First off, thank you for the well-reasoned and non-hysterical reply, which seems a bit rare on this forum. I'm being totally straight up when I say I don't hear or see white nationalism being pushed in any conservative circles I know and am familiar with, and I believe there are millions in the 'silent majority' category who experience the same thing as me. The conservative policies I outlined above - which is basically Trump's whole platform - benefit U.S. citizens of all races and all colors. That's intentional since true conservatives don't see race or color - we see fellow human beings created by God. I honestly don't see how anyone comes to the conclusion of 'white nationalism' from that platform. I'm not saying Trump is perfect or even likable, but I'm in agreement with most of his admin's policies so far because they help everyone - from jobs to economy to security for tax-paying citizens. Those are good things.
Have you considered the radical white natl. groups have become emboldened because of the radical left? Radical groups can only push, demand, scream, and destroy so much before another radical group will push back in an equal manner. That's the only valid connection I see so far.
I appreciate the non-hysterics from your end as well. However, I have to differ- and it's nothing personal.
Honestly, what I'm seeing is what Descartes described. I think it was in Discourse on the Method where he explained- the best person to judge a matter is the person who is personally involved in it. For example, a ship-builder is best going to understand ship-building. Much more so than, for example, an academic who has never been involved in the trade- or say a commentator who has never been involved in the trade. If you want to understand the daily reality of ship building- who should you go to? Obviously, you won't learn the trade from the academic or a commentator. You have to go to the actual ship builder.
And so.... it is what it is. Unfortunately, the rhetoric- is not in touch with the boots on the ground reality of what minorities experience. To say that Trump has not emboldened white nationalists... is either dishonest or out of touch with the boots on the ground reality.
This out of touch rhetoric.... is useless. Go to the hood. Go to the hood and try selling them that. Firstly, no one will take you seriously. Secondly, people might get hostile. It might get ugly. You can't go to certain places and push that kind of narrative.
It's a feel-good narrative for white people- and I hate to say that but it's the plain truth. It is completely alien to the experiences and genuine concern for the well-being of minorities.
My concern is not to try to make white people feel guilty, ashamed or to antagonize them. Or to say "check your privilege" or anything like that. I'm simply concerned for people's well-being. And Allah is my Witness and my Judge.
I think there did come a time when the left (I'm talking late in the Obama years) was going too far and when certain people were simply antagonizing others for being white. I saw it. I'm not out to antagonize anyone or make anyone feel guilty or ashamed. And this post is an attack on
ideas- not on people, not on individuals. This nothing personal against
anyone.
All that to the side- it's a crime to bear false witness. It is a crime in the eyes of God.
If I see a crime taking place, I might not say anything. If I see a poor person stealing something... I might look the other way, as much as it might upset me. But if I see a crime take place, get pulled to the side and they ask me what happened... if I claim nothing happened and I cover the crime, I think that makes me an accomplice. If I see a murder and they question me and I claim "nah he didn't do it"- for all intents and purposes I'm in on it. At that point, I'm an accomplice and I should maybe be locked up too.
There's these really interesting books Regis Debray wrote about his experiences with Che Guevara. If you look it up, they should be easy to find- they're very interesting. Anyways, the problem Che had was- the locals in Bolivia weren't collaborating with him and his guerrillas. He needed civilians to cooperate with him and his guerrillas. Not everyone does the combat- not directly. Someone has to supply the medical supplies, someone has to supply food, etc. Some people give information, etc. This is all described in the Regis Debray books, this isn't any sort of esoteric knowledge.
It's the same with the white nationalists and the "huh? white nationalism?? what white nationalism? I don't see any white nationalism" crowd. I think the latter function as a class of collaborators. And once they've gone that route... once they're in, I don't expect them to change their story. I think they have chosen a side and I don't expect them to confess and come out into the open.