# Who are good white-male historical figures? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 1, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234 "2017-09-01T10:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/121 "2017-09-02T04:07:48Z")
> [@Trafalgar\_Laura](#): > > Don’t be silly! You know he can’t be a white supremacist. Why, look at that amazing rainbow of diverse friends listed by this isolated, angry man whose only escape is the internet! > > It’s just that, it’s so tough out there for the white man, you know? Sometimes people on the internet say mean things and everything! Maybe he should talk to that black friend about it and see if he can get an official Black Friend Card that he can just flash to prove himself when these things come up. A white supremacist believes other races or ethnic groups are inferior to whites, correct? A white supremacist would like to establish a separate society from non-whites, is that also correct? I do not believe in either of those things. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/122 "2017-09-02T04:10:38Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Attention No, I’m responding to a very serious charge by someone. If someone labelled you something you were not, you would respond too. I am being labelled a Nazi. A Nazi supports lynching. A Nazi supports domestic terrorism. A Nazi supports innocent people being gassed because they happen to be a different religion. I support none of those things. The greatest idol in my own personal life is my deceased grandfather, whom I spoke of even before these contentious issues were brought up, who was seriously wounded in combat fighting Nazis in Luxembourg in 1945, and died at a relatively young age due to side effects of his original injury. There is a reason I have kept all of his personal effects, including a book you probably don’t even know of entitled “Why America Fights” by Sherwood Eddy, and it is because I idealize the man and everything his service stood for. I am not a Nazi nor a Neo-Nazi nor have any sympathy, love, or respect for either. They are equally trash to me. ---
**Author:** ![splatterpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@splatterpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/splatterpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/123 "2017-09-02T04:22:08Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Except I’m not a white supremacist. If I was, I would be blatant about it. No, you wouldn’t, because you’re a fucking coward. You know, I was on my way to work this morning and stopped at a 7-11 for gas. Usually, when I go there in the morning they have some decent burritos and other stuff that is good to eat on the drive to work. Well, this morning, I noticed that their burrito offerings weren’t all that appetizing, so I went to look for something else. They had these little taquito-type things on the grill with the hot dogs, so I thought I’d give one of those its day in court. So I grab the tongs they provide for pulling these from the grill, and I notice something utterly disgusting: the tongs were encrusted with some puke green yellowish brown shit all over them. It reminded me of the time I spent on a ranch when I was a kid. That shit on those tongs looked almost exactly like smegma on a horse’s penis. Needless to say, I completely lost my appetite and drove to work without my breakfast. As I sit here and read your posts in this thread, in the context of knowing about your posting history on this board, it occurred to me that you are that smegma that I remember from my youth on that ranch. So thanks for the memories, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/124 "2017-09-02T04:26:19Z")
> [@splatterpunk](#): > > No, you wouldn’t, because you’re a fucking coward. > > You know, I was on my way to work this morning and stopped at a 7-11 for gas. Usually, when I go there in the morning they have some decent burritos and other stuff that is good to eat on the drive to work. Well, this morning, I noticed that their burrito offerings weren’t all that appetizing, so I went to look for something else. > > They had these little taquito-type things on the grill with the hot dogs, so I thought I’d give one of those its day in court. So I grab the tongs they provide for pulling these from the grill, and I notice something utterly disgusting: the tongs were encrusted with some puke green yellowish brown shit all over them. It reminded me of the time I spent on a ranch when I was a kid. That shit on those tongs looked almost exactly like smegma on a horse’s penis. Needless to say, I completely lost my appetite and drove to work without my breakfast. > > As I sit here and read your posts in this thread, in the context of knowing about your posting history on this board, it occurred to me that you are that smegma that I remember from my youth on that ranch. > > So thanks for the memories, I guess. There is nothing I can say that will change your mind? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/125 "2017-09-02T04:27:20Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Attention Do you _seriously_ think he wasn’t already getting attention? He’s got like half a dozen people trying to gnaw holes in him - and this was happening _before_ he said anything about himself. I mean fucking hell, I know the internet is full of liars and frauds (also, I’m a sentient helicopter. Just saying) but the dude has _calmed down_. He’s not raging, he’s not inciting, he’s not baiting. As trolling goes this would be pretty weak. For the record, Mr. **Reddy Mercury** , I believe you’re being genuine here. Though you admittedly do seem to have undergone a personality transplant since we arrived in the pit. (Which defeats the point of the pit, frankly.) ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/126 "2017-09-02T04:32:47Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Do you _seriously_ think he wasn’t already getting attention? He’s got like half a dozen people trying to gnaw holes in him - and this was happening _before_ he said anything about himself. > > I mean fucking hell, I know the internet is full of liars and frauds (also, I’m a sentient helicopter. Just saying) but the dude has _calmed down_. He’s not raging, he’s not inciting, he’s not baiting. As trolling goes this would be pretty weak. > > For the record, Mr. **Reddy Mercury** , I believe you’re being genuine here. Though you admittedly do seem to have undergone a personality transplant since we arrived in the pit. (Which defeats the point of the pit, frankly.) I wasn’t saying HE was looking for attention, per se. Just that that could a reaon to lie. Though I was thinking it quite loudly. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/127 "2017-09-02T04:33:30Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Do you _seriously_ think he wasn’t already getting attention? He’s got like half a dozen people trying to gnaw holes in him - and this was happening _before_ he said anything about himself. > > I mean fucking hell, I know the internet is full of liars and frauds (also, I’m a sentient helicopter. Just saying) but the dude has _calmed down_. He’s not raging, he’s not inciting, he’s not baiting. As trolling goes this would be pretty weak. > > For the record, Mr. **Reddy Mercury** , I believe you’re being genuine here. Though you admittedly do seem to have undergone a personality transplant since we arrived in the pit. (Which defeats the point of the pit, frankly.) I have a problem with rage. I “go nuclear” and say stupid shit. I have a problem with bouts of paranoia and feeling hated. If you knew my upbringing, you’d understand why. I am a reactionary. But I am not a Nazi, nor a bigot, nor a racist. I don’t care if people don’t believe I have the friends I said I do, but the charge of “Nazi” hurts because that is LITERALLY the worst thing a person could be - tied with being a pedophile. I go nuclear, and then I calm down. The Internet can bring out the worst in even the most decent of people as can be evidenced by any Youtube comment section. If there was some equivalent of a lie detector test, I would take it. I am not a Nazi or a neo-Confederate or a bigot of any sort. I would take a lie detector to prove that. I don’t know what else people want me to say except I’m a reactionary dolt who got overly heated with the current political climate, which itself is red hot as of the past few weeks (understandably so). I do not want to be hated. I do not want to be despised. If I were a goddamn Neo-Nazi, I would not be on a forum which is comprised mostly of Liberals. I do not like being called names or being compared to “horse smegma” and being dehumanized as if I am a thing. If I was a scumbag Neo-Nazi, I would be on a forum that expressed those views. The fact that I am here talking and attempting to explain myself should at least say I’m not a goddamn Nazi. I’m just a person with issues. One can have issues and not be a Nazi. ---
**Author:** ![splatterpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@splatterpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/splatterpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/128 "2017-09-02T04:43:51Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > There is nothing I can say that will change your mind? Change my mind about what? That you’re the smegma off a horse’s penis? Don’t think so. You might be able to convince me that you’re the boil on the ass of a pig instead, but that would require photographic evidence. Nah, I’ll stick with the smegma thing. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/129 "2017-09-02T04:45:41Z")
> [@splatterpunk](#): > > Change my mind about what? That you’re the smegma off a horse’s penis? > > Don’t think so. You might be able to convince me that you’re the boil on the ass of a pig instead, but that would require photographic evidence. > > Nah, I’ll stick with the smegma thing. Listen, believe what you will, but I am not what you think I am, and I wish you wouldn’t hate me. I would like to get along. I am not a Nazi. I am not what you think I am. Please try to understand and forgive, or at least, see me as a person. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/130 "2017-09-02T04:45:46Z")
What I’m about to do is an example of how _I’m_ an internet asshole: I’m a pedant. The fact you’re posting contrary stuff here isn’t, itself, proof that you’re not a (well let’s say) conservative. A lot of people are argumentative, and like a fight. Or to troll. Or to proselytize. And of course there are people who just have been here a long time, perhaps from other less contentious subforums, and aren’t inclined to leave. So the fact this isn’t a conservative echo chamber doesn’t really tell us anything about you. Not to say you’re a Nazi or anything. Just me being a pedant. So anyway. If you don’t want to feel hated, you might consider not jumping in and arguing on the side of the guys who want to keep the confederate statues up. Because those guys actually _are_ Nazis (and proud of it). You arguing their side instantly taints you by association, similarly to how if I started talking about my burning desire to throw paint on fur coats people might think I’m part of PETA. (As opposed to being a guy who just likes throwing paint at strangers.) ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/131 "2017-09-02T04:49:39Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > What I’m about to do is an example of how _I’m_ an internet asshole: I’m a pedant. > > The fact you’re posting contrary stuff here isn’t, itself, proof that you’re not a (well let’s say) conservative. A lot of people are argumentative, and like a fight. Or to troll. Or to proselytize. And of course there are people who just have been here a long time, perhaps from other less contentious subforums, and aren’t inclined to leave. So the fact this isn’t a conservative echo chamber doesn’t really tell us anything about you. > > Not to say you’re a Nazi or anything. Just me being a pedant. > So anyway. If you don’t want to feel hated, you might consider not jumping in and arguing on the side of the guys who want to keep the confederate statues up. Because those guys actually _are_ Nazis (and proud of it). You arguing their side instantly taints you by association, similarly to how if I started talking about my burning desire to throw paint on fur coats people might think I’m part of PETA. (As opposed to being a guy who just likes throwing paint at strangers.) Fair enough. You’re right. I do not want to be tarred by that brush, and honestly, stupid statues especially of poor historical figures (or statues in general) are not the hill to die on; Is this forum a generally forgiving place; should time pass, do you think this will be forgotten and I can go back to being a regular member who may in time be liked? In your experience? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/132 "2017-09-02T04:53:09Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Well, the first thing you have to remember is that the internet, in general, is shit… > My honest advice would be to reduce your exposure. I’ve read most of your posts, and one theme that comes through is that you know you have anger issues, and that you’re often “talking without thinking”. What I did when I realized that I was talking to much was that I logged out. That way I could read threads, but I wouldn’t be replying in haste. And I very quickly realized that these discussions went on just fine without me. Often, whatever I wanted to say got posted by someone else. And even if I just _had_ to post “OMGeeee!What’bout That Issue!l!|!”, well, I just didn’t and life went on. So listen more, talk less, stop or cut down on posting, and resist the urge to start threads (this one will go down in the _anals_ of SDMB history…) ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/133 "2017-09-02T04:54:30Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’ve read most of your posts, and one theme that comes through is that you know you have anger issues, and that you’re often “talking without thinking”. > > What I did when I realized that I was talking to much was that I logged out. That way I could read threads, but I wouldn’t be replying in haste. And I very quickly realized that these discussions went on just fine without me. Often, whatever I wanted to say got posted by someone else. And even if I just _had_ to post “OMGeeee!What’bout That Issue!l!|!”, well, I just didn’t and life went on. > > So listen more, talk less, stop or cut down on posting, and resist the urge to start threads (this one will go down in the _anals_ of SDMB history…) Is there any way I could have this one deleted? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/134 "2017-09-02T05:05:04Z")
If we all stop posting to it, it’ll sink off the first page and no one’ll notice it. (But can _you_ do that?) But you’re worrying way too much about what everyone thinks of you. In the long run, it doesn’t matter. Even with Real Life People, and we’re just Internet Strangers. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/135 "2017-09-02T05:07:00Z")
> [@digs](#): > > If we all stop posting to it, it’ll sink off the first page and no one’ll notice it. > (But can _you_ do that?) > > But you’re worrying way too much about what everyone thinks of you. In the long run, it doesn’t matter. Even with Real Life People, and we’re just Internet Strangers. I just feel like I’ve been basically blacklisted here, and that I’m like the most hated member of the site and there’s nothing I can do about it, and this sucks since I was here for a year and a half before anything bad happened. Am I doomed here? Like for real, am I basically on the list of “despised people who will be ignored henceforth list”? Should I cut my losses and leave? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/136 "2017-09-02T05:26:06Z")
So the answer is no? You can’t stop posting and you can’t stop worrying about what strangers think of you? ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/137 "2017-09-02T05:29:37Z")
> [@digs](#): > > So the answer is no? You can’t stop posting and you can’t stop worrying about what strangers think of you? What’s the point of being a member of a message board if you don’t post? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/138 "2017-09-02T05:38:07Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > What’s the point of being a member of a message board if you don’t post? In your case? Quite a bit. You could listen and learn for a start before regurgitating more nonsense. But we both know that’s not going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/139 "2017-09-02T05:38:57Z")
WTF is SJW? Saint John’s Wort Single Jewish Woman Simply Jehovah’s Witness Stupid Jackoff Weasel San Jose Water Strangers Just Wanking Social Jiving Whites ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/140 "2017-09-02T08:41:14Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > WTF is SJW? > Saint John’s Wort > Single Jewish Woman > Simply Jehovah’s Witness > Stupid Jackoff Weasel > San Jose Water > Strangers Just Wanking > Social Jiving Whites On the off chance that you seriously don’t know, it stands for Social Justice Warrior. It means that, in the term-user’s opinion, the person they’re using it on is harping too much on social issues, and this is a bad thing. Implicit in the term is that the term-user does not think the social justices in question merit attention; thus it is typically the province of racists, sexists, and the like. To date I had exclusively heard the term used by the extreme right. It’s not really a nice term. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234.md?page=8)