Theos-Talk Archives (June 1997 Message tl00386)

Lynn wrote:

>First of all, have you read the literature of "most" militias or are you
>basing your remark on what you've heard in the traditional news media?

Yes, I have read the writings of most militia groups.  I was employed by a
particular organization in Idaho, where I live, as an assistant to the
Housing Director about two years ago.  There was a landlord, a member of the
militia, who was evicting a Jewish family.  The Jewish family claimed it was
due to anti-Semitism.  After an investigation it concluded that it was,
indeed, a case of racism.  In order for us to help this family, we needed to
compile an enormous amount of information on militias. I was unlucky enough
to have ended up being assigned as the one to read the "literature" of most
militias.

Not all militias are racist, but I stand by my statement that most are - and
I have based it on the information provided by the militias themselves.


>As an African-American, I think I know what is or is not racist, thank you.


Lynn?  How do you know what race I am?  Or anybody else on this list?

Why are you "thanking" me for you knowing about racism?

And is is not possible for someone other than an African-American to know
about racism?


>Claiming that most militias use their nonwhite members as trophies is stating
>that the nonwhite members of militias are incapable of making these
>judgements for themselves, therefore your opinion of their intelligence must
>be quite low.

It is?!  Firstly, how do you know they're not choosing to be used as
"trophies?" Secondly, one doesn't have to be white to be racist.  For
example,  in one interview I read, an Indian gentleman and an
African-American gentlemen claimed they belonged to a militia because that
militia "recognized the Jewish threat."  They openly admitted that the
members of the group, racially mixed as they were, didn't particularly like
each other, but their common and strong hatred for the Jews served a
powerful bond.

Do I doubt their intelligence?  HELL NO!  It's their very high intelligence
that is so dangerous - if militia members were stupid we'd have nothing to fear.

Again, I stand by my statement.


>Surely you don't want to go there, now do you?

Go where?


>I know that this
>kind of thinking is common among some liberals,

What kind of thinking are you talking about here?


>especially in how they
>patronize us by believing that they know what is best for us.

Again, who are "us" and who are "they?"



>Your final
>phrase (about stupidity) is born of the same reckless arrogance that led you
>to make your trophy statement.

In what way?  If it wasn't true - militias would be running the country.


>Excuse me? You have the nerve to claim that I've insulted a certain group of
>people after the degrading trophy remarks *you* made about minorities in
>militias?

Yes, I do. . .and you are excused.


>He was describing how the Nazis demonized the Jews prior to WWII so
>that the Germans would accept what the Nazis would eventually do to them. No
>way does this trivialize the monstrous horror of the atrocities committed
>upon the Jews, so where is the insult?

The militia is being required to FOLLOW THE LAW.  They decide to take up
arms when things don't go their way.

This is NOT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE JEWS.  The Jews did not stockpile arms or
threaten to overthrow the government or refuse to pay taxes, etc. . .

I still maintain that you and Bart comparing the plight of the Jews with the
"plight" of the militia is an INSULT to the Jewish people and a minimizing
of the Holocaust.


>And, just to make sure that you are totally clear about where I stand on this
>entire issue. None of this is said to justify the actions of that fascist
>group that has been terrorizing Jacqi's neighbors or friends.


That's wonderful.  And I believe she/he spells her/his name Jaqi.


Kym