Do white supremacist web sites serve an important purpose?

[Luna Tick]

I've checked some of them out just out of morbid curiosity. I know most people's first reaction is to wish that garbage didn't even exist, but perhaps they do at least serve one purpose. We might be inclined to think that because of civil rights successes, we've moved past racism. However, those web sites at least confirm that racism is alive and well. They at least remind us that racism still must be dealt with.

What do you think?

 

[Jetboogieman]

I think they're despicable and don't serve a whole lot of purpose besides racists have internet circle jerks together but for better or for worse they are a testament to the freedom we are so lucky to have.

 

[Disputatious71]

I've checked some of them out just out of morbid curiosity. I know most people's first reaction is to wish that garbage didn't even exist, but perhaps they do at least serve one purpose. We might be inclined to think that because of civil rights successes, we've moved past racism. However, those web sites at least confirm that racism is alive and well. They at least remind us that racism still must be dealt with.

What do you think?

Your specious argument is to use a minority of websites on the internet to conclude that America is racist? Using this logic what do you deduce from "People of Walmart.com" about Americans ?

 

[Luna Tick]

Your specious argument is to use a minority of websites on the internet to conclude that America is racist? Using this logic what do you deduce from "People of Walmart.com" about Americans ?

I only concluded that racism still exists. I didn't say the majority of the country agreed with those sites.

 

[earthworm]

I think they're despicable and don't serve a whole lot of purpose besides racists have internet circle jerks together but for better or for worse they are a testament to the freedom we are so lucky to have.

And if we do not watch it, we may lose these freedoms. As it is, freedom must be restricted....and its the "haters" and racists and fearful ones who cause this...

 

[molten_dragon]

No, I don't think they serve any useful purpose.

 

[earthworm]

Your specious argument is to use a minority of websites on the INTERNET to conclude that America is racist? Using this logic what do you deduce from "People of Walmart.com" about Americans ?

Yes, true, its a very small minority; the problem is their supporters and those who do not care..
Islam has a similar problem.
All extremists must be exposed.

 

[Hatuey]

Your specious argument is to use a minority of websites on the internet to conclude that America is racist?

I was going to write an elaborate post to respond to the OP and decided to post this instead...

It accurately summarizes my views on your post.

 

[earthworm]

No, I don't think they serve any useful purpose.

They could.
There may be border line bigots who may see the error of their ways...

 

[Jetboogieman]

There may be border line bigots who may see the error of their ways...

Quite the opposite I find.

What the internet does with those who have a minority viewpoint is allow them to connect with many others who have the same view point.

People love to belong.

So it can, and I use that word can very heavily reinforce those views and sometimes make them more hardline.

 

[StillBallin75]

Voted for teh third option.

 

[StillBallin75]

I've checked some of them out just out of morbid curiosity. I know most people's first reaction is to wish that garbage didn't even exist, but perhaps they do at least serve one purpose. We might be inclined to think that because of civil rights successes, we've moved past racism. However, those web sites at least confirm that racism is alive and well. They at least remind us that racism still must be dealt with.

What do you think?

Actually, when it comes to racism, Stormfronters and Klanners are the least of our problems in my opinion. Far more pervasive is "subtle/covert racism" or the so-called "new racism." At least the hardcore racists are blatant and honest about their views.

 

[jamesrage]

I've checked some of them out just out of morbid curiosity. I know most people's first reaction is to wish that garbage didn't even exist, but perhaps they do at least serve one purpose. We might be inclined to think that because of civil rights successes, we've moved past racism. However, those web sites at least confirm that racism is alive and well. They at least remind us that racism still must be dealt with.

What do you think?

I do not think they are important but at the same time they have a right to free speech. I could care less if someone wants to have a racist website regardless if they are white supremacist, black supremacist or whatever.

 

[coolwalker]

The purpose is for them, not us. Who cares? it's like grocery shopping...you don't have to buy pig brains if you don't want to. So if you don't like their site(s), don't go there.

 

[Kal'Stang]

Only for free speech reasons they are important to allow.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

I don't want my enemies to be snuffed out in their cradles. I want them to grow big and strong before I crush them, so that I can grow, too.

 

[Jeremy Michael]

What do you think?

As a White Nationalist I want the political mainstream to start finally paying attention to issues I care about... and the Black woman Carol Swain agrees with me:

Hot-button issues including affirmative action, black-on-white crime and immigration policies are being exploited by the new white nationalists to woo mainstream whites into extremist movements. They exploit real racial and ethnic policy concerns which should be given a forum for intelligent discourse, says Swain. In fact, Swain goes so far as to say that if liberals and African American leaders don't start to address the legitimate concerns raised by the white nationalists on race matters, they risk being partly to blame for racial unrest in America.

In Defense of Carol Swain - WSJ.com

 

[Wake]

They are as useful as black supremacist groups, or any other racial supremacy group for that matter. Useful? No, except, as pointed out earlier, this is a testament of our precious freedom. However it is, one must not forget that it is not only white supremacists who are racists. They are typically used as the example of racism.

 

[Luna Tick]

Wow, as of yet, 9 people (or 37.5%) have voted that they're glad the white supremacist sites are there because they agree with them. That's pretty scary.

Other people have posted intelligent commentary on this issue. Thank you.

 

[Thunder]

They allow white supremacists to organize. This is bad.

 

[Luna Tick]

They allow white supremacists to organize. This is bad.

That's a good point. They also allow such groups to appear to be bigger and more important and more supported than they really are.

What I was thinking about when I made the original post was the "political inoculation theory." The idea is similar to biological inoculation where you deliberately expose someone to a small amount of the disease in order to make the person immune. By the same token, the idea is that it's important to expose people to hateful and messed up ideas so that they know they're there and know of the danger and get the nut case ideas rebutted. When the country goes through some kind of turmoil that makes people afraid, that's fertile ground for extremism to take root. However, if the public is already inoculated to the hate, it doesn't take root like it would have otherwise. That's the theory anyway. I was wondering if the hate web sites serve to inoculate the public in that way. If that were so, then ironically, they would work against the groups that publish them.

 

[Enola]

Wow, as of yet, 9 people (or 37.5%) have voted that they're glad the white supremacist sites are there because they agree with them. That's pretty scary.

Other people have posted intelligent commentary on this issue. Thank you.

That's why I agreed with this statement by Stillballin75:

Actually, when it comes to racism, Stormfronters and Klanners are the least of our problems in my opinion. Far more pervasive is "subtle/covert racism" or the so-called "new racism." At least the hardcore racists are blatant and honest about their views.

The 9 that voted that they agree with those groups are hidden because the poll was set to be anon in those votes. Things that scurry under rocks are much more scarey than scurrying things you can actually see.

 

[apdst]

I only concluded that racism still exists. I didn't say the majority of the country agreed with those sites.

I, again,find it amazing that someone identifies, "racism", with, "white supremacy", as if there are no other catagories of racism.

 

[SmokeAndMirrors]

I don't really agree. Aspects of racism that exist in our culture that actually matter are nowhere near the level of the white supremacists BS. Trying to say that white supremacists represent anything about society is like saying the same about flat-earthers. There's always going to be crazy people and extremists. They represent nothing about society in general. It's just the human condition.

It's smaller, more day-to-day aspects of racism that we should be paying attention to. Letting our attention be diverted by the crazy people is a waste of time.

I voted "they're important for free speech."

 

[Tashah]

If nothing else, they serve as a vivid reminder that racism/hate endure.