White Supremacists Reflect on the Sikh Temple Massacre
Two weeks ago dozens were killed and wounded in Aurora, Colorado. Sunday, a gunman shot and killed six people at a Sikh temple in suburban Wisconsin. The "Gunfighter Nation" is apparently eating itself alive; the NRA continues to hand it the silverware and knives.
As I wrote here about James Holmes and the relationship between Whiteness, media framing, and mass murder, today's barbaric happening in Wisconsin will not lead to a national conversation about "40ish year old bald white men" who go on murder sprees.
As such, we will never see a special investigative report called "White in America: Why do White Men Commit Mass Shootings?" on any major news network in the United States.
Likewise, there will be no special congressional hearing or "Beer Summit" where a panelist dares to ask either "What is wrong with white men?" or "Are white men exhibiting pathological violence in response to the Age of Obama?"
Black and brown folks have a common experience when we hear a news report about a particularly sensationalistic crime. We cross our fingers and hope that "he or she ain't one of us." Why? Because the Other is not allowed the luxury of being treated as an individual in this society; we are judged by the deeds of the few as opposed to the virtues of the many.
By comparison, white privilege is the luxury of radical autonomy, freedom from group stigma, and the default defense and excuse that comes with being an "individual"--one who is "normal"--and as such, is not at all impacted by the negative deeds of others in their tribe.
The Age of Obama has brought many telling moments that reveal the permanence of the color line and the continuing national drama that is race in America. Our national obsession is also one of bizarre moments and strange happenings.
I try to make sense of the madness. To paraphrase Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight Rises, I put my hand into the muck, waste, and filth that is the white supremacist online community so you do not have to.
It would seem that some White nationalists are having their own "I hope he isn't white" moment following today's murder rampage in Wisconsin.
Here is a peek inside of the collective consciousness and racial id of malignant racially chauvinistic Whiteness. You are forewarned.
1. This isn't good folks no matter which way you slice it!! Damn...
2. Don't these people see that they're hurting the White man?
3. If this perp is some white neo-nazi idiot, like it sounds like, I'm going to be so f***ing po'd. Typical redneck idiot ruining everything we work for, and try to separate ourselves from. Now this will fuel more liberal bs on all fronts. We'll probably hear how he thought they were muslims and went on some rant. GOD DAMMIT. I'm sick of these god damn idiots ruining the reputation of our race.
4. The hits keep coming. White males of America, I know you're frustrated, but channel that anger into productive, positive ways of helping your people. People say it's poor black males that need role models. WE need role models. We've forgotten how to act when stress goes through the roof.
5. Or someone trying to make us all look like we're hate groups. Sure enough this is probably going to be seen as a racist crime.
6. This was a BIG mistake if White nationalists are involved. Lets hope they are White muslims (which given the bad history between Sikhs and Muslims they probably are).
7. We have two possiblities here. One is we have a white man who did something rash, monstrous and crazy without regard for how it will impact the rest of us. The other is this is the work of someone who was turned into a Manchurian Candidate, and therefore this is another false flag attack. Since it's clear the gunman was shot and probably killed by police, it doesn't look like it would be the work of a Mossad agent, who would prefer to get away with murder literally. This is only going to harm our rights and interests because this isolate incident will be used to paint all whites with the same brush, as well as suppressing the far more numerous hate crimes against us.
8. If this guy is white, or worse a 'neo-nazi' (as the media say) then he is a complete and utter moron, disgrace and is the problem with our movement.Anybody on here agreeing with what he did (if he is white) is also a disgrace, things like this destroy and hurt our views, and completely turn other whites off us. And why the hell did this cretin go for Sikhs!? There are not a major problem, they are relatively few in number, peaceful, and dont cause whites any problems. They are also a lot more intelligent than Muslims and blacks and do not deserve this.
9. Whatever colour they are, they were innocent people and did not deserve this. If you think they did deserve this then you are a sick individual and part of the reason that our views are not taken seriously by the masses.
10. This guy is a grade A scumbag, I pray to god he was not a member on here....can you imagine the media? Please anybody, do not sympathise with what this man did, it just makes us all look really bad and puts many people off coming around to our views, and the truth.
11. Agreed. The man is scum and the exact opposite type of people we should be aligning ourselves with. If he turns out to be a white nationalist, it will hurt us so, so much. This is not the answer.
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Kerry Lauerman
Joan Walsh
Salon.com
Comments
Chauncey, I'd suggest you heed the advice of an ancient gospel song:
"I know You'll fight my battles, if I just keep still."
Chauncey DeVega can't write about anything other than black on black crime in Chicago, otherwise he is trying to deflect attention from it. By the same token, I suppose you wont be writing about anything other than polygamist ranch child rapists by Mormons of the desert Southwest, or does this work differently because you're a white man? Deflect much?
In this case the first assertion amongst media law enforcement was to label this as an act of domestic terrorism. The case with Holmes was that his actions contravened any commonly held beliefs about violence, from his wealth, education, promise and seeming relative intelligence. In the case of this guy, the clear racial impetus is, in the minds of all, intended to create terror. This is why your previous 'column' is wrong.
I know you do solely polemics, but surely such a clear refutation should well encourage you to temper your poles with some logic.
See Pill Bug 's comments chauncey. he hits the nail on the head.
This is already common by many critics of Chomsky and others. If they sorted through the details then they might find their conclusions don't hold up; which might be why they don't do details.
i eagerly await your next post of made up imaginary quotes by people who are too dumb to be trusted to vote in november if they dont' vote for obama.
Lezlie
I like it.
rated.
It scares me deep down that we permit these vermin to walk our streets, protect them and indulge their craving for more guns ....
We are becoming our own worst enemy.
Wait a minute, did not Nazi Germany begin in a similar manner? We need to look deep within, know this mirror for what it reveals. R>>>> Thanks, Chauncey.
In recent years, we go back and forth abut whether or not the President is Muslim. The fact of the matter is, it does not matter. It is legal to be Muslim. It is even legal to be Muslim and espouse radical politics. Acting on them is where it crosses the line into illegality. And if that Sikh temple had actually been a mosque where radical plans were being hatched, that would be a matter for law enforcement, not some lone vigilanti. The mistake was not in failing to accurately discern the difference between Muslim and Sikh. It was only one aspect to the tragedy.
I have cut and copied this, as to not lose the point that you brought out, people need to be individuals. When people lose their identity, they are in effect losing their sense of self, and are vulnerable to what others are thinking, what others are thinking may not be good. People can get lost in ideology that sucks, and the sense of good and bad can seem like one big lie. People that secure their sense of identity reflect, educate and seek to stay in the middle, rather than choose sides that will only isolate them or make them feel as though they must challenge what is being objected. Thank-You for your wise insights Chauncey Vega.