head pieces, the whole bit – and they were initiating a young man – in my neighborhood. I thought about this incident a lot because it was just so shocking that my neighborhood, almost all Christians, hosted a KKK group. I realized that I probably know some of the members. My parents have probably become friends with them, but we probably won’t ever know who is or who isn’t apart of that KKK group. Like I said, they hide and they plot to manipulate; like I said, some of them are probably friends of my parents, people whose opinion my family values. Sam Richards pointed out in his blog that white supremacists want to use the troubled economy as a springboard for hate against blacks, particularly hate against Obama. The same thing happens with any president in the case of an economic crisis – he gets blamed even though the problem started before he took presidency. But no, these groups want to manipulate the public into thinking that “oh no, this is different. It’s because he’s black. We tried to tell you. You just can’t have a black man in the White House.” This is not the reality, obviously. Four years’ work in the White House would need a miracle to truly fix the economy. Regardless, these groups are going to feed off of people’s insecurities and needing to blame someone for the problem at hand, even though the problem had manifested long before Obama took office. This tactic employed by these groups is not only morally offensive, but also insulting to the intelligence of the general public. How desperate is your cause if you have nothing but deceitfulness to promote it?
Just a side note thought: What if Hilary Clinton had become president? Would there be female hate groups acting out?
After reading this article, I was disgusted in the amount of incidents that have actually occurred due to Obama’s presidency. Did it shock me? Well, not exactly. I’m sure we all heard right before the election people saying that if Obama becomes president he will immediately be assassinated. Although, of course I didn’t believe this, I knew that because there were some people out there involved in white supremacist groups, it was very possible. In the “Visual Aid” article it stated that Obama has already received more threats than any previous president-elect. Again, this does not shock me. We live in a country filled with different races, different ethnic backgrounds, and different beliefs. We also live in a country were people have been killed for their race, ethnicity, and religion. The article also tells a story about two white men from Staten Island, New York, who, while screaming “Obama”, brutally beat a black teen with a pipe and a bat, just because of his skin color. This seems ridiculous to me and I’m sure to many other people as well. Obama was elected president because he was best suited for the job. He is here to help our country in a time of need, not to enforce black power. What these people in these white supremacy groups do not understand is that Obama is OUR president, meaning everyone’s. Most of these people are too caught up in themselves and have been so brainwashed that they don’t understand that we are a united country where we are all in this together. Although groups like this still exist, as a majority our country has still come a long way. We currently have our first black president and as a country are working together to try to put an end to all racial issues. I believe that the reason that the media is not releasing stories of these white supremacy groups is because they don’t want to give them the attention that they don’t deserve. These racist groups are doing these awful acts just because they want to reach the attention of the public. When we ignore what they do by not acknowledging them it shows them that nobody else supports what they are doing and they are in this on their own.
However, what did shock me when I read the article was the story about the second and third grade students on the school bus that were chanting “assassinate Obama.” These young children most likely do not understand what they are saying and have probably been brainwashed by their parents. There is no way a child that young can form views on their own about having a black president. Views that violent must come from an outside force like their parents or the media. I believe that it is important that we educate our children and allow them to form beliefs on their own without forcing any other beliefs upon them. After all, the future of our nation lies in the hands of the younger generations. I believe that if we can reach out to these young children and lead them to be open to all races we will finally be able to put an end to all racist groups.
After reading this article about the White Supremacists Thanking Obama, I was quickly reminded of the quote, “Where there is good, Evil is always present.” It is true that we have not heard anything from the Aryan Nation and K-K-K, but I believe they were just waiting for a reason to rise up again. Even with this nation trying to move forward and make history, we must remember that racism still exists today. With every group of people, there will always be radicals plotting their way to World Domination… Even though I am angered at the fact that David Duke would even say something such as he thanks Obama for the new recruits, he is very adroit in how he goes his uprising. He knows that with the economy struggling, people will be in search of answers and a place in which to be accepted and a place to dwell. Dukes and his followers are preying on the naive and weak-minded people.
If the economy continues to get worse people will later look for a place of refuge. If David Dukes is the first to give them answers, they will more than likely believe him and convert to his teachings and beliefs. I country divided will not stand, and if this happens will give rise to radicals such as Dukes. David Dukes plans on turning people’s confusion into hate for Obama and people of color.
The rise of racism on the Internet and these hate groups does not surprise me at all. I knew that something like was going to happen when I heard a story on CNN. Right before the election polls opened, the FBI arrested some White Supremacists for plotting to kill 88 Black people before the polls opened. My first response was “I knew someone was going to try something stupid.” My second response was, “If I had heard of 8 Black people getting killed by White Supremacists, I would have a gotten a couple guns to protect myself and my friends.” The ultimate cause of conflict is change; conflict and change always come hand in hand.
What Dukes does not know is, that by causing an uprising in Neo-Nazi Nation, he was cause an uprising in the nation of Colored people. What he does not realize is, there are more people willing to stand up to hate groups than there were in the 1980’s and 1990. He will cause White people who do not agree with him and all colored people to rise up against his hates groups and nearly run them out of this country. He really does not want the Black Panthers to rise up again as they did in the late 60’s and 70’s, this time they will have much more fire power.
Historically, the White Supremacists waited until this nation was weak and looking for answers, then they rose up and caused chaos. If the white supremacists try that in this day and age, they will be the ones victimized. People of color have much more power and numbers than they have ever had. Therefore, if Dukes wants to start a war against Obama and colored people, he better be ready to fight against the biggest, most powerful, group of colored people that he has ever seen.
When people here at Penn State ask me where I’m from, I now muddle around the question and answer, “Oh, roughly an hour and a half south of here.” If they ask where that is, I cringe and respond, “Johnstown, Pa,” searching their face for any sign of repercussion. “Well 20 minutes on the outskirts of,” I add.
Why would I be so embarrassed, you ask? This past fall, Sarah Palin came to Johnstown and held a campaign rally for her and McCain, where racists in the crowd were screaming “Kill him!” about Obama, and held up a stuffed monkey that was supposed to represent him.
Oh it doesn’t stop there. A week or so later the opening skit on Saturday night live showed a campaign rally with the words “Johnstown, Pa” on the screen where Biden rallied this time, saying he understands that the racist people of Johnstown act this way, because they have only their guns and religion to cling to. Ah! I was beyond embarrassed! But more so, I was disappointed that this dinky little town I grew up in now created this image of itself on national television. There is little room left for any redemption. It was like living in western Pa means people have poor education, are rednecks, and cannot be blamed for being racist because “they don’t know any better”. What a pathetic excuse. Of course people know better, they’re just too insular a stuck in their rusty rituals to give a thought as to what it all actually means.
I hardly even feel surprised that these crazy people exist out there (or in my case, near). I worked at the front desk of this community building in my town, and I remember working beside two men holding registration for kids’ soccer one day when Hillary and Obama were running against each other for the Democratic nominee. The one guy asked the other who he was voting for and the other responded, “I don’t know, but I’m not voting for a woman.” I was sitting right next to him and laughed out loud, being a woman myself, and he just STARED at me. Need I say creepy? Later in their conversation, I heard him say it was weird a black man was running and he wouldn’t vote for a Muslim either. I glared passive aggressively, not wanting to get fired for making a scene. Be it beneficial or unfortunate, I feel I have been forever exposed to racial intolerance in my narrow-minded town. I’ve seen it growing up, and want to scream at how stupid people are, but I know that they can hardly be saved from their mediocre minds closing in on themselves.
I have never been an Obama supporter for many reasons – of course none of these reasons had anything whatsoever to do with his race. I was not celebrating at 11 pm on November 4, 2008 after he was announced as the next President of the United States, and to this day I disagree with many of our President’s opinions and economic policies. Despite this fact, on January 20th I found myself celebrating along with millions of other Americans. My stance on his policies continues to remain firm and unchanging to this day, but I could not ignore the historical significance of the inauguration of our first black President. I am so utterly and completely shocked and disgusted with some of the accounts in this article. The image of effigies of Obama hanging from nooses on university campuses is a sobering one. I sometimes feel like I’m living in my own little bubble of love and tolerance because I do not witness firsthand these acts of hate. The thought scares me. A part of me is thinking that ignorance is bliss, but another part of me wants to shout from the rooftops that this needs to be stopped and now. Sam says in his blog, “And while these [hate] groups never went away, they've certainly not captured the interest of mainstream media outlets for well over a decade.” I believe that the media (at least in the recent years – since I’ve been old enough to take interest) has been covering stories about racism and other acts of hate – but they’ve been the wrong ones. Does anyone remember the media frenzy that occurred when Lindsay Lohan mistakenly called Obama the first “colored” President? The term may be offensive, but the incident got a ridiculous amount of coverage and caused a huge uproar. It seems so stupid and trivial compared to the real acts of violence fueled by hate that are occurring every day. What I want to know is what is being done to stop these terrible things from happening? Could the media overlooking these crimes have an affect on the rate at which they are happening? After this historic election, so many Americans are living in denial. Many people are content in their happy little bubbles, much like I have been, thinking that Obama’s presidency is a step in the right direction towards tolerance, peace, and decreasing racial tension and hate. I am sure that there are millions of people who, like me, (and perhaps the media is to blame) had no idea of the amount of negative racist backlash as a result of the election. For gosh sakes, this woman who has recently had Octuplets is getting more media coverage than the election! I certainly hope that these hate crimes are making their way back into the limelight and are becoming a priority in the media. If these injustices stir up HALF the outrage that this Octuplet mother is causing then it is a small step in the right direction. If people are aware of what is going on then maybe something can be done to stop these people from acting this way. Although abolishing prejudices may be impossible, acts of violence fueled by those prejudices should absolutely not be tolerated.
I really think it is sick that there are still so many people that are not just close minded but actual extremists. Despite what I think, I know that there is no way to erase all these horrible ways of thinking. There are always going to be radical thinkers and no matter what anyone does nothing is going to change. As time goes on the groups get smaller and the majority of people start thinking in a more mainstream accepted way but once again, we don’t live in a perfect world this will never go away. Regardless of how many extremist groups there are (just focusing on the U.S.) I don’t know for sure but I feel as if they are such a small part of our population. While these groups are attempting to be kept quiet I think if they are watched over as well as they can be, one by one the people that actually can be considered dangerous or a threat to others can be convicted of less serious crimes and be put away before actually doing anything radical. Even when doing something like that which would seem to shrink this radical population you have to keep in mind that these are not rational thinkers and putting them away will enrage other members of their group, expose them to a new group of people (in prison for example) so they can spread their ideas onto others, and also start one more thing that this radical group will fight to bring down. While these groups may still be existent I don’t think they have the power they used to or anywhere close to that actually. Because of the lack of support radical anti-gay, anti-black or any other group against another group of people I don’t think they have the ability to get away with things they could in the past, things such as murdering people and getting away with meaning I don’t even think they would be able to commit more than one without being caught. Of course we don’t want to lose anyone to this hatred but compared to what used to be done and ignore it defiantly shows there current lack of power. These groups shouldn’t be accepted nor do I think many people want to accept them but people need to be realistic and know they will never go away. In time I could be proven wrong because I think as time goes on they will diminish slowly by themselves but if that was to happen I still think other radical people would find something new and join together and we would be stuck in the same place. They’re not going away, there is nothing to stop them, they shouldn’t be accepted but really what can we do.
This is ridiculous. I am so happy that I was born in 1987, and that the times had begun to change, because I probably would be dead. If the Klu Klux Klan, or any white supremicist group came up to me, I would probably be afraid, but I would not be going down without a fight. Hey, if they are gonna kill you anyway, why not go out in the blaze of glory. Looking at movies like, “A Time to Kill” helped me to understand how they operate, but the question that is still floating in my head is why do they operate? I do not understand things like Genocide and hate crimes because in all reality, “YOU CANNOT KILLL EVERYONE THAT DIFFERS FROM YOU!!!!!” Some of them will still survive. I do not understand why one group of people could hate another group so much, but that is neither here nor there. The problem at hand is that we still live in a world where hate groups exist, and they are trying to expand. It is crazy. This just goes to show you that even though we broken down one of the biggest racial barriers in history, some things will just never change. It is crazy that no extremist groups were really concerned about Geoege Bush, even though he was like one of the worst presidents in the history of the United States, but as soon as a “Black” man comes along, all hell wants to break loose. This just goes to show you that we live in a world that needs a miracle if we are ever going to truly be a peaceful, non-racist, non-discriminant nation. This is little something for the KKK, “DO NOT EVER COME TO PHILLY, EVERYBODY HAS GUNS AND THEY WILL END YOUR LIFE WITH NO PROBLEM.”
Speaking on the difference in media propaganda from the 1980’s and 1990’s versus the 2000’s is that the media has a fear of people being afraid, so if there is anything going on that would make people afraid that the media can cover up, they will. Back in the 80’s, no one cared about the Klu Klux Klan except the people that were their targets, so they played whatever on the air they could. Media propaganda has actually palyed a huge role in the murders of thousands of people. For example, the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. With the help of the government and the news, many Tutsis lost their lives. We were a more racist and discriminant nation then, so they reported whatever they felt would scare the targets as much as possible. Today, we live in different society. I thought the KKK would have died out by now. I mean, I know that people are still going to hate what is different from them but I just cannot believe these groups still exist. I am also angry at the fact that no one cared to make any groups when Bush was in office, but now that my president is black, all hell wants to break loose. But one monkey does not stop a show. I hope that these groups will not have as much power to back track our progression. As a nation, we HAVE progressed. Let us let them continue to hate what they cannot control, but we as a nation, need to learn to control our hate.
As much as it pains me to admit, I agree that the coincedental ecenomic crisis and the election of a black president will cause a backlash and encourage "angry white people" to join extremist groups. The backlash might not be immediate but as time goes on and the crisis is not instantly solved, many ignorant minded people will look to violent groups to solve their problems. It's a shame that these groups are getting attention now because it indeed has been nice not hearing anything about such radical behaviors.
It was not Obama's fault that we are in this crisis and I believe we still need to give him a chance to fix it. He hasn't even been in office for 100 days yet. Also, I do not really see what the extremists are trying to accomplish. Tell people "join so we can kill Obama and have some white guy take office and solve all our problems." We need to give him a chance and educate these intolerant minded people so that we can focus on the economic crisis alone.
In our discussion group meeting on Tuesday, we came upon the topic of diversity in our home towns. I stated that in my small, predominantly white town, there was very little diversity. I also said that very recently, within the last few years, my town had become more diverse, as Latino and African American families moved in. However, I think what I said about people’s reactions in my town did not come out exactly right, and it I didn’t realize until after class that it sounded as though there could be race riots in the small streets. This is in no way the case.
My little coal mining town is in no way similar to communities in Washington or Idaho, as described in the article on alternet.org. Hate and discrimination do not flow like an invisible undercurrent beneath the streets, poisoning everyone and everything through which they flow. There was no backlash after the election of president Obama, and people would certainly be appalled by such happenings as the sign at the convenience store in Maine that advertised and hoped for a quick assassination of president Obama. I don’t know if that fact is supposed to make my town sound “better” on the grand scheme of tolerance and race relations, but it needed to be clarified.
The point I was attempting to make, and apparently missed by a long shot, was that things are changing.
My town has been the scene for ethnic conflict in the past, as it is a coal mining town, and the mass migrations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought many “different” kinds of people together. However, after three generations, these lines have become so tenuous that they barely exist in the psyche of most people, let alone influence people’s day to day lives. Certainly, no one would put up a fight if an ethnically Italian woman was marrying a Polish man, as my grandmother’s mother did, only some 50 years ago. I stress this because at one time, my town was an incredibly diverse place. However, over the years and the long-term economic decline, there have been hardly any new people coming into the area.
With new people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds now coming into the area, the dynamic of the town is again changing. It is only slight, but still occurring nonetheless. And it is not a negative change, as I may have made it sound in section. It is simply a change. And a change, for most people, is difficult at first. My town is rusty in this sense. The people have grown used to their “ways of life” and have become cemented in the familiar. And it is simply because they have had had no reason to think or live outside of what they already know. Now, with different people moving, it is like a whole place, and it’s a wonderful sign; the town has been dying for two generations. New people mean life.
There is hope, now, because my town is not incapable of allowing this change to take place, nor is it going down swinging, destroying itself in attempting to remain the same.
While there is great change going on in this country with the election of our first black President there is no doubt that there is still racism and racist people in this country and in the world. Racism is not something that can be fixed or solved overnight. It is something that has developed from stereotypes or has been deeply rooted in you from childhood. In class, we watched a video of children at Christian camps learning from a very young age to believe in Jesus Christ and all his teachings. Not all of America is Christian and believes in the same things as Christians do. There are many other religions in our country. Some of these religions may overlap but they are different. They may teach the same ideals yet the beliefs and theories vary.
I would like to believe that not all people are intentionally racist but I think people can’t help but to make assumptions about others especially people we don’t know. It is easier for people to assume then to actually take the time to ask questions and get to know someone. There is no way to defeat racism unless people are openly and willingly ready to learn about others different from them. Your own personal assumptions, prejudices, stereotypes and biases need to be forgotten in order to change your way of thinking. In changing your way of thinking I am not asking people to align their ideas with someone else’s. I am merely suggesting that people have an open mind. There are always going to be radicals and people who have different views from your own but to at least be willing to listen to hear the ideas of others. People should be prepared to listen to others to learn something new or challenge an idea. By doing this you never know, you may learn something about someone else or even something about yourself.
The last thing I would like to comment on is concerning the people who have emerged not favoring and making racists comments about Obama. The fact of the matter is the majority of the United States voted for him. Whether or not you like him he is still the leader of this country for the next four years. He makes all the country’s major decisions along with Congress and the House. Since we, the people, voted him as our leader so we must now stand by him and support him in his decisions. Throughout the election people heard his opinions and ideas for change and for the future we must now watch and listen as those actions hopefully become a reality. Obama has many major challenges ahead of him including the war and the devastating economy. I think we need to be more supportive, stand by our leader, and have some faith.
The article “White Supremacists Use Obama as Visual Aid” is exactly the reason why I was reluctant to say that Martin Luther King’s dream had been realized when Barrack Obama was elected. The fact that enough people got on board and did elect him to office was a huge step forward for this country, but I anticipated articles like this coming out shortly after his inauguration. The fact of the matter is that regardless of what media polls say about Obama’s approval rating, there are literally millions of people in this country who are pissed off that Obama is now our President. Many don’t agree with his politics, but many don’t agree with his skin color either. Shortly after the election the only clips that were presented on TV were of Americans, mostly black but whites as well, celebrating and rejoicing at the progress we have made. If our media was truly unbiased and impartial, than we should have seen at least some clips of the 40-something percent of Americans that were not celebrating. While I am glad that Obama is our President, I don’t think Americans realized how “polarizing” his Presidency would be. The fact that White Supremacy websites crashed because of such an increase in traffic shortly after the election should indicate how prevalent racist attitudes remain in this country. It especially worries me that our economy is in shambles because that simply makes it that much easier for people to point fingers and blame him.
This article definitely gave me a new perspective because as much as I thought that there would be backlash from White Supremacists, it almost seems as though some of them are happy Barrack got elected, because now their arguments are once again being listened to by disgruntled Americans. With the internet, they may not even need to leave fliers on people’s car windshields or hold rallies on the “Main Streets” of Anytown, USA. They can now have thousands of people from across the country logged on reading their hate messages at anytime of day. One of Obama’s biggest strengths throughout his campaign was that he was promising a change from the George W. Bush era. At this point I may be getting ahead of myself, but if the economy doesn’t shape up over the next few years as we’re hoping, imagine the White Supremacy groups using the same slogan of “change” to attract Americans to their fight. It may sound crazy today, but with estimates suggesting by 2042 that minorities and whites will be close in numbers, I wouldn’t be surprised in the years to come if whites begin to voice more openly their desire for the United States to be a white-dominated population.
Honestly, it’s not surprising to me that such events such as Obama’s election and Inauguration would come to an increased rank in White Supremacists and Neo-Nazis. Even during his campaigning Obama was threatened, and I know a few people personally who voted against Obama or just didn’t vote at all because of the anticipated racial tension that would ensue. I have my best friend on quote saying “I didn’t vote because the outcome was either a Civil War or an assassination, and I want nothing to do with that.” While as weird as that sounds, he was right, especially since he is in the south which history tells us is fueled by racial prejudice.
People choose to use Obama as the focus of hate just because of his skin color. I think that most people that are lashing out in this way are just acting out on what they have seen in the media, been taught through history, and through parental rearing.
I honestly think that the media is to blame. Even though that the topic of Neo-Nazism and White Supremacy were never really in the limelight to the public eye through news reports and exposés, general entertainment media such as movies and music was extremely popular in the 1980’s and 90’s. Movies such as “Top Dog” with Chuck Norris (I know…insert funny chuckle and corny Chuck Norris joke here) and “American History X” with Edward Norton brought the idea of racist organizations and Neo-Nazism to the public. I don’t know how many of you have seen the movie American History X, but let me tell you that you can’t watch it and somehow not be affected. It’s a powerful story about a skin-head who is struggling with his identity after the release of his older brother (former leader of the Skin-Head gang) who upon his incarceration and release realizes that his “movement” and ideas where corrupt and fostered by a series of unfortunate events.
I also think that a lot of white supremacists are speaking out about what they fear, and trying to use anger and fear to create a solution. I remember being in High School, and learning that the white person was slowly becoming the minority in America, because of the constant immigration of Hispanic people and others coming here for the opportunities that they could have in this country and not yours. Now before I continue with what I’m about to say next, I want everyone to know that I am an American, and I fully support the “American Dream” and the ideals and prospects that our country was founded on. That being said let me say this; “I agree with these people’s concerns, but I disagree with how they are addressing these concerns.
We are the greatest, wealthiest country on the planet, and yet we have hundreds of thousands if not millions of homeless Americans in this country, people that are unemployed that can’t find jobs. Why should we be opening our doors to those who are going to come in and make things difficult for the people that live here, that have lived here for their entire lives? The answer is because it’s “evolution”. We are slowly weeding out those that refuse to or can’t do the work that these immigrant workers do so that we can “evolve” and continue our way of living, to continue to be the best nation on the planet.
People see Obama as the most influential “political” target they could possibly have. I use political in quotations because I’m not addressing his political position, but rather the impact that an assassination or attempted assassination could have on the politics and political movement that so often drives white supremacy and Neo-Nazis. It’s all politics, and it’s all just paranoia and extremists trying to find a cop-out for the nation’s problems.
Although Barack Obama has broken a huge racial barrier for African Americans, his presidency has also revived white extremist groups in America. Up until Obama took office, the only times I would hear about the Aryan Nation was when I watched a prison show called Lockup Raw, and in prison the Aryan Nation is looked at as more of a gang for whites to protect themselves. Everyone is forced to join a gang in prison, and if your white, your pretty much forced to be a member of the Aryan Nation whether you agree with their racial views or not. As much as I don’t agree with it, I have to admit that Barack Obama being the most powerful man in the country could be very dangerous and revive the horrifying past this country has had. White extremist groups needed one event to anger some of the white community, so that they could feed off of it and use it to their advantage. If John McCain and Sarah Palin had won the presidency, the white extremist groups would be satisfied for the time being and their membership numbers wouldn’t be increasing because no one would be angered and looking for answers. In the article it says that when white people are angry and need answers, this is when they turn to the KKK or Aryan Nation. These groups thrive when our country is suffering and people have no one else to turn to for answers. The same can be said about black extremist groups as well, because these groups to some seem like an automatic fix to the problem. I did hear that two skinheads from Tennessee tried plotting to assassinate Obama, but when I heard their plan, I couldn’t help but laugh because of the stupidity of it. What I heard was that they just planned on driving into one of his speeches and shooting out the window of the car to try and kill Obama. When I heard this, I immediately associated this kind of horribly planned action with all white extremists. A lack of education and an impressionable attitude are two big factors that white supremacist groups look for in their new members. Whenever I think of a KKK or Aryan Nation member, I look at them as being very stupid because to me you have to be pretty stupid to think so narrow minded when it comes to minorities. Barack Obama has definitely shattered a racial barrier in this country, but while doing this, he has brought out the worst in white supremacists. As long as groups such as the KKK exist, it will make it very difficult for this country to move forward as a united nation.
In the blog, “White Supremacist Recruiters Thank Obama”, I think a good point was brought up about how there is not often much discussion about White supremacy in America. Out of the names listed like, the Aryan Nations, David Duke, W.A.R., Posse Comitatus, and the A.N.P., I was only somewhat familiar with the term Aryan Nations. I find this significant and interesting that the news does not keep America updated on the racial issues that happen in our country. This lead me to thinking, why doesn’t mainstream media focus on such hate groups?
When I was reading the article, “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting”, I was somewhat startled, but not overly surprised. I am aware that the world is full of racist people, thoughts, and beliefs. When I realized Barack Obama was going to be running in the election, I honestly became concerned about the safety and wellbeing of his life. To this day, I think that extra precaution should be taken as far as security measures are concerned. This article mentioned that he was the most sought after president, facing tons of threats. As I continued to read the article, however, there were a multitude of things that I thought were predictable, yet I was still unaware of them. I did not know about the specific hate groups like Stormfront, the Council of Conservative Citizens, or the League of the South. These three groups are starting to accumulate new members, and increase in popularity due to the new, non-White President of the United States. When reading the quotes of White Supremacist leaders Jeff Schoep and David Duke, they seemed to be well versed about their beliefs. I can see how these people can be persuasive to weak, non strong minded individuals. It is a shame that the leaders of these organizations, that have such horrible, racist views can be so powerful and influence other White people in America. I understand that having a non-White president would cause a stir in the White community because it breaks a barrier that has not been broken prior to this election. However, that does not make it acceptable for people who are disappointed or even infuriated with the outcome of the election, to promote hatred and commit harmful acts.
Also, the news article informed me about the random acts of hatred against Black people since the time that Obama became a political figure. I have heard of some instances, but none specifically like the ones mentioned. Again, I felt so uniformed when reading this article. I feel like these news stories are being kept out of the public eye. I think America knows that these things are happening, but I do not feel like we has a nation are fully aware of these acts of hatred, let alone the new rise of hatred groups. I can understand these stories not constantly being displayed because they would instill a lot of fear in people. However, I wish that it was not so masked, and that there would be more documentaries or 20/20 episodes about these White supremacist groups. A part of me feels like if there was an uprising of any minority group against the president and society, there would be a lot more awareness about it. I think as Americans we have a right to know what is going on as well as a duty to inform and educate ourselves about things of this nature.
With Obama being elected as president there is much hope throughout American that we can become a truly equal and united nation, however, with the election there is also a lot of hatred and division. The blog pointed out how white supremacist groups are not only still around, but are gaining popularity and strength as people come together to join in hate for a man and groups of people. The theme of a common enemy is uniting people but for all the wrong reasons. And why is the president of their country seen as the enemy? It is saddening to me that these types of people are out there. Mainly I am saddened by their thoughts, actions and views of the issue of race. It is sad to see how skin color could provoke that much anger in a person to go forth and brutally hurt or even kill people. The examples from the article are frightening to know that people with these views are living in our country. While these are extreme examples, it does not undermine the fact that they did occur and that there are many people who think the same way as the supremacist and may not actually act on it. The example of the young children screaming to the assassination of Obama was troubling because these messages are probably instilled in them from their parents or elders and they do not even have the choice at this young age to think for themselves or decide how they want to think. They cannot realize how devastating that would be for our nation, but for the thoughts of some people it would be a good thing, thus troubling me even further.
It is a shame that we are in troubling times in our country and that people are always looking for someone else to blame instead of accepting the blame for themselves. People want to blame Bush or past leaders and now Obama. The difficult part is that because of Obama’s skin color, there will be added blame and scrutiny. White supremacist groups will thrive off of this blame and do so mainly because of his skin color. They fail to look at the world from a different view point and think maybe it would be the same or even worse if there was a white leader, and if that were the case, they probably would not blame so harshly. Some people are looking for any little trouble to point out to blame Obama, which is unfair because they are mainly doing that because of the hatred they have for a race of people, not on the actual trouble that occurs. If they could think differently and see that they are a part of the problem and a part of the contribution toward hatred, maybe they would not blame so much and maybe some problems could be solved internally, individually and nationally because it starts with us, as a man of black skin color pointed out before, which makes sense for all.
I am truly embarrassed to be an American when I see these disgusting articles of the white supremacist movement. This article, however, was not surprising to me one bit. As someone said, with every movement there will always be people fighting against it. It’s pretty disgusting though that these supremacist groups are actually excited that such a diverse candidate was elected so that their hatred can be spread to more and more people. I find it hard to relate to this way of thinking but I also can picture this very well in my mind. I, fortunately, have grown up in an extremely liberal immediate family; one of whom where both of my parents have graduate degrees. With that being said, it is safe to say that I have pretty intelligent parents, and in turn I have democratic tendencies automatically within me through them. However, most radicals come from uneducated families and have grown up in slum neighborhoods. Clearly there is a direct correlation between education and political views, so I don’t find it surprising that there are still a higher number of “idiots” in the world considering the poverty rate is still relatively high. But then I consider what Sam brought up the other day in class about how each of us has a racist uncle. I thought about it, and I too have an uncle and set of grandparents that are still relatively racist. I still cringe every time I hear one of them make a derogatory statement about someone else. But how do you explain those cases? It might not completely be by how educated you are but by how accepting your parents were and how they influenced you to believe. Their parents for example, were old fashioned and were typically isolated from people of diverse backgrounds from their own, and therefore influenced their children to less tolerable to different people simply because it was out of their comfort zone. Whereas my parents although raised somewhat conservatively, had the opportunity to travel and be around people of different backgrounds, and therefore became more socially accepting towards differing beliefs. I learned from them and I consider myself to be very accepting of others and look past race more often than not. Going back to the article, of the examples listed in that article, it was interesting that most incidents occurred in areas where we typically associate residents with being uneducated. I found it completely unbelievable that there could possibly be a case in which a convenience store has a pool to predict an assassination attempt on the president, and most absurd that it posted “let’s hope we have a winner”. I guess I just can’t understand how someone can be that ignorant and unwilling to accept differences between people. For that, I am completely embarrassed to be an American.
I personally think it would hilarious to round up all these varied neo-Nazi hate groups and offer to give them their own autonomous nation in largely uninhabited region somewhere within the boundaries of the United States quarantined by the U.S. military. After whatever social and economic policies they try to enact prove to be dismal failures and a myriad of power struggles soon follow, with any amount of luck, they will digress into complete social entropy and cannibalism; and this should all be made available for round the clock viewing on the World Wide Web. But on a more serious note here historically poor economic conditions have long been factors contributing to social unrest. Couple this with the fact that a black man with a “scary terrorist” name holds the highest office in the land it is not difficult at all to see where the ignorant and the uneducated will direct their blame. When a growing segment of the workforce is unemployed or underemployed or, at the very least, is struggling to make ends meet, especially when these conditions are significantly less than the conditions they are accustomed to, they tend to dedicated great deals of time thinking of the inequity and the inherent evil of their situation. That being said they are more likely to become receptive to thinking in absolutist terms in an attempt to find solace and meaning, the great problem with this is that way of thinking allows no room for questioning and interpretation. With that being said people are apt to abandon their logic, rationality, and even their conscious and as we know there are plenty of charismatic antisocial figures willing to exploit this. That being said an increase in white supremacist and right-wing extremist activity could be expected. The question is how the powers that be should respond to the current and potential situation. While it is highly unlikely that a group of rabble rousing, pissed off white guys will form a series of super organized terrorist cells that will initiate a war with the government that culminates with the hijacking of the nation’s nuclear stockpiles annihilating a number of major cities than ultimately Israel as described in the Turner Diaries we still must be both aware and proactive. After all what consolation is the unreality of the above scenario to the family of a victim of racial violence? The political and legal systems must adopt comprehensive and effective strategies for dealing with such individuals that do not compromise the rights we enjoy as Americans. One such general strategy could be pulling out all the stops to redefine their statuses from activist and free speak associations to terrorist organizations and organized crime enterprises and deal with them the exact same way we deal with those people. If such a campaign could be waged it could serve as a major deterrent to such activity. Another institution in our society that is invaluable in fighting such elements is the media, for they have the power to expose these individuals and groups to the disgust of the general public. Yet, perhaps the most powerful tool of all is education for if given the proper knowledge individuals are truly equipped to deal with these issues and see them for what they truly are.
Wow. After reading the article about the white supremacist recruiters, it really puts you back into reality of how some people are not up to speed with the rest of the world. Come on. The guy has dark skin. Does that mean that all of these white supremacists hate sports, too? They won’t watch football because the sport is completely dominated by blacks? Maybe that’s an awful point. Either way, they are living in the discomfort of their own skin. I simply cannot see how it is possible to hate somebody because of their skin color or because of a middle name “Hussein” given to a child with no negative meaning at all attached to the name. It’s just sad that some people have to pull a person so far apart to find something so not relative to the actual person.
I find it really depressing that 2nd and 3rd graders were chanting “assassinate Obama” on the school bus. That makes Americans in general look awful. Even if it is a small town in Idaho (who the hell lives in Idaho?), somebody overseas can hear about that and think that is what all Americans are like. It’s just like the Jihad video that was shown in class. In the Middle East, they might see that article and become even madder at us. It’s like a whole other world over in Idaho apparently. It is necessary that people are educated about race. I wish everybody could sit through Sam’s class. Even though his intentions might not be understood by 100% of the students, I think most students do understand and take something positive from the class. Communication is key nowadays. It is definitely improving because of the internet and all of the outlets of communication, but just look at the war in Iraq. Many of them don’t understand what we are saying and we don’t understand what they are saying or feeling. Hell, most Americans don’t even know what we are doing over there. Is it for oil? Is it for revenge for Bush’s dad? Is it because we don’t like them? Is it because of 9/11? All of these reasons have been said on the news or between individuals in America.
Such extremists with anything are never a good thing. If you are complete on one side of something, you will never be able to understand the other’s point of view which means there will be no growth or knowledge gained. This brings me back to communication. Just like a relationship with a girl, if you don’t understand each other and compromise, it will never work. If countries don’t understand each other and don’t compromise, it won’t work. If Americans don’t understand each other and are too extreme about things, it won’t work and it will just make people more pissed off.
For one, I agree with the poster who is “ashamed that I live in a country that has racist groups attempting to solicit new members for the sole purpose of being the ‘supreme race’. “ On the whole, it really is a shame that we still have people like this living in America. We hear extremist ideas coming from developing countries, and though we shake our head, we accept that those types of polarized views can still come from areas that have not yet adopted our way of thinking. To realize that these types of groups still exist in a place like the United States, however, is really something that puts a black mark on our country. Sure, we may have the crazy televangelists that embarrass our society with their extreme religion, and we may have the people who don’t understand
Looking on the bright side, I will tip my hat towards another the in class who posted, “Let these groups continue to spout their petty hatred, because the MAJORITY of the country is not listening!” Yes, it is true that we have some dangerous and ignorant psychos who live in the same country as a population with mostly level-headed thinking, but they are a minority that can be quelled just by the rest of the country turning a deaf ear to their threats. When these threats materialize, of course the country acts to deliver justice and restore peace, but in the meantime it is quite simple to treat their attitude as a mild annoyance, ignore it, and continue living a lifestyle that shows that the majority of America is nothing like these extremists.
I believe that long before Obama started campaigning to be our nation’s president, he had a very good idea of the type of welcome he would receive from some of the extremist groups in America. I’m sure it is no surprise that crazies all over the country are holding assassination polls, creating violent propaganda, and have already planned two (thwarted) assassination attempts. It must also be very disheartening for him to learn that his supporters, like the black man wearing an Obama T-shirt, would suffer so much hostility and pain just to support Obama’s benign actions.
In a strange sort of spiritual way, though many people are suffering and continue to suffer from the election choice made in 2008, their current pain and their faith in the future will ultimately lead to a better future for not only our country but also our world. We will grow from these experiences, as terrible as they may become, and our efforts for the good of the people will eventually bring our civilization into a new enlightenment where all types of people, regardless of physical and cultural differences, can live together. Sure, the temptations of hatred and racism will always be there, but if we can press on towards the way we know is right, I can see such a future in the distance.
In the article “Obama called a ‘Visual Aid’ for white supremacist recruiting”, I wanted to agree with one of the comments that had been made at the bottom. It stated that lack of education is the cause ignorance. I know for myself, that when I left high school, my lack of experience in other cultures and backgrounds made me someone who was not racist but, I had formed my stereotypes of other nationalities from what the ‘mass media’ portrayed. I went to a satellite Penn State campus that had a pretty decent mix of black, white, and Syrian cultures, I was able experience new things that helped me break out of those stereotypical thoughts, and broaden my horizons so to speak. Though I may not know too many people who I would refer to as full blown racists, I do know people who I would consider ignorant. Some really don’t have much education outside of high school. And for that matter, really haven’t been away from the area they grew up in for an extended period of time; never getting away from their comfort zone. I feel the crimes that are being committed are done by ‘gangs’ of teens, ignorant people who think they know anything and everything, looking to cause trouble. The real trouble I feel is when a person becomes molded by that group, helping reinforce the idiotic beliefs they have. This is when crimes such as the arson in Springfield Mass, and the beatings that seem to take place in many different areas of the nation. Which brings me to my next point…
While looking at these crimes that had been committed because of the election of Barrack Obama, I noticed that they are not only happening in the south, (where I believe many people think when someone refers to white supremacy) their happening all over the United States. Who would have thought there would be a raffle for the assassination of the president of the United States at a convenient store, let alone in Maine? The 2nd and 3rd graders who were chanting “assassinate Obama” while on the bus, I thought there were only potatoes in Idaho, not little racist kids! It goes to show that ignorance is everywhere, not just the south, and not just teens looking for trouble. I believe that it may start out as a way for some teens to be rebellious, but when that rebellious act becomes criminal and dangerous is when people need to worry. It can turn into a life long belief that will only hold our country back. Education is the key to all of this. Though I may sound like a brown nose, but classes like this help people realize that these types of racist beliefs we have today are a waste of time. A person needs to be educated and realize that this country is attempting to move forward, and broaden its own horizon for the future. Plus, life is too short to fill it with hate anyway.
Since Obama was elected President back in November, the outlook on race relations in the United State has been unusually optimistic. People finally felt like some real progress has been made, and that perhaps we have been able to see past race. This, however, is not the case for all Americans. Unfortunately, many white supremacist groups in the United States see Obama’s Presidency as the perfect opportunity to “boost their ranks”.
The fact that groups such as these really does shock me to some level. I guess I always knew that there were some fanatics out there still, as there will always be, but I was not prepared to find out how much they really believe that their cause is a righteous one. How can they justify beating, and threatening people as being moral and “right”? As much as I hate to admit it, the fact that their ranks are growing as a result of the economic crisis we are in does not shock me.
Through out history, minorities have been used as “scapegoats” in times of social, political, or economic crisis. The majority is not willing to look at the faults of their own that caused the current situation, so they look outwards to anyone who is “different” than them. Perfect evidence of this is the Holocaust. After World War I Germany was angry because they were experiencing such turmoil. This short period of weakness in the country created the perfect opportunity for a charismatic and persuasive leader like Adolf Hitler to rise to power. Many people in the country adopted his philosophy that all the hardship in the country had been caused by its Jewish population, and his personal prejudices became public policy.
What these extremist groups do not take into account in their argument is that times of hardship need a strong leader to get them through, and that most of the American population does NOT agree with them. They do not accept the fact that is was George W. Bush’s policies (a white conservative) that got us in the economic situation that we are currently in. Most people in the United States, however, do realize this, and that we, as a nation have decided that Barack Obama was the leader we needed to get us out of this situation. These groups however, can still be very dangerous, and they should not be underestimated.
The people who buy into the horrific statements that these groups make fail to realize the reality that we are no longer the nation that we were in the early 1900s. Most of us have moved past the idea of white supremacy. The only thing we can put our faith in is the goodness of Americans as a whole, the fact that these groups will remain the minority, and that the people protecting out President (because Obama is the President of the United States, all of it, he is even these racist’s President) will continue to do their job well.
I never thought Obama getting elected would do anything positive for such hate groups. It is amazing to me that because of his election, these groups are expecting a rise in their numbers. Yet, the idea makes total sense. People who have always been on the edge of being racist and white supremacist may have just been pushed over the edge. As crazy as that sounds, it might be crazy enough to make total sense, which is scary to think about. I expected a few extra acts of hate crime. I definitely expected a few assassination attempts. But this I did not expect. Maybe it is because they haven’t been as main stream for so long, but either way, it looks like these racists groups could be making a comeback and that gives me chills.
Yet, we were going to have to face these adversities at some point. If we have to deal with a rise in these groups to get closer to total equality in our country, then so be it. There will always be haters. Certain situations will bring about more than others. But the majority of our country has chosen not to be part of that group. While their numbers may increase, can they really do anything? Maybe we will have to fear them a little more, maybe they will do a few terrible things. But maybe that’s the price we have to pay to get the country moving in the right direction. What if McCain had been elected? Would these people have any different views? I doubt it. This election just brought those views to the forefront. And maybe that’s a good thing. How would we ever get passed these extremists if we never had to face them head on? They aren’t going away and they never were. They just might become more public now.
I personally think anyone with the views of these extremists ought to sent adrift into the middle of the ocean. But out country gives them the right to think the way they do and say what they want to say. The same country that gives them the right to be crazy is the country that elected a black president. Funny how things work out, isn’t it? I can’t wait to see the uproar if and when we finally elect a woman president, or an Asian-American, or even a Native American (god forbid). These people have been quiet the last decade or so because they haven’t had anything to complain about. Now they do and they want to make sure we didn’t forget about them. We didn’t, we just don’t care anymore. The world is changing and they are taking a back seat.
This article is quite hardening but in all honesty we are always going to have people out there who are racist and believe in white “power”. The United States takes one step forward in the equality movement and then something like this comes out in the media and we take two steps back. These white supremacists groups are ridiculous and I personally will never understand how a human being could be so cruel to another. It is time to move on, we are in a new era and these groups need to suck it up and accept the changes around them. I am all about freedom in believing whatever you want to believe but when it comes to harming or putting down other people and their beliefs then I have a problem. I watched Obama’s inauguration on YouTube; while I was doing this I began reading some of the comments underneath. Many comments were about how great this event was and how we were making history. But then as I kept reading there were many comments that were just scary. One in particular sticks in my mind it said K-K-K will live on and thrive. At the time I didn’t really think anything of it and just thought it was another racist person out there sharing there unneeded opinion. After reading this article I can see just how bad it could actually get. That comment just expresses the unwillingness people have to equality. Many would imagine that having Obama in the white house would have put an end to some of these groups because they might believe they have lost the racial battle. Seeing how opposite the reaction was just shocks me. Hearing that the hate group’s web sites crashed because there was such an overload is terrifying to me. How can America be going in such a good direction and then outcome these people that want to mess it all up. These groups could do horrific things and it stinks that there is nothing we can do about it. Obama is our president and people should get over that and start respecting him. I understand that there are always going to be people that hate the president look at bush but it is one thing to hate his views and another to hate his skin color. I am so sick of close minded people and all the negativity. We are in the twenty first century get with the times people! I for one and not about conformity I don’t believe in doing what others tell you or tell you to believe but it is time to start looking around us and realize what is going on. There is no need need for racism. Believe what you want but accept the fact that our president is black. I know that we are going to be seeing a lot more from these groups let’s just hope they don’t take it to an extreme.
This makes me mad, really mad. GET OVER IT!!!! Being racist pisses me off to no end, who gave white people the right to think they are so high and mighty because their skin is lighter than someone else's. I truly believe these people need to stop caring so much about someone's religion or skin color and get a hobby that doesn't include hating someone for no good reason. I'm not surprised that there are more hate groups now and that they are gaining new members because this is a racist country and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I do think it's disturbing that they are using Obama and problems he has no control over to gain more members, but again, this doesn't surprise me. I applaud the Obamas because they have to be the ones to get death threats and called names and made fun of, because of the color of their skin. Ignorance is what fuels such hate. People who join these groups don't know someone of another color or religion. They've never talked to a Jewish person or an Asian person before. They don't know these people but they sure do say they know all about them. What cracks me up is the fact that everyone on this planet originated in Africa, every single person. We all started out black but I'm sure these uneducated, “God loving” people wouldn't want to hear that. They hate everyone who isn't “pure white” but they have no way of proving who's pure and I bet most aren't. Hate comes out of fear, in this case, fear of the unknown. These people, like little Adolph from a previous blog, are taught to hate people they've never even met. They hate someone who goes to a different form of church, who speaks another language, or who looks different. The sad part is, you can't reason with these people, you can't tell them they're wrong, and the hate continues. I hate racism because it's stupid and incredibly time consuming to hate people. It makes you sound uneducated, narrow minded, and just dumb. A racist can never hold an intelligent conversation, because their racism takes over. I want these people to watch American History X. It wasn't always nice, but it had a good point. It'll make you think and shows what racism can do to a person and family. I'm sure they'll be more articles and documentaries about this and I'm sure hate crimes will increase because of Obama being elected into office, which sucks. It will just shed light on the fact that even though we did manage to elect a black president, racism still runs deep in this country and it's not going away soon.
I was extremely shocked and appalled at the posted article. I had no idea that there are still white supremacy groups out there, starting to form especially because of the presidency of Barack Obama. Even after reading this article and being shown evidence that these white supremacy groups do exist, I still find it hard to believe and understand. Our nation has made such major progress in terms of racism, it is extremely disappointing to know that these groups still exist and are continuing to be formed. I was always taught by parents and peers that race should not affect your opinion of another person. The progression of the United States has done nothing for me not to believe this, as we now have a half-black president. This alone shows the monumental progress this country has experienced. With the formations and re-formations of the supremacy groups, the country takes a giant step backwards. There is no need for the regression, and these supremacy groups should not be accepted, tolerated, or appreciated by anyone. However, these supremacy groups are not representing the voice of America, something we should be excited about. These supremacy groups are definitely not being embraced, and these groups are unquestionably minorities within our country. Not many people agree with these supremacy groups. Hopefully, these groups will continue to get smaller and smaller, and eventually go away forever.
Going back to a former journal response question a couple of weeks ago, with the formation of these groups, I feel this article helps prove that the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. has not been fulfilled. Although we have a (half) black president, his life is continuously being threatened and groups are being formed that are taught to persuade to hate the president because of his race. I do NOT believe this is the dream that Martin Luther King Jr. had in mind. Race should not affect a person’s beliefs on the political decisions of our country.
I feel it is very important for our generation to completely understand the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. and embrace other races. We need to make sure our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren do NOT judge people on race or religion, and that internal features are much more important. We must make sure future generations are not able to witness any supremacy groups, and if they are, we must make sure the future generations understand that these groups are completely wrong. The fact that there are second and third graders chanting to assassinate Obama on a bus in Idaho is completely unacceptable, and in my opinion, the most disappointing and negative piece of information that I learned throughout this entire article. The supremacy groups can exist, but when they begin to make a difference and influence the opinions of people, and especially younger children, then the country has a serious problem.
I was waiting for Sam to comment about this since this class started. There are a lot of news stories going around about how our country has finally changed and we have a lot of people thinking more optimistically. But, we have yet to see a big news story about how white supremacy recruiters are more optimistic as well. I have a few friends who are strict conservatives and are somewhat racist with their views who were furious with the recent election’s results, however they would never entertain the thought of becoming a white supremacist. However, I can see other very strict conservatives with racist views who could make the switch to white supremacy. I had never thought about how I never hear stories of white supremacy on the news. In fact I don’t know if I ever have heard a story highlighting white supremacy. I never knew that Idaho at one time was rampant with white supremacist groups. But, like Sam wrote, I think we will start seeing white supremacy featured more frequently on news services and on shows like 20/20. I don’t know if there will ever be rumors about a KKK member in the White House, but it could happen. I find the culture of White Supremacy very interesting, if a program is on the History Channel or other channels like it, I will probably watch because I find the subculture fascinating. In no way am I saying that I agree with, but I find it fascinating how a group of people can so passionately hate others when, as Sam mentioned in class, every person is 99.99% the same, when it comes to our molecular makeup. But, white supremacist recruiters must be having a heyday knowing that a lot of people are irate over the United States of America having a black president. I think it will be interesting to see if I or anyone I know of ever gets targeted to be recruited by a group like the KKK. It is definitely possible, because I live near Coatesville, PA which has been known to have groups of KKK members. However, since I’ve lived there I have never heard of any current stories consisting of a wrongful act by the KKK. I have heard many stories about what they did in my area during the 1970s and so forth, but nothing recently. But with a lot of people vehemently upset over this whole black president thing, maybe something will happen soon. I think it is unfortunate that with such a monumental event there is this seeming backlash, but that is the case and that’s just how it is right now. With all the good there is always going to be some bad.
As soon as Obama was elected president, sadly enough, I knew there would be lots of people that would have a major problem with it. Reading this article, however, was the first time that I actually heard about what people were exactly doing in reaction to a half black president being elected. Being in college, I sometimes feel so sheltered from the rest of the world. I am so caught up is classes, friends, and other activities that I forget that there is another world out there. Whenever I watch the news or read articles such as these, it is a slap in the face of reality.
When I think of Obama, I always think respect. In just a few weeks, Obama has won so much love and respect from the American people. I think about the aura of poise he carries with him. I forget about all “the others”; meaning the white supremacists that are absolutely against Obama. I know that they are out there, but I guess when I see Obama I still think of his inauguration where people were literally in tears because they were so happy that he was being sworn in as president. So many people believe that Dr. King’s dream has finally been fulfilled. This article “Obama called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting” really puts things into a real perspective. One of the really shocking incidents that was listed in this article is the little kids chanting “assassinate Obama.” Second and third graders are about seven and eight years old! I don’t think I even knew what “assassinate” meant when I was that old. These little kids are so brainwashed. No 2nd or 3rd grader would have their own opinion on politics. These opinions are of their parents and guardians. This makes me question when we will ever live in a world where Martin Luther King’s dream has been fulfilled. If families keep passing on their close-minded views, hate will be an endless cycle. Little children have a right to go into the world and have their own opinion. I suppose racism in general exists because of the way someone is brought up. Yes, families would naturally share their “wisdom” with children, but it’s just sad that racism continues because of this passing of so called “wisdom.”
Convenient stores encouraging people to bet on when Obama will be assassinated and hoping there is a winner is absolutely disgusting. There are so many people living in communities where white supremacy is dominant. Seeing things like this convenient store seems so normal for people in these communities. How could that be normal? In this day and age it seems like that should never be considered ordinary, but that fact is, some people do.
White Supremacists say “Thank You” to Obama
I read this article and I think that it’s absolutely preposterous. In the article it states that white supremacists often have a hard time recruiting to their organizations based on their persuasion methods, but now with the visual aid that the recent election provides, hate is ramped enough to fill seats, high ranking ones at that in supremacist groups throughout the U.S.
I think that this is far beyond the answer to which white supremacist deem that the give their supporters. If anything I think it's a good example of misplaced hate. And why is it that people hate? INDIFFERENCE....gives people that are subject to one way of thinking all their lives an uneasy feeling that makes them uncomfortable in their surroundings. From this stems the idea of dissonance that they cannot place and therefore accepts anything that claims to resolve the feeling.
I think that this is the biggest problem in race relations, and people seek the wrong answers (which they feel are the right ones) because they are in part, asking the wrong questions, (if they are asking questions at all).
The idea of white supremacy I think is misconstrued. People accept it for many reasons. Among them are fear, hope for change, unity amongst a foreign environment, and hate. HATE being the biggest one.
In the text, the article also suggest that they thank Obama, because not only are people upset about the direction that the new nation is moving in, but they seek to obtain members of high rank and influence within the U.S society. However, if they do obtain those of higher rankings within the U.S, I doubt it will be because they are stone cold racist, but probably more along the lines of the fact that the y are afraid of change., especially with a White/African president.
Do I think that one day things like white supremacist groups will end? Probably not, but if anything I think that as long as people are afraid or intolerant of indifference, groups like this will always exist. I also think that not only is the election of President Obama, a reason for increasing numbers, but I think that gradually as American Culture continues to fuse as much as it has now, those of pure breed cultures will fight it. The only thing that works against this theory is the idea of Generation X and those that come precede us. I feel that as each generation changes, so does our conception of what may be deemed as acceptable.
In terms of Obama being a visual aid, and white supremacist already seeking to eliminate the threat that they feel he imposes on the nation, I’m not the least bit surprised. If anything, the more things change, it seems like those that provoke change are the most at risk, and until we realize that behind all skin colors, all cultures, we are the same, then we still have a lot to learn about the people that just live next door to us.
Am I surprised that white supremacist groups still exist? Unfortunately, I wish I could say that I was. What I am surprised about is the fact that groups such as the KKK, David Duke, and the Aryan Nations were still frequenting the news in the 1980’s and 1990’s. I would have assumed that these groups had been inactive since like the 1970’s at least.
But in regards to the clear increase in white supremacist groups following the wake of the election of Obama to office, I can’t say that I didn’t expect a slight surge/reemergence of associated acts of hate and intolerance. What I did not expect, was that some of these acts of hate would occur in states such as Maine and California. Although I realize that this may not be a correct assumption, I tend to associate such supremacist groups with states in the south or in the mid-west.
Out of the acts of hate listed in the article “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’ for White Supremacist Recruiting,” the one that I find to be the most disheartening is the sign at a convenience store that invited customers to join a betting pool on when Obama would be assassinated. Although such signs should not be displayed at all, they most certainly should not be displaced at a place of commerce. In this instance, I think that significant legal action should be taken against the individuals responsible for this careless display. In addition, it is also disheartening that second- and third-graders on a school bus in Idaho chanted "assassinate Obama." How is America ever going to be able to overcome racism if adults are continuing to instill such racist and derogatory ideas in the minds of the very impressionable youths?
In accordance with these emerging acts of hate, I am scared: I am scared for Obama and his family, and his children in particular. I know that professor Richards acknowledged in class that every president receives thousands of death threats every day, but until now, I was never worried that something might actually happen to our president. I understand that these increased threats have probably sent the secret service into action, but the kind of people who would think about murdering the president of the United States clearly aren’t in the right state of mind and I do not think it is reasonable to put a bounds on what these people are capable of. In addition, whereas other assassinations of presidents in the past have occurred through the actions of one or two lunatics, white supremacists come in groups and their acts of violence may very well be harder to thwart. For how momentous I think the election of America’s first black president was, I shudder to think about how tragic it would be if any of these insane groups were to succeed.
I do not remember ever hearing any of the organizations listed in this blog including the Aryan Nations, Posse Comitatus, or the A.N.P; David Duke sounds familiar but I would not be able to tell you anything about him without referring to the article. I knew that the Ku Klux Klan was not completely gone, but was not aware of just how many people have joined the hate groups and how many more racial extremist have come about since Obama began his presidential campaign and later became our forty-forth president. I am sure many people have expected this to happen while our country is so weak and such a major change is occurring politically, but I am surprised to find how few people really know about it. I have not seen myself any additional coverage on hate groups besides the possibility that Obama may be assassinated for the same reasons that Martin Luther King was assassinated many years ago. I will look out for extra 20/20 episodes featuring the hate groups but as of today have not seen any. I think this is a very vulnerable time for the nation and I am sure Obama is aware of the pressure placed upon him to start his presidential term strong so that the white supremacist do not have reasons to blame black people for; for example, if Obama failed to bring the economy out of recession white supremacist could take advantage of an upset and angry America to force a backlash on not just Obama but the entire African American race. In the same manner that the public blamed republicans for George W. Bush’s failure as President of the United States if the hate groups were to go to all extremes they could try to blame Blacks for any future failures that President Obama may have. Through reading a few of the comments under the alternet article it is apparent that of course not everyone thinks the same way these hate groups do, many people have posted their argument that these people are uneducated racists who refuse to change their old ideals.
Maybe having a Black man as our president will actually change some people to be less racist. This article only discusses one side of the story that more people are joining hate groups but there may be just as many people opening their minds to stop judging others based on their race or ethnicity. I think it would have been even more surprising to find that there was not an increase of people joining racist groups, because Obama surely motivated people to not only change the country to be more open but change the mindset of citizens to hate blacks. There is bound to be both upset and joy when a historical change this big takes place.
After reading the blog on White Supremacist groups thanking President Barack Obama for being the latest visual aid for increasing their memberships, I am really disappointed that people would resort to joining these groups as a form of backlash to the results of election of November 2008. Like Sam said in the blog, people under 30 dont know about these groups because they arent given the time of day in the American media, which is true because, being 21, I never knew of the existence of such groups like the American Nazi party. However, what my biggest problem is is with the article itself titled Obama Called a "Visual Aid" for White Supremacist Recruiting. In the article, it states "And angry supporters of John McCain and Sarah Palin reportedly shouted "Kill him" and "terrorist" at a campaign rally. Racist graffiti targeting Obama abounded." Id like to know why this news outlet felt the need to automatically assume that these people shouting racist chants were supporters of John McCain and Sarah Palin. Is the author or publications assuming that people who voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin are racist individuals now because their candidates did not win? The article is extremely vague when it comes to detailing the rally where the racist chants were being shouted. Where was it? Who was there? These questions go unanswered in the article, and I dont think I can just take their word for it that a group of McCain-Palin supporters were shouting racist chants if there are no details surrounding it. I have no doubt that the majority of the information in the article is correct, but I feel a bit insulted that they would group Republicans who supported the opposition in with White Supremacist groups. In my opinion, this is just a liberal media outlet who saw an opportunity to label Republicans who did not vote for Barack Obama as racists and bring an entire political party down to the level of these hateful groups doing terrible racist things. The article uses the term "white supremacist recruiting" in its headline and has the audacity to drop a vague sentence about a group of McCain=Palin supporters being racists as though the Republican party is recruiting white supremacists to join their party and unite against Barack Obama just because he is black. That is utterly ridiculous. If the Republican Party was racist as the author of the article is so cleverly implying, I would hardly see the need for groups like the American Nazi Party to exist. So, in conclusion, I do not see the point in mentioning McCain, Palin, their supporters, or the Republican Party in this article if the headline is going to read as "Obama Called a Visual Aid for White Supremacist Recruiting."
After reading the blog on White Supremacist groups thanking President Barack Obama for being the latest visual aid for increasing their memberships, I am really disappointed that people would resort to joining these groups as a form of backlash to the results of election of November 2008. Like Sam said in the blog, people under 30 dont know about these groups because they arent given the time of day in the American media, which is true because, being 21, I never knew of the existence of such groups like the American Nazi party. However, what my biggest problem is is with the article itself titled Obama Called a "Visual Aid" for White Supremacist Recruiting. In the article, it states "And angry supporters of John McCain and Sarah Palin reportedly shouted "Kill him" and "terrorist" at a campaign rally. Racist graffiti targeting Obama abounded." Id like to know why this news outlet felt the need to automatically assume that these people shouting racist chants were supporters of John McCain and Sarah Palin. Is the author or publications assuming that people who voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin are racist individuals now because their candidates did not win? The article is extremely vague when it comes to detailing the rally where the racist chants were being shouted. Where was it? Who was there? These questions go unanswered in the article, and I dont think I can just take their word for it that a group of McCain-Palin supporters were shouting racist chants if there are no details surrounding it. I have no doubt that the majority of the information in the article is correct, but I feel a bit insulted that they would group Republicans who supported the opposition in with White Supremacist groups. In my opinion, this is just a liberal media outlet who saw an opportunity to label Republicans who did not vote for Barack Obama as racists and bring an entire political party down to the level of these hateful groups doing terrible racist things. The article uses the term "white supremacist recruiting" in its headline and has the audacity to drop a vague sentence about a group of McCain=Palin supporters being racists as though the Republican party is recruiting white supremacists to join their party and unite against Barack Obama just because he is black. That is utterly ridiculous. If the Republican Party was racist as the author of the article is so cleverly implying, I would hardly see the need for groups like the American Nazi Party to exist. So, in conclusion, I do not see the point in mentioning McCain, Palin, their supporters, or the Republican Party in this article if the headline is going to read as "Obama Called a Visual Aid for White Supremacist Recruiting."
After reading this article I must say that I am appalled and ashamed. Yes, I am white, but im not saying that I am appalled by my race, I am honestly disgusted by humans and human nature in general. How can anyone act this way, in terms of racism? I don’t understand, how a group of people (the supremacists) can take something that is supposed to be a huge accomplishment (the election of the first black president) and change it into such a negative. The fact that they are not able to cope or deal with their own insecurities or whatever it is that drives them to their maddening reasons for being racists, should not get to the point where they destroy a wonderful thing in US history. Plus, doesn’t anyone seem to understand that even though they might not agree of having Barack Obama as President, he is still a human being, and people should not hurt any other human being just because they have a difference of opinions? What kind of sick human being thinks that it is okay to pose life threats on a man because he accomplished something great.
My question is… where does racism span from? Is it a lack of knowledge and a lack of interest to gain knowledge about other people and cultures that generates hate? Or is it a bitter jealousy, that supposedly, if you will, “whites” were here (in the US) first and now people of other races have come here, inhabited their spaces and taken their jobs? America is supposed to be the land of the free, and it is supposed to be a country that prides itself on acceptance of others. But what these groups are doing is going against everything that the United States of America stands for.
I’m disgusted that these people, that are so racist and would willingly and openly hurt someone else just because they are different (skin or belief) are allowed to freely walk the streets among us. Although the news hasn’t really highlighted on this topic too much, I must say that I am really not shocked that these people are reacting to the victory of Barack Obama. They stated that they will increase propaganda to gain more members into their groups and clubs to go against the new President. However, despite that they say these things, I would hope in the better of our nation and I would hope that it is only a select few people in this nation crazy enough to believe these ideas that these people are spitting out. For the majority I would feel confident in knowing that these people would never actually succeed in changing the majority of white American’s mind into believing their ridiculous accusations.
Saadiq Cooper
It is funny to think that people really believe that racism is has left America. I guess it’s sad to say that I always knew racism is still alive in kicking. As a black man I don’t think I can go a week without hearing some racial slur. Not the advert kind of racism that some people assume is racism, but I receive outright racist comments. It may sound shocking but as you know, people tend to be a lot bolder on the internet and as an avid halo player I encounter these racist people all the time online within the halo community. Almost every other day people tell me that they don’t want to play with any Niggers on their team. I remember one time a guy told me to take my black monkey family, rescue Barack and swim back to Africa. I was speechless. Then I have to go to class and pretend that I believe racism is gone and I am supposed to assume that everyone looks at me as a man. Well to tell you the truth I can’t. It’s really hard to turn the other cheek when I know there are thousands of people out there that hate me because I am a black man. Even here at school it makes me feel uncomfortable knowing that out of forty thousand students, chances are, there are a few hundred racist on campus. I can’t walk blindly through the world thinking everyone loves me because it’s just not true. I can’t just turn the other cheek. I always have my guard up. I have to. Who knows when some guy loses his temper and wants to take his frustrations out on me or someone I care for? I try not to be prejudice or anything like that but at the same time I am not going let anyone harm me or any of my loved ones. I simply do not know who to trust. I have no criteria that will allow me to tell the difference between an advert racist and an intelligent person who knows race doesn’t even matter. Therefore, I look at everyone that is not like me a potential threat unless I get to know that person as an individual. Even still, having no experience in dealing with a racist, I am still not very good at figuring it out because just a few weeks ago, a guy that lived on the same floor as I in my dorm, and I considered a nice guy, called one of my roommates a nigger. That’s why I live the way I do. Racism is still out there, and until Blacks are totally socially accepted I will always be watching my back, trusting no one.
The examples at the end of the “Obama Called a ‘Visual Aid’” article are nothing less than disturbing. Second- and third-graders chanting "assassinate Obama" on a school bus, a betting pool at a convenience store in Maine in regards as to when Obama would be assassinated, multiple attacks on blacks and other minorities across the nation, and the burning of an African American church in Massachusetts; all in response to Barack Obama being elected our forty-forth president. The media has allowed us to believe that white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups have disappeared by not reporting on them as much as in they have in the past. But it has become obvious that this isn’t the truth. Nearly 40 years after the civil rights movement, it seemed that Obama’s election as president had been just another step towards racial equality. However, the white supremacists aren’t going to allow him to steal all the publicity. The fact that groups such as Stormfront, the Council of Conservative Citizens, and the League of the South are reporting drastic membership increases as well as overwhelming new website traffic is just adding to the notion that our country may have grown (race relations wise) as far as we thought through the election. And I find this very alarming and very unsettling.
Making death threats? Passing out flyers? Even burning effigies? If I didn’t know better, I would have thought these examples were from the 1960’s. But no, they are from 2009. I believe that I am a rather progressive thinking person but this article has taken be aback in many ways. Apparently I have been swept up in the Obama-mania just as much as the rest of the country has, believing that we had changed. That by electing a person of color to the most important office in our nation, that our country as a whole had accomplished the impossible. Of course we all had those thoughts, that those crazy, over the top extremists may attempt something. But I had no idea that these groups have been gaining power. Mainstream news reporting seems to only be willing to report on the so called “progress” our nation has made in the past few months and I believed it; but this article proves otherwise. It just makes me very sad and disappointed with our country. I have always been a positive thinker, that the world can’t be a bad as it seems, but this article has, in a figurative sense, burst my bubble. I enjoy being provoked and made aware of these situations in this class as much as they unease me. I believe am becoming a more aware citizen and maybe even a little less naïve then too.
As a child, I had a difficult time figuring out race. It was never something that was obvious to me. I don’t know, maybe I’m just slow. Perhaps because of this, I didn’t discover that racism still exists today until about 3 years ago believe it or not. It could also be because I grew up in a pretty diverse area, and then moved to State College, where there are maybe 10 black people altogether. It’s still hard for me to get my head around the fact that some people are so racist. I just don’t understand and can’t put myself in their shoes, as hard as I may try. Seeing things like this article still shocks me to my core when I read them. I guess I still can’t comprehend the magnitude of racism that still exists in America. Little second and third graders chanting “assassinate Obama”? That’s horrifying! To be racist at such a young age is absolutely terrifying. These kids won’t even get a chance to think for themselves because they are clearly corrupted by the environment in which they are growing up. And it’s very hard to break away from that. I don’t understand the logic behind it. Just because our president is black and you are mad, you are going to take it out on all black people? That doesn’t make any sense at all! How is that justified in any way? I am also shocked by the number of hate groups in America and the rapid growth of them over the past decade. I guess I’m just upset that racist to that extent still exist. People are supposed to be the most intelligent species on Earth, but racism is trying to prove otherwise. Racism is so illogical that those of us who are racist are making the rest of us look bad. It boggles my mind that racism has not yet died. And it still shocks me every time I encounter it.
Though still shocking to read such articles, it is of no surprise to me that there are still a vast number of people who follow these white supremacist beliefs. In every place you look, you’ll find someone with the antithetical opinion. It is impossible to expect that all people will agree, especially on such diverse issues as politics and on top of that, when it comes to the leader of their nation. The difference between us, the majority, and them, is that in these cases, white supremacy and racial tensions are outpouring. There are thousands of John McCain supporters who looked at the election polling and realized that there were just more Obama supporters in the country, and with Obama’s election, they supported him and hoped he’d come through on his promises.
It is these very small segments of society that are very vocal in their hatred for Obama that disturbs us. Why do they see things so differently? My opinion is that they are ignorant and uneducated. It is not that these people are stupid or less worthy than myself, but that they have not been exposed to enough of the world’s influences to rise above hatred and see the true merit good people deserve.
The article shows that many of these white supremacist movements are led by people in rural areas and in mostly-white communities. Perhaps the perfect cure for such ignorant belief systems is education. With an education beyond one in their comfort circle (their hometown community), they will be exposed to belief systems that travel further than mainstream white and they will be exposed to other people who lead different lives from their own. Perhaps we have things to learn from them to help us better understand why they believe the things they do.
I credit all of my life experiences with exposing me to these life-altering situations and events. Of course, simply growing up in an urban atmosphere helped me along to understand people from all different backgrounds and cultures. Moving to a majority-white town in Connecticut furthered me in my understanding of how people live among one another. We all looked so similar, many from European backgrounds and with a little bit of cash in their pockets. Once I began college, I experienced another aspect of life - the life of a college student.
My point is that when you learn everything there is to learn from the comfort of your own home, the place you were born and raised all your life, you are bound to miss quite a few things. How can you learn different aspects of cultures when you have never been immersed in them? How can you even expect a person living in a mostly-white, lower to middle-class neighborhood, to understand that cultural differences don’t make a person less capable of change and prosperity. It IS these cultural differences which allow a person to view society from a different perspective that helps bring about change in our society.
Although I think it is too late for many of these adult white supremacists to change their beliefs, there are still young people who are impressionable to teach and to help prosper.
After reading the article, Obama Called a "Visual Aid" for White Supremacist Recruiting, I was shocked as to what it pertained. I suppose on some level, I knew that racism like that still existed, but I never realized how bad it actually was. I was always under the impression that in the south there was still a lot of the white supremacy, but I thought it was only apparent in senior citizens and maybe some adults.
Although, reading that article taught me otherwise. Reading that it was occurring in California and New York was shocking. Even more shocking was the things that occurred, like second and third graders chanting “assassinate Obama.” What kinds of parents teach that to their children? Also the sign that basically said I hope Obama dies. That is just rude. It does not show any respect. I do not care if Obama is black, white, Hispanic, or Asian; he is our President. It just shows no respect to our Commander in Chief. I do not even think race should be an issue; if your not going to like him, then do not like him because of his views, not because of his heritage and skin color. I personally was never a fan of George W. Bush but I would never ever think of wanting him assassinated. You just do not do that. You do not wish death upon people; I do not care how bad you hate them. And skin color is not a reason to hate someone. And to teach that its ok to kill someone because of his or her skin color is horrifying. I really just cannot get over that or wrap my mind about the idea that parents are that racist! People need to stop living in their little bubbles of “white is best” and realize change is happening and they should just embrace it. They come off looking like assholes.
I guess it is really just showing Martin Luther King’s dream has yet to be realized. Although the change is happening and minorities are becoming more prominent in society and percentage of whites is going down, there are still those people who are white supremacist. I honestly do not know how long it will take especially because parents are still teaching their children “white is best”, even though we are supposed to be the generation of change.
It even looks like now since Obama became president White supremacy is moving backwards. The article said the number of groups like that have gone up nearly 50 percent: from 600 to 900. That was very shocking. I thought people were moving forward away from that, but apparently all it takes is a little change and they go back to it. And that fact that they do it is because they probably feel like they are loosing control, because we have a black president. I feel like they need to get over it and move on and realize change is coming and there is nothing they can do to stop it.
This blog and article hit home for me personally. As a Jewish girl who grew up in New York, any mention of Neo Nazism turns my stomach. Any form of White Supremacy makes me very uncomfortable, not because I don’t understand them, but because of articles like this one. It is truly terrifying that extremist leaders believe that having a half black president will increase popularity among their organizations. What is even more frightening is that these issues are not covered on mainstream news. Fortunately, minimal acts of violence have occurred, hence the lack of publicity.
However, since this is the case, what will it take for issues like this to be common knowledge?
Thankfully I have never had to experience such extreme forms of anti-Semitism and racism, but back in the day my parents and grandparents faced situations where their religion and race angered members of such extreme groups. If the oppositions my family faced in the past have lead to me potentially facing them again, did their strength accomplish nothing?
In the year 2009 we have a President with such a diversified cultural and political background, yet we face similar issues that followed my family in the 1980’s. It boggles my mind that some parts of our country are so open hearted and willing for change, while others are more than too comfortable staying in the ways of the past.
My parents would always explain to me that reasoning with extremist groups was “a waste of breath.” They would say “for some odd reason they want everyone to be the same, they believe that the world would seriously be a better place if everyone agreed with their values.” In some cases my parents have a point, but I don’t see how this issue can be resolved if no one talks to, and tries to reason with the leaders of such organizations.
I believe that this is an extremely important issue and should be treated as one. We elected Barack Obama as our president because of his qualifications, not race. As the blog said, he has made it a point to address the ways we can unite the country rather than bringing up his race as another way to divide the American people. White supremacist leaders are aware of the fact that there are many people who are not as accepting of our new president, and are taking advantage of the situation. Since these groups are beginning to gain recognition from interested individuals across the state, this is definitely not an issue to be ignored.
On a side note: The day I walk to my car to find any form of extremist propaganda in my windshield, I will take my mom up on her other advice regarding mace and kickboxing lessons.
When Obama was finally elected to office, many thoughts raced through my mind; has the day come where racial equality is finally within reach? Will other groups such as gays and lesbians become more acceptable too as we begin to accept different races? I thought about how wonderful America’s strides are in making this potentially happen. I thought that maybe America would finally live up to its stated values of acceptance and tolerance of people of all races, sexes, sexualities, and beliefs under one nation. And I think this is still a wonderful possibility. Until the article posted on this blog, however, never once did I think that the opposite could actually occur.
I think the media is mainly to blame for this ignorance. Throughout the election, all that was broadcasted was how happy Americans are that a black man was running for president. Those against Obama were not this way because of race but rather for other political reasons. White supremacist groups were largely left out and not discussed.
It is frightening that a symbol of hope and change for most of America can be a “visual aid” for angry whites and actually increase the strength of white supremacists. I suppose I thought that most of these groups had disintegrated into merely a negative part of our history. I was aware of small groups of white-supremacists, although I think this is primarily because of the movie American History X, not from actually hearing about it in the media (other than the recent case of Adolf Hitler Campbell). Hearing about this is very disheartening, and I truly hope that this resurgence is an exaggerated fear. It is interesting to hear that this sort of stuff was prominent in the 80’s and 90’s as I would not have guessed this. There are a lot of narrow-minded individuals in our country that are resistant to accepting differences, especially when it comes to our president. In this respect I am not surprised that this is happening.
With our economic situation worsening I have been nervous for Obama from the start. It is likely that whoever was elected into office Americans would begin to hate soon enough. Although Obama may have plans to stimulate the economy and pull us out of this recession, this will not happen overnight. No president would be able to do this. The fact that Obama is black will no doubt cause some people to hate him even more as his term progresses as sickening as this fact is. As the neo-nazi in the article explained, times of economic hardship historically are when his groups have thrived. Everyone seems to need someone to blame for the situation, and for a racist white person, there is no doubt Obama will be to blame.
I found this article to be very disheartening, yet it came as no shock to me. As a nation, we have irrefutably come a long way on the path to overcoming racism. After all, the current President of the United States is in fact a black man. I don’t think anyone can deny the progress our country has made; we have triumphed over a great amount of prejudice and bigotry from our past. Just fifty years ago, the thought of a black president would’ve been unheard of. Our nation, as a whole, seems to be headed in the right direction. There is no doubt, however, that we still have a ways to go. There are still, of course, crazy people out there, and everybody knows that, which is why it is surprising to me that the article was a shock to many of its readers.
In my opinion, a reaction like this from those racial extremists was quite anticipated, despite how pathetic that sounds. At a time like this, when the first non-white President of the United States has recently been inaugurated into office, I think it is expected that some crazy white supremacists will speak out and threaten whatever they can to prove their superiority, no matter how awful and sad that may be.
Although it truly amazes me to think that there are actually people out there like Neo-Nazi David Duke and I cannot even begin to comprehend what a person like that is thinking, I still know that there are people like this out there, and I think there always will be. I am a bit of a pessimist, but the only thing I can hope at this point in time is really just that there becomes less and less of these kinds of people, and so the fact that these groups are growing, according to the article, definitely angers me. I really don’t understand how any person could be so ignorant, narrow-minded and soulless, let alone a growing number of people. It really makes me wonder what’s wrong with people. And yet as the same time, I realize that it is a truth of life.
The one racial incident that really stands out for me the second and third graders in Idaho that chanted on a school bus “assassinate Obama.” It saddens me greatly that children are being raised and corrupted by their monstrous parents who teach them racist ways. It is because of people like this that racism will never completely go away, in my opinion.
I can only pray that these hate groups cease, and who knows, maybe someday they will. I would love to be proved wrong on that subject. Furthermore, I just hope that the threats to Obama are never carried through.
First of all I would just like to say that a person’s ethnicity, color, socioeconomic status, or religion have nothing to do with their leadership skills. What is a factor is their talents and experience, which Obama clearly possesses.
Secondly, I unfortunately can see how Obama’s election would bring out the best and worst in our country. Angry, uneducated, and unworldly people look for a way to blame downfalls on a single person, and an excuse to do so. This time, the excuse is that the new president is a black (half black) man. We have not even had the time to see what this man can do for our country, what type of leader he will be. But they are so willing to write him off immediately for his color. Personally this just adds another reason to why I hope he proves to be an amazing leader.
Such backlash as the article mentioned is already happening on our campus. I picked up the Collegian a few days ago and read about a black student having racial graffiti spray painted on his door, multiple times. This makes our country, university, and student body look bad. I am scared to see what else will happen on campus if we do not come together in support of our country and its new leader.
I remember watching a video in my high school history class about the skinheads. I had heard the term prior to the class, but never really understood the extent of what such a group does. While watching, I remember thinking “This will never happen around here,” or ,“Surely no one I know could act this way, these people are out of their minds”. However, now I fear that it will come into our area, and the graffiti on the student’s door validates these fears. Radical groups such as the skinheads honestly believe what they are doing is right, but how could it be? Don’t they realize that by creating such havoc that they can only be hurting our country’s stability? The video I watched followed a man that was about thirty years old and had around eight kids living with him. That’s right…kids. I remember watching and wondering where their parents were. They were brainwashed, completely brainwashed. What if this trend spreads throughout our country now? It will only endanger our youth.
White supremacists may see Obama’s election as strengthening them, but they also need to open their eyes and see how it is strengthening the bond of the very people they are going up against. Watching the inauguration, it was obvious to any viewer that our country was bonding and all ethnic groups were coming together. We are in a new world, white supremacists and all, and we have yet to see if this is a good or bad place, but from where I am standing, the change only looks promising.
I think that it is so frustrating to read this article today and still hear about the plethora of people in the United States that are still racist. I agree with what many other people said on the topic, if you are racist you need to get over yourself. Our country has come so far in recent years and it would be a shame for something bad to happen after so much passion and hope has gone into the last election. I was never exposed to the white supremacy groups, (being born in the nineties) that it is unreal to think that these groups were once dominant in the news and culture at one time. I think if they become a huge issue in the public eye again, it will cause quite an uproar from many people. With a black president now, I feel like it’s almost out of style to be racist. Our culture has changed so much and our generation is the most accepting generation yet. Our grandparents had their views, our parents’ views were more understanding than theirs, and now, our generation is so open to new ideas that the thought of racism is so frustrating and annoying at this point. Now that Obama is president I hope these groups do not become influential in society today, even if the chances of that are slim. I know that racism still exists today, and it probably will always exist. The white supremacy groups in a light are probably happy that Obama is now president. Now they have an excuse to have more frequent rallies and protests against the president. The more supporters these groups get, the more dominant and long lasting they will be. People need to ignore these groups and not give them they attention they are longing for. That’s half the reason why these groups exist in my opinion, to get a rise out of the others that don’t have the same belief as them. During the next four years, or even eight possibly, these hate groups may be in full force to do something horrific against the president of the United States. Obama knows what he has gotten himself into, and I think that he will be able to go through his whole presidency without anything happening to him. He has great people around him that support what he does, and are there to protect him. These groups that still exist today have been low key recently, and I hope for them to stay like that forever. If they have these negative beliefs, they can keep their thoughts and actions to themselves and not share them with anyone else. These groups need to grow up and realize how wrong they are.
“We are the answer for white people,” is one of the most hid behind statements that white supremacists use. I am white, and I do not need anyone to speak for me or carry out any acts for me. I am a grown woman, living on my own; I have my own thoughts and I would never push them on anyone and for someone else to do that to whole groups of people is just not realistic. After the article, the author listed some incidents that happened around the country regarding people who were injured because of Obama becoming President. These were appalling, but the one that sticks out in my mind the most is the second and third grader’s yelling “Assassinate Obama” on the bus. They could only learn that from family members and teachers. I do not understand how adults can push their ideals on their children, especially children that are that young and do not have the means to gather all the information on their own. Having these ideals pushed on someone at such a young age shapes them for life. These children will not continue on to the next generation being open about other people and their cultures. It will continue on the same mindset that the country as a whole has been trying to beat for the past six hundred years. The US will never be a utopian society, and people will always hate other people for one reason or another, but we can learn to live together. People who create chaos just because we have a bi-racial man in the White House, are just terrorists. The dictionary term of terrorist is a person who terrorizes or frightens others. These groups that are filled with white supremacists who are beating up people of another race, writing racial slurs on homes that have a sign outside, and threatening to kill the President are just terrorists because they are looking to incite fear in the people of America. It’s really hard to express how I feel about the entire situation because I do know any white person that is blatantly racist. I only know about these situations as I read them. I can not fathom how any person could beat somebody up because they have a different skin color than them or even how parents could talk about assassinating the President in front of their eight year old child. The situations just boggle my mind, and I know it is not going to change in the next couple generations, but sometime soon people will be more acceptable of blacks, whites, gays, Asians, Muslims, etc. But back to the beginning of my blog, these people need to take responsibility for what they are doing and stop hiding behind the fact that they believe they are doing it for “white people”. I do not need your help.
Winning the election, President Obama made history and change the direction of this country. Sadly, it seems that all positive things seem to be met with negative backlash. Nothing in this country ever seems to pass without resistance. Unfortunately, the negative response seems to be huge. I was aware that many people would be upset and against Obama’s election. However, I was not aware how widespread the hatred and anger had become. It seems that white superiority is being challenged and threatened. Therefore, there has been a big response with membership to these white supremacist groups on the rise. To hear that the number of hate groups has doubled is really shocking. Even more surprising, hate groups like the skinheads are gaining power, a group I thought was a thing of the past. I remember learning about them in history but I did not think they existed today. It is really sad that it seems that history is repeating itself. Whenever this country has some type of change there is always hostel resistance. I hope that the actions of hatred by this group do not overshadow or impede on Obama’s policies and goals.
By running for President, Obama really took a great personal risk. For, anyone who runs for president is taking a risk. I am sure all presidents receive thousands of death threats all the time. However, Obama, being the first black president, is facing is deeper hatred and aggression. Reading this article, I realized just how many people and hatred groups are extremely angry about his election. The fact that assignation attempts were made even before his inauguration is pretty scary. In reality, there are a lot of groups that want and will do the extreme to get him out of office. With white supremacist groups like the skinheads, Stormfront and the Council of Conservative Citizens gaining thousands of new members, they are building more power and becoming more dangerous. I know that President Obama is well protected. Still I think he has taken a great personal risk for this country.
Overall, it seems like these hate groups have always and sadly probably always will exist. The just need major issues or events to give them more power and bring them to the forefront. The terrible actions of these groups, like the Klu Klux Klan, were greatly shown in the 1950s and 1960s. They instill fear by their acts of hate. Obama seems to be their new target and the thing they needed to get more people to join the racist bandwagon. To hear that hate acts of graffiti, death threats and beatings are occurring is appalling. It seems that with the failing economy and Obama’s election into office these white supremacist groups have found the fuel they needed.
Throughout this election I was very aware that not every American citizen was completely supportive of having a black president in office. But I had no idea that people were going to such extreme measures to express their distaste toward Obama. I was so proud when Obama was elected. I was happy that America was moving forward, and seemed to be overcoming racism. (Although not completely- I do not believe that this will ever happen.) However, even though he was elected I feel as though (based off this article) that it is just the opposite. More neo-Nazi groups are emerging and making claims that overwhelming traffic to their websites has caused their websites to crash. They are also saying that they have gained thousands of new members. These groups are also distributing racist propaganda, writing threats on Internet message boards, etc. Another part of this article stated that even before the election people were tying nooses around effigies of Obama. And these are on university campuses! I thought our generation was more open-minded than previous generations. This scares me. I feel as though the public is very impressionable when it comes to politics. These neo-Nazi groups are distributing racist propaganda and expressing such hate on Internet message board, thus influencing those who are very naïve. This is how easy it is to influence someone’s view on a political topic:
“So who are you going to vote for?”
“I really like Obama’s plans on change and helping our country’s economic status.”
“Really? Well, did you know that Obama’s middle name is Hussein? And he is a MUSLIM?”
“ Wow, I had no idea! What if he is a terrorist? I do not trust this man!”
Ignorant people who believe he is a Muslim and a terrorist are influencing others. Obama is a Christian. People do not have the time to get their facts straight, so they are influenced by word of mouth. They do not take the time to research about it. They are fed the wrong information and turn to these Neo-Nzai groups. With these groups growing so rapidly I truly fear for the safety of our president. Obama is actually going to make changes that will help the United States. But not everyone is prepared for that and is rejecting Obama’s bold move. President Obama has received the most threats via mail than any other president in our country’s history. I believe that Obama can accomplish so much for the United States. It is such a great opportunity for our country to have Obama in office. I really do think that he will make great changes for our country. I just hope that these neo-Nazi groups will not start changing the minds of naïve Americans.
After reading both the blog and the article “Obama called a Visual Aid for White Supremacist Recruiting”, I am both appalled and shocked. It would be foolish to think that there was not any racism in today’s world. However, the high level at which these cults and groups operate at is shocking to me. I personally did not vote for Barack Obama, but it had nothing to do with his race. Once he was elected into office, I have to admit I became very nervous about him being assassinated. There are many crazy people out there who would love to do something like that. With President Obama’s election, it shows America in one way how far we have come. There are enough people out there who don’t care about what race someone is, but who will best serve their country. You would think in a country like the United States, everyone would be this way. But after reading the article, it clearly shows that while we as a nation have made strides, we are nowhere near where we should be. The fact that these groups are thriving on something that should be a great experience for our country is ridiculous. I can’t say I didn’t see it coming, however. I am almost scared to see what is to come. President Obama’s election is the fuel to white supremacist groups’ fire. This is just going to make them become stronger and more united. Even with knowing how horrible these groups are, I was still shocked to read some of the events that happened. The attacks on innocent Obama supporters were horrendous. I cannot believe to what physical level the white supremacists took the attacks. What I think is even more appalling are the second and third graders in Idaho chanting “assassinate Obama”. What kind of homes are these children being brought up in? And what kind of schools are they attending? These children probably have no idea what that even means. They just hear their parents saying these things and follow their example. This is sad that these children, who are so young and impressionable, are going to grow up believing that other races are inferior to them. The other example that I found to be particularly shocking was the one in which the convenience store had a bet to see how long it would take for President Obama to be assassinated. Why would someone even do this? And then to have the sign read “let’s hope we have a winner”. To display that in a business where there are little children is repulsive. All of these examples show how far we still have to come as a nation to fulfill Martin Luther King’s dream.
This article struck me as especially interesting because it really shocked me. It is just funny how Obama getting elected has been such a huge thing for equality in our nation. Some are saying this is the closest we have come to equality; or even that we have hit equality. So, to now see that his election has actually heightened racist groups and caused them to rally is disappointing. I know racism still exists and for that matter its not going anywhere fast. It is such a long process to get it to completely disappear I cannot even estimate how long that it will take. I grew up in an almost all white community, but it also was not a racist area, so I have never felt racism in any strong sense at all. I do understand however though that these racist communities exist all over the country and that is the source of this hate. Until we infiltrate these areas and diversify them, they will keep producing and the parents that are racist then have kids that become racist and it just continues. I hate to say it but it takes minorities to move into these communites and take the abuse in order for these areas to change. I know my friend’s family’s town was still having race wars 25 years ago. These days, the elders there are still mostly racist, but things have improved and they will continue to improve and until they’re perfect. And you know why… because black families moved into the town.
Some of those examples baffled me. The one that struck me as the worst was the second and third graders chanting, “Assassinate Obama.” You have got to be kidding me how could that happen? Those kids must just have vastly racist parents. But I don’t care if you’re racist or whatever you believe in, you think it is okay to have your kids thinking that killing another human being based on their skin color is okay? I guess it is possible they didn’t hear that from the parents but I don’t see another way they all could have heard something like that and repeated it. The worst part is kids that age know what assisination means; they know they are chanting to have Obama killed. It would be different if it was a very small child who hears something and repeats it having no idea what it means- that happens all the time and can be a complete accident. That is not the case here and that is why it disturbs me so much. I guess it just sucks that this stuff is still going on and unfortunately in one sense is actually growing. I’ll never fully understand why certain people need to act like this; the color of our skin should not define us.
Honestly, I must say when I read this article I was surprised by the numerous reports of white supremacists acting out. I know that not everyone was pleased when Obama became president but I did not know that there were beatings, effigy burnings, and racist graffiti threats were occurring throughout the country. What really stood out along with these other events were effigies of Obama were being hung from nooses; they were reported to be found on college campuses. It is just hard to fathom the idea that people can be so cold and disgusting. One would think that people who go to universities are educated people who would be open-minded. One would also like to think that people who attend universities are people who have learned that there are other qualities that make and define a person besides the color of their skin. Also, when the term universities is used young people or young students is usually what comes to mind. I feel our generation is more likely to accept and be fine with the fact that we now have a black president. While attending Penn State, I have never been exposed to people who have shown aggressive behavior or have even said some sort of extreme racist remark. There may have been a few people who have said they are not happy having a black president but there have been no kinds of extreme remarks.
It is scary to know that two suspected assassination plots have been broken up. After reading this article about the increasing amounts of new members joining white supremacist groups, it seems there may be more assignation attempts. In one way, America electing Obama as president does show that the majority of society is moving forward. Especially in terms of race and discrimination. However, the election has shown that not everyone feels the same way. There are other people that feel extremely opposed to the idea of having a black president. It is hard to believe that people will go to these extremes to hurt someone purely based on the color of their skin or their beliefs.
In conclusion, electing Obama as president really has been a break through for society. However, with these kinds of breakthroughs, there will always be dangerous acts against them. For example, when James Meredith was permitted to attend college he had to be escorted by the president and US marshals because there was a huge riot. However, him being the first black man to attend the University of Mississippi was a huge break through and worth the danger. Sadly, I’m sure Obama expected these types of issues to arise. Hopefully Obama’s security is more powerful than these hate groups. And hopefully, society will move forward.
Everyday in the news you hear of someone trying to sue someone who tried to saved another person’s life or how some woman spilled hot coffee all over herself and then tried to sue for millions. People never cease to amaze me with their greed, but also with their stupidity. That’s where white supremacists fall in the scheme of things and how they come into the conversation.
I was pretty disgusted with the sign in Maine, which invited customers to join a betting pool on when Obama would be assassinated, but over all I’m not too worried. Maybe white supremacists don’t faze me because I grew up in a town where a good present might have included a hat or blanket featuring the confederate flag. Yeah, I wish I was kidding, and it should come as no surprise I want to get as far away from where I grew up as possible. Then again, you could argue that the rednecks I grew up with don’t compare to the members of a true white supremacist group, like the ones straight out of American History X. True, the people I grew up with wanted to keep our area and school 100 percent white, but would only be willing to accomplish such a feat with verbal attacks. I guess I feel that more radical groups won’t get very far because they’re close-minded and uneducated. When I read the quote, "When the economy suffers, people are looking for answers. … We are the answer for white people,” I couldn’t take them seriously. I would argue they don’t even have answers for themselves. Do they even know the reason behind why they hate or for that matter, who they hate? Where do they draw the line of who they hate and who’s okay? It seems like some twisted tradition, which is pathetic because you would hope that eventually one generation would be more tolerate and put an end to the group. How can these people be oblivious to that fact that diversity is what makes this country so successful in the first place? I’m not talking about the variety of physical features, but rather the abundance of ideas that arise from numerous cultural backgrounds. It is these ideas, these solutions that make out melting pot rich and prosperous. We’re not doing so well because some white supremacist group is leading us to victory.
The white supremacist groups may never die out, but these are small groups who will hardly make it very far in a time where the nation was capable of electing President Obama. The most we’ll probably hear of them will probably include another 15 seconds of fame when a member gets arrested for another failed assassination attempt. The most we can hope is that these members are taken out of their element and experience a situation similar to Edward Norton’s character in American History X where the hater is soon at his once enemy’s mercy.
In response to the article “Obama called a ‘visual aid’…” I have to say wow…just wow. At the moment the words are not coming to me. I cannot believe that racist supremacist groups still are prevalent in this day and age. This article has completely blown my preconceived notions about the state of racism out of the water. After how far we have come as a nation, or lack thereof, it is incredible that that kind of pathetic, narrow mindedness still exists. I am also appalled that the media has not been reporting thoroughly on all of these incidents. I mean I wouldn’t really expect fox news to be reporting these incidents, but I have not heard about these incidents from even the most liberal of news sources. I am glad to hear that the government is actually cracking down on these incidents or so it seems. The danger that these groups and/or individuals pose to president Obama was something that had crossed my mind however during the election. I had heard that his inauguration was the most heavily guarded event in U.S. history (whether this is true I am not sure), but it seems that it was well needed. Obama has taken a tough position during a tough time, and I imagine it must weigh on him tremendously. It’s unfortunate that the economic crisis ran into his term and that the supremacists can use that to fuel their position. I cannot believe that people buy into it however. I always thought freedom of speech was a good thing, but now I am not so sure. Maybe it should be changed to freedom of educated speech; the world would become a whole lot quieter.
Clearly Martin Luther King’s dream has not been realized and I am beginning to wonder if it ever will. Even just thinking about the last statement I made about freedom of educated speech makes me wonder if education would even do anything to thwart this issue. I wonder what the demographics of the majority of white supremacists even are. The nerve and/or stupidity of people is astounding to me. It is just infuriating and sickening reading about not only the people in this article, but in reading about the individuals who own slaves as well. What is it that makes people do this? Is the human part of their brain completely absent? How do they justify their actions to themselves or do they even need to? Can we count ignorance as some sort of psychological disorder? The more we delve into sociology, the more it seems to make me lose faith in humanity. All I can say is that Obama is one brave man and I can only hope that the stand he has taken and what it means can indeed invoke change we can believe in, if only a little.
When I think of white supremacy one of the first things that comes to mind is the movie American History X with Edward Norton. The movie is based on this radical Aryan Nation group of skinheads who don’t have very nice things to say about other races (putting it lightly of course). Before going to jail for curb stomping some black guys face in, Edward Norton is the so-called “leader” of this group. He encourages mayhem and destruction in their multi-racial community. This movie does a good job of making white supremacists look like total douche bags that don’t want our country to advance at all. However, the movie makes me wonder who would actually want to join a group like that and what exactly is appealing about a gang. I guess I understand the idea of wanting to belong to something but why would people choose something so detrimental to themselves and society. Why isn’t chess club considered a better gang to join?
As of late though, I haven’t heard much regarding a rise in white supremacy since Obama was elected. However, that could just mean I haven’t been listening very well. The article title “Obama Called a “Visual Aid” for white supremacist recruiting” talks about how there has been a rise in racially charged crimes and traffic on white supremacist websites. This I believe completely. One, because all the people who hate Obama because of his race have started speaking up more and two, because the mean people always come out of the woodwork when something happens they don’t like. Why does everyone turn to these types of protest? I don’t understand why everyone can’t just speak out peacefully about what they believe.
My thoughts and knowledge of white supremacy obviously come mainly from movies and TV. Images of people riding around on horses dressed in white dunce caps and capes are conjured up when I think of early white supremacy. However, today there are many different types of supremacy, not just white. Just think of all the gangs who think they are better than one other and kill each other over it. This is an attempt to achieve dominance over another group of people. Why is white always synonymous with supremacy then. It just another one of those words that brings up bad images.
My final thoughts on this disjointed topic and blog entry I have written, is that white and supremacy should not be synonymous. Supremacy happens in many different forms in all aspects of our lives. I believe if supremacy is on the rise since Obama has been elected that it should be spoke about more and not hidden under the rug. Finally, I think supremacy is stupid and I wish it didn’t exist.
I don't believe this is too shocking. Before Obama's presidency there were many issues with black people being careful if Obama won, of attacks on African Americans, riots, and maybe even massacres but in actuality everyone became as one. I do believe we are moving forward and because of this and this change people are scared. So white supremacists exist everywhere. The KKK is still alive and people will continue to remain racist.
I will never forget the first comment everyone would make before Obama was elected... "Well if he get elected he gonna get shot anyways so good luck to him".... It almost made me laugh but hey Martin Luther King was murdered fighting the dream and now that the dream is alive it's more real than pessimistic to think that Obama wouldn't even get a chance to serve his term, but he is still here.
I was a little confused at first when I read about these so called white supremacist issues but aren't there forms of hate everywhere. I'm so tired of hearing about white people hating on Obama because he is black but what about the other side? What about the black people that don't like Obama... there is less than more however they are out there. Maybe the focus should be taken off Obama's color and more so on what he can do.
I don't for some reason believe that Martin Luther King's Dream was fulfilled. I asked family members how they felt and they are so excited. They don't care about white supremacy nor do they let it get to them. They love the fact that Obama has made the dream a reality; however the race barrier while continue to press on because he will always be judged as long as he is in the limelight. I really hope Obama has some great plans and organization because he really has to be cautious of his actions for his people.
I believe people are a little nervous that Obama might just do something right and on top of that he is black.... at least in the world's eyes. He actually allowed the United States to at least have a sense of hope and that's not easy, especially for a black man. How cool is that?! I think people should just step back and think hey a black man actually made a change and maybe that means that I should change my views? Maybe I should think outside the box and get rid of my old views because regardless of how I feel "MY PRESIDENT IS BLACK".
In conclusion this is the craziest part of history. When I think about it I wonder why people feel uncomfortable about the United States picking a black man as ruler, but not only is he black but he has all the credentials to make America better. So what's the problem? The color of his skin would be the issue which is the exact reason why I feel Martin Luther King's dream hasn't fully come to pass.
Nevertheless, I am excited to see what will happen!
After reading this article, I had to sit down and reflect on the wave of information that had been presented to me. It seems that the media had failed to communicate the amount of backlash over President Obama’s election, instead choosing to focus on the positive instead of the negative. And since when does the media choose to do that? I consider myself fairly informed when it comes to the news, turning on CNN frequently and browsing the BBC website. However, when I saw such things as, “in Rexburg, Idaho, second- and third-graders on a school bus chanted ‘assassinate Obama,’” my mouth dropped open. How is it that second graders can possibly harbor that much hate for a racial group? Granted, they were just repeating what their parents were saying at the dinner table, but it still astounds me that parents continue to teach such hate.
I then began to think about what we can do to try and change things here in America. I know that it is idealistic or, more accurately, unrealistic to assume we can change everyone’s minds. However, with racial groups increasing over fifty percent, one must wonder about the likelihood of controlling such a dramatic, and, in my opinion, disproportional backlash. Would classes like “Race and Ethnic Relations” be the beginning of a solution? What if everyone would be required to take Soc 119 instead of English 15? I think that having grown up in the northeast has given me a distorted view of tolerance, as I have come across very little in the way of hate crimes and racism. Why is it that we as Americans- whether from New York, Louisiana, Kansas, or California- all have such different thresholds when it comes to tolerance?
The other aspect of the article that left me baffled was the commentary by the leader of a supremacist group. He stated:
"Historically, when times get tough in our nation, that's how movements like ours gain a foothold," the leader of the National Socialist Movement told USA Today. "When the economy suffers, people are looking for answers. … We are the answer for white people."
This, in my opinion, was the most fascinating part of the article, that a man could take a problem with this country that has nothing to do with race and turn it into a racial issue. Even more ironically, if we were going to call the economic downturn a racial problem, shouldn’t we be pointing the finger at the white man? After all, it was George W. Bush who led us headfirst into this mess. Not to mention the Wall Street executives who, by statistic estimate alone, were most likely all or mostly white. If we can twist words and ideas to suit any need, as the NSM leader did here, how much hope is there for acceptance between the races? If third-graders are being raised to believe in this hate, I honestly don’t believe I will see much change in my lifetime, black president or not.
You lose that bet, Sam. Yes, I have heard of the Aryan Nation. We twenty-somethings have not been that sheltered from the cruel idiots of the world. Documentaries on National Geographic and Discovery Channel in the past several years featured and profiled members and repentant members in prison. The first season of a TV show (based on memoirs by the head of a motorcycle gang) just finished on FX called Sons of Anarchy.
As for neo-Nazis, there was a great film from 2001 called The Believer. It features a pre-The Notebook Ryan Gosling as Daniel Balint. The character of Balint is based on Dan Burros, a Neo-Nazi and kleagle (recruiter for the Ku Klux Klan) who killed himself in the 1960s after a New York Times reporter revealed that Burros was Jewish. The writer and director of The Believer, Henry Bean, published his marked-up screenplay, along with a great series of essays on self-hatred.
What about American History X? This Is England?
In the article, “White community adapts to Obama reality,” I was surprised that the author, Andrea Shalal-Esa, included the quotation from the Muslim hospital administrator. She quoted him complaining that co-workers ask him if he had a nice Christmas. As a Jew, I am asked that every year and wished a Merry Christmas, but I understand that it is a natural assumption in the United States that someone is a Christian. The author and speaker also disregard the fact that Christmas is a time of year. “How was your Christmas?” can also mean “how was your time off from work?” Christmas can stand for all of the holidays. People never send ill will when sending Christmas cards. If it is not your holiday, take the card as a “thinking of you,” which it is. Such a thing is not something to lose sleep over.
Tackle the big issues. The six year olds and their battle cry to assassinate Obama? That is disgusting. Thou shalt not kill any living thing. I am pretty sure that commandment includes the American president. Skinheads will be skinheads. Their ideas may continue, but the violence and crimes committed by them does not. If the gangs are recruiting, then children should be taught about them. Children should be educated, introduced to culturally diverse environments, not forced into the lives of their parents (as with the child name Adolph Hitler, mentioned into a previous posting). Hateful discussion and behavior should be combated.
By the way, has anyone seen the first season of The West Wing? A group of white supremacists, mainly teenagers, attempted to assassinate President Bartlett’s daughter because her boyfriend was black. I do not think that Aaron Sorkin, West Wing’s showrunner, who wrote the episode in either 1999 or 2000, could have imagined that we would have a black president today. Or at least he would have overestimated the public’s response.
People have beliefs. It takes a lot to step back from where you are and look at their views from the other side. Yet, sometimes you just have to wonder “how the hell do they see sense in that?” That whole article about Obama’s election causing a movement or rather, an increase, in white supremacist is startling. In a way, it’s almost expected. America is the land of the free, sure, but it is impossible to ignore that people are still set in their ways when viewing other races, and religions. Many people worried for Obama’s safety (and some for the opposite), but the question was in people’s mind: will Obama be assassinated before even stepping into office? As much as people are set in their ways with racism, some people just refuse to see that there are still different and more violent beliefs when it comes to blacks. “Almost every president has received death threats. This isn’t any different,” was an argument spoken by many Americans. Do they have their heads in the sand? This is a historic moment in American history, just as the Montgomery bus boycott was. Desegregation happened, but it is not over. People still live with hate in the hearts towards those who are different from them. It’s hard to read the examples that article gives about violent crimes that have happened since the inauguration. It is simply going through a repeat of the past. During the Civil Rights Movement, when blacks were fighting for their rights, each little step closer came with an expense: whether it was a brutal beating or even a life, people sacrificed so much, and look where it has taken them. Obama means so much to people on both sides. On one side he is the symbol of change. On the other side, he is a step back from their goal. Despite the examples within the article though, the most disgusting thing to me is the fact that they call Obama a “visual aid” as if he is not a human being. Then again, that is a part of their lifestyle, part of their beliefs. At the same time, to fight fire with fire, you can call Obama a “visual aid” in helping suppress these white supremacists’ goals. He is a “visual aid” in that he is a symbol of what can happen when people overcome what is right and what is wrong. It’s interesting though, as said in the beginning people have all different beliefs. Most of the time, to step back and look at all races and religions objectively offers a lot of insight. Yet, in a long-lasting debate such as this one, will there ever be an answer, or rather can either side ever step back and say “oh, I see what you mean.” No. It won’t happen. So these white supremacists’ ranks have surged with Barak Obama’s election. Well, so has the faith in every person who believes in equality; must be because of that “visual aid” now running the country.
I had heard rumors that even if Obama was elected it would have not lasted long since there were many ready to kill him right after. A scenario a la Kennedy where people were hopeful that change was about to happen in America but would have ended up being very short lived. I always regarded these remarks as nothing more than the usual daily risks that a President is faced with.
After reading the article and some of the comments, I understand the problem that some have with the fact that these stories are not considered newsworthy enough to be on primetime newscasts. If these groups are left to do whatever they want with nobody caring because nobody knows about it then obviously they will gain momentum. They will have town meetings, set up websites and nobody will shut them down.
Then again it is also true that by not acknowledging them you do not recognize their existence. They are not considered a threat or an important organization. This means that in the end their message is relatively contained and they will have a harder time reaching wider audiences across America and the world.
But what is most disturbing to me is actually reading about these groups, and their leaders who have no shame in commenting about their ideology and their actions. This is very destabilizing because they truly believe in anything they say and it is not, usually, for purely political reasons or for their own profit that they become white supremacists but rather because they feel that all the ideals they promote are extremely well founded.
The fact that there are and will always be some deviant groups in society is a fact known by many. However most of us never know the disturbing details of such organizations. People in America especially are quick to demonize jihadist, which I understand 100% because they are truly terrifying, but they never realize that there are crazy people everywhere. So in the end even their next-door neighbor might be a member of an extremely racist white supremacist group carrying out violent and cruel attacks on innocent people on a regular basis. Ultimately I think it is better for these groups not to be put at the forefront because it would give them too big a platform to perpetuate their ideals. One cannot run that risk.
Furthermore I think that if there were more news stories about these irrational beings then people would too quickly get paranoid and worry about their daily lives. These groups as shown by the article are generally taken care of and they are prevented from carrying out their most important plans. Therefore people should not have their lives altered by them but they should, if the opportunity presented itself, do anything to end these extremist acts.
This article is scary. It is scary and to be honest, it made me sad. I just do not get how people can have such limited ideas about this country and how it is run. I don’t think it was Obama’s intention to be a visual aid for recruitment so I don’t think he or this historical time in American history should be “thanked” for bringing hate groups together. I don’t think Obama will accept those thanks either. The recruitment is due to people who will not let go of ignorant and unfounded stereotypes and judgments of the past. To think that white supremacy is coming back to light is a frightening and disappointing thought, but I don’t think it is the same as it was before. People aren’t as afraid to stand up and be heard as they were when white supremacy was at its peak. I feel like hate crimes and other things of that nature are less tolerated because for the most part the citizens of this country do not want to see the U.S. go back the time of blatant, outright racial discrimination and hate.
One of the neo-nazis interviewed in the article mentioned that one of the reasons for surges in hate group participation is an economic slump like the one our country is facing now. If that is truly the case, are the white supremacists aware of Obama’s plan to revive the economy? Do they know that he’s actually trying to put money in their pockets or do they want to just not listen to what the president has planned? If the plan was created by a white president would they care about the economic plan? These are just some of the questions rolling through my mind. I just want to get inside the mind of a white supremacist to see what goes on in their head and the basis for the things they promote and believe in.
The article also listed some recent racial attacks since the election. In a different article, I read there was an attack on a black person who was beaten for wearing an Obama t-shirt. Should I be cautious now when wearing my Obama shirt? Do I really have to fear for my life because I support change and a new day? Would white people who support Obama by wearing t-shirts with Obama’s likeness on then be targeted as much as blacks who do the same thing? Nobody should have to ask these questions this day and age. It pisses me off so much that we are still looking at the color of each other’s skin. The U.S. is probably the most diverse nation in the world. There are all kinds of people in all different shapes, sizes, and backgrounds-not color anymore. Why can’t we get used to that?
Over the decades white supremacist groups such as the Aryan Nation and various Ku Klux Klan have operated under the radar. Since the 80s and 90s they have lost publicity and many people are not aware of their existence. The fact is that they are still organized and highly active.
The election of President Barrack Obama is going to spark a new movement within the white supremacist groups. As said in the article, they are using the election of a black president as “propaganda.” Unfortunately, I can see this working for the type of people they want to recruit. The election of a black president violates everything that these people fight for. It is going to increase anger within the groups and we may see an increase of members; however, nothing significant. I can see this “spark” dying out again in a few years.
In the event of an “economic meltdown,” harsh times often cause people to point the finger. It also causes them to seek togetherness by joining certain groups, in order to overcome their troubles. In this case, uneducated white supremacists find it easy to put all the blame on our new black President. It seems too easy. What more could white supremacists ask for to reignite their campaigns?
And when I say that white supremacists are uneducated, I really mean it. I totally agree with a few of the blog comments on the article in that, “(lack of) education is what incubates ignorance.” An education can break down racial barriers, shed light on prejudice, and open closed minds.
I really do not think that these groups will have any more significance in our country. They may see a slight increase in popularity until the movement dies out again. The way I see it, white supremacists are a waste of human capital. They are wasting space, time, and resources. They do not contribute anything productive to our society.
Neo- Nazi Jeff Schoep believes that they can exploit a declining economy. He believes that in hard economic times, his group will be able to stage a comeback. What he does not realize is that we are in a new era of racial equality. The most powerful man in our country is black! These groups may see an increase in popularity for a few years, but it will not last long. Each new generation is becoming more and more open-minded towards race. As a society, we are making great strides when it comes to equality. As I said earlier, these groups are a waste in every aspect; however, they are worth keeping an eye on. After all they do preach hate, violence, and intolerance. These groups are dangerous, and may try to do something stupid.
Why is it that Obama has had more assassination threats than any other president before him? I feel that people really just do not know how to handle change. They do not know how to accept something that is unfamiliar or new to them. White people are so used to being the majority or having control of other things or other people that they do not know what to do when they are being threatened by another group of people. It seems as though many white people can not handle another race or group of people having more power or control than them. But it is not just that way with white people; it seems to also be that way with other groups of people. When a group of people feels that they are being threatened by something unfamiliar or different they respond negatively. Some people respond with violence or threats or tearing down the group or race of people threatening them. It is as if not many people in the United States are open to new things, open to thinks out side of their culture, open to anything that is different or unfamiliar to them. I think if people took more time to be open to and accept what other people have to say or what other people do everything would be a lot easier. Our world would not be so full of hate. It is as if people hate others for no reason other than the fact that they are different or have different beliefs than them. Instead of listening or being open to some one else’s beliefs they just completely shut out or put down anything that is not “normal” in their culture. I think that if people took more time to learn about and try and understand other peoples cultures then there would not be so much hate in the world. With less hate in the world there could be less conflict and problems and war. It could all start if people just took the time to really understand Iraq and how it was not always the way it is now. At one point it was not a place where there was a war going on and where there was so much destruction and chaos. Americans need to take more time to learn about other people and other cultures for them selves. We should not rely on the media to tell us everything about everyone everywhere. The media only shows us what they want us to see, which is not a lot. We can not just depend on the media for everything. We need to take the time to talk to people of different races and different cultures and be open to what they have to say to help us better understand why they do the things they do. This way we can stop being so close minded and judgmental over anyone that is different than us.
First of all, I would like to comment on the tattoo that’s on the white man’s back. It was really done well, I wonder who did it? I would like to get my first tattoo from the same person that did his, but my tattoo would be the face of Malcolm X with a machine gun in the back ground and around the tattoo it will say in big letters “The Future Belongs to Those Who Prepare for It today.” I am not a person that believes in violence but I also believe in the concept that if you hit me best believe that when I retaliate it would not be pretty for that person. I understand that racism is very much still alive, but I really think it’s a big joke for those people who base their sole existence on hating someone that different from you. Many of the whites, who hate blacks, hispanics, gays, etc, are the whites who could not make noting of themselves, living in trailer parks, on welfare and so forth. They have to find ways to get their anger out and put the blame on other races when it’s their fault that they are in that predicament. Most of these racist whites are those who belong to the bottom of the pyramid (white trash.)
I think President Obama my African brother is a genius. He couldn’t find any other way to piss the white people off than to run for the highest post in the Nation, and then he won which made a lot of white people even angrier. In the article it said white supremacist groups websites crashed because of the overwhelming of viewer wanting to complains. Believe me when I say I would want to complain or join a group if I was a raciest and that person that’s in charge of my country is black, I would want to do more than complain. That’s why after the election the number of hate groups in the United States was up by 50 percent from 602 to 888 groups. While reading these figures all I could do was smile, saying to myself that’s a lot of angry white people. This also means President Obama has done his job before even stepping in his new office in the White House, which I call the State House. At the end of the article there were some incidents involving angry whites mentioned, one was of a black man beaten by a couple of white guys in La for wearing a President Obama shirt. In that case those white guys came across a black man that did not know how to defend himself so they took advantage of him, but I know if they would have came across a different guy then it would be another reporting. The one case that was shocking to me was the second and third graders in Idaho that were chanting “assassinate Obama.” If thoughts like these are implemented in little children then how can we ever have chance in eradicating racism? And of course I was not shock when a poster of President Obama was found in a Milwaukee police station with a bullet going through his head. In my opinion 75% of cops are racists and that’s something that I have noticed. I laugh at all these people who take so much time out of their lives hating others.
I believe Americans as a whole have a tendency to put blame on others for their own problems. It’s far easier to blame someone for your misfortune then to take ownership of your own issues. I believe Americans have a victim mentality that entails that everything that is bad is a product of other people’s actions. This is why racism occurs, because it’s easy to pass blame on a group of people because of the way they look. This was seen in America after 9/11, when several racist attacks were made on innocent Middle Eastern Americans. People who had anger about the attacks felt like they had a right to treat Middle Eastern Americans as lower class citizens.
I believe Neo-Nazi groups have followers because there are people who need to blame something for their misfortunes. I also believe people join neo-Nazi groups because they need to feel a part of something. I remember watching a movie in middle school called “The Wave”. This movie was about a high school teacher who started his own “club” called the wave. This club was made to show the students how so many people followed Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. Once the wave was started, people became really involved in the group and became obsessed with the club. The students made posters with a picture of a wave, had chants that repeated the same phrases, and hosted rallies in the gymnasium. The student body as a whole was changing and was becoming obsessed with the wave. It was a positive movement for those who didn’t previously fit in. Students who were once considered losers before the movement became more accepted once they joined the wave. The class outcast, Robert, became one of the top officials of the Wave and was suddenly liked by his previously unaccepting peers. Sadly for Robert, after the Wave was terminated, Robert went back to his previous social status as a loser. I can see people like Robert joining current Neo Nazi type groups to try to fit in and be a part of something. In my opinion, these types of people should just join a club or get a less violent hobby.
In a way, I think some of the die hard McCain supporters are partially the reason why these racist groups are receiving more members. Many have bitterness about the outcome of the election, and the bitterness can cause racism against Barak Obama. I remember on the day of the election my roommate, who is a friend from high school, was crying and saying the anti-Christ was elected the president. I sat in shocked as I saw my friend say such an ignorant remark. Because her candidate didn’t get elected, she put all her bitterness and anger and channeled it as racism toward the future president. I think all of the excitement people can have for a candidate can be made into hatred of the same magnitude for the opposing candidate. However, this election has this to a higher degree because of the racial issue. I believe the white supremacist groups are using McCain followers disappointment as a means of recruitment.
Well, radical people in this country will never cease to amaze me. I honestly feel sorry for white supremacist, Nazis and other fascist because the amount of unguided hate in their hearts for no reason is laughable. I feel sorry for minorities who have to live in fear in these areas. I agree with the person, who made the first anonymous post on the blog , in that the portrayal of the movements in these group not being in the media has its pros and cons. The benefit of this is that we are not giving these factions any attention or air time; that would only serve to strengthen their movements and cause panic. However, ignorance about this is a dangerous thing because people need to know that these groups are out there so that we Americans with morals and intelligence know what to do about them. True, these groups are a minority and the majority of the United States voted for Obama on November 4th. I honestly don’t know what to say. If it wasn't for the fact that these groups were crazed and dangerous , I would have no problem just having an argument with one of them about how disgusting they are. However I don’t think that half of them could hold an intelligent conversation and back up their beliefs with factual evidence. I don’t know. I kind of like trouble sometimes. I really don’t care what any racist has to say about minorities because we have proven them wrong over and over. I hope they all drown in their hate and ignorance. I think there probably are a few of these people in the White House. There probably aren’t many because I think many die hard white supremacist would have already done something crazy by now, now that some black guy with a terrorist name is our president. It doesn't surprise me that Obama has already gotten more death threats than any president in US history. Obama is the manifestation of their insufferable lack of knowledge. His existence exposes them as the sub humans that they are. I’m sorry but it's the truth. If you’re going to hate a certain type of people, then fine, go ahead, just stay out of my way because I know that you don’t deserve to be in my presence. But when your beliefs turn into extreme, nonsensical actions and violence, then that's where there is an issue. Ordinary people who are just angry all the time for no reason amuse me, so people who are actively angry and hate others for no justifiable reason are hilarious. They waste so much time and energy on something that is completely fruitless. They will eventually disappear of the face of this earth because quite frankly, there is no room for them. They are not forward thinking in the least bit.
This was my first time reading the article, Obama called a "visual aid" for White Supremacist Recruiting but I have witnessed numerous other stories, similar in message and sometimes almost identical in the tactic being issued. The two major topics discussed, white supremacy/racial inferiority and our economy in present day, correspond with Sam's last lecture which was held on Thursday.
This is probably one of the few things that I agree with, while reading the article that usually when an issue is at hand people tend to look for someone to blame and the persons at the lower level or standard on the first for target. Being that Blacks, along with Native Americans are among the lower economic class, 'technically speaking', it seems to justify the reason that they would be blamed for our current deficit and with Obama being of that descent and being the 'leader' of this recession generation, x marks the spot.
I ask you, with Obama being in office approximately 23 days, how could he be responsible for the estimated $10,000,000,000 debt the United States is in. If any one individual can built up such a severe affect on the nation in less than a month, I personally would like to meet them and question their intelligence and rationally by bringing their internal developments to a forefront. Not to blame anyone, but if our country has been in a recession for the past couple of years and we have had one man as our president for the last eight years, who really is the blame?
With that in mind, these hate groups and hate websites, as mentioned in the race relations blog are simply looking for a reason to foster their hate and this man seems to be like an enzyme that has sparked a certain cycle. Clearly with proposed laws such as Proposition 8, it can seen that this 21st century is not only facing issues of race, but of sexual preference, something to me that does not seem like a big deal. Someone should be able to love who they want to, wherever they want to and with Obama having similar views to this Proposition 8, he is now the target for blacks, Jews, and now the LGBQT community.
Honestly, my views are hate groups such as these are often skewed, maybe I cannot see why this is necessary and still an issue after all that our nation has been through, and where I thought we have come. Maybe it is me, because I cannot really imagine hating anyone, and if I ever do end up hating someone it would never be for a stereotype, their appearance or personal views, to me its just blatantly wrong.
The country's future should not be based on the stereotypical prospects of one race, sexual preference or belief. Everyone does not fit the description of what the set income is or what the certain education of a particular race should be. For example, if anyone was to judge me by those two factors, they would be wrong on both ends. I am highly intelligent, and although my family's income may support the statistics for a black household, my income certainly does not and makes the statement seem somewhat like an absurd assumption.
With these being said, I do not see how it is possible to judge a country on one man, one type of people or even on a negative aspect. To me, that is like taking George Bush and what he achieved as a president (not being much) and taking that as a way to say that white people are not intelligent, and they should not be allowed in those Yale's, Harvard's and Penn States. I do not think that the respondents would be of over joyance.
This article and those ignorant individuals still making threats and all kinds of destruction, should be thought of as the barrier that has our economy is such a crude position. Think about it, they are not trying to help but yet trying to influcuate hate, when we as a nation need to influcuate a solution to this present crisis.
While watching the inauguration ceremony for Obama, the thought that he was going to get assassinated crossed my mind. I actually, thought about it for awhile, thinking that there must be so many close-minded individuals out there who are dismayed by his election and want nothing more than him to be shot. This idea terrifies me, because honestly I think that Obama is the best face we could possibly have for the USA right now. So many people around the world hate us. They see us as very close-minded individuals who are rich snobby white people. They think that we must have all wanted Bush to be our president because he was elected not only once but two times. Unfortunately there really are people in the US who do fit the description and they ruin everyone else’s reputation. I have come to absolutely hate the way media portrays things. I don’t actually think it is possible to have completely unbiased media no matter where you are in the world. The media goes out of the way to scare us, and we all buy into it. The reason I was terrified that Obama would get assassinated is because the media was talking about it. They pointed out the extra security measures, if they hadn’t done this I don’t know if the thought would have ever crossed my mind. Reading this article, I am terrified for this nation, but really how big is the problem? What percentage of the US actually fall into the category of supporting and participating in extreme white supremacy? And of those who do fall into this category, do we really need to be fearful of them? According to the media, yes we do need to be fearful.
Last year I did a paper about school shootings. Going into it, I felt as though school shootings were rampant and that they were a huge public problem that we all need to be extremely fearful of. Through my research, I learned that I felt that way because of the media portrayal of the subject. In reality, the chance of being involved in a school shooting is extremely low. Ever since that paper, I have become extremely cynical and critical of everything I read in the media. I always try to put it in terms of the bigger picture. So there have been an increase in racist groups, I’m guessing they are all people who have always thought about joining and now have more motivation. But really, will they do anything. Millions of people join groups everyday but never act to do something about their cause (good or bad). I’m concerned that more people are being vocal about there racism, but I don’t think the numbers of racist people have actually changed. And hopefully Obama will be able to prove them all wrong.
White Supremacists need to “thank” themselves-for they truly show mw how there are exceptions to my rule of “everyone has good in them”; I’ve been proven wrong.
I just don’t get it- how can a person think that they have a better life, more of a right, a superior power over anyone else? We all have evolved from the same species and we all have a mother and a father. We all have a family and a right to think for ourselves. So- how can you be better? I learn in school, yes-to a degree, but I think some of the best knowledge and most insightful conversations I have had are with my friends, with classmates, with family and even strangers.
We learn from each other and gain insights and perspective in the most unexpected places, so how can someone go around feeling they have the right and authority to empower, hurt, and even kill another? How did they get in that position in the first place-another human being? So what if the person who helped them get to where they were were in fact helped by a black man, or a Jewish man or an Iraqi? Essentially-wouldn’t that mean they, by following the line of power-were helped by the same people that they are trying to dehumanize?
You can’t just write off a race or a religion or nationality because they are different. If everyone went around doing that- who’s to say I won’t be targeted next for having red hair, or for you for being a “nittany lion” alum? I wonder if someone ever took on the perspective of these supremacists/ a.n.p’s/etc…and turned the tables around on those pointing fingers at people not good enough for them, how they would feel?
I guess it’s just hard for me to wrap my mind around this concept because I love people-ANY people. Laughter is the same in any language, so where is the barrier? Shouldn’t we all be striving for happiness, and why can’t we help those that may come into our lives, no matter what religion, race, age, gender, etc. try to find their own happiness too?
When we get to the core of ourselves, we all feel- happiness, grief, broken hearts, love-if we’re lucky. The world would be in much better hands if we didn’t follow all the bullshit and just saw the core of ourselves and each other-life’s already short enough.
I don’t really want to write anymore because I don’t think it’d be a truth-I know we have to have 450 words, but if I write 50 words over crap, I wouldn’t be able to accept myself for doing so- sorry if that seems a little blunt, but I don’t want to post my name on anything I don’t believe in.
-j.swerdon
I have heard more than once that Pennsylvania is home to one of the largest populations of KKK members or similar type of white supremacy group. Every time the stat is thrown in my direction I find myself questioning its validity. How does one go about counting these members? This is made even more difficult by the fact that members of such groups often keep such membership secret, (think white hoods over their faces). Additionally, if membership is so high how come I have never once met a member of such a group given I have spent my entire life in this state?
Obviously I am not naive enough to think that hate groups in PA are nonexistent. Also, as someone who is not racist I doubt that anyone who would belong to a hate group would divulge this to me, explaining how I never come across any. I will say that I have heard many things which make me keenly aware of animosity towards minorities among my peers. A friend of mine from childhood serves as an example. I grew up in a small town with a racial diversity similar to the one seen on campus. My friend lived up the block and was your typical hick. He cut wood in his backyard, went hunting and listened to country music. He also had a large confederate flag on display at his house, though it was located in the garage. At school we had many of the same friends, some of whom were Black and Spanish. The funny thing is as I think of him I realize two of his best friends in High School were minorities (One black, One Ecuadorian). When not in the presence of friends who were minorities he would make racist jokes, some that many would find offensive. This to me relates to the swelling in numbers that hate groups now claim. Much like my friend kept his Confederate flag behind a garage door, there is a segment in our population which feels animosity towards minorities but keeps this somewhat hidden.
The election of a black man may be enough to push some in this group towards aligning with a hate group but I find our current economic condition as a better predictor. For now these people find the judgment of their peers as enough of an obstacle to keep such feelings hidden. If the country falls into a deeper recession with a minority at the helm things could change drastically. With their quality of life in question those on the fence will find it much easier to scapegoat minorities they have secretly been suspicious of for years. This could create yet another obstacle for minorities hoping to gain entrance to public office in the future.
Throughout history people have always looked for a scapegoat. Whether it was religion persecution in the middle centuries, witch-hunts in colonial America, or the race wars of the civil rights movements, groups of individuals have always wanted to blame others for things they don’t understand. On November 4th, the first African-American President was elected to serve for the next four years. As our country toils in Iraq and the economy stumbles, people again want someone to blame.
There has always been a movement of racism in this country. Dating back to the formation of our country, through the civil war, and into the 1960’s racism was much more prevalent, if not encouraged by the masses. Thankfully, the past fifty years have been a tremendous improvement over the fifty before. The election of our new president shows that the overwhelmingly majority of Americans have moved past superficial differences and embraced the full spectrum of this country. Unfortunately, Obama’s election has spurred a huge spike in the ranks of hate groups and related crimes. With all the hope and promise that accompanies our new President comes a darker and deeper fear. Even his most faithful supporters have a scary thought deep inside their minds. When Obama approached the podium in Grant Park that chilly night in Chicago everyone had a moment of fear. Please get through this speech. Please just get through this speech. You could see the Secret Service had the same idea by constructing bulletproof panels to surround the President Elect.
As reported by numerous hate and white supremacist the new President has spurred more than just hope, but also hatred. These groups have and most likely always will exist in this country as people continue to hate what they don’t understand. However, unlike in the past when these groups had a faceless, ambiguous enemy, they now have a face. They have a face, a name, and an entire first family to hate. Their enemy now has unprecedented success; success many thought wouldn’t come for several decades. Obama’s election is more than just a political statement to the world. It is a social statement. While some think the new President is merely a reaction to the past eight years, he is something so much more than that. Barack Obama is the reaction to the entire history of our nation. This nation was founded on an amazing set of ideals with freedom promised to all her citizens. Hopefully people can soon accept the words of our founding fathers and embrace all the peoples of our great nation.
After reading this article, it does not come as a surprise for me. To some people it seems as though these groups have settled down over the years when in reality the media coverage for them is what settled down. I think the way people make themselves feel better about the world and terrorism is by lying to themselves about the supremacist groups that still exist in our world. To me it seems like these groups would be more prevalent now especially after we just elected our new black president Barack Obama.
The reasons people are involved in these hateful groups are unexplainable unless you have that mindset. I cannot imagine any explanation that would be acceptable to me about why these groups exist. Although I do not understand the point of it, I still am not surprised about it. I read some of the students’ responses and they were saying that after they read the article they were so shocked. What I do not understand is why anyone would be surprised about this. There are always going to be people that will be rebellious and will disagree with society. Obviously right now with Obama as our new president, many people are very judgmental about this.
The article proves that now maybe even more than ever, these types of groups are forming and not going anywhere. People use these groups as their way to express their true feelings with other people that agree with them. It sounds as though they have become more of a colt rather than a non-dangerous group of people. These groups of people scare most others that just believe in peace. Unfortunately these groups are always associated with danger and always will be. No matter what the political or economic state the world is in, these groups will exist and it will scare people. It all comes back to how people in general are afraid of change. Racism and change will always exist in certain peoples’ eyes because different groups of people will always have different opinions.
It is also really scary that a lot of these groups go on without anyone really knowing about it. Secret societies are always found out about. I think this is the scariest kind of macist groups there can be, because they seem to have been the most destructive. They are the ones planning ways to hurt certain people or strategize against them. These groups include the KKK, skinheads, Nazis, etc. Events such as the Holocaust and other wars have happened to stop these racists and hatred. The ironic thing about it is that war obviously does not prevent or get rid of hatred because war itself can be described with the word, hatred. People resort to destructive ways of proving their points or preaching their beliefs. How can we ever expect this to help the problem?
When I was in high school, I took Tolerance 101. This class was centered on taking us out of our comfort zones and seeing the world differently than our suburban lifestyles. We focused on many different units – genocide, Israel and Palestine issues, other Middle Eastern issues, and white supremacy. In order to better understand how white supremacy is alive and well in America, we watched this video. The video was about a group of white supremacy neo-Nazis living in a cabin in the middle of the woods in the middle of Alabama. A middle age white man owned a cabin, and let young men live with him. The man who owned the cabin was spreading his ideas on white supremacy, owned way too many guns, and was an active member of the Ku Klux Klan. The young men living with him were teenagers, who were so impressionable and persuadable. It was absolutely disgusting how these young men would sit around, drink all day, and spread these disgusting ideals. At one point during the movie, this group organized a public street march in the Birmingham. The man in charge made a speech at the end of the parade saying that Alabama needs to become a white homeland. It was actually quite disgusting watching this video. I honestly wanted to go down to Alabama and scream. But now I think that that wouldn’t have done much good. At one point during the video, the neo-Nazis were passing out pamphlets explaining on why we need a white homeland.
Although white supremacy has been around for many generations, one of the main supporters was Adolf Hitler. Although he was a big advocate for anti-Semitism, the same principles still exist. When Hitler was in prison, he wrote a book called Mein Kampf. This book has become the cornerstone of many white supremacy groups. In fact, this book is being treated like the Bible. The movie I was talking about before, the leader read religiously out of this book. Hitler was such a foundation to this group that they even celebrated his birthday. They made a birthday cake, with swastikas in the icing. It was utterly disturbing.
In the article, it was talking about acts of violence done towards Obama’s picture. Something like that actually happened in my hall. On the guy’s floor, someone had put up a picture of Obama. Another person came along and drew on his face (and maybe wrote something as well). This prompted my RA to hold a house meeting about all the racism that occurs on campus. I personally thought that this was a tad extreme because newspapers poke fun at important political people all the time. If one of those cartoons was offense, then we would be having meetings all the time.
This article is nothing short of stunning. After reading that an entire black church was burned down in my hometown of Massachusetts, I was stunned. Shouldn’t these kids have been celebrating the decriminalization of marijuana instead of burning down a school? The idea of white supremacy is obviously still alive and kicking, and I for one do not understand it. What will it take for this country to get together and realize that we are all the same? This is painfully obvious after learning in class that human beings share 99.9% of all genes. The white people burning down the black church share 99.9% of genes with the minorities whose churches they burned down.
It is too bad that such a historic event is also a breeding ground for racist groups to pick up support. The problem that Obama can address and help is the economy. As Jeff Schoep explains, "When the economy suffers, people are looking for answers. … We are the answer for white people." If Obama’s stimulus plan can fix this economy, young and confused people would be more likely to look at other outlets besides supremacy groups. I can understand that people become more desperate as their money dwindles, but there are certainly other outlets besides supremacy groups to join. Hopefully the plan stimulates the economy and even close minded people will be forced to concede that Obama, a black man, is helping our countries economy get back on track.
What is also troubling is how little media coverage these events are getting. Although obviously they are receiving some coverage, neither of my parents had heard of this event when I asked them about it. Springfield is only one hour from my house. In our current age of the 24 hour news cycle, that there is relatively no coverage is unbelievable to me. Aren’t these incidents more important than what shirt Paris Hilton was wearing today? I for one would love to know exactly what these kids were thinking when they burned down this church. Was it because they were against the particular religion or was it really because they hated Obama? Where are all of the reporters from the numerous news stations currently airing? We need to know what these people are thinking. Was it the way their parents brought them up or have they formed these opinions on their own?
I hope that we can figure out a way to slowly eliminate the intolerable people of this country. There are a lot of them and with the way science and technology are improving, there is no way that people should still think like pre-civil war times. Together we can unite and respect everybody. Blacks, whites, gays, lesbians, straight people: we are all Americans and we need to act like it.
This topic is really disturbing to me. I find it extremely disheartening that this racism is still constant in the United States today. I mean I don’t expect that since Obama was elected there would be no racism, but I expected that since slavery ended there would be a significant drop in the racist comments and discrimination all in the United States. Being from a family that celebrates Hanukah as well as Christmas, I’m very sad that there are still racists and prejudice people in the world, let alone in the United States. It is extremely impossible to ask for the entire world to get along and become friends, but to ask for a drastic change in most people’s attitudes is not so drastic. Seeing that picture with Adolph Hitler tattooed on that man’s back just shows how horrible some people truly are in America. It is like the article where that family named their son Adolph Hitler Campbell and their daughter JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell. Why are people so ignorant? Do they think they are proving a point that what Hitler did was right? It makes me incredibly mad that there are people that think this way. What Hitler did was one of if not the worst massacre of all-time. Words cannot describe how mad and disappointed I am at what the Germans did to the Jews.
Looking at another topic, the racism in this country is absurd as well. I heard a story of two white kids who were going to hold up and kill 88 black people in an all-black school. The 88 was for the 8th letter in the alphabet H; double H for the Nazi salute “Heil Hitler”. This once again shows the immaturity and just plain disgrace of some of the citizens in the United States. I am very sad that there are people like this in our country that was built on principles that, “all men are created equal” but we fail to actually carry out this concept.
Talking about Barack Hussein Obama, I am very glad that he represents our country as our president. Some people will always use racist or prejudice comments to characterize him, but I am proud when I say that I voted for the 44th president of the United States. A person that cannot see past the fact that Barack Obama is black really is juvenile. Obviously, everyone can see that Barack Obama is black, but it is the difference between seeing he is black and listening to what he says and just dismissing his speeches and throwing a racist comment at him. In conclusion, some people in our society are very disheartening. I guess I expect too much some of the citizens of the United States. I hope that our society can someday become less prejudice and just more understanding.
I recognize the awesome thing that occurred when Obama was elected President, because it is a step in the right direction. But some people don’t see how far it is we still have to go. Just today I had someone say to me something along the lines of “I hate when people start talking about race, it’s only a problem when we make a big deal about it, we all have equality.” Yeah right. While I think these articles portray the most disgusting humans, it is almost another step in the right direction. For once people (mostly white people) who claim there is no racism, have to stop being passive about it. I think not all those who don’t realize how much of an issue it still is are racist, but now maybe they can open their eyes.
Obama being elected was a start, but in so many places, in so many minds, blacks and other races and cultures are still discriminated again. I come from a town of many closed minded people. I haven’t seen active KKK members or other radical groups, but I have heard countless racist comments. It is sad that organizations like these exist, sad and terrifying. We learned about “groupthink” in Dr. Richards Soc 001 class and these groups are exact representations. But now the groups are out in the open, being exposed and recognized. How do these groups come into existence? Is it the under educated? Is it an environmental thing, families, religions? Or is it solely “groupthink”? If the people with these beliefs were divided and questioned individually how many of them would have a solid argument? I would guess none. As many ignorant people walk around this earth, I still can’t figure out how they remain that way, convenience I suppose. Really having to think scares a lot of people.
And just as terrifying as the fact that these groups exist, is the fact that these things were occurring right in gas stations and police stations, completely out in the public. What do we do when the people in charge of our safety hang posters of our President being shot? But more importantly, what do we do to change it?
Now those who were taking a passive stance on racism will have to make a choice. And those who have an active stance against it will have more obstacles. But in all of these situations we are finally “coming face to face with the enemy.” And the enemy is the closed minded citizen sitting right here in our schools, behind the counters of our gas stations, and armed protectors of our peace. It is a scary thought and one ignored by so many, the inequalities that clearly still exist. How do we open the eyes of those who don’t even know their eyes are closed?
Cayla Rasi
I’d really like to just say that it seems like it won’t matter what’s going on in the world, there will always be some excuse for people to fight and hate and kill each other; and right now, having a black president leading the most powerful nation in the world is a “reason” for people to be mad at each other and threaten and some times kill one another to try to make a ridiculous point (what is the point? I wonder if those people even know themselves).
I was watching a movie the other day—it’s actually a pretty old movie but I always enjoy watching it—it’s Independence Day with Will Smith as the lead actor. At the very end of the movie the president in the movie makes a very good speech; he says something along the lines of the fact that this horrible experience (aliens trying to take over the world) is something that is uniting everyone. Everyone is united because everyone is being targeted for the same thing? Will it really come down to that—people won’t be able to love each other and help each other unless they are all being targeted for the same thing and their lives are being threatened for the same thing? I hope that it never comes down to that, but I really think that people need to just stop the damn fighting and start loving (I know, that’s so cheesy, tacky, and hippie’ish to say… but really, come on!).
I don’t even want to imagine though how Obama feels right now just stepping into office. For one thing he has so much pressure not just because he is half black, but because Bush really screwed things up and he is obligated to fix Bush’s mistakes. But now, his presidency is a result in violence because people are racist? I would be heart broken to find out that people were beaten because they were wearing a “Vote for Cayla” pin.
When I really think about the following situation:
In Shreveport, La., a black man wearing an Obama T-shirt was brutally beaten by a group of white men screaming "f--k Obama" and "n-----r president." The attack left the man with a broken nose, broken eye socket and broken tear duct, requiring multiple surgeries.
This situation is ridiculous. One, it is illegal to physically batter someone. Two, it is illegal to assault. Three, it is illegal to discriminate.
Even when Obama leaves office people will find reasons to hate and hurt each other. With Obama in office it is giving racist people a reason to target those who are not. Wow, people are being hurt because they are anti-racist? Huh? This is so bizarre.
I am not necessarily convinced by what I read in this blog. I understand that there are these white extremist groups out there who have a deep hatred for our new president and feel very threatened by him and how much power he possesses. However, I don’t think these groups will ever be able to gain such a following to make the kind of impact they wish to make. Obviously these hate groups have been multiplying, especially after Obama’s nomination but I really don’t think they will be able to reach enough people and persuade enough people to ever bring down Obama. These extremists are a very small minority in our country. I think also that my generation and the generations to follow would be the least susceptible to falling into this racist trap. My generation was brought up in a time where segregation was not present and racism was not something seen in our everyday lives. For us to see a black president is definitely something different but I think the majority did not mind seeing some “change” in the White House. It really saddens me to hear about people who are so narrow minded and so hurtful just because the color of a persons skin. Maybe I’m just really naïve to what is going on around me but I really think our country has come a long way. I am scared of the fact that these groups are using violence but I think in time it will die down. I think as long as there are more people in the country being taught and raised to see every race as equal than those who are being taught differently, than the good of our country will prevail. It will take some time for everything to die down but I really think that once we start seeing change brought about by Obama, people will slowly begin to accept him. I think once the economy picks up there won’t be as many vulnerable white people to persuade. Also, as long as the media doesn’t give them the attention these groups want, things will not blow up as much. They can hand out leaflets and hateful propaganda all they want but if we can manage to keep the mainstream media from giving them attention and forwarding it on to the public, I think they will have a very hard time succeeding. Something else to touch on, I think my generation doesn’t get informed enough about topics such as this. If I wasn’t for this class I would have never known there were these groups forming. I think our education systems should put more of an emphasis on letting students know what is going on in our country because it’s harder for students to grasp what exactly is going on by just watching the news for a couple of minutes or reading some unreliable story in the paper. That’s just something I have always felt especially after taking this class because I learn so much about our world from this class and I really think every student should be learning this stuff too.
After reading this article, I felt a little uneasy and pissed off that there are people out there like this. I knew this kind of thing was bound to happen with the election of our first African-American President, but it still never fails to make me sick to my stomach. I’ve had bad feelings about what is going to happen to Barack Obama in the upcoming years. There will certainly be attempts at his life, but we can only pray that these will not be carried out. I think with the amount of security surrounding the President, he will not be in any serious danger. Most of these hate groups like to talk about what they are planning to do, but never do anything about it. Not to mention most of the members of such groups aren’t smart enough to figure out how to crack the security surrounding Obama. With that being said, I am still deeply disturbed to hear that such racist activities are happening across the country. To hear that people are being beaten to near death for wearing Obama T-shirts is despicable, and a terrible reflection on our country. We need to be coming together in times like these, not tearing each other apart. As long as white supremacists and people of the like exist, we can never move forward as a country. The sooner we realize that, the better.
Also, I think it is pretty scary that white supremacist leaders are using Obama as a “visual aid” to recruit members. We need to support our president, whether we agree with the choice or not. I think it was horrible what happened with former president Bush, regardless of how bad people think he was. The liberal media criticized his every move. I am in no way supporting most of the decisions he made, but I feel that if you don’t support the team, get the hell out of the stadium. Now, back to why this is so scary for America. In a time of depression like we are experiencing right now, it is much easier for groups like white supremacists to recruit members. It was a similar type of situation in Europe before World War II. Hitler took advantage of the situation because people were looking for a direction and looking for someone to blame for their problems. I am not saying that the same type of mass movement will take place, but it is definitely still scary to think about. There will certainly be an increase in membership in white supremacist groups, as seen in the article. That is never a good thing, and we can’t afford to move backwards after all the progress we’ve made towards combating racism. After all is said and done, I think that most people will end up supporting Obama, but it will take some time. The racism will eventually subside, but there is no room for it in the first place.
An upsurge in Racist Xenophobic groups at this point in time makes complete sense. An cyclical downturn within the economy leads to vast layoffs leading to hard time of those who don't have a secure income. Within the population of whites within the country the stereotypical slogan of "they took our jobs" becomes louder and they becomes broadened passed those ethnic groups synonymous with recent immigration. The "they" begins to include other ethnic groups who were seen as not responsible from the formation of this nation, therefore anyone who is not Anglo-Saxon truly white. Therefore the disdain for racial groups is once again focused on blacks, specifically African-Americans. Anyone outside of the White group who is employed is seen as taking a job from the unemployed white person who may be a victim of affirmative-action, furthermore even if Affirmative action was not involved they would still see this as unjust because it is there race who is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of the country and therefore there is a sense of self entitlement over any race other than theirs (ie. Birth of a Nation (Predating Affirmative-Action)). If the conditions went already at the perfect conditions to promote radical racial beliefs, add to that the fact that the first president not 100% of European descent, and with a father of African origin. The first signs of racial tension after the election of Obama were seen in the Murder of Oscar Grant on New years day in Oakland, California. An unarmed Grant who was suspected of fighting was subdued by 5 police officers, after being pinned on the ground his hand securely in those of the officers he was mortally shot in the head by one of the officers in front of hundreds of witnesses and a couple of video camera phones. The Incident ignited a Riot. In the aftermath, the DA acted properly by charging the officer with murder, something that did not happen in another incident in Mississippi. Billey Joe Johnson, 17, was a top college recruit out of Mississippi he is now dead. Police claim Johnson committed suicide after being stopped for running a red light. The forensic detail claim that is physical impossible. In a town of 2,400 It was know that Billey Joe once dated a white female, 17, who attended his high school. The officer was acquitted by a jury of 14 whites and 2 blacks. This is just another case of police using their power to subdued the ethnic groups that maybe not the system but the officers individually despise. There are many cases across the country of proof of this new years eve this happened in my city, Houston, Texas. In the wealthy enclave of Bellaire, TX where Robert Tolan, a Minor league Baseball player son of former Phillies Pitcher Bobby Tolan, was shot by police in his own drive way a victim of Racial profiling. Robert Tolan's case will become showcased on HBO by Brian Gumbel. In conclusion, Racial bias and hatred is not surprising I lived with the fact it a driving force within our society I just wish it was not in the hands of those who have a license to kill.
PLEASE WATCH
STORY OF ROBERT TOLAN
http://www.khou.com/video/index.html?nvid=319098
AN INSIDE ACCOUNT
http://www.khou.com/video/index.html?nvid=322597
When I first read this article I was appalled by the fact that people are still like that in the world today. When you think about it racism should be dead the civil rights movement happened so long ago. We can not say that we have made an improvement when things are almost the same as they used to be. I guess we feel that we have changed because the news does not really fill us in as to what is really going on in the world. I would never think like these groups so it is still hard to get my mind around the fact that they still exist. There should be something we can do to stop groups like this from ever forming, but I guess they form underground so no one knows about them. Maybe as our generation grows older we will have fewer occurrences of these types of action, but who knows because ideas tend to be passed down from generation to generation. I guess you could say that we have no reached Martin Luther King Jr’s dream, we should not have to worry about these things, and there should be no threats against the life of our newly elected black president. We should be able to live in peace and harmony, and not have to worry about how people think because of our race or our ethnicity or religion.
We talked about the symbols that have some bad feelings around them in my section last Wednesday, and how most people get a sick felling down in their stomachs when they see things like that. I personally said that when I see a Nazi symbol it makes me feel uncomfortable; it just has such a bad idea behind it. That symbol just makes me think of the many Jewish people who were killed because of the Nazi regime. It makes me even more uncomfortable when I see it tattooed on someone’s in present time today. We also discussed the confederate flag and the feelings that we have when we see that. Some people said that they really did not care because it could just be a sign that you are against the government. I do not have as strong of feelings against that symbol because I feel that the flag has lost its meaning over time, it used to the anti-slavery flag. Now I just think that it has come to symbolize southern pride. If you go down south you see them everywhere. You can see them on people’s cars and hanging from their houses, but you tend to see black people in the house or in the cars with those white people. So I would say that some symbols carry more meaning than others and we just need to be aware of that.
I knew that this election would spark up a new hatred towards all groups of people. It definitley gave a reason to dislike more black people. The day after the election the racists came out with there very vulger shirts and bumper stickers on facebook. Anyone who says this election was not about race was not living in my america, but in a world where everyone has a chance. i know this may seem shocking to some people. But i wasnt surprised at all, because I know racism is still very prevelent in this country. it was even more assured when I moved to State College for school. Working with people who have called state college there home for there whole life and possibly for genreations makes it even clearer the state of minds of many isolated areas in America. However this news does little to scare me from the world I live in. While there are many racist people in america there are more rapists and murders and people who will do harm reguardless of race. There are more radical people itching to harm and they care not the color of my skin. This "new" up roar of people hating others because of there skin color or there religion isnt anything new at all. It is only now more in the open because they have a new reason to cause problems. More people running to join these groups dosnt surprise me. People who did not want obama to win because of the color of his skin now have a reason to voice there opinon and make a change because he is our president and there is nothing they can do about it expect be angry for four years. Mean while America has had its fair share of presidents who have lied, cheated , and manipulated the pople , but having a black president is more of a reason to rally for a change. Luckily these arent the views of the majority but the minority. Many people were ready to vote for a politician with good platforms reguardless of race or sex. America is taking a turn for the better whether or not these few groups are changing along with it. They will eventually get left behind and soon people will stop listening to there radical defenses and accept the change for what it is. This election has been a milestone for not only African Americans but , all americans. We have come together to elect the first black president and for that i am proud. So these gorups can put out there flyers , and post there negative blogs, because my America is no longer threatened by these radical groups , and behind the minority are the voices of the majority. We have risen together and we will fall together against all odds.
Although I missed the generation where racist groups, like the Ku Klux Klan and Skinheads, were very out and active in their mission of white supremacy, it does not surprise me that many of these groups have erupted in protest to the election of Barack Obama, our nation’s first black president. The fact that beatings, threats, and strong public protests have occurred in the onslaught of the election is not a shock to me, and I’m sure not to most Americans either. In fact, I feel like we saw this coming all along. Having a black president is an incredible and momentous moment in the history of our nation, and a moment that triggers strong emotions for people of all races and ethnic backgrounds. However, the polar difference in emotion is where the problem occurs. While most minorities and liberal white people are exalted and excited for the new president, extremely conventional and racist white people are horror struck.
As absurd as it may sound that some people may be so distraught, furious, and scared for the election of a black president, it is so true. I remember watching the final result of the election with my friends in the dorm room and then becoming so overjoyed to finally hear the news that Obama had won that I ran outside with my friends to celebrate in the street. Nothing but pure joy and relief could have caused us to run out and scream and yell and dance in the streets. In the streets we celebrated with a large group of African Americans because an all black sorority is located in the building next to us. As we all celebrated together, I couldn’t help but feel like, ‘Yes! This is what this is all about!” in reference to the unity we all felt sharing the same happiness over our new leader. Yet, as we returned to our dorm rooms, still buzzing from all of the excitement, my friends and I were shocked to hear another one of our friends crying hysterically in her room. Not only was she crying because her candidate of choice lost, but because she was genuinely afraid to have a black man lead our country. She was violently complaining to somebody and calling Obama an anti-Christ.
If one of my friends, who I perceive as a normal, kind, friendly person, could be so racist and ignorant and passionate about her racist feelings, I can only imagine the kind of hatred that comes from others out there who actually rally and participate in racist groups. I think it is so unfair that Obama is being pinned as the cause for the reemergence of such groups, because the fact is that they never have gone away. They have just been lying dormant, waiting for their next reason to lash out against a liberating society. The truth is that they are enraged by the election and are acting out against Obama, but it was only a matter of time for one thing or another in our country that would advance equality for them to take action.
Honestly I think it’s a little ridiculous that these types of hate crimes are happening around the country not just as often as the previous two decades, but more often than before, and yet none of it has been deemed newsworthy in the past ten or so years. Given that the article states the amount of white supremacist groups has increased by 50% across the US, one would think that this issue of white supremacist groups and hate crimes would be something to garner national media attention, and hopefully the attention of authorities as well. Also, after reading the cases of hate crimes since President Obama was elected that was presented after the article, I’m honestly a little confused as to how some people can behave in such a manner. Why the hell would you go out and beat a random black teenager half to death while yelling Obama? Even if you have a problem with Obama being elected, and even if you are in some white supremacist group that believes a black man shouldn’t be in the White House, he’s clearly not Obama, he’s just a kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. My assumption for why this kind of information remains outside of mainstream news is because people probably think that by reporting it they are giving the groups power, and essentially advertising for them. While this may be true to a certain degree, I believe not reporting it at all is also dangerous, because people need to be informed of what is going on in the world, and I feel like there are a lot more people out there that would be inclined to be against these groups and possibly take action against them, then there would be people who feel that seeing the reports would make them want to join one of these groups. Also on that topic, since when has the best interest of people been in mind when things are being reported on the news? The events surrounding the media during the war in Iraq is proof enough that that isn’t the case, so maybe the reasoning for not showing cases of white supremacist groups taking action lies somewhere else, and not with the fact that reporting about them gives them power. As for the main topic of the linked article, that Obama being elected is serving as a reason for white supremacist groups ranks to swell to many times their original size, I think that the statistics cited in the article may be somewhat exaggerated, being that they were quotes from leaders of said groups, and also that I don’t think website traffic has anything to do with how many members they are recruiting, but rather that people are curious to see what is going on with those type of groups in the event of a black president being elected.
I feel like the majority of people in the U.S are more focused on Obama’s skin color then to the actions that he is taking as new president of the United States. I understand that it is important that we have a new leader and also that he is black but people need to start and not focus so much on his skin color. I believe its really stupid if all these people are going to start new racist groups and decided to join a racist group, just because of the new president. I understand that some people may be upset about the fact that the person they wanted to win didn’t win, but that’s no reason to go out and join a racist group. To the people that feel like Obama is out to attack the white community, they are obviously not very educated and have no knowledge of his true intensions and plans for this country. It is sad that we had cases, such as a black church getting burnt down just hours after the presidential election, the is no reason that could ever justify those kind of actions. Also the case where there was a poster of Obama found with a bullet hole going through its head, at a police station! That is just crazy and I feel that if such things can be found in a police station then we really have a much longer way then we think to go before we are all truly equal. It is sad to see that both the Mexican immigrants and the African America community are being targeted in those ways at this time of age. Just when some people may have started to believe that we were taking a step forward in everyone becoming equal in the U.S, its like we are taking two or more steps back. Growing up as a Mexican immigrant I have experienced the actions of hate groups first hand and that is something that I believe will always be part of society. I feel like most of the people that join those racist groups are angry about just one thing and they are just so angry that they decide to take it out on others. No matter how hard we try to end racism it will never really go away. That is just something we all have to live with no matter what, you cant look away and ignore the fact that people will continue to be racist in one way or another.
This article was really interesting in that it showed how the recently dormant White Supremacist movement now has impetus for renewal especially with the recent election of Barack Obama. I have always had a particular interest in these groups and even though they have always been at the fringe of society for many years, they always remain in the public eye often due to the bizarre action by one of their members as well as their usual public marches and demonstrations. So when I read the article that outlines how these groups have seen an increase in their membership since the election, I was interested in how their sudden revival would change or affect the still polarized state of racial relations in the United States. However it is also important to note that these groups are not as ‘fringe’ as we might think them to be. A lot of them have flirted with prominent and well known public and political figures in the recent past. Also some like David Duke have tried to run for public office but have often failed miserably in their endeavors. There are also other groups such as the Council for Conservative Citizens (which was previously the White Citizens Council) that appear as mainstream but whose philosophies and ideals promote White Separatism and White Nationalism.
Also I got the indication that these groups usually thrive at times of crisis and given that we are in the midst of an economic meltdown, it acts as a sort of stimulus to attract people, especially those who blame minorities or immigrants(non-white by the way) for taking their jobs, taking over their neighborhoods, blah blah blah,etc. So as long as we are in this mess, their numbers will continue to grow. Anyway, I think the next couple of years will provide a litmus test to see the direction of race relations. I mean, the election of an African American president can be viewed as one step forward but the fact that there were beatings, burnings, threats, as well as numerous people joining white supremacist groups/organizations may as well be a step back if not two. It shows that despite improvements in race relations, as well as the expansion of opportunities for minorities, other forces are seeing these advancements as a threat and are thus reacting the only way they can: internet chatter, threats, intimidation and putting flyers on windshields. Personally I don’t think that these white supremacist groups can ever threaten the internal security of the United States much less harm President Obama, but I think that they will often be a thorn in the flesh of race relations and will continue to derail the train that will eventually (if possible) take us to a racial Valhalla of sorts.
I love white people. I think they’re cool as shit. I go to a predominately white school. Most of the people in my class are white. My roommate is white. I live in a city where whites and blacks get along. The President of the United States of America is half-white. Now when it comes to white supremacist and David Dukes and the KKK, they can all suck my big, black dick. We live in a time where assholes like them won’t be tolerated. We live in a time where racial discrimination and downright racism isn’t accepted in most circles. Things are different now. Things have changed. When white supremacist say that Obama could be a “visual aid” to spark new members to join the party may very well be true. Obama may do what he very well has set out to do in America, spark change. I won’t say that it’s impossible for people to be so angry that our President is now black. Will he spark a response from white supremacist? Of course. They don’t like black people. They don’t like homosexuals. They don’t like Jews. They don’t like anyone. Like the article said, hate groups have rose 50 percent since 2000. That’s a phenomenal and particularly outrageous number. These groups have sparked a lot of action directed towards minorities. In Cali, five minorities were attacked. In Louisiana, a black man wearing an Obama shirt was attacked. What’s more outstanding is there have been much worse attacks. Second and Third graders in Idaho chanted “assassinate Obama”, an Obama poster with a bullet going through his head was found at a police station and in Maine, a convenience store was having a pool for when Obama would get assassinated. This pieces me the fuck off. This kind of behavior is outrageous. What’s worse is that there’s not adman thing I can do about it. Some of this is freedom of speech and others I don’t know what it is. But Richards is right. The media barley covers them but they need to. They need to expose these dumb fucks like they expose everything else. For me personally, I haven’t heard a single thing about them. Up until now, I haven’t heard about these attacks and that’s sad. It sickens me that shit like this is so low key. Racism still exists. Racism is still real. Oh, man is it still real. Sometimes it’s subtle and other times it’s not. I am happy for one to be an African-American man. These men will not and cannot make me scared to be a black man. I love it how a lot of these groups are in suburban areas or some place in bumblefuck, USA. They should stay in hiding until the day the good lord takes them away.
I find it really sad that people look at Obama’s election so negatively. I for one was not on his side from the beginning, but I am proud of how the country voted and find it for the best. You would think that seeing our country finally vote a black man into office would open up their eyes, but instead they stick to the same shameful past that so many people find embarrassing. The fact that it makes people angry enough to form or join white supremacist groups just angers me beyond belief. I think that so many people took such a positive action and made it into such a negative association with the past that a lot of people are working so hard to move beyond. It just shows that MLKs dream has a lot more work to be done before it is finally achieved and there are so many moving in the right direction, but a lot that is still holding us back. Hopefully, the progress we have made so far will continue in the right direction and people who are so racist and extreme now can see the positive impact that Obama will have and even already has had on our nation. It’s even more important that we recognize that racism still exists, even more of it than we know and see every day and if we continue to strive to be a people as a whole then we can still have potential to overcome to one-sided views people so strongly hold on to. It does anger me to know that the stories about racism and supremacist groups are not shown or told so publicly. If we really want to move past such a low time and something that made our country look so low at one point, we need to make it know that the problem still exists and take action to move in a positive direction of slowly but surely reducing the amount of negative views. When people who join these groups start to realize that they are now the minority by having such an ignorant mindset, hopefully they will open their eyes and see that color has nothing to do with who a person is. Obama set a precedence for the leaders to come by stepping up to the plate to make such a huge difference. Now everyone who has these views that are holding us back need to take a stand and become the leaders we need to continue to improve the nation, or at least join those who are making such a strong effort to do so. Even still, they remain the minority and as long as we continue in our efforts of creating nationwide equality amongst all people, the majority will continue to win.
I believe this whole situation regarding White Supremacist coming back into play is just ridiculous and un-called for. The fact that this current President Obama has gotten more assassination threats than any other president in history just scares me. Finally, we can say we have a minority as president of our nation, but the threat against him is so high that we do not even know if he will be alive the next day. I seriously cannot believe that there is still racism to this day in our nation. The United States is supposed to be a melting pot of different cultures and accepting people of different nationalities.
When I read stories about this online, it pisses me off since I am brown skinned and people take me for being Muslim a lot of times. Furthermore, this means all these supremacy groups will hate against me as well. These groups did in fact exist back in the day, but I thought, as time goes now, people would change as well. Obviously, this is indeed not true as we have these groups still present. What this means is that maybe this nation just is not ready for a black president, or even anything else for that matter. If John McCain were our president right now, we would not even have to deal with the whole situation. This actually might be the thing that we want for this nation right now when there are so many other things that are wrong. At the moment, the economy, healthcare, and numerous other things are in serious trouble and since we do have a black president, people keep on looking at that than the real issues.
Moreover, on the issue of these supremacy groups, they would also disappear if we did not have a black president. I just cannot wait for the day to come when people will not be doing this, and there will not be people who are still racist. I am not sure though when this day will come, since generations will keep on pushing the concept to their offspring, and continue for years to come. The only way I think to stopping this is for the government to get involved and stop racism and supremacy groups. The time has definitely come for this since our nation needs to be that real mixing pot that we are known to be. In addition, in the blog, Dr. Richards brings up the note that maybe there are Nazis working in the White House. Hopefully this is certainly not true as that would be devastating. Who knows what those people could do to this nation, and the effects it would have, but I doubt it actually true.
I for one have never been tolerant of white supremacy. I think that anyone who goes around burning down churches, beating up minorities, or paying money to have a tattoo of a swasticka on their forehead is a complete coward, not to mention ignorant. the fact that the numbers of these groups is steadily increasing is quite alarming. On one hand you want to turn around, cover your ears and pretend like all the morons in white capes have disappeared but the fact of the matter is that if you ignore them and let them go about their "business" we could see a repeat of the reprucussions of WW2. We have to keep tabs on these groups because of exactly what David Duke said that history shows that when the economy is suffering most people are looking for answers, these answers can be drastic, unfair, cruel and down right wrong but people i.e the public will generally drift to who has the power. This is not to say the American population is a bunch of idiots but we are all struggling and if someone gives us a better option than what we have now usually we take it. I would be extremely shocked if everyone in America got so fed up to the point where history would repeat itself to that degree of trying to exterminate a whole race of people but it could happen. I really don't think that extremists will ever go away because what a lot of people fail to realize is that it is a generational thing. If your father is a white suppremacist and so was his father, the chances of you being one are usually 100%. For this reason I get discouraged and feel pity for the children being raised by these monsters. They do not know any better. As a child you tend to think of how your parents act as the right way of doing things. If you see your dad burning down a house that a black family lives is then you in turn take it as the norm. I also want Obama to address these groups. I don't know what he should say but he needs to say something. As the leader of our country he needs to get out their and/or find ways of shutting these groups down. Given, there are a lot of other problems in our economy but these people are looking for any advantage to overthrow the President. I have to be honest, during the inauguration all I kept thinking about was if the Pres. was going to be asassinated. That's ridiculous that is has come down to that's what I am worrying about during an economic crisis. Obama was right about how we need change, we need a lot of change.
Years ago in a normal classroom at a normal school I remember learning about Nazism and white supremacy. I was sure it was a thing of the past. No one actually thought that way anymore. And yet they did and still do. It is a truly horrifying thought. I know first hand what that sort of hate can make a person do. The hate seems to give them justification for horrible acts. A scene in the book and movie called to kill a mockingbird, comes to mind. When the black man was in the jail, members of the community came to take the law into their own hands. The lawyer guarding the jailed man asked why they were here and talked about their wives and children at home that what they wanted to do was powered by a hate that was illogical. He reminded them of who they really were instead of the hate they showed. Anger is a normal emotion after violence letting that anger go is a part of grieving. My grandfather was killed for no other reason than the mental state of the black man who pulled the trigger. The man went on a shotting spree choosing victims simply by their race. As a 10 year old at the time I had no idea the racial undertones of his death. I had no idea that my grandfather had been working for years to bring together a community torn apart by racism and his death nearly shattered everything he had done. I had no idea what my grandmother went through in the aftermath of his death. It wasn't until much later that I realized what my ten year old mind couldn't understand.
I do believe there is a white supremacy surge with the inauguration of a black president. They are fine to believe what they believe quietly when a white guy is in office but having a black guy is not acceptable and they feel as if they should express themselves more and do more so that this will never happen again. Its relatively easy for me not to be a racist because I known what racism does to people, I've seen the effects of it. Some people simply choose not to see the effects or rather dissociate from the effects. This may be why racism was such an issue and still is. Its easy to dissociate from someone who doesn't have the same color skin. Visually you can see the difference and can mentally apply that difference to the rest of them even if ,minus their skin color, they are the same as you. I would like to bring up the book Sam referenced in one of his lectures, black like me. I've read it and it is a book worth reading. A white man changes his skin color and goes south. He is a journalist doing research on racism in America in the 1960's south. The best way to see it is to be the victim of it, which means being black. He went to great lengths to be black and that only a few people knew that he was actually white. Many white people never got past the color of his skin, to find out he was just like them same values same home life and even same job just a different color skin.
Wow, where to begin? Sam talked in class about barbaric thinking and how certain thoughts and ideologies are not just “different” and more “barbaric” and outmoded. This idea of white supremacy and these movements highlighted by the article seem to fall easily into this category. I couldn’t help but get angry and heated just reading the words on the screen. I can’t imagine being approached by one of these members or groups and asked to join their “order.” This way of thinking, to me, seems disgusting, lacking no better way of putting it.
I remember in social studies classes and history courses throughout the years learning about some of these groups, such as the Neo-Nazis and the KKK. I guess, albeit somewhat naively, the expression “out of sight, out of mind” applied to my way of viewing these groups. I guess I thought that these were groups that existed in the past and used to preach this idea, but that in this modern day and age this type of thinking just didn’t exist anymore. I can see now that I was wrong.
I guess I’ve always known that these groups existed and probably always would, but I can see how an event like this will cause a huge buzz in the White Supremacy community. Having a black man in office (50%, half black, whatever) will give them that door opening they need and the proper kindling to a “White Supremacy fire” that seemed to be only coals for a long period of time. I feel personally that Obama’s politics and platforms, as well as his knowledge and understanding of the system, will give him all the tools that he needs to perform his duties and hopefully get the economy and country back on-line. I can see, however, that if things continue to decline as they have been, or if something happens while he is in office, this will be directly attributed to his “blackness” and they will use this against him and the black community.
Personally, I consider myself a pretty understanding and tolerant person, and I can’t agree with their ideologies and politics at all. Considering one race to be “higher” or “better” than another seems random, incorrect, and, quite bluntly, stupid. I heard a funny line from a comedian once approaching the idea of racism… “What is the deal with racism? Get to know the person first, then you can REALLY hate them.” Using race to rank oneself is an insanely ridiculous idea. The fact that these groups are rising again and making pictures like the ones on the site seems offensive and ignorant. In conclusion, I try to be tolerant and understanding of all groups, but White Supremacists are just one group to which I don’t think I can extend this understanding and tolerance.
I am completely appalled by the fact that this article is even in existence. Since I was not alive when many white supremacy groups were in their main uprising, I am not familiar with how they work and the influence they have on culture and the media. It may be very possible that these groups are about to gain popularity once again now that we have a black president. We can only hope, however, that this does not happen. These groups exist solely because people are so racist and can’t keep their own problems to themselves. It is rediculuous that these groups even exist today. Our culture is so acceptive of all different types of people nowadays that the thought of any racist groups existing is completely appalling to people of my generation. Generations after ours will look back today and wonder, “what the hell were these people thinking?” Following generations will become more and more understanding each day of the variety of people and assortment of cultures in the world. This is a reality however, that this happens. People all over the U.S deal with racism everyday. Now, it may just be big enough to make it into the news on a daily basis. It is very sad that President Obama will have to deal with stressful issues such as racism on top of his job as president already. It is sad that he will get an abundant amount of threats daily from individuals and racist groups. Obama needs to stay strong throughout his presidency and not let comments from harmful people affect him. These white supremacy groups want to get a rise out of people and get them upset and worked up. We can not let them influence our opinions. Our society has progressed so much in the past one-hundred years, that it would be a shame to go backwards and erase all of the development we as a society have had. As long as I have been alive all I can remember being on the news non-stop is the war in Iraq. If these racist groups were to become part of our every day life in the media I would be so taken aback by it that I wouldn’t even begin to know what to do. However, I think that since we have come so far since racism dominated everyday lives, I don’t see these racist groups have nearly as many followers as they once did. I hope that as Obama continues being president, the threats and racism towards him will diminish as people realize how great of a president he truly is. As long as we do not allow negative groups to influence our opinions and not let them effect us they will slowly diminish and no one will care about them.
When I first read the article about white supremacists being thankful for Obama's election causing a rise in their numbers, it actually shocked me. Of course I am aware that there are still countless people in our country who cannot accept diversity, but I do not think I was aware of how massive this group of racists really is. We hear so often the positives that have come from Obama's election. We hear that change for the better has arrived in Obama's election and that in some people's opinion, Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream has come true. I think in all this celebration, the media especially has neglected to show the the negatives that have come from the election. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Giving unnecessary attention to groups such as these white supremacists would undoubtedly provoke them even further. I think even more disturbing than the intense racially-driven hatred promoted by these groups is the thought of how these threatening and dangerous people can hinder the progress that needs to be made by our leaders.
It pains me to think that on top of all the presidential duties Barack Obama must face every day, he must also face threats on his life and his familie's lives from masses of people who hate him because of the color of his skin. This is not just a typical case of a president having republecans dislike him because he is a democrat or vice versa. This is an issue of people opposing him for completely nonpolitical issues, as well as the typical party disputes just mentioned. The amount of pressure that must put on him does not seem bearable to me. All I can say is Obama will prove to be an incredibly strong man if he lives out a full eight years in the white house under the threats of groups such as those mentioned in the article.
It was incredibly disturbing to me as well when I read the part of the article about the black boy being beaten up by white boys who shouted Obama's name during the attack. This may have bothered me the most because it makes me wonder how Obama himself feels when he hears such stories. I can only hope that he realizes he is not to blame for these racist acts, and that they would probably take place whether he was in the white house or not. It is outrageous to me to think that we expect this man-Obama-to come change our country, fix our economy, and close the segregation gap while dealing with white supremacist who only "thank" him for increasing their number of followers. How is a man supposed to lead a country under these conditions? How do we expect him to deal with threats on his life and the lives of his wife and daughters day after day, week after week, year after year?
What white supremacists need to realize is that they are the minority now. Those who embrace diversity in this day in age outnumber and can overpower those who do not. I believe that turnouts like the crowds of supporters at the presidential inauguration are what empower Obama and give him the strength to fight through the racial discrimination he encounters. We as Americans need to continue to show him our support and in doing so, show white supremacists that their attempts at bringing our president down are futile.
It is sad to think we still live in a world that has such hate and animosity towards other cultures, religions, and beliefs. However, I find it even more depressing to hear that in the United States, the country that is the “land of the free”, with all these freedoms, there are people who find being non-white and non-Christian is a sin. We have always been known as a “melting pot”, a place where people can find comfort and hospitality. Yet, we find ourselves hearing all this garbage about how terrible it is that minorities are taking over our country. What will these extremist say in a few years when our country is 50% Hispanic and the whites become the minorities.
When I hear people bring up Obama’s middle name, it brings me back to the story last week about the child named Adolf Hitler and what was said in class. Obama was born before the conflict with Saddam Hussein happened. I mean, if he does turn out to be a “terrorist”, he’d be one heck of a conman. Of course, that is doubtful. It doesn’t surprise me at all that there were so many threats against Obama, but there are always threats on presidents. There will always be people who are upset with the fact one candidate one over another. These racists live in a dream world where every person is white, but that’s never going to happen here in the United States. They are being ignorant and find the concept that minorities are not that much different than whites, a hard pill to swallow. I find it funny that these “Christians”, who preach that we are all God’s children, and we should one love another, and “thou shall not kill”, are willing to make death threats towards a black man, who calls himself a Christian, for succeeding and becoming president. These Christians are burning churches, their safe havens and places of worship, just because black people are worshiping there. What would God say about these Christians?
The fact that racist are surfacing now in such a public way shows that even though we have a black president, our country still has a lot to do to overcome the race issue. No matter how hard we try, there will be animosity between cultures in America. Personally, it’s absurd. Yet, I think that if Hilary Clinton was in office, there would be a lot of male chauvinists who would have been just as unhappy. Sexist men would have been threatening Hilary and parading around cursing woman. I’m sure it wouldn’t have been as bad as Obama, but it would have been present. I guess it goes to show that history always repeats itself, even now after this historic event.
I am pretty sure that anyone could have seen these supremacist groups coming as soon as Obama had a chance at winning. Personally I voted for Obama. I thought change, great. An African American was our new president; I honestly did not think I would have seen that day. I was brought up Republican, originally being from the south. But I liked what Obama was bringing to the table. My parents both voted for McCain.
Lets be honest, people in the south have not had as many and as fast changes as people in the north. I know this from first hand experience as well as simple common sense. In peaceful neighborhoods down there you can still count on seeing a good amount of waving confederate flags. Not just in the south though, everyone can be racist. There have always been people with problems with other races then their own. It has been around for years and clearly it is not going anywhere fast especially because we have an African American in the white house now. That is why I don’t think people should be particularly shocked that all these racist and white supremacist groups are surfacing and increasing.
The article pointed out some of the incidents reported in the wake of the election and a lot of them are shocking. But the one that caught my attention the most was the one where second and third graders on a school bus were chanting “assassinate Obama”. This brings everything back to a previous discussion about where racism comes from. A lot of it is instilled in the minds of younger people from parents or other peer mentors. There is now way that those young kids know the extent of what they are causing by chanting those things. They do not have the mindsets yet to think on their own. They only know as much as their guardians have told them. Clearly their guardians have instilled supremacist thoughts in their mind in hopes that they will carry on the hate groups.
Anyone knows that a lot of what a child learns is from his or her home. You take generation after generation of that and you get what we have going on today. That is why I am almost surprised that people are as shocked about this groups resurfacing. As I said before race will always be a problem and having a black man now in the white house is only fuel to the ever-burning fire. As long as we judge people on their skin tone, Martin Luther King’s dream will not be reached. Yes we have come a VERY far way since he was making speeches, but the fight is far from over.
Well, all this talk about white supremacist movement starting up again and the increase in members and interest since the election scares the hell out of me. I believe that I do not live in a community filled with bigotry and I have not seen open racial discrimination like racist graffiti, physical or verbal fights. But after reading this article I can not be so sure that a white supremacist doesn’t live in my neighborhood. While I’m not naïve I did not know how prevalent these communities of people are or that there are more than 800 organizations that hold these strong viewpoints. I know that everyone does not agree with equality among all racial and ethnic groups, however, I did not realize that there were so many who are still trying to force their propaganda on others. I knew that there are individuals who hold ideas that support the ideals held by Neo-Nazism and the KKK, but I did not know that there are tons of groups that practice these ideas together and are still trying to gain back power. During the Presidential campaigns and the election, I began to hear more about these groups. I heard one rumor that the skinheads were planning on killing one black person each day until newly elected President Obama resigned. Then I heard that the Black Panthers were going to retaliate by planning on killing one white person each day. I could not believe that this was true considering the extreme circumstances and how scary it would be if these rumors came true.
I believe that the reason these groups and mindsets still exist is because of ignorance and closed-mindedness on both sides. It’s known that many grandparents have trouble changing and are very rigid in their ideas. Because many white grandparents grew up being told that people of other races are not equal to them and were shown that inequality and racial hate acts were acceptable. If they held onto those beliefs when they grew older, they probably passed them onto their kids and grandkids. Unless the younger, newer generations began to see the irrationality and unfairness of these ideas, the vicious circle continues. It makes me angry to think that people truly believe that what they think is right, especially because if the tables were turned there’s no way they’d think it was fair. However, I think there is fault on both sides of the table. I believe that the only way we will overcome the issue of race and discrimination is if we begin to have open conversations with each other and stop creating barriers. I know that Barack Obama being the first half-black President means a whole lot to the minority communities, especially the black community, but this can not be thought of as conquering or getting back at white for a long line of suffering. I hope that this significant event in history is a symbol of unity and triumph for our country as a whole.
After reading that article I was shocked and infuriated. I feel as though racist people are just using Obama as a way of releasing their hatred and making themselves feel as though it is somewhat okay. Most of these people are not even giving Obama a chance to show what he is capable of and what he can do for our country, all they are concerned with is the color of his skin and they are hoping for anything to go wrong so that he looks bad.
As for the part of the article that mentioned that racial extremists are in a way hoping for economic problems and Obama not being able to solve them so that more people will join their groups, this enrages me. First of all Obama is only going to be cleaning up Bush’s mess. This is not a mess that Obama has created himself and I am sure that he is going to do everything that he can do to make these issues go away. I don’t think that it matters what color our president’s skin is, whomever our president is they are going to try to make these problems go away no matter what they look like. Also I could not believe how selfish these groups are that they are relying on economic problems in our country to recruit new members to their groups. Why would you ever wish something bad on the country that you live in and for fellow citizens being affected by the problems?
I was surprised to read about a rise in race related crime after the election because I had not really heard about it in the media. And some of the things like the black church being burned down is much more extreme than anything I thought would happen after the election. Unfortunately I was not shocked when I read that President Obama received more death threats than any other president- elect. I will admit that him being assassinated is definitely a fear of mine because I know that there will always be those crazy extremists out there cannot handle the fact that we have a president that is part black.
It is unfortunate that after all of these years people still cannot get past the fact that people look different and are from different parts of the world. Is having different colored skin that big of a deal. We all have things in common, but people constantly want to concentrate on our differences. Overall it really upsets me that some people are basically rooting against Obama and our country, so that they can get more people on their side. These white supremacists are using Obama and people of the United States and it shocks me how selfish they are being.
Although I realize that so many racial and white supremacy groups do exist, I cannot understand why. I am a firm believer that an individual has the right to believe anything that they want, but I am completely baffled about the views of some people. Groups such as the KKK, the Nazis, and single individuals that hate minorities, take their beliefs to such horrible extremes, not only confuse me, but also make me sad.
Examples of these types of white supremacy groups are often shown on fictional movies and television shows, but people do not realize that they portray real people. A recent episode of Grey’s Anatomy featured a very normal, average looking white supremacist who refused treatments from black and Asian doctors. The episode made me see that even though they are rare, white supremacists do exist and could be anywhere in society.
It was rare to hear or read news about white supremacy groups until the recent election of the country’s first black president. During the election, it was commonplace to hear different views, many of which did not agree with those of Obama. Most of these views were because they disagreed with his policies and beliefs, not because of his race. Although there were plenty of racists out there that refused to vote for Obama because he was black, there were only a few groups that took their feelings to extreme new levels.
The article upset me for several reasons. For one, I am a big Obama supporter, regardless of his race. I would have voted for Obama if he were white, Asian, gay, or any other type of person; when picking a president, those thing do not matter to me. I realized before that many people do not think the same way I do, but it bothers me that these people also consider themselves Americans. I feel someone who believes themselves to be patriotic should support their president either way and should not take part in hate groups against him. The fact that groups such as Stormfront and the Council of Conservative Citizens experienced such a rise in membership is incredibly disheartening. It really makes me feel like everything that the country has achieved as a unified nation has been undone.
I think the story about the third graders in Idaho is absolutely horrible. It is terrible that the nation’s children are learning and doing such terrifying things.
Of all the stories that the article reported, the most troubling one was about the black Louisiana man wearing an Obama t-shirt that was brutally beaten by white men. I have both black and white friends who were very involved in the Obama campaign, and this story made me realize that this could have happened to any of them.
It’s nearly impossible to eliminate all hate groups in the United States, but I feel that it is each individual’s right and responsibility to do what they can to lessen these groups power and to try to teach them and change their minds.
In response to Erik N.’s post concerning ignorance, I very strongly agree with his points concerning the locality of these racist groups, in addition to his personal feelings about our president and the state of the nation. Though these groups, such as the KKK and Neo-Nazi party, have members across the country, including urban areas, all trace their roots and centers to rural areas. This is not to say that rural residents are all racist, nor am I trying to point to finger when it comes to membership in these hateful communities, it is merely an observation in demographics. Areas typically inhabited by conservatives and the ultra-religious, one can contrast the lack of change and liberalism to that of urban centers. Additionally, considering demographics, minorities more often congregate in urban centers, where racism is less rampant and liberal thinking is represented in greater numbers. From these facts, one could conclude that it is not necessarily the fact that these hate mongers live in rural areas, but that their exposure to diversity is significantly less than less racist residents of cities and towns. Perhaps, over time, integration of these people into more diverse areas will decrease the spike in racism seen in certain members of the U.S. populace.
It is unfortunate that these people, fueled by unfounded hatred and social Darwinism, have such a voice in this nation. While their message is one of unity and power, their efforts only lead to the deconstruction of society, disillusionment, and violence. Very rarely are there members of these factions who are not either gang members or committed assailants of innocent citizens. Be it verbal or physical assault, these ignorant people see themselves as the protectors of justice in this country, which is a notion so misled it is a wonder they can continue to recruit at all.
When speaking of this country’s new president, and possible violence and evil that may befall him, these groups severely underestimate the disgrace of their speech. As American citizens it is a crime to the country, its standards, and the public to even consider removing the president, whether by force or other means. While Bush was an extremely unpopular president, wishing ill will upon him would be an injustice to the office, and a disgrace to the nation. While the president may lack popularity, it is the office that a citizen should respect, an office that was legitimately attained. As they say in the military, you don’t have to salute the man, but you must salute the uniform. Commander in Chief is a supreme honor in this country, and as a citizen, whether racist or not, one cannot display disrespect in the form of assassination or unwarranted removal. While the members of these racist groups preach justice, it is the opposite of their true intentions when speaking of our president in such a manner.
I unfortunately am not surprised by this spike in racial bigotry since the election. It is not as though I thought that by Obama being elected this meant all racial hatred had disappeared into thin air; I did, however, think that we had progressed to more than idiotic neo-Nazism. After reading both the blog entry and the article, it is apparent that that is not the case.
As much as I would like to disagree with the bigoted leaders of these organizations, I cannot help but agree with them in a sense. I am sure for some white people, Obama becoming the most powerful man in, if not the world, then at least the United States, probably struck a nerve that they didn’t know that they had. Seeing him at the top of world clearly bothers some of these people and therefore these horrible groups have an easier time getting new members at a time like this.
I am only 20 years old, and honestly cannot remember a time in my life where I recall racial tensions being a large, everyday news story up until Obama became the Democrat’s nominee for President. A racially charged underground has emerged that I was not aware of. It is actually hard for me to believe that stories of racial tension were common place in the 1980s and most of the 1990s. I clearly was oblivious to them in the 1990s, or perhaps my generation was too young to notice and care.
It definitely scares me to think that these people and stories are gaining speed, when we have so much to celebrate. It also makes me wonder why certain people think this way; is it the breeding of ignorance from their parents, or is it something else? What makes people mad that other people have succeeded, just because they’re black instead of white? Why can’t some people simply look at the character of a person, instead of the outside appearance? These are questions that I have, but will quite possibly never be answered all in my lifetime.
It has been said that these groups are located everywhere, and are not just a specialized case. In a bubble as uneventful (crime wise) as State College, I wonder if there is something going on under the surface even here, too. I have seen different small incidents that do not seem organized, in things such as The Daily Collegian or stories told by Professor Richards. Other than that though, I would like to think that I attend school and live in a fairly tolerant place; it is a good feeling. I take pride in the fact that I only judge people on their character, and not by what they look like.
In the post “White Supremacist Recruiters ‘Thank’ Obama,” Sam discusses how the numbers of hate groups and white supremacy groups have risen as of late. Also, the article which accompanies it discusses how many websites and phone lines that are associated with these groups began to receive a lot of traffic after Obama was elected. I didn’t realize, as Sam stated, that activity like this was much more common and often reported upon in the news during the 1980s and the 1990s. I often forget that while this country has made huge strides in dealing with the issue of race, it was not long ago that the country was segregated. And it was also not long ago that systems such as affirmative action had to be employed in order to give people, no matter what their race, an equal opportunity. The fact that the majority of people in the country were willing to elect an African-American to the office of president of the United States was something that I thought we should be proud of. However, the fact that so many in this country still hold on to racist ideals and propagate hate filled agenda is disturbing.
Sam stated that white supremacist organizations have used Obama to rally supporters and to gain new footholds in the United States. It is amazing to me that so many organizations (eight hundred and eighty-eight). I felt that we lived in a relatively tolerant society, and while racism still existed and was still a problem that must be overcome, I felt that people in the US were making great strides toward overcoming it. I also felt that hate and white supremacist groups were only filled with those who were outliers from the ordinary, and that their members only consisted of a very small portion of the population. To find that people are actually seeking out groups by visiting their websites shows that the US is clearly not as tolerant as I would have liked to believe.
Another very interesting fact that was brought up in the article was the discussion of the recession. I found it very interesting that leaders of these groups were using the economic troubles that many people are experiencing right now to recruit members. I guess it is true that the Nazi party came to power in Germany due to the Great Depression, so it makes sense that an economic downturn could help recruit members. People are often lost and looking for answers when something like this happens, and they are more willing to hear out others if they are offering them a solution. Maybe someone who would normally not be interested in joining the National Socialist Movement might listen to what they have to say after losing their home and being laid off. It is a shame that people would use a hard time for our country to further their own racist agendas and to breed hate, instead of bringing one another together.
After reading this blog, I feel like Obama’s actions and what he stands for is being overlooked because of his skin color. The idea that we are making history with the first black president is overwhelming and a great step in history, but now that he is inaugurated we need to support his actions and become more aware with his decision-making. It was obvious as soon as Obama became a serious running mate in the election that race was going to be a major part of the discussion surrounding his campaign. It was also evident that many people were going to have conflicting reactions to him. Some were going to love him and some were going to hate him. It is sad to see that people are forming new racist groups simply because of our new president. I think that as much as we try to end racism it is never going to truly end. I hope that we can one day look towards a future where actions such as these do not occur and all people are accepted equally. I also think that Obama’s skin color brings a realization to America. Race has been overlooked and many Americans are in denial that racism still occurs. But some of the people that feel like Obama is out to attack the white community are not looking at the whole picture. They are looking at the aspects of Obama’s campaign that support their “belief.” Anything that can be said or done by Obama that can be misconstrued will and always has been by any president, of any race. The actions following Obama’s successful win over McCain were outlandish and outright unacceptable. The posters that were shot at, the churches that were burnt down, and any other minor form of violence that displayed hatred is not unifying the nation, nor is it going to change the results of the election, whether you like it or not. At some point you are going to accept it, whether it be in a time of war or financial crisis. There is always someone to point out and hate, what we need to learn is to find the positive in people, make your own opinions, but as many mothers have said across the nation, “if you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say it at all.” The idea of racism, especially against such a leader as Obama, is something that cannot be overlooked and is really disheartening. Negative thoughts and images of such an influential leader does not inspire the nation that elected him president. It almost makes us question if we made the right decision in order to unify Americans in such a financial crisis and during a time of war. Overall, I think that racism is going to persist for a very long time and that these actions need to disappear quickly.
Journal #4 – White Supremacist Recruiters "Thank" Obama
I think of myself of a bit of an entertainment news junkie who favors perezhilton.com to CNN. With that being said, although I do favor the “infotainment” I still try to stay as informed as my busy schedule will allow. With the exception of this post and the article accompanying it, I haven’t read anything regarding the sudden influx of white supremacist reemergence. I have in the past, watched my fair share of America Under Cover’s on the subject, and was always horrified (naturally). These people are scary, man. I absolutely know these people exist, but it is still hard to imagine being around them.
I am a white girl from the suburbs of Philadelphia. I have always been in the majority but, with the exception of elementary school, I have been surrounded by people of all cultures. As far as I know racism was not an issue in my school, and I would like to say that all of us lived in harmony for the most part. Again, I cannot speak for the minorities in my junior and senior high schools because I was not in their place. The point of giving my background is just to show where I came from, where I grew up. My parents have taught me to accept all others and race was never an issue in my home.
With that being said, I do understand how these supremacists exist. They have lived in homogenous areas their whole lives and have known nothing other than racism. I highly doubt there are neo-Nazis out there who were taught to tolerate all people regardless of race, religion, or sexuality. If there are anti-Semites like that, they are the exception, and they are creepy. I think that we can all agree that hate is taught, not born. Little Adolph Hitler who lives in Pennsylvania with his racist parents will probably grow up to live with a swastika on his forehead. That is just the world we live in.
I don’t know how I feel about Obama being the one who is crossing over the “almost-white supremacists” into full-on hate-mongers. If George Bush couldn’t convert all of the Republicans into Democrats for sending the economy into the toilet, I don’t know how many converts Obama is going to encourage. There are so many racists out there who hide in their homes and do not parade around with white hats on and burn crosses. I think it will be those people who will choose to join the Aryan Nation. I think it will be those people who will undoubtedly lose a ridiculous battle with the rest of the nation who don’t think Satan attends Shabbat dinner and black people did not emerge from the patch of mud in my backyard. Either way, those people are CREEPY.
-EK
Where I come from is a country town with hardly any diversity, this produces many racist people and groups. While growing up I noticed that many people did not like other people with different skin colors, this was something I did not understand until I was in junior high school. During these years I became aware of the fact that people can be very hateful and it is a real problem. Today I see it even more, although I attend a school that attempts to be ‘diverse’ with their posters about diversity. I believe these posters are pointless, I mean I see them, you see them and all the students at Penn State see them but what does that really do. I mean it did not change my views in any way, although I do not consider myself as a racist person at all so I don’t see the for change in that manner. What I want to know is what is the real purpose of those posters, what do they mean, and why were they created. Do they really think that any person would see them and think to themselves that this school must really be concerned with diversity and I would love to be a part of this school, I think not and if I am wrong please let me know. This is what I want, I want to know why they did this during my freshman and sophomore years. Also did they think that these posters were going to change any people views on diversity and racism, again I think not but please let me know if you disagree. Now to touch on the article, I actually think that people that are racist will become more racist because of the current status that the United States faces. We are in a downward spiral and for racist groups this is just another reason to believe in what they believe although ironically it was a white Christian president (what they stand for) that put us in this position! SO to people that are going to use our economical state as fuel for the fire they should take one second to think about this and maybe they would realize they are part of what really got us in this predicament. Last why do we need to hate each other, why is race a problem to so many people, lets just love and forgive and move on with our lives and I guarantee that we would begin to come out of this economical depression that will lead to millions of people becoming just another statistic.
These white supremacist groups are praying off of fear. The a great way to bread intolerance is to feed on the fears of the public. There is a large group of white people that are not supremacists, but deep down, really do believe that black people are lesser then white people, for any number or reasons that they can bullshit. A big excuse I hear from racists that I have been exposed to is “because they don’t talk right!” This group of people was didn’t really express their racism very often, and not to very many people. But now that a black man got elected president, they have this irrational fear that their world is going to chance, and all of a sudden the black man will rise up and starting smiting the white man for all the bad things he has done over the years. This irrational fear leads them to act as though they are backed into a corner, they start grasping for anyone to make them feel safer about their ideals, and the white supremacists are there with an outstretched arm.
It’s much like escalation. If you do one thing to improve something for one group of people, the other groups are going to feel left out (even if they have had the upper hand for as long as history has shown) they are going to try to make things better for themselves. It reminds me of when I was little, whenever me or my brother had a birthday, the other one would get extremely jealous because of all the presents the other one was getting, so we would beg our parents for something of our own, and we would usually get it. And likewise, that quietly-racist group of white people wants to group us separately, so that they can justify joining a white supremacy group, as though it is a present to themselves. “hey, look, you got your black president, now I don’t see why I can’t join this group of people of similar skin color to my own so that we can defend our rights as white people. I think that’s fair.”
Through out history, this thing has happened, on multiple occasions, where people are scared, and they look for a group, or leadership to make them feel safer, and there is one giant glaring spot in the history books that stands out. Hitler was elected to be the supreme leader of Germany before WWII, not because all of Germany was racist and thought that the Jews were lesser people, and that Germany should rule the world. It was because the German people were scared. Their economy was collapsing, their government was rather sad an pathetic, and here comes Adolf Hitler, and he clams that he can fix all of that, that he can make Germany the superpower that it deserves to be.
Fear is the cause here, and I wish we could simply educate the masses and show them that “the other” really isn’t anything to be afraid of.
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