[Hoot Gibson]

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map

not even in the top 2/3 of racist/hate group states according to the Southern Poverty Law Center

Active U.S. Hate Groups

Stand Strong Against Hate


The Southern Poverty Law Center counted 1,018 active hate groups in the United States in 2011. Only organizations and their chapters known to be active during 2011 are included.
All hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.
This list was compiled using hate group publications and websites, citizen and law enforcement reports, field sources and news reports.
Hate group activities can include criminal acts, marches, rallies, speeches, meetings, leafleting or publishing. Websites appearing to be merely the work of a single individual, rather than the publication of a group, are not included in this list. Listing here does not imply a group advocates or engages in violence or other criminal activity.

I consider the Southern Poverty Law Center to be a hate group. It is a radical left wing organization that sometimes throws around the term "hate group" to support its own political agenda. If you are a member of a group that actively opposes illegal immigration or gay marriage, then you are in danger of landing on the SPLC's hit list.

[TheRealVille]

According to Southern Poverty law Center if their not doing these activities: criminal acts, marches, rallies, speeches, meetings, leafleting or publishing. Websites appearing to be merely the work of a single individual, rather than the publication of a group, are not included in this list. Listing here does not imply a group advocates or engages in violence or other criminal activity.

I guess not. You know sticks and stones and free speech and all that good stuff.

Well, thanks for restoring my faith in humanity. Now I realize that when I hear "We got to get that n...... out of office", they are not really racist, they are just talking.

[Stardust]

I loved Colin Powell back in the day, and truly believed he would have been a fantastic President. It's a shame that he is now Senile, poor man.....

[nky]

The majority of people who use that term are voting for him
See his buddy diddy

[nky]

I consider the Southern Poverty Law Center to be a hate group. It is a radical left wing organization that sometimes throws around the term "hate group" to support its own political agenda. If you are a member of a group that actively opposes illegal immigration or gay marriage, then you are in danger of landing on the SPLC's hit list.

agreed they fly loose on their method of defining these type of groups but they do bring a spotlight to real issues

[Stardust]

So, we lost Colin from the Republican ranks, but we picked up Lindsay Lohan from the Dems....

[Image: http://dissentingdemocrat.files.wordpres...wasted.jpg]

[TheRealVille]

So, we lost Colin from the Republican ranks, but we picked up Lindsay Lohan from the Dems....

[Image: http://dissentingdemocrat.files.wordpres...wasted.jpg]

I think we(democrats) got a good deal with this trade. nicker:

[TheRealVille]

BTW, I do realize racism runs both ways. I'm not leaving that side out either. I hate racism in any form.

[Stardust]

It's crazy times with everyone switching sides

[Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ljPjeC0s80g/SQ..._obama.jpg]

[Image: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bUPnRwe8UGU/TJ...50x372.bmp]

[Image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-CZtVxNFsac/TJ...donkey.jpg]

[Harry Rex Vonner]

BTW, I do realize racism runs both ways. I'm not leaving that side out either. I hate racism in any form.

Racism does run in both directions. There will always be racism as there will be sexism, economic envy, territorial prejudices, and all the rest. It is natural. It can't be legislated away.

Humans associate with their own "kind". I find nothing particularly unusual about that. Almost all blacks will vote for Obama. Almost all Mormons will vote for Romney.

When I leave the Commonwealth, I much prefer to go south rather than north. I identify with and trust southerners far more than I do northerners. The same is true in regard to race, creed, philosophy, etc. I don't find that to be unusual at all. It is, I believe, normal human behavior.

I don't believe in discrimination. However, I don't believe in automatic entitlements and quotas. Red, yellow, black, white, or a combination- all should earn their own way if they are physically and mentally able to do so. If they honestly cannot do so, we who have resources are obligated to take care of them.

No race or group is entitled to special "rights". If you are able to do so, earn your own way or suffer the consequences.

[Harry Rex Vonner]

As for the Southern Poverty Law Center, I would suggest that one use some other source for information. Quoting this wild liberal group of troublemakers is comparable to whites quoting David Duke. Morris Dees is an abomination.

[TheRealVille]

Racism does run in both directions. There will always be racism as there will be sexism, economic envy, territorial prejudices, and all the rest. It is natural. It can't be legislated away.

Humans associate with their own "kind". I find nothing particularly unusual about that. Almost all blacks will vote for Obama. Almost all Mormons will vote for Romney.

When I leave the Commonwealth, I much prefer to go south rather than north. I identify with and trust southerners far more than I do northerners. The same is true in regard to race, creed, philosophy, etc. I don't find that to be unusual at all. It is, I believe, normal human behavior.

I don't believe in discrimination. However, I don't believe in automatic entitlements and quotas. Red, yellow, black, white, or a combination- all should earn their own way if they are physically and mentally able to do so. If they honestly cannot do so, we who have resources are obligated to take care of them.

No race or group is entitled to special "rights". If you are able to do so, earn your own way or suffer the consequences.

You finally made a post I can almost 100% agree with. I still think we need some race laws left in place, because the nation as a whole, are not to the place where they can be done away with, yet. I'm talking discrimination laws here. Left unchecked, discrimination runs wild. I wish the people of the US, both sides, were past this.

[Hoot Gibson]

You finally made a post I can almost 100% agree with. I still think we need some race laws left in place, because the nation as a whole, are not to the place where they can be done away with, yet. I'm talking discrimination laws here. Left unchecked, discrimination runs wild. I wish the people of the US, both sides, were past this.

I disagree. What happened after the Civil War in the South was that states and local governments passed laws that forced businesses to discriminate. As often is the case, southern governments helped create, or at least extended what was a bad situation.

In a free market economy, the natural tendency is to maximize your business's customer base and treat those customers with equal respect. Everybody uses green dollars or multi-colored cards and as long as the government stays out of the people's business, most of us will do the right thing because the right thing is in our own best interests.

As for segregation, we have largely voluntary segregation today because people are free to choose where they live. Government should do nothing to restrict that freedom. My wife and I had many blacks in Mississippi tell us that we should move out of Jackson to a safer suburb - just like they had already done. People of all colors will flee unsafe, crime-infested neighborhoods and doing so does not make the racists.

I prefer living in culturally diverse neighborhoods, such as the one in which I now live, but people should be free to associate with whomever they want in this country. The government should not dictate who may live where. If a handful of bigots want to server only whites, or only blacks, or only left-handed gay little people, then let them grow broke trying.

[RunItUpTheGut]

I agree with most of your posts, RIUTG, but IMO, the notion that white Southerners (and conservatives) are racists is about as valid as the hillbilly stereotypes of eastern Kentuckians. I personally witnessed more racial harmony in Jackson, MS than anywhere else that I have lived. Democrats want you to believe that racism among whites is confined to the Republican Party and the South, but you will find that racism among liberal whites in Boston alive and well.

This lie about Southerners is repeated so often by liberal Democrats that it is easy to fall victim to it. Don't let yourself become a tool of the liberals by repeating it yourself. There are whites and Republicans who are racists but they are no more likely to be racists than white Yankee Democrats. Democrats use this lie to scare people into becoming Democrats. It has been particularly effective against blacks.

I can definitely agree with that.
I think some places just "hide" it a little better.

[Harry Rex Vonner]

You finally made a post I can almost 100% agree with. I still think we need some race laws left in place, because the nation as a whole, are not to the place where they can be done away with, yet. I'm talking discrimination laws here. Left unchecked, discrimination runs wild. I wish the people of the US, both sides, were past this.

While I oppose racism per se, I also oppose anti-discrimination laws. I believe that most such laws are clearly in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Equal protection means that all citizens are treated the same. No one has special rights merely because of his/her status in life. Affirmative action, quotas, hate crime laws, etc. are in violation of that basic constitutional right.

For example, a caucasian will likely receive a more severe charge if he batters a member of a minority group than if he batters another caucasian. Are we saying that the head of the minority deserves superior treatment than the head of the caucasian? Why should that be the case?

Equal means equal. Some are not more equal than others. The excuse of past discrimination should have a statute of limitations somewhere along the line. As a caucasian, I should not be expected to carry an excessive burden just because, five or six generations back, my decendents had slaves.

And, while it is admirable to hope that this issue of discrimination were moot, that will never happen. It can't happen any more than will the have nots not resenting the haves and vice versa.

I accept the fact that there will always be prejudice. It goes in all directions with equal vigor. It isn't going to be eradicated. However, I don't accept the trampling of the U.S. Constitution in an effort to give special favors.

[TheRealVille]

While I oppose racism per se, I also oppose anti-discrimination laws. I believe that most such laws are clearly in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Equal protection means that all citizens are treated the same. No one has special rights merely because of his/her status in life. Affirmative action, quotas, hate crime laws, etc. are in violation of that basic constitutional right.

For example, a caucasian will likely receive a more severe charge if he batters a member of a minority group than if he batters another caucasian. Are we saying that the head of the minority deserves superior treatment than the head of the caucasian? Why should that be the case?

Equal means equal. Some are not more equal than others. The excuse of past discrimination should have a statute of limitations somewhere along the line. As a caucasian, I should not be expected to carry an excessive burden just because, five or six generations back, my decendents had slaves.

And, while it is admirable to hope that this issue of discrimination were moot, that will never happen. It can't happen any more than will the have nots not resenting the haves and vice versa.

I accept the fact that there will always be prejudice. It goes in all directions with equal vigor. It isn't going to be eradicated. However, I don't accept the trampling of the U.S. Constitution in an effort to give special favors.

In a perfect world your post make all the sense in the world, but we don't live in a perfect world. Left unchecked, discrimination runs rampant, on both sides. Hoot's post about letting the market take care of itself also makes sense, but how many people get screwed until the market straightens everything out? I wish we lived in a "John Lennon" world, but sadly, we aren't there yet. We probably never will be. As far as the constitution goes, I wonder if the founding fathers had thought about the idea of "no slavery", and blacks needing to being treated equal would ever come into play? That has to be considered also. When the constitution was written, whites also had no problem being treated equal, although they also might need some of that protection also, now, in some cases.

[Harry Rex Vonner]

No, we don't live in a perfect world. There will always be inequities. There will always be prejudice. Trying to "legislate" human beliefs and behavior will merely create more distrust and inequity. Regardless of what the framers believed, it is not being honest to interpret the U.S. Constitution to support special rights for minorities for any reason whatsoever.

I never had any use for John Lennon or his lifestyle so I'll refrain from comment on that one.

[TheRealVille]

No, we don't live in a perfect world. There will always be inequities. There will always be prejudice. Trying to "legislate" human beliefs and behavior will merely create more distrust and inequity. Regardless of what the framers believed, it is not being honest to interpret the U.S. Constitution to support special rights for minorities for any reason whatsoever.

I never had any use for John Lennon or his lifestyle so I'll refrain from comment on that one.

It is relevant about how blacks were thought of during the framing of the constitution. A lot of those framers owned slaves, and had no thought of blacks ever being treated equal in this USA. When we came to realize that they should be treated equally, there was nothing in place to make sure they would be. The only way you can live true to the constitution, as it was written two hundred years ago, is to go back to the way things were two hundred years ago. If we want to live equal in a world today, you have to have rules that make sure everybody are treated equal. If the Equal Protection Clause worked, there wouldn't have to be in place things that make sure it worked. You are the lawyer, and way above my knowledge on law things, but all I can see with my limited knowledge, is that the 14th amendment wasn't working, or we wouldn't have to have anti discrimination rules, as in business hirings. If it was supposed to work, why was it still not working a hundred years later?

The only thing I reference to John Lennon is his Imagine song.

[RunItUpTheGut]

I think everyone will agree that it takes an extremely uneducated person to be racist.
One problem though, and always the biggest problem, is the media.

How many smart, black leaders do you see on tv here in our state?
All you see on tv are the thugs and prison shows that would not persuade one to think other wise when theyve grown up with those beliefs.

I was lucky enough to get out in the world to learn my place in it, however had i never had an oppertunity to work with some of those people, im sure i would be like most others....

[Harry Rex Vonner]

In this age, it is difficult to argue that anyone, and I mean anyone, does not have an equal right to pursue happiness. That is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and it exists in law.

On the other hand, there is not any guarantee of equal starting point or equal result. None of us is naive enough to believe that all have an equal shot at property accumulation. One who was born into a situation of poverty does not have the same road to accumulation and acceptance as the road of a Kennedy or Rockefeller. That goes without saying.

Still, there is nothing a free society can do to correct this accident of birth. That is how it goes. As I said in a post some months ago, I would love to be pitching for a major league team. However, I was not born with a 95 mph fastball or the physical attributes to develop a 95 mph fastball. That is just a fact of life.

The U.S. Constitution and the laws and interpretations that legitimately flow from it provide equal opportunity for all- regardless of starting place or skin color. That is all it should do. But, that should be it. There should not be laws creating special crutches and favors for select groups. Regardless of "noble' intent, such laws are clearly unconstitutional. Social pressures shouldn't alter the outcome.

[TheRealVille]

In this age, it is difficult to argue that anyone, and I mean anyone, does not have an equal right to pursue happiness. That is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and it exists in law.

On the other hand, there is not any guarantee of equal starting point or equal result. None of us is naive enough to believe that all have an equal shot at property accumulation. One who was born into a situation of poverty does not have the same road to accumulation and acceptance as the road of a Kennedy or Rockefeller. That goes without saying.

Still, there is nothing a free society can do to correct this accident of birth. That is how it goes. As I said in a post some months ago, I would love to be pitching for a major league team. However, I was not born with a 95 mph fastball or the physical attributes to develop a 95 mph fastball. That is just a fact of life.

The U.S. Constitution and the laws and interpretations that legitimately flow from it provide equal opportunity for all- regardless of starting place or skin color. That is all it should do. But, that should be it. There should not be laws creating special crutches and favors for select groups. Regardless of "noble' intent, such laws are clearly unconstitutional. Social pressures shouldn't alter the outcome.

So how do you guarantee that that you don't have a majority of business that won't hire minorities?

[Hoot Gibson]

So how do you guarantee that that you don't have a majority of business that won't hire minorities?

What motivation do businesses have to not hire the best workers possible, regardless of race? Would hiring exclusively white workers, while bypassing better qualified minority workers not place a business at a competitive disadvantage? Why does the government need to guarantee that businesses not make hiring mistakes?

[Harry Rex Vonner]

So how do you guarantee that that you don't have a majority of business that won't hire minorities?

We have laws to prevent that. My problem is not with everyone having equal opportunity. My problem is with laws that require special consideration of certain groups.

Minorities should get the job if, and only if, they are the best candidates for the job. No special consideration. That is unconstitutional.

While we are on the subject, should we have a quota system and affirmative action in the NBA? Of course not. Let those who are best qualified have the jobs. It should be that way in all situations.

You get there on ability.

[TheRealThing]

We have laws to prevent that. My problem is not with everyone having equal opportunity. My problem is with laws that require special consideration of certain groups.

Minorities should get the job if, and only if, they are the best candidates for the job. No special consideration. That is unconstitutional.

While we are on the subject, should we have a quota system and affirmative action in the NBA? Of course not. Let those who are best qualified have the jobs. It should be that way in all situations.

You get there on ability.

Right, unless uncle Sam just gives it to you.

[nky]

kind of like picking winners and losers huh?

[the other guy]

Kentucky is no more or no less racist than any other state. You will find more racism among inner city blacks than anywhere else in this country.

I lived in Tampa Fl for about a year, the most racist person I have ever seen in my life was a black preacher who lived across the street from me. When my daughter went out to play in our yard to would make his daughter go inside, I waved many times at first(finally gave up) he never so much as looked at us. So when people talk racism they need to know that it goes both ways. I did ask some of the other neighbors about this guy they all had the same answer. He hates white people.

[WideRight05]

IMO racism is such a joke anymore. In fact, things have flip-flopped a lot. At any university there is an International Students Organization, Japanese Students Association, African-American student program, etc. Now, what if there was a program for white students? That wouldn't go so well, would it? In fact, there was a scholarship started at a Texas school for caucasian students a while back, leading to racism cries from the media. Even though there are scholarships for African-Americans, international students, etc.

In addition, society has reached the point where things have to be "even." If you're hiring six people, two should be white, two should be black, and two should be Asian. It's not about hiring the best people anymore. I'm sure any business owner would agree that it doesn't matter if they hire all white, black, color doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that they get the job done and get it done well. Any owner who would think different, probably won't be in business too long.

In addition, our media divides us more than a lot of people think. Sometimes, I wonder if that is their goal.

[TheRealThing]

IMO racism is such a joke anymore. In fact, things have flip-flopped a lot. At any university there is an International Students Organization, Japanese Students Association, African-American student program, etc. Now, what if there was a program for white students? That wouldn't go so well, would it? In fact, there was a scholarship started at a Texas school for caucasian students a while back, leading to racism cries from the media. Even though there are scholarships for African-Americans, international students, etc.

In addition, society has reached the point where things have to be "even." If you're hiring six people, two should be white, two should be black, and two should be Asian. It's not about hiring the best people anymore. I'm sure any business owner would agree that it doesn't matter if they hire all white, black, color doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that they get the job done and get it done well. Any owner who would think different, probably won't be in business too long.

In addition, our media divides us more than a lot of people think. Sometimes, I wonder if that is their goal.

Can you say secular humanism? Things like this^ happen when man begins to worship himself. One of the planks from the Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro platform--- "We hereby recognize the dignity of man and his right to pursue happiness including sexual orientation---"

Man has no particular dignity when he seperates himself from the precepts of God. A principle that has clearly manifiested itself during the decades since WWII. Especially now, with a president and cabinet who clearly thinks nothing of lying for sake of party agenda, and a nation generally spiralling out of control, we, as a people, are losing our understanding of which path to take. America was honored to embrace her traditional conservative roots during the dark days of WWII, when the prospect of conquest by a ruthless beast of a man, in the person of Adolf Hitler hung like a cloud over every American. Believe me when I say there is a great gulf fixed between the America of that day and today. We've strayed far from the truth and we are presently paying a steep price for our err. Four more years of distancing ourselves from our own history of glorious success and blessing, or continue our move to get in line with Germany, France, Italy, and the rest of the European nations. No offense to our neighbors overseas but, why would we 'voluntarily' stoop so far? And who really is this community organizer we're all following seemingly without the courage to just turn around and return to familar and friendly origins?