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Salon’s Joan Walsh Doesn’t Like Profiling, As She Profiles
Odd title -
Salon-
Spotting white supremacists
How do we identify the next Wade Page before he murders people who aren’t white? It won’t be easy
Some highlights:
Imagine my surprise a few years ago, when I first started researching my book, and I found the Celtic cross as the very first image in the ADL’s online database of “general racist symbols.” The text responsibly notes that the cross “is used widely today in many mainstream and cultural contexts. No one should assume that a Celtic Cross, divorced from other trappings of extremism, automatically denotes use as a hate symbol.”
“Other trappings.” That’s called “profiling.” The Celtic Cross is brought up as a McGuffin so that she can dismiss herself as a profiler – “see… I’m not profiling anyone that has a Celtic Cross” (“but I’m well aware of the “trappings.”)
I don’t think people are going to automatically associate the Celtic cross with white supremacy, since most news accounts of Page’s tattoo describe it as customized with the number 14 with its implicit pledge to protect “White Children.”
NOW they will. Thank you, Joan.
Most people will know not to assume a Celtic cross makes a person a white supremacist nutjob. But are there other ways to spot right-wing haters who are likely to turn to violence? I’m just not sure.
Ahhhh, but what about “the trappings” you spoke of, Joanie?
When Sen asserts that “the link between violence, masculinity and whiteness is well-established,” I think she goes too far. Violence doesn’t always, or only, go along with white masculinity. So where does reasonable social caution and concern end, and racial profiling begin?
Better question: When does unreasonable political correctness endanger society and prudent racial profiling begin? I’d say this begins at THE AIRPORT!
Clearly, we have to be able to talk about the rising tide of right-wing, racist organizing.
What Joan means is, “Clearly we have to focus on nutbag white people over the illegal immigrant felon problem, the rampant black on black crime problem, and the Muslim terrorism problem, none of whom is considered insane. I cannot thank these mentally ill white people enough.”
I don’t believe in racial profiling, of any group, but I think we should take the terror potential in right-wing extremist organizing as seriously as we take the potential in any violence-committed group. (Although at the end of an otherwise insightful piece, Bergen warns about “left wing extremist groups,” even though he fails to give any examples of them.)
How about… the Obama Administration?
I’m not sure exactly how we prevent future violence, though. Rinku Sen rightly observes that some combination of tougher gun control and more widely available psychological help would make a difference. She also urges white people to be more proactive about confronting the racists in our midst. “I implore of my white friends, when your nutty uncle or classmate goes off about some set of foreigners, you must make a fuss, cause a family crisis, become unpopular, speak up. We cannot do this for you.” I’m fine with that: I’ve ruined my share of parties and holidays by calling out someone’s racist jokes or comments, and I’ll continue to.
I’ve ruined my share of parties by running clips of the Twin Towers crumbling into an ash heap amidst cries of Allahu Akbar. I also like to splice clips of Islamic beheadings in with clips of left and right-wing douchebags who minimize the actual threat confronting the world – Islam. I’ll be adding this article by Joan Walsh, who ends her article with profiling -
We should also remember that one of the heroes of the Oak Creek attack is officer Brian Murphy, who was shot by Page eight or nine times but who discouraged medical attention so paramedics could save wounded worshipers. There is no word as to whether Murphy, who is presumably Irish Catholic, with family in the New York Police Department, has ever worn a Celtic cross.
Brian Murphy is also, presumably, anti-Obama. (I can play too, Joanie.)
grayscape
August 8th, 2012
You can start with the radical left – How are the following nazi positions any different from the radical left:
911 truthers
Anti-capitalist
Pro-Iran
Anti-war on terror
Anti-Tea party
Anti-Republican
Anti-military
Pro-abortion
Support high taxes
Environmentalist
Secular/pagan
Pro-palestinian
Support Hamas
leftism and nazism are virtually identical.
Two Legged Blue Eyed Cracker
August 8th, 2012
Scum hijacking symbols that have nothing to do with what they (the scum) represent.
Circle on Celtic Cross means eternity. Irish were the only group to convert to Christianity without any fuss (read: tossed out the pagans).
How about the interesting symbol on the 100 year old Native American blanket I have. The Austrian Corporal liked that one.
Idiots.
Xavier
August 8th, 2012
I understand what profiling is; what do we call willfully ignoring actual threats in the name of political correctness?
Zilla
August 8th, 2012
I think she’s confusing the Celtic Cross with the Iron Cross. But liberals can’t be bothered to fucking fact check – ever. Assholes.
And Nazis, National SOCIALISTS, were of the LEFT, as are neo-nazis and pretty much all the anti-Semite douche bag supremacist lunatics, such as the flaming moes, the black racists (like the New Black Panthers), and the KKK (which was always, and still is, the property of the DEMOCRATS).
Maudie N Mandeville
August 8th, 2012
How do we identify the next Wade Page. Well, let’s start with his most identifiable feature: 1) tattoos.
Next we’ll go with 2) never been married. 3. No children. 4. Shacking up. 5.&6. Discharged for drunkeness and anti-social behavior. 7. Fired from job.
Hey, we’re talkin’ OWS!
fxdwg
August 8th, 2012
Great. Racist liberal profiles racist white supremists.
Noelegy
August 8th, 2012
@Two Legged Blue Eyed Cracker, my mom sent me some antique crochet patterns a year or so ago. They dated back to the 1920s, and there was a lovely filet crochet tablecloth pattern…with swastikas worked into the design.
dba...vagabond trader
August 8th, 2012
Anyone remember the lgf B.S. when there was a big purge over the Celtic cross? Oddly enough it led into cj banishing Pam Geller. Seems Miz Walsh is waaaay behind the eight ball here. Dumbazz libral loon.
Zilla
August 8th, 2012
I don’t understand why the white supremcaists would want a Celtic Cross, and like I said, I have always seen them using the IRON CROSS. The KKK targeted Irish (Specifically Irish Catholics) as well as black and Jews, and for the greater part of the last millennium, much of Europe and even a lot of Americans did not consider the Irish (especially the Catholic Irish) to be part of the “white race”, in fact, Irish were often called “niggers” and eugenicists had deemed the Irish as racially inferior, even to blacks. I am not kidding, look it up. SO it makes NO SENSE that a white supremacist would have anything to do with the CELTIC CROSS that is predominantly used by Irish Catholics. And again, what I see among those kooks has always been the iron, NOT Celtic, cross.
RANDO
August 8th, 2012
Wait a second. This yo-yo is explaining how to detect a skinhead !!?
Thanks for nothing, idiot!
Mr.Pinko
August 8th, 2012
All you have to do to point out their hypocrisy and stupidity – side by side headlines with SUBSTITUTION.
Spotting white supremacists
How do we identify the next Wade Page before he murders people who aren’t white? It won’t be easy.
Spotting Middle Eastern Terrorists
How do we identify the next Khalid Sheikh Mohammed before THEY murder people who are not Muslim? It won’t be easy.
PRINT THAT SALON!
Friend of the family
August 8th, 2012
I’m white and I must admit, without apology, that I do feel superior to other races. I’ve been tested. My IQ is Bright, a step down from Superior. I’m content knowing that I’m smarter that most. And, I love the fact I have European roots that centuries ago took the lead and left the rest (Arabs, Russians, Asians, Greeks, etc.) with a half baked cake they made for themselves. Europe prospered with each age, the Reformation, The Enlightenment, The Age of Reason and time of Absolutism, and grasped the concept of capitalism, mercantilism, commercialism, and few other isms’ to become the lead Continent (along with the UK). So you envious and jealous backward third-worlder’s and rest of the worlders can kiss my royal ass any time of the day, cause I AM BETTER THAN YOU.
Anonymous
August 8th, 2012
In a way I’m glad for the libs this scumbag showed up. They finally get their wish-fulfilled “right-wing terrorist” to masturbate over for the next decade or two, and because, quite frankly, that Timothy McVeigh shit was getting old.