Terrorism in Charleston, SC
- Thread starter HighlandHomie
- Start date
You have failed to provide any nuanced positions either. Stop painting with a broad brush. You're better than that.
I gave you some general points but I'd hope you'd know that I have more detailed thoughts than that.
Placing every mass shooting at the feet of the mentally ill is unfair and lazy. This kid for instance was a racist loner looking to kill black people and start a race war.
While mental illness may be partly to blame, our countries inability to come to terms with its deep rooted racism, violent gun culture, and total apathy and inaction towards these problems is America's problem.
I agree with Dal, those clamoring for gun rights, and those claiming religious persecution for that matter, blaming the mental health of Americans as the sole reason for these things, are only trying to deflect the truth. This country has a problem with white, racist, gun toting mass murderers.
While mental illness may be partly to blame, our countries inability to come to terms with its deep rooted racism, violent gun culture, and total apathy and inaction towards these problems is America's problem.
I agree with Dal, those clamoring for gun rights, and those claiming religious persecution for that matter, blaming the mental health of Americans as the sole reason for these things, are only trying to deflect the truth. This country has a problem with white, racist, gun toting mass murderers.
It's not just "white, racist". Far more deaths are committed each year by you average citizens. Not your racist whites and racist blacks.
Claiming this is a white racist problem is as lazy as blaming it all on mental health.
Stop taking it so personally. I never said it was "just white racists". I said we have a problem with white, racist, gun toting mass murderers.
Obviously "domestic violence" has cost 1000x more lives than all terror attacks put together...
framer
Well-Known Member
If you wanted to be intellectually honest you could say we have a bigger problem with gun toting gangster ** black guys killing other black guys. Racist mass murders are pretty damn rare. How many have we had in the past ten years?
#onlysomeblacklivesmatter
The interesting thing in this particular case is that this young man came from a diverse community and had a diverse group of friends, his father apparently was a friendly person with lots of good friends who were black and his upbringing seems to be one where tolerance and acceptance was practiced - so who knows what happened.
I don't consider this to be an act of terrorism, at least not at this point. As others have pointed out, terrorism seems to imply an organized group and this young man seems to have acted alone.
I don't consider this to be an act of terrorism, at least not at this point. As others have pointed out, terrorism seems to imply an organized group and this young man seems to have acted alone.
I didn't say we don't have that problem. Yes, we have a gang violence problem too. What's your point? We're talking about Charleston. Why are you trying to derail the conversation and deflect?
He responded to what you said directly. You're the one ignoring what he' saying. Give us a few examples of these white racist mass murderers.
framer
Well-Known Member
Does Charleston really have a virulent racism problem? The way the town has handled things seems to suggest otherwise. How many resources would you suggest pouring into this problem? What exactly does your "solution" look like? How do you "solve" something that happens so infrequently. In all actuality, mass murders are DOWN over previous decades. Many of these solutions seem to involve a laundry list of crap that has nothing whatsoever to do with happened here. Frankly I'm tired of all the damn political misery merchants.
I lost a good friend in the Tucson shootings. All the national pundits did very little for him or his memory.
framer
Well-Known Member
He has to go ask his friends at the Daily Kos. He'll be back in a minute after they tell him what to say. . .
He sure did. In an ironically intellectually dishonest manner too. The issue of black on black crime is completely different, nuanced, and complex issue. Why derail the issue at hand? Yes, i was being hyperbolic, as usual. But only in attempt to spark conversation on this very conservative message board.
Question for you? Why are you being so defensive and sticking up for someone trying to derail the conversation? Do you think the US has very serious race issues? Particularly white racists harming and killing black people? *80% of hate crimes in the US btw.
edit: After reading the rest of framer's posts, he's all yours buddy. Enjoy. Team Siro ftw.
Ha, I have friends from Charleston, been there many times. Yes, they do have a race issue. The town is very segregated. They fly the confederate flag above the state house for christ sake. Oh i forgot, the South has dealt with it's racists issues and it now good to go. My bad.
Solution? lol.
I'm sorry about your friend. Thats very sad. But this thread is about Charleston and a very real race issue we have in this country. I'm curious, why are you being so defensive? Please be "intellectually honest" with the board and tell us your feelings.
Why are you being such a giant *******? Are you threatened in some way? You sure are being very defensive without adding a bit substance to the conversation.
I'm trying to stir the conversation toward a more objective, and thus constructive, path. I don't care for this liberal v. conservative slogan shouting match, and I don't find either position well-thought out.
Yes, the US has a racism problem. And yes, black people are often the victims of said problem. But just as the problem with black crime is nuanced and complex, so is the problem with white racism. Both are related to poverty, ignorance, isolation, history, and culture. What matter is the recognition that the vast majority of people, white or otherwise, would much rather prevent harm that perpetuate it. Framing this crime as if it's what one has come to expect from evil white America is utterly unhelpful.
Great post. Although I disagree with your method of "stirring the conversation". Honestly, I'm grieving pretty hard with this whole thing, as I'm sure many are, and I'm emotional. Although I think discussing racially motivated white on black crime when things like this happen is important and helpful. We don;t talk about it enough imo.
framer
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, I was rude and didn't realize that you have connections to those harmed. The whole media circus thing came to town here in Tucson and left me with a bad taste in my mouth about the whole thing. We had a televised townhall with Christine Amanpour where the people who went through the ordeal told their story. That was great. Then they brought out the national gun control advocates to take over the rest of the meeting which pissed off most of us there. After that I have always been suspicious about which crimes get the "treatment" and which are lost into the ether. Absolutely we need to find out why this boy, who looks like he came from a good family with plenty of integration, took the road he did. I just bristle at those who would lump him into "southern culture" at large. That crap isn't helpful.
to correct one minor misrepresentation - the Confederate flag is flown above the state house in the state capital of COLUMBIA not in Charleston
also, according to census statistics, the Charleston, SC area is one of the least segregated communities in the US (of communities over 500,000)
https://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2011/us-residential-segregation.aspx
it's an interesting and fairly short article
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