Hate Groups' Newest Target

[Pirate Smile]

Source: Washington Post

Sen. Barack Obama's historic victory in the Democratic primaries, celebrated in America and across much of the world as a symbol of racial progress and cultural unity, has also sparked an increase in racist and white supremacist activity, mainly on the Internet, according to leaders of hate groups and the organizations that track them.

Neo-Nazi, skinhead and segregationist groups have reported gains in numbers of visitors to their Web sites and in membership since the senator from Illinois secured the Democratic nomination June 3. His success has aroused a community of racists, experts said, concerned by the possibility of the country's first black president.

"I haven't seen this much anger in a long, long time," said Billy Roper, a 36-year-old who runs a group called White Revolution in Russellville, Ark. "Nothing has awakened normally complacent white Americans more than the prospect of America having an overtly nonwhite president."

-snip-
"The truth is, we're finding an explosion in these kinds of hateful sentiments on the Net, and it's a growing problem," said Deborah Lauter, civil rights director for the Anti-Defamation League, which monitors hate group activity. "There are probably thousands of Web sites that do this now. I couldn't even tell you how many are out there because it's growing so fast."



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/21/AR2008062101471.html?hpid=topnews

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Overtly nonwhite!

Why, that's better than covertly nonwhite! If he were that, we might not even know!

[opihimoimoi]

2. WHOA...but he is 1/2 white??? WTF? When does one become white...? at 99.99 %?

1/16? 1/64? 1/1000? What is it?

[shanti]

9. never

and i'm sure the fact that obama's mother was a white woman incites them even further! that's the elephant in the living room, imo.

[Tansy_Gold]

38. Overheard in a restaurant the other day --

"I think it's worse that he's half white. I mean, if he were all black, I might not have a problem with him so much, but the idea of a white woman and a n-----'s kid being president? Makes me wanna puke."


I couldn't finish my lunch either, but for a very different reason.

[shanti]

40. exactly

the attitudes are out there.

[saigon68]

65. Lot's of that sentiment

Up where I live

[Scairp]

56. I think you've hit on it

There is no more hot button issue for these scumbags than a white woman who has "mingled" with a man of some ethnicity. Obama's mother not only had a child with a black man, but he was an actual African, so that just has pushed them off into the deep end of their irrational hatred meme. They scare me and I'm white. I do hope the FBI can find time to keep tabs on all of them. They really should all be listed as terrorist organizations, because they are.

[DBoon]

13. 1/8 black was held good enough by the US Supremes

Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson

[DavidDvorkin]

27. I agree, he's as white as he's non-white

But not in the eyes of many Americans, including the guy who was quoted.

[opihimoimoi]

33. LOL..its really a diversion the PUBs inflict on the discussion...

the real question is who is best to lead the Nation

Smart or Dumb?

[DavidDvorkin]

41. Of course, but too many don't think that way

They'll vote for the one who's white, or Christian in their eyes, or seems more like a regular fellow, etc.

[starroute]

52. McCain makes it easy for them, then

Most so-called white people are actually sort of pinkish. Or maybe a very light beige. But McCain is as white as a piece of typing paper. He's the white person's white person. I'm sure that makes the racists feel right at home.

[DavidDvorkin]

57. Someone should be digging into his family history

[treestar]

34. 100% for these assholes

Such utter morans as they are.

[opihimoimoi]

37. Far too many fall into that group...pity..its stifling really

[Tommytoons]

44. Seems like Ivory soap at 99.3% pure?

Well, the only thing I can say is that we in the Liberal community knew that this kind of crap was going to come along with Obama as our Nominee for the Democratic Party. People fear what they don't know or understand, shame, we couldn't get some ads on TV talking about this issue and show that Obama is nothing to be afraid of as far as his ethnicity goes, but, for the Republicans they should be afraid very afraid, not because he's a minority, but because he's a Democrat Leader who is going to kick some serious GOP butt in November!!

[opihimoimoi]

49. LOL...I sure Hope SO.....Obama has a BIG BROOM to use should he ever prevail...

odds looking mighty fine about now...trend is improving as McCains message is more about the same....

[qwlauren35]

69. Can you define that?

"Nothing to be afraid of"?

I remember a few weeks ago reading something about "They look after their own. And I'm not one of his own."

How do you counter that?

The line between "racial" and "racist" is about to get very, very blurry.

[argyl]

55. These are the type of scum who rigorously adhere to the "one drop" rule.

[Duke Newcombe]

3. I caught that, too!

Those silly racist macaroons!!

Duke

[Pirate Smile]

5. I'm sure they believe one (or more) of the previous presidents were "covertly" nonwhite.

I think Colbert even made a joke about that this week.

[heliarc]

32. Bill was afraid that Obama would take away his title...

of "first black president!"

[nashville_brook]

15. don't ask don't tell.

[pegleg]

67. Must be just half overtly non-white. nt

[my2sense]

4. Why am I NOT surprised?

[EFerrari]

6. It's palpable. In a way, I'm glad there IS an internet

where these sociopaths can cool their heels.

[silverojo]

7. WTF is with these people?

Do they think Obama will make it illegal to be white? :rofl:

God, what a pack of retards.

[gratuitous]

14. Their greatest fear is the golden rule

That is, that they will receive the same treatment they've been dishing out for the last couple of hundred years.

[Number23]

22. Actually,

I think that their biggest fear is not that they would receive the same mistreatment that blacks and other non-whites have received for the past 300+ years, but that the BENEFIT of being white would be removed and thus, everyone would (finally) be on a level playing field. One dude in the article actually said he's afraid that with Obama as president, "then the government would be for everyone" and not just whites.

That is truly the antithesis of white privilege - that everyone gets the same shake at things as you do. Scares the hell out of @ssholes like these guys.... especially since they know they'd sink faster than a stone were it not for the white privileges they're just starting to realize they've always had.

[hyphenate]

29. It's not that scenario

To most bigots, it's a question of control. If we elect a person who is "different" than their ideal, they feel out of control, and will fight to regain that control. It's one of the reasons there is so much resistance to change in our country. It's a form of immaturity--our country is relatively young in terms of history and government, and while longer established countries are mature enough to elect members of other races, women and different faiths, the "white male" is still firmly in charge of the American mindset.

No, it's not just this once--it's been ongoing since the very beginning. And black people were once the slaves of the white people, and that is how much of the mindset of the bigots work: if we elect a person who is not white (or only half-white in this case), these people believe that they are losing control of something they held firmly--power and control of it.

By putting forth Obama as our candidate, we are risking a great deal, and no matter how wistfully we hope he will win, the other side just has to appeal to all the prejudice out there, all the intolerant people who have heretofore stayed out of the polling places, and simply ask, "Do you want a black man to be in charge of our country?" And from there, there will be a massive effort set forth to kill such an historic event.

I will always support our candidate, regardless, but I know what scared, bigoted white men can do when they set their mind to it. And don't think that Obama's skin color isn't going to be factored in to McCain's commercials--they will make sure the message is loud and clear.

[givemebackmycountry]

8. Gee..Ya think that new FISA bill might come in handy now?

Or are you just gonna sit back and wait until some neo-nazi, right wing, racist, Bush loving, war supporting, Jesus loving asshole decides he's got a different "dream"?

[Ian David]

10. Computer says Nooooo....

http://trends.google.com/websites?q=littlegreenfootballs.com&geo=all&date=all

[gateley]

12. Here's another one that was mentioned

http://trends.google.com/websites?q=stormfront.org&geo=all&date=all

[gateley]

11. This is chilling and breaks my heart.

This must be the America Joe Scarborough is so fucking proud of.

[bluestateguy]

16. John McCain must reject and denounce these people immediately

nt

[saigon68]

66. He needs them

Its his only chance

[2Design]

17. been seeing too much against Michelle - she is a very polished and

educated woman - I noticed on The View the way she sat with her legs crossed at the ankles and I thought - she was trained in Woman/girl etiquette a long time ago -

she is such a nice looking, intelligent lady that she beats out most of those who voted for the dimwit on brains - I can just imagine how they will continue to make this into something it is not

remember all those west virginia people they interview and showed on jon stewart about that election

I am very proud of them both and how they continue to handle themselves in our biased society - they are such good role models

[JI7]

19. i sometimes worry about Michelle also

and the rest of his family. i trust the security people but when you see how much hatred is out there it's still scary.

[NBachers]

18. Where in God's name do they get these people?

Here's a little tidbit I found online just a few minutes ago:

"Have you seen the new seal of Obamaland or Obama nation? They've "changed" the seal of the United States of America. What's next? I guess he will "change" our country's name to suit him when he becomes the president. He promised us change and we are slowly getting the taste of the "change"."

I remember Bobby Kennedy's campaign. I still can't view the film or picture of him stricken and dying on the floor of the Ambassador Hotel without my insides caving in. I am terrified that one of these hateful neo-nazi's, or some neocon thug, will take Obama away from us. It would be the real Helter Skelter.

[zanne]

23. I talked to one of those people this morning before coffee...,

I went outside to get my cats (dogs in the neighborhood) and an older gentleman (white) started talking to me about how my neighborhood "used to be". It didn't take long before he started talking about how black people were "giving us a bad reputation". I called him on his BS (I hadn't even had my coffee yet!).

I like talking to my neighbors, but some of them I'd just as soon miss. It does seem to me that the elderly have a harder time accepting the idea of equality. When they grew up and entered the workforce, they were privileged and it seems that they have a hard time letting go of their sense of entitlement.

[Demeter]

45. Home Grown Bigots

Generations of privilege and abuse of power.

[TlalocW]

20. I did my senior research project on hate groups like the KKK and...

Another thing that is always behind resurgences in their membership or interest in them is a crappy economy. Bubba Starsnbars can't understand why he's losing his job, truck, and trailer, and these groups give him an easy target to direct his confused anger at - minorities.

I would imagine that if you looked at their membership during the Bush years, you would see a general upswing.

TlalocW

[eilen]

25. I agree.

I think that during any recession or depression, there is resentment targeted to minorities. Especially when it is perceived that a minority' s job is protected by government legislation such as Affirmative Action--the notion that there is some unfair advantage. I also wonder if there is a concurrent increase in domestic violence and violence against women as well in those periods.

I also don't believe it is only perpetuated by disenfranchised white people. I think you can see some of it on a smaller scale in predominately black communities when the majority feel disenfranchised, for example, the events following the Rodney King trial and resentment and anger towards Asian or Middle Eastern shop owners. Historically it can be seen in Europe during downswings in the economy; economic persecution of Jewish people is well documented although I am sure that other groups were targeted depending on who the minority was in any particular community. Look at Zimbabwe where the government supported those ideas and actions. Predictably, the aftermath leaves the economic environment much worse, behavior stemming from such beliefs and attitudes rarely produces anything positive.

Thinking and talking about such resentment and demonizing the other is not illegal, it is protected under First Amendment rights, however, acting on these strong opinions is illegal. The problem I have with it is that thoughts and words almost always manifest in action. This is why it is so important to continue to talk and think about tolerance, social justice, peace and the act of suspending judgment of others (lest they live up-- or down as the case may be-- to your expectations).

[yardwork]

64. There has been an upswing. The Souther Poverty Research Center

documents an enormous increase in the number of hate groups since 2000.

Not only is the bad economy driving people deeper into resentments, but the Bush administration itself encourages hate groups.

[davidinalameda]

21. sorry but these fuckers need to be rounded up

these people are dangerous

[Taverner]

30. Well, I hate to say it, but I agree

It would be nice to see skinheads swinging from trees for a change

[treestar]

35. One wonders with all the fear of terra, terra, terra, if they are the

subject of any wiretapping, etc. Surely the danger they represent is included in the FBI's curiosity. :sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

42. Isn't that how we got into trouble in the first placee? Rounding up people?

[davidinalameda]

51. what's that poem

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

[and-justice-for-all]

24. These morons are a very small minority...

a minority that never votes for any candidates.

Obama will be our President! Tough shit for the fucking bigot nazi pricks!

[santamargarita]

26. Neo-Nazi, skinhead and segregationist groups = Republican Party

Just say what it is!

[NBachers]

28. And so it's been since the dawn of history

Where could we be as the human race if we didn't always have these reactionary hate mongers in our midst? I bet the republicans of 5,000 years ago, when the world was only a thousand years old, were similar to the ones we have today.

[Gman]

31. "...than the prospect of America having an overtly nonwhite president."

LOL! These fools! Obama is a known, outed Negro!

These people are in their own sick little world.

[Oreegone]

36. Monitoring

I think a lot of this new surge in interest in these groups is people monitoring them, civilians and government alike. Of course they think just because someone comes to their webpage they agree with them. Many times it is someone keeping track of what they are up to.

[Doctor_J]

58. The government leaves them alone - they have a similar mindset to

the GOP. But ADL and the Southern Poverty Law Center and a few other under-funded groups do keep an eye on them

[B3Nut]

59. Don't forget morbid curiousity

although I prefer to get my dose of fundie/bigot burning stupid pre-distilled at fstdt.com.... ;) We are a species that can't help but look at the grisly accidents as we drive past, after all....

The scary thing is They Walk Among Us. :scared:

the STUPID....it BURRRNNNNSSSSSSS!!!!!

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[RedEarth]

39. Sickening........

sadly, I fear for Obama....I sure hope he has good security.

[truthisfreedom]

43. Easy to monitor...

Easy to catch.

[Triana]

46. Domestic. Terrorists. WHY don't we spend some time, effort, and money going after THEM? n/t

[Arugula Latte]

48. Enemy combatants. Maybe we SHOULD keep Gitmo open, just for them.

Or maybe they'd like to spend time at an undisclosed facility somewhere in Eastern Europe.

[knitter4democracy]

47. They can kiss my ass.

These are the same groups that think women should be barefoot and preggers, if not chained to the house.

They're going to have a black president, and they're going to see that it's not the end of the world and that they're the ones who'll have to deal with it and move on.

And the Secret Service better triple the number of people on Obama and covering all of the threats. We don't need another '68.

[sarcasmo]

50. These are the kind of idiots that make me worry about his safety.

[The Backlash Cometh]

53. "normally complacent white Americans"

Er, if the last ten years is considered "complacent,"...

[lyonn]

54. Let the games begin, page 6, Washington Post

The claim is that there are so many going to these sites and more coming on line that they can not be counted. This is how the "liberal" media report the "truth". Looks like the fear factor of this election has started plenty early. They (media) are so predictable.

[Doctor_J]

60. Check out this quote from the artciel

"White people, for a long time, have thought of our government as being for us, and Obama is the best possible evidence that we've lost that. This is scaring a lot of people who maybe never considered themselves racists, and it's bringing them over to our side."

These people believe that the Constitution should read "of the white people, by the white....", and that in fact that's how it's been up until now.

:crazy:

[Fumesucker]

61. My wife has a job which puts her in contact with the public a lot..

She tells me she hears "Obama is a Muslim" and the racial smears on a regular basis.

These people are much more common than you might think.

[Doctor_J]

62. Just MHO, but this stuff, and the Post's exposure of it, is good for us

If all the white supremecists get motivated, and all the people who dislike what white supremecists stand for get motivated which number do you think is bigger? IMO will stir up a lot more backlash than they're aware of.

[classysassy]

63. " A house divided against itself cannot stand "

Why are some people so darn blind?

[EstimatedProphet]

68. "Overtly nonwhite?"

You mean, he's actually not being white in public? The nerve!

[KamaAina]

70. Probably after sundown, too

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: