Back to the Future
Although some might take comfort in the fact that decades have passed since the Ku Klux Klan lynched African-Americans, the hate group nonetheless remains active in its advocacy for the white power agenda. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), there are 41 states in the U.S. that have documented member chapters. Estimates suggest more than 5,000 active Klan members may be affiliated with local and national organizations. Local groups include the Fraternal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Tennessee and Missouri, as well as the national Knights of the Ku Klux Klan [more information about local chapters can be found on the SPLC website listed below].
The Ku Klux Klan, with its long history of violence, is the most infamous – and oldest – of American hate groups. Although African Americans have typically been the Klan’s primary target, it also has attacked Jews, immigrants, gays and lesbians and, until recently, Catholics. Over the years since it was formed in December 1865, the Klan has typically seen itself as a Christian organization, although in modern times Klan groups are motivated by a variety of theological and political ideologies. Started during Reconstruction at the end of the Civil War, the Klan quickly mobilized as a vigilante group to intimidate Southern blacks – and any whites who would help them – and to prevent them from enjoying basic civil rights. Outlandish titles (like imperial wizard and exalted cyclops), hooded costumes, violent “night rides,” and the notion that the group comprised an “invisible empire” conferred a mystique that only added to the Klan’s popularity. Lynchings, tar-and-featherings, rapes and other violent attacks on those challenging white supremacy became a hallmark of the Klan (Jacobs, 2014).
After a short but violent period, the “first era” Klan disbanded after Jim Crow laws secured the domination of Southern whites. But the Klan enjoyed a huge revival in the 1920s when it opposed (mainly Catholic and Jewish) immigration. By 1925, when its followers staged a huge Washington, D.C., march, the Klan had as many as 4 million members and, in some states, considerable political power. But a series of sex scandals, internal battles over power and newspaper exposés quickly reduced its influence (Jacobs, 2014).
The Klan arose a third time during the 1960s to oppose the civil rights movement and to preserve segregation in the face of unfavorable court rulings. The Klan’s bombings, murders and other attacks took a great many lives, including, among others, four young girls killed while preparing for Sunday services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. Since the 1970s the Klan has been greatly weakened by internal conflicts, court cases, a seemingly endless series of splits and government infiltration. While some factions have preserved an openly racist and militant approach, others have tried to enter the mainstream, cloaking their racism as mere “civil rights for whites.” Today, the SPLC estimates between 5,000 and 8,000 Klan members are split among dozens of different – and often warring – organizations that use the Klan name (Jacobs, 2014).
Photojournalist Anthony S. Karen spent the greater part of the last eight years documenting Klan organizations in 14 states across the country. Some of his photos appear below [more photos are published in his eBook, entitled “White Pride.”]
Photo Credit: Anthony Karen
Photo Credit: Anthony Karen
Photo Credit: Anthony Karen
Discussion Questions
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
What is a hate crime and how is it different from ordinary crime?
Why is some violence sanctioned (or at least treated as a ordinary crime) but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism? Why is it that if a criminal has dark skin and/or is a Muslim then they are terrorists, but if they have white skin they are often simply understood to be criminals?
What is the difference between a “terrorist” and someone who affiliates with/engages in violence as a member of the KKK?
Sources:
Anthony Karen, 2009. The Invisible Empire: Ku Klux Klan. Powerhouse Books.
“What the KU KLUX Klan Looks Like Today,” by Harrison Jacobs. Business Insider, April 4, 2014.
Southern Poverty Law Center provides a listing of active KKK groups that you can access here.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
There are several reasons why some people might engage in inter-group social violence while others with similar beliefs do not. One reason is the influence of social and cultural factors. Individuals who grow up in environments where violence is normalized or where there is a strong us-versus-them mentality may be more likely to engage in violent behavior towards out-groups. Psychological factors also play a role. Some individuals may need power and control, and they may see violence as a way to achieve these goals. Additionally, people who have experienced trauma or who have been marginalized themselves may be more likely to engage in violence against others as a way to assert their sense of power and control. It’s important to note that not everyone who holds prejudiced beliefs or who is a member of a hate group will engage in violence. Many factors, including individual differences in personality, upbringing, and social influences, can shape whether someone chooses to act violently toward others.
I think choosing to engage in inter-group violence depends primarily on priority. If a person thinks that a particular issue is effecting their personal life, they will act out. They will hide their fear about that said issue and counter it with direct action.This outlet allows them to feel heard and provides a certain satisfaction. This issue becomes that person’s sole priority, they are frustrated and fueled by misinformation and hate.
A hate crime differs from an ordinary crime based on motivation. Ordinary crimes are fueled by a need for money, power, or a specific want/need. In a hate crime, a specific person or group is targeted based on their beliefs, physical appearance, or affiliation. That crime is fueled by a prejudice that can turn into a discrimination when acted upon.
This kind of pattern attacking race has been around forever. The Japanese Americans being put in internment camps in WWII. African Americans for literally forever. It was only time before Muslims would be targeted. And 9/11 fueled that. This event felt like forever ago, but it was still fairly recent. Most people do not know someone of Islamic origin. And they never thought about it until 9/11. Because 9/11 was most people’s first introduction to muslims, it has become the official figure of them. If you asked people what comes to mind with Muslims, most people would probably say something along the lines of terrorist, terrorism, or 9/11.
While by definition there should be little to no difference, it seems that the modern definition of terrorist has been skewed. The association of terrorist vs a member of the KKK group is dependent on nationality. Terrorists tend to be people of other countries, usually of those in the Middle-East. You never hear of a terrorist group in the U.S. A KKK member is just a hate group, not a terrorist group. At least, that’s what most people think.
Someone who commits inter-group social violence refers to conflicts that happen in social groups. For example, ethnic or religious, political, or violence between rival gangs. I think people who are in groups become more influenced to commit acts of violence while people who aren’t associated with a group simply might just have the same beliefs but doesn’t feel like physically acting on it. Or they don’t think that they have such strong beliefs to be apart of a group. A criminal act that is committed against a person or a group based on their beliefs, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, and etc. is called a hate crime. These kinds of crimes usually involve acts of violence, harassment, and intimidation which are used to overall instill fear. The difference between hate crimes and regular crime is simply that hate crimes are motivated by hatred towards a group of people or an individual person while a regular crime like for example stealing is motivated by personal gain. To be honest I don’t know why many crimes are sanctioned off and treated as regular crimes while others are treated as terrorism. The only slight difference is the fact that terrorism is a crime that is used to scare a government while things like hate crime doesn’t. But it’s interesting because terrorism happens because they don’t like (hate) the government. The difference of color of skin determining whether you’re a terrorist or a criminal is simply because white people aren’t under the stereotype of being “dangerous”, so they’re typically just “criminals” who get excused because they have a mental issue that caused them to do bad things. Many even had trouble considering the attack on the capitol on January 6th to be a terrorist attack. Therefore, the only kind of difference that causes the KKK to not be considered a terrorist group is the fact that they aren’t attacking or necessarily trying to scare the government.
There is a complex of superiority that drives people to engage in violent acts. It is an ideal that has been present in US history since the colonial era. The Anglo Saxon population that colonized US territories believed that they were superior to the Native Americans and believed that their conquest mission was a god given right known as manifest destiny. Even after hundreds of years that superiority complex is still present and I would argue that that is what drives people to commit hate crimes. Hate crimes are different to other types of crimes because these types of crimes are usually directed to a specific kind of individual based on their race, skin color, religion, sexuality or other demographics. On the other hand an ordinary crime is not directed to a specific type of individual but affects society overall. People who commit hate crimes usually engage in these types of activities with the intention of creating fear among the targeted people. Why are some individuals called terrorists while others are called criminals, even though they may commit similar crimes is beyond my understanding. At the end of the day they are both cultivating fear among society.
A hate crime is a crime that is motivated by prejudice on the basis of religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation ETC, these types of crime often involve violence. What makes hate crimes different from ordinary crimes is that a hate crime is biased against a certain person or group, while ordinary crimes are directed toward anyone. An example of a hate crime would be attacking someone because of their religion or ethnicity. An ordinary crime would be a crime committed against someone regardless of their religion or ethnicity. To me I think that the KKK and terrorism are quite similar in some ways. The definition of terrorism is the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims. But the biggest difference between terrorism and the KKK would be that the KKK only goes after the people who they don’t like while terrorist go after anyone so they can get what they want. The reason why I think people engage in inter group social violence is so that they can avoid a further conflict between their groups down the road. Or they engage in these conflicts because they are taking revenge if another group did something to them. But the people who don’t engage in group social violence might not want to start any more trouble.
When looking at social violence/ issues I think a lot about the persons early life is important to look at. Perhaps if someone is unfamiliar or new to being around a different group, they might not know what to think. Perhaps bad or incorrect assumptions are made.
A hate crime is a violent, aggressive, or abusive act specifically targeting someone of color. It differs from ordinary crime because a hate crime is intended for a specific group of people or an individual due to their ethnicity, race, gender, or religion. Whereas an ordinary crime has no intention of specifically targeting a race, gender, or religion.
A lot of the patterns we see could be caused by prejudice. Assuming someone is a terrorist because of their religion or assuming someone is in a gang because of the color of their skin. I was always told to never assume because all it’s going to do is make an “ass” out of “U” and “Me”
I think choosing violence comes down to unhappiness within their own life. Someone who hates anyone with dark skin but has a well-paying job, loving family, and close friend group isn’t going to waste their time expressing their hatred when they could be doing something they enjoy. On the other hand, people who live unhappy lives have very little to enjoy, so expressing hatred is the closest thing they’ll get to happiness. From the pictures, it’s clear to see that the KKK members aren’t the happiest, most well-off people. The pain of their own lives seeps out into how they interact with others. As they commit hate crimes, they target people and hurt them for reasons such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other factor that the victim has no control over. Any active member of a KKK group is a terrorist in my book. They just are treated differently because of the connotations the term terrorist picked up after 9/11. Any organized group that is so blatantly disregarding the law to commit such heinous acts should be called a terrorist, foreign or otherwise. Race and religion don’t determine whether or not a crime counts as terrorism. The severity and organization of it do.
A hate crime is a prejudice-motivated crime. This prejudice could be because one’s physical appearance such as race or perceived membership of a certain social group, such as being apart of the LGBT community. This is quite different than ordinary crime because anyone could be a target of ordinary crime. It is also not a prejudiced reason behind ordinary crime. No one deserves to be the victim of any crime, but a hate crime typically singles out minorities who are already usually not as protected as the majority of the population.
Honestly, I don’t see a difference between terrorist and someone who affiliates with/engages in violence as a member of the KKK. A terrorist is described as a person who uses unlawful violence, intimidation (especially against civilians) etc in the pursuit of political aims. With this definition I again see no difference between a terrorist and a KKK member. I feel that the KKK is a terrorist group that despises minorities in the same country as said group, with political aims to restore white supremacy.
In the realm of criminal justice, hate crimes are a dark and deeply concerning facet of society. While all crimes should be treated with utmost seriousness, hate crimes carry a special weight as they are motivated by prejudice, bias, and animosity towards a particular group or individual. Hate crimes can be broadly defined as criminal acts committed against individuals or groups due to their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other immutable characteristic. These offenses typically involve violence or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, or other malicious, biased behavior. What sets hate crimes apart from ordinary crimes is the underlying motivation, which stems from prejudice and discrimination. Hate crimes inflict deep scars on the victims and their communities, extending beyond the immediate harm caused by the crime itself. The traumatic impact is amplified due to the victims’ perception that their identity, core beliefs, and inherent characteristics are the primary reason they were victimized. The mental, emotional, and psychological toll experienced by victims can far exceed that of a regular crime. Additionally, hate crimes pose a threat to societal harmony and cohesion, as they cultivate an atmosphere of fear, alienation, and distrust within targeted communities. This, in turn, hampers social integration and exacerbates biased attitudes, leading to increased divisions among diverse populations.
A hate crime is a a violent crime motivated usually by preconceived opinions on a group of people of a certain ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. The word “hate” does not mean rage or anger, hate in this case means bias against people or groups. There are many hate groups still out there functioning, like the KKK. I believe many of these individuals involved in the group are deep down struggling with their own problems and are deciding to take their anger out on others. Most of the time the crazy people like these members struggle to find likeminded people. When an opportunity arises to join a group filled with hate they jump on it to fill a void. These individuals aren’t scared to say and do crazy things because no one around them is going to tell them no. I believe the things the KKK has pulled off should be considered acts of terrorism. Joining a group like this one of the most extreme things to do all for hate. There are people who hold similar views as the people in these hate groups but do not engage in the intergroup social violence. Most likely, these individuals are more “pulled backed” and may be scared of the consequences or are just simply better people. We may never know!
The dynamic of the KKK has always been a strange case study. As noted in the article, they are often in waves of decline or revival constantly and have never completely disbanded. Some people engage in inter-group social violence because it is the only way they feel like they can achieve results or be heard, as they think their power or lives are being affected. Within the group, there will always be members who are more active and vocal which can lead to them participating in the social violence as a way to achieve their means. To them, they think it is the only way to achieve their goals. Others may share the same opinions, but don’t think the way justifies the means or they don’t hold their opinion as strong. Hate crimes are different from normal crimes due to the fact that the perpetrator is targeting a specific suspect class. This line is a very slippery slope and hard to clearly define, as the first amendment gives freedom of speech. In the United States, the government can’t prosecute someone for something like hate speech, as the individual is voicing his/her opinions, no matter how much one may disagree. These crimes are often harder to prove because the perpetrator has to demonstrate a history of their intentions and their thought which is up to a jury to determine whether it is sufficient to deem guilty. This ties into why some crimes are just ordinary crimes and others are deemed “terrorism.” Our judicial system is set up where most trials are judged by a jury of your peers, which gives a lot of power to individual citizens. If a society has a racial structure issue, it will subconsciously affect everyone in everything they consume and their thought process, even if they deny it. Potential jurors might subconsciously think that a defendant is more guilty or deserves a severe punishment for a muslim or African American compared to a white defendant if all circumstances were equal because of the racial power imbalance in the nation, even if they try their hardest to be unbiased. This can also apply to crimes on whether one is deemed “ordinary” or a “terroristic act.” Because of our nation’s history, when one says “terrorist,” people usually have a mental image of someone that is a specific race, gender, culture, etc. This incorrect notion impedes one’s better judgment. Terrorists usually fight against a country’s ideas or people. While hate groups such as the KKK target and fight against a class. The KKK have done terroristic things, but people are more reluctant to deem something as terroristic if they are domestic compared to the same act coming from an individual or organization in the Middle East. I believe that the KKK could be classified as a domestic terrorist group. The US State Department has an official definition to deem one or an organization group as a “terrorist” but there is no global defined standard.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
Part of this may be due to their overall personalities. Some people may have the same beliefs but one person may be more willing to act on those beliefs than another would be. Some of them may not want to go public with their beliefs because they know what backlash they might get, especially today in age when many don’t even know the KKK is still around. Others may see being in a group as being held accountable for all the group’s actions. People who do engage in inter-group social violence do not care about the social repercussions or they truly don’t believe what they’re doing is wrong.
What is the difference between a “terrorist” and someone who affiliates with/engages in violence as a member of the KKK?
The only difference is the way people perceive it. The general notion today characterizes a “terrorist” as a Muslim or person of color whereas all the members of the KKK are white. Both engage in crime and violence against targeted groups of people, yet only one group is truly punished. This perspective has escalated so much that people now can see any Muslim and automatically think “terrorist” but they don’t think anything of having a still active group openly committing hate crimes and violence against other large groups in their country. This goes right along with why some violence is sanctioned (or treated as ordinary crime) but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism. It lies with the fact that many people make assumptions based on skin color. Whether it be them already thinking ill of someone for the color of their skin or that they have a white supremacy ideology.
A hate crime is any criminal behaviour motivated by prejudice or bias, targeting a certain group of people. Often, the basis of hate crime is race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation or similar factors. There is quite a bit of public debate surrounding this topic since the categorisation of hate crimes varies from state to state. For example, the state of New York considers displaying swastikas or other hate symbols to be a hate crime, punishable with the same severity as a direct crime displaying hate, however in Illinois, the same action is not treated with nearly the same level of severity. A common misconception that leads people to dislike the term “hate crime” is the belief that crimes against marginalised people will always be treated more harshly than if the same crimes were committed against a different person. Some people also argue that defining a crime as a hate crime is based on subjectivity since a person’s motivation is not always clearly recognisable by others. These mindsets can be incredibly harmful, as they undermine the protection of vulnerable groups.
There are many factors as to why people may willingly participate in inter-group social violence, such as the KKK. The easiest for most people to understand is likely the possibility of conditioning during upbringing. Many people are born into such groups, with parents and family members holding extreme values that are then passed on to the younger generation, making them responsible for upholding the same belief system. This is also the case in children brought up in cults. Many people, especially children, lose all sense of individuality when surrounded by extreme community dynamics and simply follow those around them. Along with this, there is also an abundance of hateful media to further normalise extremist views, leading to people feeling that they have a large-scale community that supports their actions. As for people who willingly join the KKK, they typically do so because they seek others who think like them. The article mentions that the KKK grew when Catholic immigrants came to America and during the civil rights movement. This is because people who were not supportive of these events were able to find a community that was just as outraged as them and wanted to take action through violence. This is the same way that terrorist groups come together as well, with radicalists responding to social or political occurrences that they are upset by with violence, supporting the idea that the KKK is terroristic.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
There can be any number of reasons someone can find a reason to do something or not to. I think a large part of why those who may hold similar beliefs may not act similarly to those who engage in inter group social violence is either their fear of getting caught, arrested, losing their careers, etc. I often hear a saying something along the lines of “you’re not sorry for what you did you’re sorry you got caught” so I believe many have a fear of the repercussions they know can come with these acts if they are caught.
Why is some violence sanctioned (or at least treated as an ordinary crime) but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism? Why is it that if a criminal has dark skin and/or is a Muslim then they are terrorists, but if they have white skin they are often simply understood to be criminals?
It is a social ideology pushed through government, media, and culture. Historically in America white skin has been seen as the “right skin” and any others were lower than white. So the connotation of a white person being a terrorist does not fit the narrative, instead they are seen as a criminal because it is less harsh.
What is the difference between a “terrorist” and someone who affiliates with/engages in violence as a member of the KKK?
I really do not see a difference between the two. Some branches might be less extreme and commit less severe crimes that may not be viewed as terroristic. But those that commit lynchings and other such extremely heinous acts can be viewed as a terrorist organization. However, I would argue not every “terrorist organization” needs to be militant, but instead the ideologies and where they stand can represent terrorism. The goal lies in the root of the word “terror”, their goal is to spread fear among those they hate, and the KKK certainly does.
A hate crime can be a variety of things, but at the base of it is as the name implies is a hatred for someone or something. The hate can be related to a persons beliefs, ideologies, skin color, sexual orientation, and any others that one can come up with to justify to themselves as in the right to commit a crime. The range of acts committed are just as if not more varied, beatings, lynchings, rapings, are historically common and still are prevalent.
The only real difference between a hate crime and a normal crime, although the crime itself could be the same i.e. rape, the reason for the crime committed can be different. As I stated before a hate crime is derived from hate and not all crimes have to be derived from hatred for a person.
I would say that whether people choose to engage in inter-group violence relies on them personally. The severity of their belief and how much it means to them plays an important role. Someone with similar beliefs may be able to manage that everyone can have their own opinions and not worry about anyone else’s. Unfortunately, there are people who believe in the wrong things to such an extent that they are willing to do whatever they feel is right for their belief.
A hate crime is a much harsher, motivated crime while an ordinary crime may refer to an illegal act such as speeding.
While there are many different levels violence, I do see why criminal acts such as speeding or underage drinking is separated from criminal acts involving in deaths. However, I do not believe that the criminal should be judged for the color of their skin, but instead for the crime they committed.
I feel that a member or someone affiliated with the KKK technically is a terrorist as they have used terrorism and violence against many African-Americans.
In my opinion, a large number of individuals who commit acts of group violence do so out of a simple lack of concern for the opinions of others or the feelings of those who are impacted by their behavior. I feel that there are others who may have similar opinions but do not act on them as much because they are afraid of people’s reactions or believe that they will be punished for following their convictions. A hate crime is any criminal act, typically including violence, that is driven by prejudice against an individual because of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or other such factors.Violence is sanctioned based on the identity of the perpetrator. Many determine whether an act of violence or terrorism has occurred based on the race of the perpetrator. In my view, there is no distinction between a terrorist and a Klansman because both are using their organizations to create harm, and there never should be.
I think why some people might engage in inter-group social violence is due to influence. When you have people that share the same ideologies it can get to a point to mob mentality. Peer pressure contributes to it because they feel safe acting the way they do; they are surrounded by people that think and feel the way they do. A perfect example of this is the January 6th Capitol Insurrection. I think others who hold the same beliefs do not participate in violence is even though they hold the same beliefs they do not want to participate in socially unacceptable behaviors.
A hate crime is motivated by bias based on ethnicity, religion, race, sexual orientation, gender, etc. Whereas ordinary crime is motivated by deviance, deviance is doing things from the usual or accepted standards. An example of a hate crime is The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting. An example of ordinary crime is robbery.
I think racism plays a big part in people assuming a criminal with dark skin/Muslim is terrorist rather than a white person just gets labeled as a criminal. I think this because ever since, 9/11 Americans always assume people that have dark skin and or Muslim are “terrorists”. But there have been white people that have committed domestic terrorism, example those that participated in the January 6th Capitol Insurrection. It is very interesting because those who participated on January 6th have plead guilty to felonies and plead guilty to misdemeanors. The question remains why not charge at least some of them with domestic terrorism?
The reasons why individuals engage in inter-group social violence vary. Factors can include personal experiences, social and economic factors, psychological factors, and exposure to certain ideologies that encourage violent behavior. Some individuals may feel threatened by those who are different from them and resort to violence as a way to express their fear or anger. Others might hold similar beliefs but do not act on them due to a stronger adherence to societal norms, fear of legal consequences, or a basic moral code against violence.
A hate crime is a criminal act that is motivated, by a bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or even gender. What distinguishes a hate crime from an ordinary crime is this element of bias. For example, assaulting someone because of their race or vandalizing a religious building because of its affiliation would be considered hate crimes. Ordinary crimes are committed without regard to the victim’s race, religion, or other characteristics.
Media outlets play a huge role in shaping public perception. There is a tendency in some media to label acts of violence by non-white individuals, mainly those who are of Middle Eastern descent, as terrorism. This is influenced by existing stereotypes and prejudices. While similar acts by white people are attributed to mental illness or labeled as isolated criminal acts. In some cases, acts committed by white individuals are not even when such motives are present.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
I think it depends on what a person’s personal circumstances are and if they have anything substantial to lose as a consequence of participating in such activities. For example a rich person that holds such beliefs will probably not directly engage in inter-group social violence as they have a lot more to lose rather than say somebody who is already facing poverty. On the other hand the rich person could help fund such violence and increase the scale at which it is perpetrated.
What is a hate crime and how is it different from ordinary crime?
I would say a hate crime is a crime that is specifically meant to harm a race of people. Thus what makes it different from an ordinary crime is that ordinary crimes aren’t done with the intent of harming a particular group of people in mind. For example if somebody robbed a grocery store it isn’t a hate crime because they weren’t trying to rob somebody of a particular race. On the other hand if the store was ran by Asian-Americans there could be a possibility that the perpetrator committed the crime with the intent of targeting specifically this store because it is ran by Asian-Americans, which would then make it a hate crime.
Why is some violence sanctioned (or at least treated as a ordinary crime) but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism?
It all depends on the colour of the skin as the media ensures that anytime any white man commits a crime any pictures they show of him are with his family on vacation and similar images that paint a positive picture of him. On the other hand, if a person of colour were to be arrested, even if they were the victim in a particular crime, the media would post mugshots of them if they had been arrested in the past and go above and beyond to make sure that person gets an unflattering portrayal. This is because the media has always been a supporting piece behind racist institutions, going as far back as back when newspapers posted ads about runaway slaves.
Why is it that if a criminal has dark skin and/or is a Muslim then they are terrorists, but if they have white skin they are often simply understood to be criminals?
As stated in the previous answer, it all has to do with media portrayal of people depending on their skin colour as the media tries its best to make viewers watching see all POC criminals as “foreigners” and thus a foreign threat to America. On the other than when the criminal is white, they go the extra mile and talk to everybody that person has known their entire life whom all mention how the criminal has always been “a sweet boy” who “smiled at everybody” meanwhile the person in question has been charged with murdering 10 people. Along with that a lot of times the media simply prints the police presser which a lot of times is misleading at best if the police have committed a wrong doing and is a straight up lie at worst. In either scenario there does not tend to be much scrutiny from the media, hence leading to the media spreading the racist portrayal of people that started with the police.
What is the difference between a “terrorist” and someone who affiliates with/engages in violence as a member of the KKK?
There is not a single difference except for the colour of skin. Domestic terrorism by the FBI has been defined as “violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature.” The KKK and its acts fit this description to a T and yet the organization since its beginning in the 1860s all the way to 2023 still has never been classified as a terror group. This along makes it clear that these designations are not meant for identifying terrorists but rather to protect white criminals from the consequences of the law. So in summary, the difference between a “terrorist” and someone who affiliates with/engages in violence as a member of the KKK is that one is persecuted by the law, the other is protected by the law.
I think people feel more comfortable engaging in inter-group social violence because they have found people who hold similar beliefs to their own. If a person has this hatred for others of a specific group, it is generally deemed unacceptable to express these thoughts. However, if they found a group of people who hold the same beliefs and make that person feel comfortable in expressing their thoughts, then they are more likely to act out this hatred and violence alongside these people. A hate crime is a crime that targets specific groups of people of a specific ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. based on individual feelings of hatred towards that group. This differs from an ordinary crime because of how it targets specific individuals, whereas ordinary crimes don’t usually have these specific intentions behind them. I believe the difference between ordinary crime and terrorism is that terrorism targets a large group of individuals using violence as a way to send a message that the group who did it is superior to the group they harmed. Terrorism is an executed plan that has been thoroughly planned out between several individuals that is executed with the intent to do harm to others. I think that unfortunately people view people with darker skin/Muslim individuals who commit crimes as terrorists due to the tragedy on September 11, 2001. This was a severe and tragic act of terrorism but it does not mean that all dark skinned/Muslim individuals who commit crimes are terrorists. I believe the KKK is a terrorist organization since they do use violence to instill fear and harm others.
I think that some people participate in groups like the KKK while others don’t- even though they hold the same values is because of their image. KKK members are automatically perceived as hateful racists who kill people, while others who aren’t in the group but still hold the same values are able to get away with some of the things that they say since they could be perceived as kind and loving people since they are not apart of a hate group. It could also have to do with a superiority complex, people in an inter-group may view themselves as superior to others- even those that hold the same values but aren’t in a group.
A hate crime is a crime that specifically targets a person or a group of people from a certain race, ethnicity, or religion. While a regular crime is anything illegal and doesn’t focus on the person or people’s race, ethnicity, or religion.
Personally, I view the KKK as terrorists, they just commit domestic terrorism. They have been going around for years killing Americans of all different backgrounds with very few consequences. One of the only reasons why they aren’t viewed as terrorists is because, Americans have the right to express themselves any way they want- which is usually a good thing but not in this case.
A hate crime is an act of violence against someone or a group based on a prejudice because of someone’s race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual preferences. A hate crime doesn’t have to be violent, it can be passive aggressive and meant towards more than just the victim. An ordinary crime differs from a hate crime because an ordinary crime isn’t influenced by race, religion, ethnicity, or other prejudices. The KKK started targeting African Americans until it was disbanded which is when the organization started to target Jews. A hate organization isn’t just after a singular minority or race they seem to target any other group that has different ideals then them. An ordinary crime can be committed by anyone on anyone and as long as there was not a prejudiced motive it isn’t considered a hate crime. Hate crimes tend to have more severe consequences and penalties in most state and government jurisdictions.
People who engage in inter-group social violence are the people who really want to affirm their judgment with similar people. Engaging in those types of groups makes it more “comfortable” for the person. This allows people to be in a “judge free” zone. A hate crime is a crime, typically one involving violence, that is motivated by prejudice on the basis of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or similar grounds. A hate crime is different than an ordinary crime because it specifically targets a group of people with intent to hurt or breakdown. I don’t think skin color necessarily dictates that you are a terrorist after committing a crime. I feel that calling someone something like that is usually due to a racial dispute. I don’t believe that there is a difference between who is a terrorist and who’s in the KKK. They both do terrible things to people that are intentionally planned to hurt people.
I feel that people engage in inter-group social violence to have a sense of power. It is one thing to have your own beliefs, but action is what keeps that community strong, unfortunately. A hate crime is a type of crime that is targeted with intent to harm someone or something. Whereas an ordinary crime does not always hurt others. Both hate and ordinary crimes have the intention of breaking the law, but hate crimes are more targeted to a certain person containing violence due to prejudice on ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or similar grounds. The difference between a terrorist and someone who is a member of the Ku Klux Klan is that the Ku Klux Klan is an American group. A terrorist is similar in the sense that one could be group-affiliated, but they are from another country. If an American citizen was affiliated with al-Qaeda, they would face legal consequences because that group is not a homegrown American group. Although both groups contain actions of violence, where they originate makes them fall into different categories.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
Those with certain beliefs concerning people that are different from them hold those beliefs to varying levels. There are people that harbor these feelings and engage in inter-group social violence. Those who engage in this violence may feel they are “making a point”, “not scared to make change”, “taking back what is theirs”, etc. There are people who harbor the same feelings and do not act in the same way. While these perspectives hold similarities, the difference lies between those who participate in inter-group violence and those who do not. The feelings held by the violent population within this discussion seem to hold these certain beliefs to a very high degree. It seems to be a population that is trying to prevent societal changes, where that population views a deprivation of civil rights for certain groups as “better” or more beneficial for them. This feeling of benefit in reversing societal changes may also contribute to the difference between those who act violently and those who do not, as well.
I personally think that many people engage in the group violence because they simply just do not care how people view them nor do they care how the people feel that are being affected by their actions. I think others that may share the same beliefs but do not act on it as much because they may be scared of how the people will react and think that they will take action against them for doing whatever it is that they believe. A hate crime is a crime that usually involves violence, that is motivated by a prejudice on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or similar grounds. Whereas an ordinary crime is not typically motivated by race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or similar grounds. Violence is sanctioned due to who commits this crime, many look at the race of a person who committed this crime and then they make a decision whether this is just an act of violence or terrorism. In my personal opinion there is not and should not be a difference between a terrorist and a member of the KKK because they are both causing harm through their group.
I feel some people engage in inter-group social violence due to their lack of scholarly knowledge or reason on a topic, leading them to resort to violence as an answer. This lack of knowledge leads them to think they are better than other groups. They are not able to discuss effectively due to a lack of education. This then leads them to act violently to try to get their point across or to try to remain at the top. This act of violence is often referred to as a hate crime. Hate crimes are biased or prejudice-based crimes against a victim due to them being from a populous that is a specific social demographic or coming from a specific racial demographic. In more recent years we have seen a rise in hate crimes directed toward the Asian community prompting the Stop Asian Hate movement.
The difference between hate crimes and an act of terrorism is the motive. If an act of violence is directed towards a group for reasons of prejudice due to them being from a populous that is a specific social demographic or coming from a specific racial demographic, then it is a hate crime. For an act of violence to be deemed as terrorism in the United States, it has to line up with the U.S. Code of Regulations definition that states, “Terrorism includes the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”(Department of Justice, 2016) However, this is not very cut and dry. A crime that has been committed can be considered both a hate crime and an act of terrorism or just one of the previously mentioned. While the media may be quick to put the label of hate crime or terrorist on a suspect simply based on their skin tone.
Department of justice pt. 5 – govinfo. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2016-title28-vol1/pdf/CFR-2016-title28-vol1-part5.pdf
I think some people engage in inter-group social violence to keep their group at the top. A lot of white people used to belittle black people mentally and physically to make sure that they wouldn’t even think that they could be better than white people. Whites were afraid of losing the power that they had. A hate crime targets a victim because they are different from them in a particular social group or racial demographic. A hate crime is different from an ordinary crime because it targets a person based on hate. Some violence is sanctioned but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism because of the thought and planning behind it. Most terrorists plan out their crimes and have reasons why they do what they do. A lot of people assume people with darker skin color or those of Muslim descent are terrorists because of prior terrorist invasions. There is really no difference between a terrorist and the KKK, but for society what makes it different is the color of their skin color.
In my opinion people who are in inter-group social violence engage in these groups because it’s where they feel most comfortable to display their hatred for certain groups without the judgement of others. They are able to say and act on their hatred with a group of likeminded individuals. We hear many stories of people who commit heinous crimes against a certain group of people have diaries with all their beliefs, or have posters in their room of terrible people and terrible symbols. Some of these people hold their beliefs in because they know that people will not agree, so they are usually outcast in society, because they feel invisible. However, when they find a group of people who share these beliefs they feel much more sheltered and safe knowing that they have others who agree with their hate. They gain a sense of identity when joining these groups, they feel power where they might of felt powerless. I Believe people who hold similar beliefs of hate don’t join because they know the possible consequences of joining these hate groups such as losing a job, or going to jail. There could possibly be people that we know personally or people in the public eye who have these beliefs of hate but will never join a hate group because they know that it could hinder their lives.
I think what separates a hate crime from an ordinary crime is the intent as hate crimes are performed with the intention of harming individuals of a specific race whereas general crimes are not committed with that specific intention in mind.
You need to go back and re-read you syllabus about minimum word count for credit on this assignment. Do you think I am going to give you the same point credit as someone who writes 2 paragraphs? Does that seem fair to you?
There is a big difference between a hate crime and an ordinary crime. Ordinary crimes aren’t really motivated by anything. Hate crimes are based off of hate for a persons ethnicity, race, sexual orientation and others. The acts of the KKK are hate crimes as they targeted African Americans, immigrants, gays, etc. They mainly targeted African Americans just for having a different skin tone. Sadly there is still active hate groups like the KKK. It is sickening to know that there are people like that. Those people can brutally murder people and feel fine after doing so. It is even more disgusting to think about how long it’s been going on. Hate groups have been hurting people for decades and really nothing has been done about it.
A hate crime is very different from an ordinary crime as it is motivated by prejudice based on ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, and others. Ordinary crimes aren’t motivated by hatred but for other reasons for example monetary reasons. The acts of the Ku Klux Klan are hate crimes as they mainly target African American just because their skin tone is different. It’s not just the Ku Klux Klan too as there are many other hate groups like white nationalists and neo-Nazis. It doesn’t seem like these groups are going away anytime soon as the amount of active hate groups continue to increase. It’s crazy how people can have so much hate in their heart and truly disgusting. I feel like people engage in inter-group social violence because they like the feeling how having power and authority over others. They want to strike fear into others and make it known to them that they are not welcomed. I think the environment that these people live in could be factor on whether they commit violence or not. Also, how these people were grown up and raised by their parents are a factor.
There is a significant difference between a hate crime versus an ordinary crime. A common crime is an offense against someone for who they are. A hate crime is an offense against people for what they are. Hate crimes are mainly against people that are targeted for maybe the color of their skin, or even for their nationality or even culture. People have been targeted for even their disabilities and sexual orientation. It’s ridiculous how long the KKK stuck around and how long they were able to terrorize and hurt people over the decades. Another thing that is sickening is the fact that they arose three times.
In Pennsylvania, hate crimes have been categorized as an offense that causes physical harm to the victim, or an offense that threatens to commit harm to a victim or group, that is motivated by age, disability, ethnical origin, gender, gender identity, race, religion, and/or sexual orientation. The basic difference between a hate crime to an ordinary crime is that hate crimes are committed with the intent of harming/intimidating another for their varying identities. Furthermore, these actions are not random as the perpetrator chooses their victim based on their identity. These types of individuals can be categorized as a terrorist. This is because terrorists are people who use violence and intimidation against groups. On the contrary, criminals are people who commit a crime.These actions are similar but have a striking contrast.
Society does mix these two definitions and treats these as interchangeable. This can be related to American media. They have drilled in the minds of viewers that white people cannot be understood as terrorists. Additionally, the definition of terrorists has been closely related to criminals of Muslim origin. In the media, this can be related to the terror actions on September 11, 2001. On this tragic day, 19 men affiliated with the Islamic Terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda, killed 2,977 people through their hijacking of four American aircraft. Afterward, any known affiliate with any Islamic hate organization got defined as a terrorist. Unfortunately, this term began to get overused. Furthermore, it does not get used to homegrown terrorism. Thus, homegrown organizations, such as the KKK, do not get defined as terrorists with members of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, etc.
White-skinned terrorists get defined as a criminal because they do not fit the mold of a terrorist, occuring to media outlets. Likewise, dark-skinned criminals get defined as a terrorist because they do fit their mold of a terrorist. Perhaps it could strike fear that a terrorist can be one’s neighbor. Nonetheless, this interchangeable pretense has created issues for viewers of all forms of media. This can be because American culture has drilled this mold into the minds of its people. Thus, citizens use their known knowledge to determine criminals from terrorists. Through no fault of their own, they do not define members of homegrown terror groups as terrorists. While it is not their fault, it is their problem.
Hate crimes are violent acts done against people because of their beliefs, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Hate crimes are different from other kinds of crimes because they are motivated by bias against someone because of who they are or how they look. People who commit hate crimes make it clear to their victims and the people around them that they do not think certain people are welcome or safe. I think that the people who commit these violent acts think they are superior and better than everyone else because of their beliefs and who they are as a person. Along with that, I think a lot of people join these hate groups to assert dominance against every other person who are not the same as them. I believe the whole point of people joining these groups is to try to show everyone around them that they are powerful and in charge, even though this is not true.
I think there are many different reasons why people join these types of groups. I believe some people just have a type of hatred and are kind of bored with their life. I also believe they join these inter-group social violence because they think they are much better than other people who don’t believe in the same things as them and aren’t the same type of person. I also think a lot of this can come from where your raised what part of the country and of course who your parents are. I think the reason why groups like the KKK aren’t terrorist is because they hold power over a certain amount of people. I feel like terrorist don’t know who their attacking they just want to hurt people. KKK know who they are attacking and only want to hurt certain people. The KKK are a terrorist group but just are not viewed as one by everybody. I think in the end people in these groups want to make themselves feel better by being condescending to other people as well as having power and authority over people.
I think some people engage in inter-group social violence due to politics and for wanting to have power over others, so they resort to violence to be seen as the “top dog”. Other people who have the same beliefs as this same person may not resort to violence because they are not that devoted to the beliefs or are content with their positioning among their tribe. A hate crime is a crime that involves violence due to prejudice through ethnicity. This is different from an ordinary crime because an ordinary crime is not committed because of the ethnicity of the other person or group the crime is acted against. It is seen very commonly when a white individual commits a hate crime it is seen as ordinary crime, but when muslims commit a hate crime it is seen as terrorism. This is because people may have the same beliefs as the white person committing a hate crime and do not want to call themselves someone who believes in hate crimes, but when a muslim or colored person commits a hate crime it is seen as terrorism to make themselves look better than other races. The difference between a terrorist and a member of the “KKK” when it comes to being a hate crime is nothing by definition, but for people the difference is the color of the person/people committing the hate crime.
Some people engage in inter-group social violence when others who are in the same group do not because of what they stand for and who they are. When people perform this type of violence, it is because they are called down upon, or the chosen ones. When it comes to religion, people believe that God asks of them to take part in these violent acts. They feel it is necessary to do “the right thing” and most times that is violently show what you stand for. Groups like the Klu Klux Klan are terrorists that have the motivation of religion behind them. Hate crime is a crime that involves violence motivated by bias. People in hate groups all have the same beliefs and take part in the crime. Organized hate organizations account for 15% of all hate crimes and persuade additional people to join them in their acts of violence. These groups should not be publicized and there needs to be more laws for hate crime and hate speech.
I think people who are in the KKK or associated with it are terrorists for many reasons. If you literally look up that word its definition is, “A person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” Which is exactly what the KKK has done and still does. Even in their way of trying to make it “mainstream” they can’t escape the fact that they are terrorists and will only ever be that. But people won’t say it because they still hold a majority of power, that’s why they haven’t been viewed as it cuz we still have politicians, police, ETC who agree and believe in their methods even if they don’t openly say it. It truly is sicking its the same thing with Neo Nazis, the reason why those terrorists groups aren’t viewed as that is because of the power they sill hold on people in power, and it is sicking. In my opinion they have and will always be a terroristic group that reads hate and misinformation that should be stopped.
I think that people join these inter groups to justify their beliefs and satisfy themselves by sharing and having the same opinions as others. This is very common with many other groups, like when studying why people join “gangs” it is the same reasoning, they just want to have power and authority to say they are a part of a group. They do this because they are so fond of their beliefs that they will go as far as being violence to show how much they truly believe in what they are fighting for. A hate crime is motivated by bias against someone. Weather it includes religion, race or gender and they are specifically targeting someone. An ordinary crime can just happen to anyone at any time.
When it comes to people being racist, I don’t not believe anyone is born racist This is something that has been though while growing up and who you have surrounded yourself with while growing up.
I think that it’s not surprising to still see hate groups like the KKK today. I think everything has a cycle and most cycles are repeated. When it comes to the KKK, individuals participate because sometimes it’s easier for them to fit in, to feel welcome or belonged. No matter how messed up the circumstances of said group may be. I also think that it has to do with a sort of unrealized self hate. I mean that people who violently hate others because of race truly just hate the situation of their own lives. So if they’re down, they want to be down alone. Racial violence has gotten so bad that hate crimes, crimes committed out of violence against a persons believes or race, are still happening today. Black people and people of color can be terrorized by hate crimes, commit a normal crime, and be labeled a terrorist all in the same country. I believe this article does a good job of calling out the people that still hide under hoods underground or even among us. And it’s another step to solving racial issues.
“unrealized self hate” – you are definitely onto something with this observation./s
I think some people engage in group violence because they are extremists with the extreme mentality. I feel that part of the reason these people are extremists in this way is because they don’t have a lot else to do with their time and they are uneducated and unaware. I think the people who have similar beliefs but don’t engage in the group violence is because they have other things they have to do with their time, like jobs. A hate crime is a generally violent crime that is motivated by prejudice particularly based off of race and religion. It is different than a regular crime because there are a lot of crimes that can committed not on the basis of hate instead it is just something illegal. Crimes are referred to differently depending who committed them because of racism, this country refuses to criminalize white people the same way they criminalize people of color so instead they find some excuse or different wording to make it seem not as bad but if a person of color were to commit the same crime, vulgar words would be used. There is no difference between a terrorist and a KKK member. The KKK has committed horrible crimes and the only reason they are/were not called terrorists is due to the fact that they are white.
I believe that some people engage in inter-group social violence to show that they will fight for what they believe in. They do this because they are so fond of what they believe in that they will go as far as being violent to emphasize their beliefs. Other people who holds similar beliefs to do not engage in violence or just more rational people who don’t force their beliefs onto others. A hate crime is an act of violence targeted at a certain group of individuals which is different from an ordinary crime which does not pick out individuals who are mostly innocent. Some violence is sanctioned while other is viewed as terrorism is typically misunderstood and it doesn’t have to do with race. Violence that is not viewed as terrorism is typically seen as non-Muslim attackers which is not always the case. When I think of terrorism, I think of international attackers fighting for political beliefs and any other act of violence has a wide spectrum. For example, an act of violence could be verbal, but we never think of terrorism as just verbal violence. When a criminal has dark skin and/or is a Muslim they are considered a terrorist because of the stereotype, not because they are. I believe there is no difference between a terrorist and a member of the KKK. One difference I could point out is that a terrorist is typically seen as dark skinned/Muslim by the media and members of the KKK are typically white attackers of black people. They both are violent crime acts targeted individuals.
People likely commit inter-group social violence as a means of justifying the beliefs they hold or as a means of illustrating that they are willing to act out on behalf of those beliefs. On the other hand, those who may hold similar beliefs may not see it as necessary to commit such violence to show commitment towards their beliefs. Typically, a hate crime is different in the sense that it was inspired out of hate for a certain group or demographic of individuals. For example, a crime done without any preconceived ill-will towards the victim’s race, ethnic background, identity, etc., could not be considered a hate crime, whereas a crime to specifically target those who are of Hispanic descent could be classified as a hate crime. Some violence is sanctioned or is treated in such a way that matches an ordinary crime due to the context of the situation in which the violence was committed, the person engaging in the violence, and the person receiving the violence. Usually, in cases of sanctioned violence, there tends to be a racial bias that leads to violence or is at least correlated with the violence. In some cases where this same violence is seen, it is likely referred to as terrorism due to the ethnic/racial background of the one engaging in violence. Those with dark skin or who follow the Islamic religion are seen as a terrorist due to this country’s history of terroristic attacks involving those with these characteristics. Ideally, there should be no difference between those traditionally considered “terrorists” and KKK members who engage in violence, as it can be argued that the KKK are themselves, terrorists. However, if one were to ask such a question to the general public, one likely will at some point reference skin color or ethnicity while being completely oblivious that everyone is capable of committing acts that would be considered terroristic
I think some people engage in inter-group social violence to feel as if they have power and authority and to say that they are a part of a group. Honestly, racism and discrimination is a taught concept. No one is born a racist. It’s always taught through family members or other influences. So, in my opinion, to end up being a part of a group like the Ku Klux Klan, these members really have no idea what they’re even doing. When there is even a small amount of violence, these individuals will always feed off of and influence one another since their whole concept of living and being a part of this group came from being influenced into these ideas and beliefs in the first place. This is how the violence within these groups gets completely out of hand. In addition, these are all hate crimes, not ordinary crimes. Any form of violence or deviant activity that is directed or influenced from the dislike of a certain ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender, etc., is a hate crime.
People engage in inter-group social violence to simply satisfy themselves by believing that they can share their opinions with the rest of the world. One of the main reasons we study sociology is to expand our knowledge as to why we think people engage themselves in irrational or rational actions. Well, people who engage in inter-group social violence believe this is the only way to get their point across. Others who might hold similar beliefs tend to hold back because they are scared to voice their opinion or have no purpose to join these groups.
As said in the article, the KKK targeting African Americans in the early 1900s is a pure example of hate crime, whereas people are targeted by people or groups because of their background such as race, gender, beliefs, etc. Although all crimes have similarities, what makes hate crimes different is the fact that these identities are the main reason for why the crime was committed.
Some violence in our world is sanctioned. Criminals with dark skin or Muslim descent are thought of as dangerous or specifically “terrorists” because of the history of crimes committed by that race. For some apparent reason, people envision that later criminal of the same race should carry the same reputation.
I believe that a KKK member or someone who affiliates themselves with their acts of violence commits crimes in reason of hate towards a certain group(s). Terrorists specifically has their own plans but are not caring about the backgrounds of the people they involve in their crimes.
I think people engage in these groups because of the environments they were raised in and to satisfy their extremist views. A lot of times people feel more comfortable in groups that look and think like them. Since the group has no diversity with their thoughts, they can feed off each other and get out of hand.
A hate crime is when someone speaks or acts violently towards another person or group because of their race, belief, or affiliation to another group. It is different because the crime is directed to hurt the whole group and often the groups that are already struggling.
Violence that follows a frequent pattern can be defined as terrorism because they are organized by certain radical groups. Media does not expose the public to terrorist groups that are organized by white people so, when something happens we do not connect it to a group, only a person which makes it an everyday crime in the media and the public.
I think that people participate in hate groups for the power. Power is something that many people desire in life. With that I feel like people join these groups for this feeling, because they might not get this recognition in other areas of their life. By putting other groups down and making other feel inferior they can feel some sort of power over a specific group or groups of people.
A hate crime can be violent or non violent, but it causes hurt or offense to an excluded group of people, for instance whether it may be lynching in a public environment, to shame a person and bring embarrassment upon them to make a statement. A hate crime could also be less violent, but still bring the same pain to a group, for instance painting a swastika on a building. Although no one is hurt from this physically, it can still have a painful impact on a person. Hate crimes are different from a criminal crime, because they are meant to hurt and offend a certain group of people and make them feel lesser. Criminal crimes are not directed to a certain group for the purposes of being them down in life.
What is a hate crime, and how is it different from ordinary crime?
An ordinary crime doesn’t have a victim being singled out from another because of race or a group of people. But a hate crime targets a race or a particular group of people like a religious group.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
I think people engage in groups because they believe in it to the point that they think the idea is 100 percent right, so they join the groups to be around other people who also agree. One example of why people may not engage is that members of the K.K.K were looked down upon by other people in the united states. So I think the people who do not join the groups might realize that what they believe in might be wrong and they don’t want to be looked down upon by society, so they keep the idea they think to themselves.
Some people might engage in inter-group social violence because of freedom of speech. It gives them a place to voice whatever they want no matter if it is offensive to other people or not. A hate crime is a prejudice motivated crime that targets people based on their racial demographics or a certain social group. It is different from an ordinary crime because the act is motivated babies against someone due to ethnicity, gender, or religion. Some violence is sanctioned nut other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism because people tend to look at the race of the person who committed the crime. People believe that if a criminal has dark skin or is a Muslim then they are terrorists because of what happened back then and because they are seen as lesser to other people. If they have white skin they are often simply understood to be criminals because they are supposedly not capable of doing terrorists like crimes. The main difference that I believe a “terrorist” and someone who engages in violence as a member of the KKK is that the KKK go after specific people. Like different races or genders. While a “terrorist” will kill anybody no matter what their race or gender is.
I think some people decide not to engage in this violence even though they have similar beliefs because of the consequences they may face in the real world such as getting fired from a job. People who are very open about being in these groups probably feel a sense of security knowing they’re not alone but would most likely coward down if they weren’t backed by other members.
A hate crime is a crime that is motivated by a certain bias against someone. This can include race, religion, gender identity, etc. Ordinary crime can happen to anyone for any reason but it becomes a hate crime if a certain group/individual is targeted due to something like the color of their skin.
The word “Terrorist” is defined as “ a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” With that defintion in mind, I do not see a difference between a terrorist and a KKK member.
A hate crime is completely different from an ordinary crime. In the same sense that an individual commits a crime for both, a hate crime must also entail hatred. A hate crime occurs when an individual commits a crime with bias as the motivation. When a person is predisposed against persons or groups who share certain characteristics, this is referred to as “hate.” A hate crime is a crime committed out of prejudice against the victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. In hate crimes, the “crime” is frequently a violent one, such as assault or murder. Vandalism to a landmark, for example, is an ordinary crime. An eye witness can attest to the fact that a certain crime occurred. And the perpetrator is likely to be found guilty as a result of their actions. It is more difficult to prove a hate crime. The victim would have to show that the crime committed against them was motivated by prejudice. The victim would have to convince the judge or jury that they were targeted for a specific reason, such as their sexual orientation.
I’d say that the difference between a “terrorist” and someone who affiliates with violence such as the kkk is that, terrorist don’t target a specific group of people. This is because it could happen anywhere and at anytime, no matter who or where you come from. While, the kkk group does target a specific group of people, based on skin color, religion, and whatever else they decide.
Why is some violence sanctioned (or at least treated as a ordinary crime) but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism? Why is it that if a criminal has dark skin and/or is a Muslim then they are terrorists, but if they have white skin they are often simply understood to be criminals?
The difference between a crime that can label you a criminal and one that can label you as a terrorist can sometimes be blurry. If you look at a criminal as an individual who commits a crime, the extent to which their behavior can range is nearly infinite. After all, a criminal can be someone who steals a pack of cigarettes at their local gas station, a serial killer with a double-digit body count, and everything in between. What makes someone a terrorist according to FBI.gov (https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism) is the form of motivation. Passion is certainly not the deciding factor between a criminal and a terrorist as crimes of passion occurr all the time. If we just look at domestic terrorism, since we are comparing it to the practices of the KKK which is also a predominanlty domestic issue, it is defined by the FBI as criminal acts used to further a political gain, ideaolgy, religion, or environmental cause. Now this sums up the terrorist organizations who the US is currently warring with pretty well, but it also sounds pretty identical to the KKK. So why is it that non-white people who committ crimes to push ideaologies are terrorists while white KKK members are simply criminals? Well ultimately I believe that this is due to a superiority complex within the United States. In the US, we are number one at a lot of things and we know this. Because of the wars we have been involved in and because our enemies were terrorists we like to take the traditional approach of seeing our enemy as an opposing force; something that is isolated from western society. That is not the case with terrorism as it is not exclusive to a certain region or people. In other words terrorism exists everywhere with all people, like KKK in the US. We don’t like to think of people with same skin color as us and people who are native to our country as terrorists who can be labled as enemies of the US, hence why non-caucasion terrorists are terrorists and KKK members who do the same acts are just criminals.
Why is some violence sanctioned (or at least treated as a ordinary crime) but other violence that follows a similar pattern is defined as terrorism? Why is it that if a criminal has dark skin and/or is a Muslim then they are terrorists, but if they have white skin they are often simply understood to be criminals?
I feel as if in the United States the word terrorism has a heavy connotation to those of Middle Eastern decent and the crimes they commit. In American society , those with dark skin or practice Islam are seen as lesser and more likely to commit violent crimes that grant them the term of terrorist while white people who commit similar crimes are just seen as criminals. This should not be the case as white people are just as capable to commit said crimes and acts of terrorism as seen in this post with the KKK.
I personally believe that some people may engage in inter-group social violence because, since freedom of speech is protected by the first amendment many take this as a way to become racist and homophobic since they believe that they are protected by the first amendment. A hate crime is a crime that typically violent and is motivated by prejudice of religion, race, sexual orientation and many other grounds. While an ordinary crime usually is not motivated by prejudices. Some violence is sanctioned due to who commits this crime, many look at the race of the person who committed this crime and then they make a decision whether this is just an act of violence or terrorism. Many people believe those who have darker skin or those who are of muslim decent are terrorists due to previous actions of the terrorist organizations, Al Qaeda and the Taliban. While some people see white people doing the same actions as those of darker skin or muslims, they believe they are just criminals because white people “could not” be in a terrorist organizations. The differences between a “terrorist” and a member of the KKK is, terrorist by definition is violent while not all KKK members may be violent. The KKK is motivated by social hatred towards a certain group while terrorists are motivated by extreme ideals of different principles. The KKK has radical ideas and encourage meetings of people who are like minded and encourage propaganda while terrorists want radical behavior and mass hysteria.
multiculturalism is genocide to all races !!
stick to your own
In the United States, hate-speech is protected by the 1st Amendment of the Constitution; however, hate speech cannot be used in certain cases to incite violence or rebellion. These KKK members, no matter how despicable their beliefs, are entitled to their opinions. The same goes for virtually all people from different types of ethnic backgrounds. Hatred, or at least contradictory understandings of one’s personal problems in life, can manifest to the point of ritual, cult, and subculture violence. This type of hate speech usually erupts into inter-group social violence. Crimes that flower out of these racist/bigoted understandings are what compose hate crimes which are very specific in its intentions. It does not take a KKK member for an American to agree with these trepidations against other social and racial groups. Moreover, the fact that hate speech can come from anyone, as it has been historically shown through deeply seeded American xenophobic and racists beliefs, is concerning and it feeds rhetoric and stereotypes regarding “Criminal” Blacks, “Terrorist” Muslims, or even “Illegal” Hispanics. Hate speech has been deeply sown in American notions of norms and morality for hundreds of years. In fact, Americans were not the only Western cultures to embrace and invite Neo-Classical white supremacy like that found in the European-colonization era in the 1800s.
It is apparent, based on the statistics provided in this reading, that despite there being millions of racists living within the United States, only a very small fraction of them are willing to publicly align themselves with organization such as the KKK. This disparity begs the question as to why certain individuals participate in inter-group social violence and others who subscribe to the same ideologies are less inclined to do so. Awareness may play a significant role in this disparity. Those who are brazen enough to publicly align themselves with groups like the KKK, are completely aware of and embrace their beliefs. They do not care for whatever social repercussions may be inflicted upon them because they are dedicated and loyal to their (despicable) beliefs. Members of organizations like the KKK are willing to blatantly display their beliefs because they believe their ideologies are “right” or “correct”, etc. Because they are so positive that their ideologies are superior, they have no shame in displaying them. The remaining racists (homophobes, xenophobes, etc.) may have a small part of them that knows what they believe is somehow wrong. They may not realize how wrong it is, but a sliver of them is aware their beliefs are unprecedented.
In the society we live today people view acts of terrorism as violence committed by people of color. When a white person commits an act of violence that first thought is not to associate them with terrorism but with an ordinary crime. The media plays a major role in this as it associates certain crimes to specific groups of people. It is more likely to see a person of color being connected to a crime on the news than a person not of color. After 911 societies has pinned people of color especially Muslims as terrorist. Society sees this group of people as the only ones who commit these acts of violence. The crimes committed by the KKK are acts of terrorism as they act against specific minority groups in the United States. The KKK commits acts of terrorism as they carry out racial violence towards minority groups.
What is a hate crime/how is it differant from ordinary crime?
A hate crime is a crime that disagree with what another person believes in. The ku klu klans are commiting hate crimes because they believe it should be a white world. In there world they believe there shouldnt be no jew,gays,lesbians or immagrants. They consider them selves as a christian organization. I personally did know that kkk are still around today.
No the klan believe in segregation huge difference
A hate crime is a heinous act of violence on innocent individuals. A baby when they are born has no prejudice in their body. Prejudice is something that is inbred in them by their parents. These hate crimes are being fueled by hatred against particular groups of people. When the crime is not a hate crime it is just a crime committed against another individual without concern of race, creed, or color. What shocked me was the volume of membership in the K.K.K. spread out in 41 of our United States. These are vicious violent crimes inflicted by this group who is so filled with hatred that they have no remorse.
Why do you think some people engage in inter-group social violence, whereas others who might hold similar beliefs do not?
I believe some people engage in inter-group social violence because it can be mentally overwhelming for some to manage change in their society, so some might participate in demonstrations or acts of violence to express their frustration, or to simply oppose change. Whereas others may oppose change as well, but it doesn’t disturb their well being, and they can mentally cope with change. The action of violence is a reaction of learned behavior when someone feels threaten, scared, or uncertain about the result of something. In result, those who participate in violent demonstrations uses it as a platform for their voice to be heard. While others with the same feelings choose to silence their voice, and not jeopardize their families, self, or the well being of others. I believe its the case of “mind over matter”.