3 ms·

>“hate groups” exist in the USA because this is a free country. In places without our commitment to freedom and human rights those type of groups would have bee

>“hate groups” exist in the USA because this is a free country. In places without our commitment to freedom and human rights those type of groups would have been suppressed by the government. Looking at the history of the KKK, for instance, I find this assertion frankly laughable. The KKK flourished then withered as a pretty direct measure of its government support, not because of some worthy indifference to the organisation. And if you stand up against them, as the Panthers did, well even the NRA will suddenly support gun control.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago
>Looking at the history of the KKK, for instance, I find this assertion frankly laughable. The KKK flourished then withered as a pretty direct measure of its government support, not because of some worthy indifference to the organization. Which level of government are you talking about? The KKK flourished when local and state government turned a blind eye. In both cases the Feds eventually stepped in. > And if you stand up against them, as the Panthers did, well even the NRA will suddenly support gun control. The NRA of the 1960s is not the NRA of today. You may as well compare the 1890 democratic party with the 1950 democratic party.
- Fjolsvith 7y ago
  Or the KKK of the 1960s with the KKK of today.
- dragonwriter 7y ago
  > The KKK flourished when local and state government turned a blind eye. In both cases the Feds eventually stepped in. The KKK flourished when it was a major power in directing local, state and federal (including Presidential nomination) politics of one major party and generally had a blind eye turned to it by the other, at any level where that party had any influence. There wasn't just s “blind eye” from government as a whole, it was a major active player.
- inflatableDodo 7y ago
  >The KKK flourished when local and state government turned a blind eye. Local and state governments weren't turning a blind eye back then, they were turning a hooded one. >The NRA of the 1960s is not the NRA of today. I'd agree with you there, while they were just as politically insidious, it seems that back then they had some kind of remaining tether to reality.
cat199 7y ago
> And if you stand up against them, as the Panthers did, well even the NRA will suddenly support gun control. .. lets not pretend that the Panthers were some mild group either. A group of people advocating along race lines for the end of capitalist exploitation of their race and releasing of all incarcerated people of their race walking around with fully automatic weapons 'for defense' is not exactly 'moderate' which is not to say that i do not understand the rationale behind the group given the zeitgeist (and really, why do i need to put a parenthetical here)
- inflatableDodo 7y ago
  >lets not pretend that the Panthers were some mild group either. I wasn't. Gun control isn't usually brought in against mild groups. >walking around with fully automatic weapons 'for defense' To be fair, the opposition had previously bombed them from the air. Having automatic weapons is usually overdoing it for defense, but if your opponent can manage a ramshackle air force, then it may be warranted.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago

>Looking at the history of the KKK, for instance, I find this assertion frankly laughable. The KKK flourished then withered as a pretty direct measure of its government support, not because of some worthy indifference to the organization. Which level of government are you talking about? The KKK flourished when local and state government turned a blind eye. In both cases the Feds eventually stepped in. > And if you stand up against them, as the Panthers did, well even the NRA will suddenly support gun control. The NRA of the 1960s is not the NRA of today. You may as well compare the 1890 democratic party with the 1950 democratic party.

Fjolsvith 7y ago
Or the KKK of the 1960s with the KKK of today.
dragonwriter 7y ago
> The KKK flourished when local and state government turned a blind eye. In both cases the Feds eventually stepped in. The KKK flourished when it was a major power in directing local, state and federal (including Presidential nomination) politics of one major party and generally had a blind eye turned to it by the other, at any level where that party had any influence. There wasn't just s “blind eye” from government as a whole, it was a major active player.
inflatableDodo 7y ago
>The KKK flourished when local and state government turned a blind eye. Local and state governments weren't turning a blind eye back then, they were turning a hooded one. >The NRA of the 1960s is not the NRA of today. I'd agree with you there, while they were just as politically insidious, it seems that back then they had some kind of remaining tether to reality.

cat199 7y ago

> And if you stand up against them, as the Panthers did, well even the NRA will suddenly support gun control. .. lets not pretend that the Panthers were some mild group either. A group of people advocating along race lines for the end of capitalist exploitation of their race and releasing of all incarcerated people of their race walking around with fully automatic weapons 'for defense' is not exactly 'moderate' which is not to say that i do not understand the rationale behind the group given the zeitgeist (and really, why do i need to put a parenthetical here)

inflatableDodo 7y ago
>lets not pretend that the Panthers were some mild group either. I wasn't. Gun control isn't usually brought in against mild groups. >walking around with fully automatic weapons 'for defense' To be fair, the opposition had previously bombed them from the air. Having automatic weapons is usually overdoing it for defense, but if your opponent can manage a ramshackle air force, then it may be warranted.