Yes it is creepy to say the least.

I think it is important for us to keep the memory of this ugliness right up front for all to see and to remind us of just exactly from whence all this disgraceful "conservative movement" bullshit comes from, and what it's really all about: that's good old fashinoed American right wing extremism based upon fear of the "other".

One cannot hope to properly treat a metastatic malignancy without first identifying it and knowing it's origin.

"When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."

That says it all, and was all you needed to say. In words, I mean.

When facism came to Germany it was warpped in a flag and
carrying a cross.

C

The only problem we have with the Christian right is that actual Christians aren't continually and loudly challenging them.

It's unfortunate that you chose to equate actual lynching and violent acts with Glen Beck and Sarah Palin.

I do not find anything valuable in Beck and Palin and plenty disturbing.

Still and all, never forget that the American Nazi party was defended by the ACLU.

Beck and Palin should have every right to espouse their views legally.

If we can't fight back mere words, how will we fight back violent acts?

Great pictures, Oleeb. I'm downloading them and plan to use some of them in my classes. Do you have a URL where the originals are? I'd like to send my students to prowl around for them, and pics are harder to search for than text.

Thank you very much amike!

I'm sorry I don't have a particular url for ya I hate to say. I just put in kkk pictures in yahoo's image search this afternoon and selected those I thought suitable examples. They are all over the web. At least a couple came from sites sympathetic to or run by all out racist klansmen types. Those sick people were actually proud of this stuff.

You teach at a very different level than I ever have or will, but I have found that providing the visual examples of what these sorts of things really looked like is a powerful tool for bringing things home to young people for whom all of this seems like truly ancient history. Whenever I teach intro to Am. Govt. I try and use photos to bring the past alive (to the extent that's possible)for them and they see lots of pictures of the kind seen here as well as pictures illustrating the true nature of war. I also always show them clips of some of MLK's more moving speeches such as the triumphal speech on the steps of the state capitol in Birmingham where he concludes with lyrics from the Battle Hymn of the Republic, but I never show just clips of the "I Have A Dream" speech. I always show that in it's entirety and I always find that few, if any, of the students have ever seen the whole thing from start to finish. Most have heard only the same few lines over and over to the point where they have becoming trite and devoid of their power. It's usually the first time they understand the full context of the times in which the speech was delivered and the prophetic demands the marchers were challenging the government and American society to meet. Some are shocked at the content not understanding until they see it all that the speech was more than a feel good vision of harmony, but a hard nosed and determined demand for justice. It never fails that numerous students, male and female, find themselves in tears upon seeing and hearing that powerful, radical (for it's time) message in full for the first time. I love it when minds so open are stretched and a little more of the light of knowledge shines out from them. It's a marvelous thing. But I digress. I wish I could be more helpful in terms of locating the pics but I feel certain that if I found them as easily as I did that you will too.

Thanks for reminding us of the original cone-heads, oleeb.

"The South will rise again," they used to say, and it was always a very strange notion of "rising," in the direction of slavery.

Zip writes:

"The writer is showing their true face if you read between the lines."

Really?

Suppose we had 3 pics in a row:

Stalin. Hitler. Obama.

And some right of center person wrote the exact same line you just did.

You would find that argument persuasive?

If you want to impress me, make a real argument. One I don't have to read between the lines. That's the kind of argument that wins battles. The rest simply increase the noise and creates more confusion - especially where there needn't be.

. . . good old fashioned American right wing extremism based upon fear of the "other".

I wish this overly generous -- in some ways sympathetic -- description of racist motivation could be ashcanned forever. There may be a component of "fear" but it's not fear of the "other." No, it's fear of loss of status.

The status of masculine groups especially in but not only in the South was founded upon control of (the right to discipline physically, psychologically, and economically) women, children, African-Americans, immigrants and any other impotent groups.

The KKK and its postbellum forerunners was clear in its goals: to keep the n**ger (and the Jew and the foreigner) in his place. While "whiteness" may still be the marker of status, it has become incorrect to emphasize it; thus, groups seeking to maintain their status emphasize their Christianity (anyone not a Christian is subordinated because America is a Christian nation) and their patriotism/nationalism -- two sides of the same coin.

These bigotted groups don't fear the "other"; the "other" is all that stands between them and nothingness.

But not "the" flag or even, this flag.

Economic justice was at the core of MLK's message. Beck bluntly says that he disagrees with what he calls "racial politics". Beck wants to carry on MLK's message, but disagrees with the heart of King's message. Only an idiot like Beck could reconcile the hypocrisy.

Blacks are okay in Beck's mind, as long as Blacks want to live in his narrow-minded world. Beck wants to spread love, but will be back to spreading venom on his show this week.

The rodeo clown says that he misspoke when he called Obama a racist. Beck believes the true problem is Obama's liberation theology. Beck missed the part of the Christian message the speaks to economic justice.

Howard Kurtz discussed the "I Have A Scheme" rally on his Sunday show. he panelists for the segment where all White. These particular panelists were ill-equipped to deal with the tenents of liberation theology.

Michele Martin was a guest the previous week and swiftly pointed out how ridiculous it was to consider that Dr Laura and Sarah Palin could suggest the all Black people should be comfortable with anyone using the n-word because Dr Laura had heard rappers and comedians sue the word.

Martin pointed out that White Hollywood stars who abuse drugs and White politicians who wre hiking the Appalachian trail were not the gold standard for Whites. Why, she asked were comedians the gold standard for Blacks?

Rev Al Sharpton held a "reclaim The Dream" march on Saturday which got very little mention in the media.

As an aside, if an idiot like Beck can hold a rally, I will no longer accept ridicule of Rev Sharpton or Rev Jesse Jackson from Conservatives. If Beck is credible, so are Sharpton and Jackson.

The wind at the back of this new wave of obscene craziness is the fact that is makes for exciting copy. Love it or hate it, we can't look away from the Limbaughs, Becks, Palins, or their followers.

The best we can do is to expose it for what it is. This group of photos makes a great essay to that end.

But what brings out all this human cussedness? There is a "meta politic" at work here. Middle America's piece of the pie is shrinking, and right there to provide the narrative on "why" are the very corporate moguls who are sitting on a dragon's treasure and putting the squeeze on us.

The meta politic thing is hard to grasp. But, it is what turns "Yes we can" into "well..a, hmm, I'm not too sure". Chomsky told us a lot when he coined the phrase "manufacturing consent".

Thanks 'Leeb. And, the same to everyone else who helps to pull the covers off.

I'll refer to MLK's comments on the incompatibility of Communism and Christianity. Read "Strength To Love".

Like Beck, you don't really know the beliefs of MLK.

Good work!

The problem is that if you are on the left you are by definition not a Christian according to the right wing noise machines.

Do you have to train to become as ignorant and foolish as you are or does it come naturally? Just wondering because you are a marvel of uninformed right wing sophistry.

I'm going to miss your posts !

Yes, nobody will ever disparage Michael Jordan -- as
Ellen has so correctly pointed out. It's pointless.

Hey Dick, (pun intended) you obviously don't know anything about my personal situation, politics, nor my ability occasionally to be taken quite seriously by a majority of cafe participants. Since I have never seen a comment from Dick Richards in all my time here (2006-on) I will assume you don't have a clue how you obtuse you sound, nor whom you are addressing in such a way.

So you are forgiven.

I suggest that you take time to go back and read some of what you missed. My blog archives go back all the way, and you might find yourself suprised at where I am coming from. Then, you might not feel the need to have foot-in-mouth disease.

Your answer, if true, would only tell me that for these people to feel the urge to drive "hundreds, if not thousands" of miles to feel like they "mattered" tells me 2 things: 1) that they obviously have some personal issues if Glen Beck is the only thing in life that "makes them matter", and 2) that they obviously have extra time and money on their hands that most of us have little of these days. No one who is unemployed and hurting to put food on the table is going to throw caution to the wind, say screw the bills, losing a home, $$$ for the kids--I'm going to be at Glen Beck's Restoring Honor ceremonies! No sir. Given our economic situation, most of us not able to do so, if given that ethical dilemma... So I will not judge, and neither should ye judge, Sir.

By the way, Mr. "Woods" is somebody else. In 30 years I've never put an S at the end of my name.
Common mistake, but you might want to pay more attention or do more research before reacting next time.

Okay, and I will add the British Labor Party circa 1950 that imposed huge taxes on the rich, which led to a mass exodus of the nations most talented individuals to America and other places. Noel Coward talked about this incessantly.

It's interesting -- I keep coming up with real world examples of the failure of his logic, and OLEEB responds with rhetoric and insults.

The white beard basically gets me confused with Santa when I ride public transport. It also hides a whole bunch of wrinkles. :-)