Threats and threatening situations

Occupy Threats
Definition of assault / Another definition of assault
Tea Party threats 1 / Tea Party Threats 2 / Tea Party threats 3
Census data 1 – Oregon / Census data 2 – California
Census data 1a – Ohio / Census data 2a – Georgia / Census data 3a - South Carolina / Census data 4a - North Carolina / Census data 5a – Texas /Census data 5b – Texas
I apologize for all the links above, but this posting took more than a little research and consideration.
First, my progressive friend out in Oregon, seems to be a bit agitated about the polarization and potential for racial violence in the United States. I am less so.
Granted, the potential is there and if you just go by the comments you read on the internet, then – I suppose – there would be some cause for concern. However, I take most of the comments on blogs and stories on the internet with a whole bunch of salt. I do this mainly because it is easy in the relative anonymity of the internet chat rooms and threads to say a lot of things that really are never going to come to pass. Sorry, while there are threats that you should take seriously, usually those on the internet are the least of your worries.
Now, the first link above, a video of a group of Occupy RNC protesters in Tampa heckling Republicans leaving their national convention shows a rather obnoxious man, among others, being as offensive as possible. Now, he comes dangerously close to breaching the line when it comes to assault (which is why he does the hand in the camera lens bit when he realizes what he said. Hand in the camera lens, I learned as a public affairs officer for the military is a really bad move. It makes you look guilty of something that you are trying to cover-up). See the definitions of assault, and you can make the call.
Note that he is African-American, although others in his group are Euro-Americans, which lends a bit to the racial aspect of his threats. Also note that many in this group are either covering their faces or at least their heads. This could lead to a feeling of unease that would indicate that a minority person is threatening open warfare against the predominately white or Euro-American people who are passing in front of him.
Personally, I take it as rhetoric and bluster because the guy is trying to get attention and trying to get a reaction (hopefully violent against him) that he can use to make his case. Sorry, it didn’t happen. Good try though.
Then, I posted three links to various and sundry alleged threats from people in the Tea Party (which progressives seem to love to hate). Again, most of the alleged threats are not really documented with video, etc., but can also be balanced by similar threats that have been made to Republican lawmakers in the same time frame. The same can be said about the alleged violent incidents.
The most “damning” threat is the sign threatening “gun violence.” That I would contend is far less than the vocal threat from RNC demonstrator. That sign is pure rhetoric. In addition, note that none of the “protesters” in that photograph are making any effort to hide their identity. I mean if you are going to start threatening violence at people, you would think you would have the sense to at least make it somewhat difficult for the authorities to figure out who you are (as was the case in Tampa).
Ok, so we are having rhetorical violence on both sides of the political spectrum. I think that is a pretty accurate statement.
Now, as for his concern about racial violence breaking out: I guess I look at it from a different perspective. You see, I have lived a long time among significant populations of minorities, particularly African-Americans and I think that gives me a little better perspective than someone who hasn’t. I list the census data for the two areas that I know he has lived in (as well as six places I have lived in for comparison) and the thing that leapt out at me was the lack of African-Americans living in those areas.
Now, I have to say, that both he and I were really good friends in high school with one of the few African-Americans at our school (who actually got himself elected president of the Student Body Association – this being in the mid-1960s), so I am not accusing him of having any racial prejudices.
Still, having lived in integrated and not so integrated communities, having covered the news in those communities for a very long time, I think I have a somewhat more accurate perception what the average person in those communities thinks and feels.
I can tell you, when they are not watching the nightly news, they are very stable, sane, honest, hardworking people who just want to live their lives and pursue their dreams. There really isn’t more than a whit of difference between most people, regardless of their ethnic background.
The sad thing is that is not the story that you get from watching the national news outlets. In my little corner of the world, which includes (basically) eight town homes, we have one Hispanic family, three African-American households and four Euro-American households. If any of us are planning to man the barricades, it has eluded me and since I am basically homebound most of the time, I spend a lot of time looking out the window and (when it is not too hot) sitting on the patio interacting with my neighbors. All of them are pretty much working stiffs working regular day jobs and trying to stay afloat in a really tough economy. One of my former neighbors was a small business owner who took it on the chin, although he had a good idea and excellent merchandise. It was just the wrong time for him and his wife to try to launch it.
I guess my point is that despite what you see and hear, the U.S. is not about to collapse into civil war (in my humble opinion). Yes, there are a lot of angry people out there, but that is nothing new. It has been that way for a long time, it seems to me.
I think even though we are “polarized”, if this election goes smoothly (and no one tries to get hinky by trying to overturn the ballot box results in the courthouse), most Americans will accept the results (whoever wins) and the country will go on.
Those who throw temper tantrums will be the one to lose and, in a sense, they will only have themselves to blame.
Granted, I would like to see the country go in one direction and I suspect my progressive friend would like to see it go in another, but that doesn’t mean I plan on taking up arms against him if it doesn’t go my way. I hope he feels the same.
That is the essence of living in a democracy. You tolerate those you disagree with and try to convince enough in your community that your vision is better than theirs.
Anyway, just some more fodder for the brain.