Is America on the verge of race riots?

[Tracy Lord]

Articles here (Washington Post) and here (Huffington Post).

Whether or not the GOP is deliberately inciting it, more overtly racist language and acts at McCain campaign rallies are popping up in the news. Is it likely to continue? The footage of angry crowds booing and shouting "Kill him!" and "Terrorist!" are scary, but how likely is it that that anger and mob mentality will turn into action?

This is not at all a thread about the ethics of the McCain campaign's tactics, but a discussion of how close America is to genuine violent civil unrest.

[mbh]

If there were accusations of fraud in the vote counting, perhaps one or two incidents. But in my opinion, it is unlikely.

[leander]

Originally Posted by mbh

If there were accusations of fraud in the vote counting, perhaps one or two incidents. But in my opinion, it is unlikely.

Agreed.

The only other thing that would cause serious widespread riots is if Obama is assassinated (God forbid).

If he loses lots of people will be pissed, and there will be cries of racism, but I doubt there will be riots.

[Tracy Lord]

I was thinking more from the other side – whites whipped up by rhetoric about "terrorists" rather than disenfranchised minorities.

[leander]

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

I was thinking more from the other side – whites whipped up by rhetoric about "terrorists" rather than disenfranchised minorities.

Fair question. I still think there will not be serious riots -- but you may see a rise in the "white power" movement. And otherwise "normal" citizens may start to allow their ugly racist side to creep up.

That being said, you will probably see some overt ugliness in the first six months if Obama is elected -- but probably not riots.

[Phlosphr]

AM I the only one who doubts such riots will happen? There is a reason there are not more WHITE POWER demonstrations in modern contemporary America, and it has nothing to do with who is in the white house. I don't see that changing when Obama gets elected.

[FriarTed]

One voice (perhaps the same voice?) yells incendiary things in several Palin appearances.
That's hardly "crowds shouting" such things.

The voice was amazingly clear & audible to the media's mikes. Hmmmm...

[ShibbOleth]

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

I was thinking more from the other side – whites whipped up by rhetoric about "terrorists" rather than disenfranchised minorities.

I thought those were generally referred to as "lynch mobs".

[Phlosphr]

Originally Posted by FriarTed

One voice (perhaps the same voice?) yells incendiary things in several Palin appearances.
That's hardly "crowds shouting" such things.

The voice was amazingly clear & audible to the media's mikes. Hmmmm...

This is already backfiring on republicans who are above the fray. Those who are voting party, and stickig with McCain, but are not fundy racists...It will keep a lot fo McCain voters home on Election day. I think more McCain voters will stay home and let whatever happens happen, than Obama supporters staying home.

[leander]

Originally Posted by Phlosphr

AM I the only one who doubts such riots will happen? There is a reason there are not more WHITE POWER demonstrations in modern contemporary America, and it has nothing to do with who is in the white house. I don't see that changing when Obama gets elected.

With all respect to the OP, maybe a better topic would be -- "Will an Obama presidency give rise to racism/racist factions in the US?"

My answer to that would be yes, but not to an extreme. Small, localised factions would arise that would inevitably be so blatantly racist that most Americans would ignore/dismiss. Though this would all also depend on how Obama performs as president (or, how he is perceived to perform). If things go really, really bad then a lot of Americans might let their ugly side prevail.

In any event, race relations will probably take one step back for the two steps forward -- there will be a backlash, but the very fact that we have elected a black president within 50 yrs of the civil rights movement is pretty damn amazing.

[Phlosphr]

Originally Posted by leander

With all respect to the OP, maybe a better topic would be -- "Will an Obama presidency give rise to racism/racist factions in the US?"

My answer to that would be yes, but not to an extreme. Small, localised factions would arise that would inevitably be so blatantly racist that most Americans would ignore/dismiss. Though this would all also depend on how Obama performs as president (or, how he is perceived to perform). If things go really, really bad then a lot of Americans might let their ugly side prevail.

In any event, race relations will probably take one step back for the two steps forward -- there will be a backlash, but the very fact that we have elected a black president within 50 yrs of the civil rights movement is pretty damn amazing.

I couldn't have said it any better than this. We are in 2008, 50 years ago this would have been laughed at, Heck in the 80's this would have been laughed at. But the relics from thos troubled times that one would think are championing this election [Sharpton, Jackson] are not. They remember the black panthers, etc...etc...Obama is not even in their generation, and frankly is so unlike either of them that its laughable.
I'm not saying Racism is passe, but it is the cultural equivalent of being on the threatened species list.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Phlosphr

AM I the only one who doubts such riots will happen?

No, you're not.

[Kalhoun]

My BIL sent me a youtube video depicting some young black guys doing a military-style "routine" and then speaking about how Obama has inspired them to try to be lawyers and other high-aim professions. He's convinced this is just like the Hitler Youth Movement and that all black people vote their "tribe."

I think he's an idiot.

I've been wondering if the people shouting "kill him" and "terrorist!" weren't planted in the crowd by that sleaze bag campaign. It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[Phlosphr]

Originally Posted by Kalhoun

My BIL sent me a youtube video depicting some young black guys doing a military-style "routine" and then speaking about how Obama has inspired them to try to be lawyers and other high-aim professions. He's convinced this is just like the Hitler Youth Movement and that all black people vote their "tribe."

I think he's an idiot.

I've been wondering if the people shouting "kill him" and "terrorist!" weren't planted in the crowd by that sleaze bag campaign. It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

But why plant them in the crowd? It makes the party look like bass ackward racists...seems that would backfire terribly in an election. I could be wrong. Then again, I'm a yankee so ....

[C3]

I don't think we're going to see riots, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see and increase in incidents along the lines of the Tennessee Unitarian Universalist church shooting, burnings of mosques and Black churches, and similar violence.

[Bayard]

I've never heard of Radar magazine, but in a brief article, they say that the Secret Service is looking into the "Kill him" incident.

[Bayard]

Originally Posted by Bayard

I've never heard of Radar magazine, but in a brief article, they say that the Secret Service is looking into the "Kill him" incident.

Too late to edit:

Politico has an update on this story.

[Phlosphr]

Either way, it does not look good aesthetically for the republican campaign.

[BrainGlutton]

Just to be on the safe side, I intend to riot no matter who wins.

[Phlosphr]

Originally Posted by BrainGlutton

Just to be on the safe side, I intend to riot no matter who wins.

Ok, I'll go with you. Can we loot too?

[Happy Lendervedder]

I don't think there'll be riots but (I also posted this in a Pit thread) there are some relatively normal-looking people completely unafraid to spout some terrifying opinions about Barack Obama on camera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxzmaXAg9E

[tomndebb]

Originally Posted by Tracy Lord

I was thinking more from the other side – whites whipped up by rhetoric about "terrorists" rather than disenfranchised minorities.

Generally, (not always), actual riots occur among those who feel that they lack power. (Lynchings were not typically riots, being carried out without the throwing of stones or incendiaries and without mobs fighting each other. Southern lyncings often occurred with the compliance of the local police. There were lynchings in the North that did occur during riots, but the people rioting tended to be those competing for lower paying jobs against blacks and immigrants.)

I suppose that we could imagine a scenario in which the current economic situation reduced large swaths of white neighborhoods to poverty, leading to violence that could be directed against Obama or against blacks as being "like" Obama, but I am not expecting that to occur.

[tomndebb]

Originally Posted by Kalhoun

My BIL sent me a youtube video depicting some young black guys doing a military-style "routine" and then speaking about how Obama has inspired them to try to be lawyers and other high-aim professions. He's convinced this is just like the Hitler Youth Movement and that all black people vote their "tribe."

Yeah, that had been discussed in this thread, where more actual information about the video and its background has been presented.

[Cervaise]

Originally Posted by leander

My answer to that would be yes, but not to an extreme. Small, localised factions would arise that would inevitably be so blatantly racist that most Americans would ignore/dismiss.

I'm inclined to agree with this, but I depart from the superficial conventional wisdom in believing that this would, ultimately, be a good thing. We're really finding out who people are now. The pressure is starting to push people out of their ideological closets, and to show their true colors. If that means the Right is forced to confront the ugliness on their margins, and to carve them away in order to survive as a viable political force, that can only be healthy for the Right and the Left.

(And for the record, this goes for the Left as well. There was a lot of stupidity among the Left over the last twenty years; for similar utilitarian/survival reasons, a fair amount of it was pared away or at least back-burnered, which accounts for the current resurgence. It's a natural pendulum, and the means by which the country as a whole moves forward and abandons obsolete thinking.)

So: Race riots? No. Temporary foregrounding of ugly racial paranoia, followed by ruthless culling of those who still cling to those outmoded beliefs? Yes.

[jsgoddess]

It wouldn't surprise me if things got out of hand at one of Palin's rallies, simply from a small group getting too verbal for the comfort of the larger group and then acting out violently if the larger group tries to shush them.

That isn't what I think of when I think "riot," though.

Palin is going down a very dangerous road for her political future. If something happens while she's speaking, I think she'll be in disgrace.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Originally Posted by Phlosphr

Ok, I'll go with you. Can we loot too?

YAY!

Free digital!

[eleanorigby]

Originally Posted by Phlosphr

Ok, I'll go with you. Can we loot too?

How about pillaging? I've always wanted to pillage something. If you promise me pillaging, I'm game.