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[antonz]

Fantastic Story. That last line of his is so true. So much hate is based on ignorance and what they have been told what to expect rather than any real interaction or dealings.

 

[narcosis219]

Fantastic Story. That last line of his is so true. So much hate is based on ignorance and what they have been told what to expect rather than any real interaction or dealings.

Almost always the case. It's really sickening.

 

[xbhaskarx]

 

[CountAntonius]

Fantastic read. What a great person.

 

[dsp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a5pKXtIovU

 

[Shaanyboi]

Helluva story. Thanks for sharing OP.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

If only we still had animated avatars...

 

[zon]

Good on him!

 

[grumpy]

Fantastic read! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Woz]

"It was 1983 and Davis was playing country western music in an (informally) all-white lounge."
Straight out of Blues Brothers lol

 

[Lufiaddict]

 

[RM8]

Racism truly comes from ignorance, but even then, why automatically hate on stuff you're ignorant about? I honestly don't think I could befriend someone who at some point thought it was a good idea to be part of something like KKK.

 

[Madrin]

Most uplifting story I've read in a really long time. Racism will never be eradicated but it's incredibly encouraging to see how much you can change the way someone thinks just by talking with them.

 

[Nibel]

Great article, thanks for sharing OP

 

[FloatingDivider]

This guy did an episode of American Taboo for National Geographic(the black guy that is)
He's visited several KKK rallies and actually collects klansmens robes that he has managed to befriend and convinced of the error of their ways. It was odd to watch but this dude has some brass balls.

I tried to find the episode on youtube but failed so here have this short cnn interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1Q9NSzQj5M

 

[Albino_Samurai]

Reminded me of this wich blew me away!

 

[Data West]

 

[Earthpainting]

This is a pretty cool read.

…and he gave me his robe and hood, and his police uniform.

I was surprised at the "and his police uniform" bit, but then thinking a little more about it... Is the dude stripping to his undies? I assume he was wearing all of 'em at the time, because that's how my child-like imagination works.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

That sentence about serial killers blows my mind. Why are there more white serial killers than there are black ones?

 

[Messofanego]

Davis also became close with Robert White, a Grand Dragon in the KKK.

NERD!

A lot of people have anti-racist groups. They get together and meet and have a diverse group and all they do and sit around and talk about how bad discrimination is. Then someone says ‘there’s a Klan group across town. Why don’t we invite them to come and talk to us?’ and the other person says ‘Oh no! We don’t want that guy here!’ Well, you’re doing the exact same thing they are. What’s the purpose of meeting with each other when we already agree? Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table.

Yup, confirmation bias has a stronghold. It's good to broaden your horizon to all kinds of people. Compared to people on the Internet where people get further into their shells, in real life there'll be some give and eventually willingness to just talk it out. If it's in a calm environment.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

 

[Messofanego]

I have a uncle who is also racist to black people, which just blew my mind (minority hating other minority) and it always came from the idea of crime. Or some personal story of a black dude not being nice to them, which they used to create their whole stereotype about a race. Once I talked to him, broke down his misconceptions and laid down facts, he stops making racist jokes. I know you can't just call them RACIST and hope that works, because you're putting them on the defence. It's not just "hey, you can't say things like that". You've got to get to the root and hear them out. Why do they think that? Find that little story, and make them see the irrationality of blowing up anecdotal experience into a worldview.

 

[Ovid]

Is that Cee-lo?

 

[CrazyDude]

It would make awesome comedy sitcom.

 

[Zizbuka]

I'd love to sit down with these guys, just have an intelligent discussion. It would be very interesting.

 

[Guzim]

The cover of the book is also badass.

 

[Karsticles]

This man is doing a great thing. He fights a war with his mind.

 

[Ranger Taffles]

That was indeed a great read. And those pictures are just badass.

 

[Messofanego]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a5pKXtIovU

Cool seeing him on video, thanks.

 

[Bad_Boy]

The cover of the book is also badass.

His arm looks like a rubber hose.

 

[Lord Helmet]

Loved this. Thanks for sharing OP. My gf's brother-in-law is black. From time to time when we take their kids out, we get a "look" from some people and it pisses me off to no end. It's 2013 people.

 

[ffdgh]

This was fun and interesting to read. Never would have thought they would have something called a Grand Dragon rank.

 

[silent]

I watched a video of those two in my sociology class.

 

[Leckan]

This is some Jedi-master shit.

"The lesson learned is: ignorance breeds fear. If you don’t keep that fear in check, that fear will breed hatred. If you don’t keep hatred in check it will breed destruction."

 

[Scoot2005]

That was an amazing article. I really enjoyed reading it. Made my day.

 

[fabricated backlash]

A lot of people have anti-racist groups. They get together and meet and have a diverse group and all they do and sit around and talk about how bad discrimination is. Then someone says ‘there’s a Klan group across town. Why don’t we invite them to come and talk to us?’ and the other person says ‘Oh no! We don’t want that guy here!’ Well, you’re doing the exact same thing they are. What’s the purpose of meeting with each other when we already agree? Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table.

This quote is really powerful.

 

[leadbelly]

I was expecting a punchline...

 

[double jump]

I was expecting a punchline...

.

 

[Ultima_5]

That image would make a badass album cover.

It looks like a Reagan youth cover

 

[CrankyJay]

That image would make a badass album cover.

Was thinking the same thing. Goddamn.

 

[speculawyer]

this sentence is just hilarious to me "This Klansman and I were riding around in my car and the topic of crime came up. He made the remark that all black people had a gene that makes us violent. I said ‘Gary, what are you talking about?’ "

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

No wonder this man's played for President Clinton: if he can do this, he can do most anything. Inspiring story, especially it digs down to the root of the problem (that being how context dictates relationship).

 

[The Boat]

That's a great story, kind of gives me a little faith in mankind.

 

[abstract alien]

That was good

 

[Arde5643]

Amazing brass balls on that guy with a giant golden Jesus-like humanity-embracing heart.

 

[theignoramus]

He's a better man than I. If I meet a Klansman Im not interested in finding common ground with him or teaching him the error of his ways, I want him the fuck out of my face

 

[theignoramus]

This quote is really powerful.

the quote is well intentioned enough but wildly inaccurate. The anti-racist group might be saying "we dont want that guy here" just the same as the Klan but theyre not proponents of racist backwards ideology either. I dont think it's fundamentally wrong at all to not want to interact with the Klan. Theyre not Maoists or Stalin apologists they are the Klan, who are made up of mostly unreasonable people.

 

[fabricated backlash]

the quote is well intentioned enough but wildly inaccurate. The anti-racist group might be saying "we dont want that guy here" just the same as the Klan but theyre not proponents of racist backwards ideology either. I dont think it's fundamentally wrong at all to not want to interact with the Klan. Theyre not Maoists or Stalin apologists they are the Klan, who are made up of mostly unreasonable people.

I don't think you understood what this quote meant. It means that just circle jerking in anti-fascist anti-racist groups isn't achieving anything other than self congratulatory delusion and further separation instead of promotion of dialogue that goes beyond agreeing with one another from the get go.

 

[theignoramus]

I don't think you understood what this quote meant. It means that just circle jerking in anti-fascist anti-racist groups isn't achieving anything other than self congratulatory delusion and further separation instead of promotion of dialogue that goes beyond agreeing with one another from the get go.

I understand the quote fine, I have a problem with the phrase "doing the exact same thing they (the Klan) are"
However much of a circle jerk, echo chamber an anti-fascist group could theoretically turn into, ideologically, they are not morally repugnant the way Klan is, which is why I reject any direct comparison between the two groups, however minor. I mean sure, the Klan could be an obstinate echo chamber too, but one of hatred and intolerance.
Furthermore, why does an antifascist group have to reach out to the extreme end of the spectrum, the Klan, to promote anti-discrimination awareness in a meaningful and impactful way? The answer is that they dont.

 

[thesuperfunk]

Gary, what are you talking about?