Ga. lawmaker: KKK made ‘people straighten up’

a reply to: mazzroth

That was uncalled for. Nobody played any sort of "card." The guy was opening up and sharing something personal to explain how he feels about the KKK, which is a very different view than that held by the lawmaker mentioned in the OP.

originally posted by: Cancerwarrior
I had a great Uncle who ran around on his wife quite a bit and stayed out late at the bars.

She just so happened to have a family member that was in the Klan. When they found out about it they whipped him with sticks and tar and feathered him.

After that pops said his Uncle did'nt go to the bars and he quit running around on her.

So I guess in this instance, they made him "straighten up".

According to the Poisoner's Handbook a lot of folks probably died from arsenic ingestion before modern forensics.

At the time the KKK was founded the only law in the South was the Union Army. The KKK was originally a local protection service.

originally posted by: Blackmarketeer
a reply to: JohnFisher

Ah yes, the rapey freed slaves. Methinks you've been watching "Birth of a Nation" too much.

I haven't even heard of that... Movie?

originally posted by: Blackmarketeer

“A great majority of prominent men in the South were members of the Klan,” he said. “Should that affect their reputation to the extent that everything else good that they did was forgotten.”

Yes... yes it should effect their reputation. We don't have to forget the good things they did, but we should DEFINITELY also remember the bad.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I'm not sure who said it, but:

"The past is a foreign country, they did things differently there."

Yes, racism is bad, but change also takes time. This is probably especially true in terms of forced change. I'm sure the past has plenty of examples of racist, sexist people who weren't "bad" people.

We have to remember, not everyone can be "ahead of the curve" in doing the morally correct thing and that everyone has feet of clay.

So, it's as good to remember what was wrong as much as it good to remember what was right. By the same token, it's also important to see the "good" people now and not forget what's wrong with them.

Example: Any kind of hagiography does a disservice to mankind.

a reply to: SisterDelirium

We really just need to stop idolizing parts of the past. It distorts our perception of how the past happened. If you study history neutrally and without the bias, it makes a clearly picture and you are more likely to not reject the claims made because they contradict with your preconceived notions about what you are studying.

I get that heroes are great and inspirational, but you have to be careful with hero worship. Heroes are only boy scouts in the comic books. In real life, they are just as human as you or I. Though knowing their flaws doesn't make them any less great.

Audie Murphy had a HUGE drug problem. Does that detract from his accomplishments though? Hell no. He's the most decorated soldier ever, and he deserved the awards he got (seriously, read some of his accomplishments. # like storming a tank armed solely with a grenade and winning).

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Very true. People forget there weren't any "good old days". Life has always been a struggle, even if se struggles change with time.

As for the example you gave, I don't know of him, but I would guess it would take a unique personality to do those things. It seems to me that often some of the people who do the most extraordinary things have some pretty extreme personality traits. It's like a doubled edged sword. Yes, you get massive talent or courage, but it comes as a package deal with some other things you might like to do without.

originally posted by: SisterDelirium
a reply to: Krazysh0t

Very true. People forget there weren't any "good old days". Life has always been a struggle, even if se struggles change with time.

People need better education on nostalgia and how it works. That is the root of most of this problem.

As for the example you gave, I don't know of him, but I would guess it would take a unique personality to do those things. It seems to me that often some of the people who do the most extraordinary things have some pretty extreme personality traits. It's like a doubled edged sword. Yes, you get massive talent or courage, but it comes as a package deal with some other things you might like to do without.

When you join the military, he is brought up quite regularly when speaking about all time greatest soldiers. Me, I see Audie Murphy as a regular guy who got put into extraordinary circumstances and happened to thrive. It happens. Some are born for this stuff.