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I do agree with most of what is said there, but it misses out terror groups like the KKK, that WERE about terror, and achieved (successfully) their aims through
by ljf 13y ago
I do agree with most of what is said there, but it misses out terror groups like the KKK, that WERE about terror, and achieved (successfully) their aims through terror. They aided and caused the oppression of black people by carrying out a number of lynchings which left the wider black (and whites who might aid the black cause) community afraid of breaking the status quo.
This was a special case as the terror group was widely in bed with local policing, but it's a point to consider when discussing terrorism of the the 19th, 20th and 21st century.
- Symmetry 13y agoPolitical violence, especially political violence withe support or tolerance of the government works all the time. But that's very different from the sort of terrorism practiced by the organizations we'd normally call "terrorist", even if you could reasonably define terrorism to include the KKK.
- hrkristian 13y agoal-Qaeda, Taliban, etc are comparably in bed with various regimes in the middle east.
- ljf 13y agoTrue true, sorry was thinking manly about Western terrorism, but I totally agree.
- spindritf 13y ago> terror groups like the KKK, that WERE about terror With all those silly titles, meetings, garments, and weird rituals that most often didn't involve black people... doesn't it sound like they were also about socializing? They were a violent masonic lodge. Let's call ourself grand dragons, and burn a cross in the evening.
- richardjordan 13y agoWhat nonsense. The KKK are directly linked to countless acts of physical intimidation, violence and murder perpetrated against the targets of their prejudice. Military units socialize over dinner, doesn't make them less lethal. I'm sure Al Qaeda members break the bread together from time to time, doesn't stop them being terrorists.
- spindritf 13y ago> KKK are directly linked to countless acts of physical intimidation Yes, so are other terrorists group. And politicians really do make policies but politics may not be about policy. Read up on the whole "X is not about Y" concept[1]. I found it quite enlightening. [1] http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/politics-isnt-a.html http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/politics-isnt-a.html