KKK meeting on Sat in Westmoreland County (Pittsburgh: law, design)

[gg]

Originally Posted by groar

you don't understand what freedom of speech is.

Really?

Here is what I was responding to:

3. Racism/sexism/homophobia/Islamophobia/etc. are definitely worth the time. The fact that you're willing to let that exist as though you're okay with it means that you are part of the problem.

Um, "let that exist"? Hello?

There are entire religions that are homophobic. One of them is pretty strong in our region. There are also entire governmental platforms that meet much of that criteria. Tea Party anyone? Heck the Gingrich wanted Obama to applaud the Koran burning. Hello?

I don't condone what the KKK stands for or agree with anything they are about, but the can exist. There are huge organizations that are against tons of things on that list posted and they exist.

[SammyKhalifa]

Since reading this thread I can't get that scene from Blazing Saddles out of my head.

[gmagoo]

This klan gathering is being held in the same area that had a teaparty rally last summer. Coincidence?

[thehungryghost]

Originally Posted by groar

the black panthers? they ceased to exist in the early 80s.

Some small groups of the Panthers still exist. As a whole they are generally inactive, but they aren't gone.

Originally Posted by Hopes

Definitely report crimes committed by the KKK.

I disagree with this point. I think basic, street-level justice can handle it but I have a strong distrust of the cops (especially when it comes to situations regarding race/class/gender/etc.) and don't think they should be allowed to use their "best intentions" to handle the situation. I can't trust them to follow the law, so I'll work around it.

[ditchdigger]

There are entire religions that are homophobic. One of them is pretty strong in our region. There are also entire governmental platforms that meet much of that criteria.

Does that make their existence a positve thing? Or can we do better?

[gg]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

Does that make their existence a positve thing? Or can we do better?

Would be great if we could do better, but will we? I don't think certain groups will ever be tolerant to many things on that list. Not in our lifetime and not in the next several generation's lifetime. Does it make it right? I can't judge that on a broad sense. We are talking about a very large religious group in one of those categories. Who am I to tell them what to believe? I don't buy into that stuff, but I don't think it is my place to disagree with an entire religion. As far as the Tea Party, I don't think they will head up the country. If they do, I am ready to move the heck out.

[AnneWest]

Originally Posted by couldntthinkofaclevername

What annoys me most is that a lot of people don't get that the KKK are prejudice against much more than just minorities, Jewish people, and homosexuals. They're prejudice against everybody who is not Anglo-Saxon and protestant.

The original incarnation of the KKK, the Know-Nothings terrorized Irish and other immigrants yet people don't seem to know or care about this. There are probably people descended from the Irish and other immigrants who actually agree with the KKK because they don't know the actual history and think it's just "white people of all ethnicities versus everybody else", which is the very thing that has kept certain white ethnicities down for centuries.

The KKK and everything they represent and all of the BS they spew need to be spoken out against, especially in the Northeast.

I think everyone knows what the KKK is, (or maybe not, since they don't teach history in public schools any more) and while many people speak out, there are far too many who are quiet closeted KKK sympathizers.

While there are thousands of bad points against the Klan, I will say there is one small good point. They hate the Westboro Baptist Church.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by groar

the black panthers? they ceased to exist in the early 80s.

I should have specified the 'new black panther party'

[gg]

Originally Posted by AnneWest

I think everyone knows what the KKK is, (or maybe not, since they don't teach history in public schools any more) and while many people speak out, there are far too many who are quiet closeted KKK sympathizers.

While there are thousands of bad points against the Klan, I will say there is one small good point. They hate the Westboro Baptist Church.

Ku Klux Klan protests Westboro Baptist Church (Video) - BlogPost - The Washington Post

Wow, this subject will and pretty much will be closed. You start talking about that church and "Thou Shall Not Kill", where will that go? Maybe we could start a thread about all this on another City Data Forum? It might be interesting if we can get enough Pittsburgh Forum Members to chime in with their thoughts. Would there be any interest? If someone starts it and posts a link to the thread I am in. I am not passionate about any of it, but would like to learn what others think.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Definitely report crimes committed by the KKK. But no good comes from reporting meetings and membership drives.

Originally Posted by thehungryghost

I disagree with this point. I think basic, street-level justice can handle it but I have a strong distrust of the cops (especially when it comes to situations regarding race/class/gender/etc.) and don't think they should be allowed to use their "best intentions" to handle the situation. I can't trust them to follow the law, so I'll work around it.

By report, I meant journalists, as in news reports.