Re: You implied that Europeans handle these issues differently. In fact, the same people in Europe and the US are the perpetrators of racial violence.....right wing nazis or skinheads.
Wrong. I contend that, as far as the US Sunbelt is concerned, racism and far-right opinions (on abortion, religion, etc) are much more widespread, much more mainstream, than they are in Europe... As I once put it, rightwing extremism in the US South is not just a "political opinion", it's a lifestyle --a way of life! Hence your dozens of rightwing, racist radio stations, something that would be unthinkable over here in any EU country. Clue:
dailykos.com
Although they worship the same God and belong to the same Christian sect/denomination, whites and blacks don't attend mass in the same churches!?! And this is 2006 --not 1896!
And what of your militias? Are Chris Simcox's Minutemen made up entirely and exclusively of skinheads and neonazis? Actually, Chris Simcox and his associate Gilchrist have claimed repeatedly that they're doing their best to turn down far-right nuts, neonazis and KKK racists.... But then, how many blacks and Latinos do you find among Minutemen?
As I once explained on another thread, all of the above give us a clue to why the GOP has been unable --and unwilling-- to clean itself from its racist, far-rightist members. Contrariwise, most, if not all, European rightwing parties have had no difficulties in purging themselves from their far-right leaders. For instance, France's RPR (UMP's precursor) always vowed to stay clear of dealing with the FN and J.-M. Le Pen. Ditto with the UDF (remember what happened to Charles Millon*). In Belgium, there's the so-called cordon sanitaire that Flemish political parties drew between them and the VB. Unfortunately, the GOP can't spin off its far-right constituency lest the latter grow into a Secessionist, Fundamentalist, third party --with a ready majority in the Sunbelt....
Gus
(*) millon.org |
