The plague of angry white men: How racism, gun culture & toxic masculinity are poisoning America

[billh58]

Dylann Roof was not silent before he murdered nine black people in their church, shooting and reloading multiple times, destroying their bodies with his white rage. He did not shout obscure or difficult to translate Latin phrases. Dylann Roof was not a blank slate or deep and nebulous well who left no written justification or explanation for his evil deeds. White racial terrorist Dylann Roof told his African-American victims why he was going to kill them. As though it was a type of forced civic duty and obligation, Roof said to his victims: “I have to do it.” He then shared his grievances: “You rape our women and you’re taking over our country and you have to go.” Then he let off a fusillade of bullets.

- Snip -

Nationalist and politically chauvinistic ideologies tend toward patriarchy and sexism. White nationalism is no exception. As such, Dylann Roof’s white racial terrorism is an act of violence, and one that is grounded in a particular understanding of gender: “Male” or “female” are designations of human, sexual, biological difference. “Masculine” and “feminine,” however, are social constructs that are not fixed, which change over time, and in response to particular arrangements of social and political power. Here, gender is a type of performance (in its most binary and simple form) as a given person acts “male” or “female.” And toxic masculinity is a performance that emphasizes violence, control over others, sexual aggression and a lack of emotion and vulnerability. Dylann Roof—with the guns, violence, resentment, right-wing politics and racism—is the extreme embodiment of toxic white masculinity.

The color line is not separate from gender: The two are deeply connected to one another in the United States and the West more broadly. Dylann Roof’s performance of gender involved an understanding that he should have power over and was inherently superior to people of color because of his skin color. Moreover, as understood by his racist political ideology, Dylann Roof was granted an additional claim on power and authority because he is a man. Roof's racism and sexism thus intersect in what philosophers Carol Pateman and Charles Mills have described as “racial patriarchy.” This is a system of racial domination in which people of color are subordinate to whites. It is also a relationship where white men have more power than white women. But all white people have a higher place than any person of color—either male or female. Women of color occupy the basement level of a society organized around a system of racial patriarchy.

This system, in its most unapologetic and honest form, is the dream of white nationalists.

https://www.salon.com/2015/07/07/the_plague_of_angry_white_men_how_racism_gun_culture_toxic_masculinity_are_poisoning_america_in_tandem/

"And toxic masculinity is a performance that emphasizes violence, control over others, sexual aggression and a lack of emotion and vulnerability" describes the Orange Anus-Mouth to a tee.

This is Dotard's base and the deplorables that he panders to. These are the Roy Moore voters, and the Joe Arpaio supporters. These asshats are the enemy of all that is good and decent about the USA, and they are led by an imbecile.

[nycbos]

1. "If you can convince the lowest white man he is better than...

... the best colored man he won't notice you picking pockets."

[billh58]

6. So true... n/t

[Adsos Letter]

2. White Rage: The extreme right and American politics.

White Rage: The extreme right and American politics. by Martin Durham (2013)

I just finished this today, and I recommend it highly to anyone interested in this topic. At 180 pages it isn't long, but it is very well structured, and tightly argued.

The primary focus of the work is the "the development of the American extreme right in the aftermath of Brown (vs. Board of Education)."

Durham spends one chapter on the pre-Brown history of the Klan, etc., which gives a good overview of the major players, and their origins.

The following chapters focus on post-Brown developments.

Topics covered:

1. Before Brown

2. American Reich

3 Out of the Southland

4. Not all Patriots

5. Race and Religion

6. Fighting for Women

7. A call to Arms

8. Race and the Right

9. Out of the 1950's

This work makes a good adjunct to Blood in the Face by James Ridgeway. Another very good treatment, though much longer and more detailed, is Zeskind's Blood and Politics. It is also more current (2013) than the others.

What we are witnessing in our current politics jumps straight out of the pages of this book. The final three chapters alone are worth your time.

[billh58]

4. Thanks for the recommendation.

The American public needs to be informed of just how dangerous the angry, white supremacist, gun culture is and what can be done to curtail their hate crimes.

[apkhgp]

3. Information for those who want to take this country back

I have to admit that just about every time I read a new post I find out how uninformed I am about politics, racial tension, and various controversies. The text in the post alone is eye opening enough. When paired with timelines of events throughout this country you see a progression of White supremacy. On the outside the Right Wing appears to be a perfectly acceptable organization. But when you analyze it, going inside and looking through each and every piece of legislation that they shove through in Washington you see an awful stench that is smelling up this whole country. The Democratic Party needs to be unified and start taking this country back from those idiots.

[billh58]

5. Well said,

and welcome to GCRA.

[apkhgp]

7. The uninformed strike again

What is the GCRA?

[billh58]

8. Sorry.

This is the Gun Control Reform Activism (GCRA) Group. See our SOP here:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=about&forum=1262

[apkhgp]

9. No worries

I am fully on board with gun control.