Believing you’re better than other people isn’t a crime.  If it was my high school cheerleading squad would’ve gone to prison.

These differences get buried in news reporting and casual conversation

Running down an unarmed woman with a Dodge Challenger will get you locked up. Killing someone doesn’t need to be classified as a hate crime.  Homicide is a good indicator you didn’t like the victim.  Somehow we’re now equating a killing with an arrogant believe in supremacy.

A few weeks ago, there was a small rally in Idaho Falls.  The handful of demonstrators wanted to make it known hate wasn’t welcome in the city.  If 20-thousand turned out, it would make an impression.  Instead, the usual liberal rent-a-protest claim their virtue represents an overwhelming majority.  The gathering was a response following swastikas being spotted at an outdoor market.  Police determined it was a hoax.  There was no hate and still the demonstration went forward because it draws news media.

Before there was a hoax determination, I shared with a co-worker the spray painters were likely pre-teens.  Sometimes, they do stupid things. They may not know the recent history of the symbol.  When I was a boy growing up, the movies were filled with strutting German soldiers in armbands.  Kids imitated the strut, the salute and drew the emblem.  After an episode of Hogan’s Heroes, a little boy shouted “Heil Hitler”.  My angry mother swatted me and told me never to repeat the phrase.  Kids need guidance and it’s not always available.

A week after sharing my theory about Idaho Falls, I saw a story about swastikas.  The writer explained many young people don’t know the symbolism.

Adults should know.  I think most do.  The ones who parade with the flags obviously mean to provoke, but thoughts aren’t a crime.

We should also differentiate between Nazi, Klan and white nationalist.  If you’re a Klansman or a Nazi you’re likely a white nationalist, separatist or supremacist.  If you’re a white nationalist, you aren’t always a Nazi or member of the KKK.  Supremacist and separatist also aren’t synonyms.  One person believes his or her race is better than all others and others may even be considered corrupt.  Culturally, many people believe western democracy better than totalitarian regimes.  Being proud of a cultural difference isn’t a sign of hate or make you a supremacist.

The separatist isn’t always hateful.  Randy Weaver once told the New York Times Magazine he didn’t believe he was superior.  He just wanted to be left alone.

These differences get buried in news reporting and casual conversation.  Recognizing not all are the same takes some effort on the part of the editor, reporter or your buddy at the coffee shop. Or it advances an agenda, but we know news media wouldn’t make such an attempt.  After all, yellow journalists are as pure as the yellow snow!

A guy I knew who served 27 years in the U.S. military doesn’t have much use for minorities.  He would prefer to live with like-minded whites in an all-white neighborhood, however.  When you drill down, you’ll discover he isn’t out late at night managing lynch mobs.  His favorite military leader of recent vintage is retired Lt. Colonel Allen West.  “Now that’s the type of man I would’ve liked to serve under,” explained the old white veteran.  So, it’s not so much about ethnicity but political philosophy and in this case a shared military culture.

Representative Raul Labrador was behind other members of the Idaho Congressional Delegation in making a statement about Charlottesville.  He pointed out unlike his fellow legislators as a Latino he has been on the receiving end of prejudice.  Labrador appears to be the most popular politician in the state.  I can only guess white nationalists in Northern Idaho vote for him because they like his approach to government.

The Southern Poverty Law Center labels Idaho the country’s second most racist state.  The Center isn’t a government agency.  If SPLC was a government agency, it would get about as much trust as other federal acronyms.  It profits from racial division.  The Center claims two groups in the Magic Valley are hateful.  I know several members of the two groups.  They haven’t yet strung anyone up and don’t appear inclined to ride after sunset.  They hold seminars and invite speakers to Twin Falls and stage meet and greets for some legislators.

As I write this, there is still fresh blood on the streets of Barcelona.  Why shouldn’t we be vigilant?  I don’t owe the politically correct my life in exchange for their virtue and vanity.  If you want to commune with other cultures, I hear real estate is quite cheap in the Third World after you pay the bribes.

There is an elitist effort underway to silence all dissent and any reasonable man would suspect it’s part of a greater effort to destroy the one culture Lefty doesn’t like.  His own.  Let them call us names.  Let them call themselves the “Resistance”.  They haven’t yet seen the meaning of the word.  These are dangerous times.  If Lefty would stop toppling statues and go home, we could have a sensible and cautious discussion about the future.  It won’t happen with thugs of any stripe in the streets.

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