All Things American Xenophobia & White Supremacy

[Bact PhD]

Historical take on Prohibition and its impact on the immigrant communities of that era.

The effects of Prohibition on American life are many, but its causes were similarly complex. Many responsible for the ratification of the 18th Amendment claimed to have America’s best interests at heart.

In some cases, they did. But others had racist, classist and xenophobic motivations.

To understand Prohibition, we must reckon with all sides of this long, complicated story.

[snip]

Saloons even became headquarters for political machines.

In the 19th century, working-class men voted at much higher rates than wealthy men. And while the system certainly was not completely inclusive, Grinspan likens this time period to “the adolescence of democracy.”

At this time in America’s history, the government didn’t do much in terms of running elections, according to Grinspan. Political parties were even responsible for printing and distributing their own ballots.

“These [saloons] are kind of community nexuses,” says Grinspan. “If you’re saloon keeper in a town, you know who is in that town, you know what people need, you know who’s unemployed, you know who could use a favor, you know who is likely to turn out and vote [and] you also who is likely to do a dirty trick for your campaign.”

Saloons became places “where immigrants could learn how to participate in the political process, how to vote and who would support their interests as immigrants and as workers,” says Theresa McCulla, curator of the American Brewing History Initiative at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

[pnwguy]

Mar 20, 2021 20:11:16 GMT Bact PhD said:

Historical take on Prohibition and its impact on the immigrant communities of that era.

The effects of Prohibition on American life are many, but its causes were similarly complex. Many responsible for the ratification of the 18th Amendment claimed to have America’s best interests at heart.

In some cases, they did. But others had racist, classist and xenophobic motivations.

To understand Prohibition, we must reckon with all sides of this long, complicated story.

[snip]

Saloons even became headquarters for political machines.

In the 19th century, working-class men voted at much higher rates than wealthy men. And while the system certainly was not completely inclusive, Grinspan likens this time period to “the adolescence of democracy.”

At this time in America’s history, the government didn’t do much in terms of running elections, according to Grinspan. Political parties were even responsible for printing and distributing their own ballots.

“These [saloons] are kind of community nexuses,” says Grinspan. “If you’re saloon keeper in a town, you know who is in that town, you know what people need, you know who’s unemployed, you know who could use a favor, you know who is likely to turn out and vote [and] you also who is likely to do a dirty trick for your campaign.”

Saloons became places “where immigrants could learn how to participate in the political process, how to vote and who would support their interests as immigrants and as workers,” says Theresa McCulla, curator of the American Brewing History Initiative at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

I recall a lot of anti-German animus also being involved, since beer halls were heavily populated with German immigrants.

[LFC]

I'm not sure Non-Political is the right place for this anymore, if it ever was. American xenophobia and white supremacy are powerful forces driving the Republican Party. Having Louie Gohmert and Allen West get on the same stage as Proud Boys makes me think that these can no longer be separated ... if they ever could in America.

[AnBr]

Apr 9, 2021 22:00:30 GMT LFC said:

I'm not sure Non-Political is the right place for this anymore, if it ever was. American xenophobia and white supremacy are powerful forces driving the Republican Party. Having Louie Gohmert and Allen West get on the same stage as Proud Boys makes me think that these can no longer be separated ... if they ever could in America.

Agreed.

[Bact PhD]

Duly noted; thread moved.

[LFC]

Who the f*** does this asshole think he is? It's doubly worse because his position in the military requires him to swear, under oath, that he will uphold the Constitution. That does not include attacking somebody in your neighborhood for walking. (He actually lives in the area but not on that street.) Once again it's a good thing there was video. Who knows what the story would have been.

A disturbing video has emerged on social media, showing a man who has been identified as a U.S. Army sergeant harassing and threatening a Black man who was walking through a South Carolina neighborhood.

The video, first uploaded to Shirell Johnson's Facebook page, shows a man identified by social media users as U.S. Army sergeant first class Jonathan Pentland walking alongside a young Black male only identified as Deandre, asking him what he's doing in the neighborhood and aggressively telling him to leave. At one point in the video, Pentland pushes Deandre.

"The young black male's name is Deandre. We did not know him nor had ever met him until last night," Johnson wrote in a Facebook post. "The young lady recording the video we also did not know until last night. She saw the young man in distress and knew he didn't do anything wrong so she started videoing for his safety!"

"We waited with [Deandre] until the officer arrived and we repeatedly informed the officer that D was assaulted (you all didn't see the second instance) when [Pentland] slapped his hand and his phone fell and cracked," Johnson wrote. "The officer told us that his supervisor told him that he could only charge the white guy with malicious injury to property and not assault! Deandre was calm throughout and he had been in that neighborhood-[The Lakes at Barony Place] walking plenty of times and he lives in the summit!"

There's more and it's disturbing. I guess the big man is just lucky that his victim wasn't armed and standing his ground. (Silly me. That law is only for white people!)

[Bact PhD]

Apr 9, 2021 22:00:30 GMT LFC said:

I'm not sure Non-Political is the right place for this anymore, if it ever was. American xenophobia and white supremacy are powerful forces driving the Republican Party. Having Louie Gohmert and Allen West get on the same stage as Proud Boys makes me think that these can no longer be separated ... if they ever could in America.

And to drive this point home even further, we are about to get...

The “America First” caucus!!!

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/16/trump-loyalists-start-america-first-caucus-promote-us-uniquely-anglo-saxon/

Of course, once the story got out, there was a fair amount of backpedaling among this confederation’s supposed principals...

[goldenvalley]

Apr 18, 2021 0:48:39 GMT Bact PhD said:

Apr 9, 2021 22:00:30 GMT LFC said:

I'm not sure Non-Political is the right place for this anymore, if it ever was. American xenophobia and white supremacy are powerful forces driving the Republican Party. Having Louie Gohmert and Allen West get on the same stage as Proud Boys makes me think that these can no longer be separated ... if they ever could in America.

And to drive this point home even further, we are about to get...

The “America First” caucus!!!

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/16/trump-loyalists-start-america-first-caucus-promote-us-uniquely-anglo-saxon/

Of course, once the story got out, there was a fair amount of backpedaling among this confederation’s supposed principals...

Why not just say Aryan and be done with it?

[Deleted]

Uh oh! Marge is cancelling Columbus and Vespucci. Does she plan to rename America?

[LFC]

Apr 18, 2021 12:12:01 GMT @probabilistic3 said:

Does she plan to rename America?

I though we already did by dropping the leading "A" and changing the "e" to a "u".

[jackd]

Apr 18, 2021 1:03:01 GMT goldenvalley said:

Apr 18, 2021 0:48:39 GMT Bact PhD said:

And to drive this point home even further, we are about to get...

The “America First” caucus!!!

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/16/trump-loyalists-start-america-first-caucus-promote-us-uniquely-anglo-saxon/

Of course, once the story got out, there was a fair amount of backpedaling among this confederation’s supposed principals...

Why not just say Aryan and be done with it?

I think Tucker Carlson has done that.  He might have used "European".

[Rue Bella]

We used to have a very religious poster here who would blend right in with these people. I remember him once asking didn't we want to save traditional western civilization? He was also a misogynist.

[LFC]

The new White Supremacy Caucus of the Republican Party goose steps on to the national stage with MTG prancing around in her little storm-trumper boots. She's found a way to get the attention she so desperately crave and she's ridin' the racist train all the way to the end.

A new caucus tied to Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has shared a platform with blatantly nativist language, arguing in favor of “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions” and new infrastructure that “befits the progeny of European architecture.”

In the document obtained by Punchbowl News, the “America First Caucus” vows to follow in former President Trump’s footsteps—“and potentially step on some toes and sacrifice sacred cows for the good of the American nation.” The group’s platform rails against immigration and America’s education system, claiming it “has worked to actively undermine pride in America’s great history and is actively hostile to the civic and cultural assimilation necessary for a strong nation.”

“History has shown that societal trust and political unity are threatened when foreign citizens are imported en-masse into a country, particularly without institutional support for assimilation and an expansive welfare state to bail them out should they fail to contribute positively to the country,” the document says. According to Punchbowl, Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Barry Moore (R-AK) have accepted invitations to join the group.

[andydp]

I thought they got so much backlash from everyone they dropped the idea.

Apr 19, 2021 14:26:40 GMT LFC said:

The new White Supremacy Caucus of the Republican Party goose steps on to the national stage with MTG prancing around in her little storm-trumper boots. She's found a way to get the attention she so desperately crave and she's ridin' the racist train all the way to the end.

A new caucus tied to Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has shared a platform with blatantly nativist language, arguing in favor of “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions” and new infrastructure that “befits the progeny of European architecture.”

In the document obtained by Punchbowl News, the “America First Caucus” vows to follow in former President Trump’s footsteps—“and potentially step on some toes and sacrifice sacred cows for the good of the American nation.” The group’s platform rails against immigration and America’s education system, claiming it “has worked to actively undermine pride in America’s great history and is actively hostile to the civic and cultural assimilation necessary for a strong nation.”

“History has shown that societal trust and political unity are threatened when foreign citizens are imported en-masse into a country, particularly without institutional support for assimilation and an expansive welfare state to bail them out should they fail to contribute positively to the country,” the document says. According to Punchbowl, Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Barry Moore (R-AK) have accepted invitations to join the group.

[LFC]

Here's the America White People First Caucus's view on infrastructure. Fascist much?

The America First Caucus will work towards an infrastructure that reflects the architectural, engineering and aesthetic value that befits the progeny of European architecture, whereby public infrastructure must be utilitarian as well as stunningly, classically beautiful, befitting a world power and source of freedom. As the Romans demonstrated with aqueducts, walls and roads, function and beauty are not at odds. Federally funded infrastructure, including roads, buildings, airports, seaports, bridges, should demonstrate a pride of workmanship. A bridge is not merely something to cross from side A to side B, it is a connection among peoples.

[andydp]

In his memoirs, Alber Speer mentions Hitler liked that sort of design.  In fact later on, he ordered buildings be designed to leave "impressive" ruins (like after the 8th Air Force paid a visit).  If you want to see some examples of these designs go to the Roman 'neighborhood" known as EUR and look at some of Mussolini's architectural legacy.  (If you're into Art Deco these are prime examples of that also)

Apr 19, 2021 14:39:59 GMT LFC said:

Here's the America White People First Caucus's view on infrastructure. Fascist much?

The America First Caucus will work towards an infrastructure that reflects the architectural, engineering and aesthetic value that befits the progeny of European architecture, whereby public infrastructure must be utilitarian as well as stunningly, classically beautiful, befitting a world power and source of freedom. As the Romans demonstrated with aqueducts, walls and roads, function and beauty are not at odds. Federally funded infrastructure, including roads, buildings, airports, seaports, bridges, should demonstrate a pride of workmanship. A bridge is not merely something to cross from side A to side B, it is a connection among peoples.

[jackd]

Tucker Carlson seems to be more transparently racist these days.  Maybe it's a good thing that this is all getting clear.  It can be confronted for what it is with no ambiguous dog whistles for the enthusiasts to hide behind.

[goldenvalley]

Apr 19, 2021 14:39:59 GMT LFC said:

Here's the America White People First Caucus's view on infrastructure. Fascist much?

The America First Caucus will work towards an infrastructure that reflects the architectural, engineering and aesthetic value that befits the progeny of European architecture, whereby public infrastructure must be utilitarian as well as stunningly, classically beautiful, befitting a world power and source of freedom. As the Romans demonstrated with aqueducts, walls and roads, function and beauty are not at odds. Federally funded infrastructure, including roads, buildings, airports, seaports, bridges, should demonstrate a pride of workmanship. A bridge is not merely something to cross from side A to side B, it is a connection among peoples.

Hmmm I guess the fact that southern Europeans pioneered that style of architecture is unknown to them, as is the turn of the 20th Century anti immigration folks were against those swarthy types entering the country.

[Rue Bella]

Apr 19, 2021 14:37:52 GMT andydp said:

I thought they got so much backlash from everyone they dropped the idea

Apr 19, 2021 14:26:40 GMT LFC said:

I believe I read the same thing. 

[LFC]

Apr 19, 2021 14:37:52 GMT andydp said:

I thought they got so much backlash from everyone they dropped the idea.

Do you mean backlash over comments like “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” I think Steve King was just a man before his time. If only he uttered those words today. His support network would be much stronger.

[LFC]

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) is pal-ing around with white supremacists.

In the final months of the 2020 campaign, Rep. Paul Gosar recruited a consultant tied to a far-right website and a slew of extremist candidates—a figure so far on the fringe that neo-Confederate Senate candidate Corey Stewart fired him in 2018 over his racism and conspiracy-mongering online.

Federal Elections Commission filings show the Arizona Republican, who himself recently appeared at a white nationalist conference and allegedly helped plan the rally ahead of the Capitol riot, paid $30,623 to the North Carolina-based Southern Pine Strategies between July and December 2020. Tar Heel incorporation records show the firm to have been administratively dissolved, but also reveal its owner to be Noel Fritsch.

As The Daily Beast reported in 2019, Fritsch and partner Reilly O’Neal came off the failed Senate campaign of accused Alabama child molester Roy Moore and took over Big League Politics, an alt-right website that has pushed conspiracy theories and ex-President Donald Trump.

But Fritsch first came to national prominence in 2016 as a spokesman for Wisconsin white nationalist Paul Nehlen’s primary bid against then-Rep. Paul Ryan. FEC reports show that Fritsch got his first check from Nehlen’s campaign just a few months after the Tea Party-aligned businessman suggested deporting all Muslims from the United States. And he stuck with the candidate through December 2017, even as Nehlen promoted the deadly Charlottesville rally and the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, tweeted “it’s okay to be white” and other far-right memes, appeared on the white power podcast “Fash the Nation,” and unleashed a string of anti-Semitic comments social media posts that provoked even his former supporters at Breitbart into disowning him.

The FEC records show Fritsch received his last payment from Nehlen one day after the candidate declared himself “pro-white” and complained about “Jewish supremacy” to the Washington Post.

[LFC]

Two bits of awesomeness here:

a) The classic "I'm not a racist..." defense.

b) A clear Republican whining about being fired when his party fully supports at will employment.

A nurse in Oklahoma is suing his former employer after he was fired over a Facebook post that called for the lynching of a Black man.

The Oklahoman reported that 41-year-old Kevin Murnan has filed a lawsuit against Norman Regional Hospital, where he worked for 19 years.

The hospital fired Murnan on Aug. 27 after he allegedly wrote a Facebook post about the shooting of a 5-year-old boy.

"Get a big tall tree and a short piece of rope!" the post said.

Murnan's attorney, Jack Tracy, told the paper that his client is not a racist.

"Kevin says, 'I am not racist. I'm not racist. You know, some of my best friends are Black,'" Tracy explained to The Oklahoman on Friday. "I think they did him wrong... They've got some very fine doctors there. And I think very highly of them. But this is a matter of principle."

"You just don't go around and fire people for things on Facebook. He didn't call him an 'n,'" he added.

Murnan's lawsuit is seeking $1.2 million and asks the court to block the hospital from firing people who espouse ideas that are "inconsistent with their liberal agenda."

What's the matter, Mr. Murnan? You don't like the "liberal agenda" except when it works to keep your job? How ... selective.

[LFC]

Here's a pretty good summary of the Republican push towards white supremacy. Some of it is a little overstated but the core of it is pretty solid. Here's the part about the fight against constitutionally protect anti-racism riots and the increasing Republican support of Derek Chauvin's videotaped murder of George Floyd. It's sickening.

In Oklahoma and Florida, Republicans have passed new laws making it legal for motorists to run over protesters, so long as they claim that they felt afraid of a "riot." The laws are clearly meant to give cover to people who attack anti-racist protesters, a trend that started with Fields murdering Heyer but has spread rapidly on the right. Over the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, there were a whopping 104 incidents — including 8 by police — of motorists hitting protesters with cars. The 2017 video of Fields slamming his car into a crowd was a genuine shock, but similar images became sadly common in 2020. Now Republicans want to make it legal.

Such laws are part of a larger push to use violence and threats to silence anti-racism.

The pro-vehicular homicide law in Florida, for instance, is part of a larger package signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that redefines "rioting" in order to make it easier for police to shut down anti-racism protests. DeSantis has explicitly tied the bill to the conviction of former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd, insisting that the conviction was because "the jury is scared of what a mob may do" and not because of the evidence — including a video of the murder, which happened in broad daylight — of Chauvin's guilt.

Indeed, this overwhelming evidence against Chauvin is also overwhelming evidence that his supporters in the media and politics simply believe that police should have an unchecked "right" to kill people of color at will. In fact, Chauvin's guilt was so obvious that many in the right-wing media initially seemed to feel the smart move was to throw him under the bus. But Tucker Carlson of Fox News went all-in on treating the verdict like a travesty and now even supposedly more "intellectual" outlets like National Review are hyping the idea that the "real" bad guys are the ones who wanted Chauvin to pay for his crimes.

The "anti-anti-Chauvin" messaging appears to be working.

Right after Chauvin's verdict, a Morning Consult/Politico poll showed that 61% of Republicans said the jury decided correctly while only 29% defended Chauvin. A few days later, after much of the right-wing media portrayed Chauvin as a martyr, a CBS News/YouGov poll showed a shift with 46% of Republicans opposing the verdict and 54% supporting it. That's still the majority, thankfully. But considering how the murder was both dramatic and indisputable, these numbers suggest that Carlson and other figures are successfully winning over Republicans with the notion that people who commit racist violence shouldn't be held accountable. Which, of course, is also the message of the laws legalizing hitting protesters with cars.

[Deleted]

Apr 26, 2021 21:37:06 GMT LFC said:

Two bits of awesomeness here:

"Kevin says, 'I am not racist. I'm not racist. You know, some of my best friends are Black"

Wot???!!!!?? Seriously ? That's such a cartoonish statement I almost can't believe it's real ...... almost! Do these people ever hear what evil nincompoopery shit comes out of their mouths?

[Deleted]

Apr 27, 2021 9:33:24 GMT @islander said:

Wot???!!!!?? Seriously View Attachment ? That's such a cartoonish statement I almost can't believe it's real ...... almost! Do these people ever hear what evil nincompoopery shit comes out of their mouths?

Lindsey Graham's recent statement that systemic racism doesn't exist because Barack Obama was twice elected to the Presidency. As if systemic anything means there are no exceptions! Even laws of physics have singularities where those laws fail.

At best, Graham's statement implies that Democrats were able to overcome their prejudices, not the entire country. Also, by his own logic, if people voting for President Obama shows they were not racist, then people voting against Obama must be so.

Graham conveniently forgets the birther conspiracy, the monkey jibes etc.