Slate article on lynching and Christianity - I'm not sure I buy it

[Jedidiah]

Using this approach we are all equivalent to ISIS. We are all sinners and it is all just a matter of degree.

[Sam]

Using this approach we are all equivalent to ISIS. We are all sinners and it is all just a matter of degree.

Well, yes ... that's sort of implied in my post. Without getting too far down that particular theological track, though, I'll just say that white communities in the South mutilating and burning black men and women to death is way closer to ISIS than your run-of-the-mill sinner. Sure, it's legitimate (and useful!) to look at what ISIS does and realize that we're capable of the same thing. But it's also very useful to remember that some of our own communities — some of the people we might have personally known in our own lives — were actually equivalent to ISIS. The same grievous sins that inflame our sensibilities today were the stuff of carnivals in some communities only yesterday.

—Sam

[Darth Executor]

Well, yes ... that's sort of implied in my post. Without getting too far down that particular theological track, though, I'll just say that white communities in the South mutilating and burning black men and women to death is way closer to ISIS than your run-of-the-mill sinner. Sure, it's legitimate (and useful!) to look at what ISIS does and realize that we're capable of the same thing. But it's also very useful to remember that some of our own communities — some of the people we might have personally known in our own lives — were actually equivalent to ISIS. The same grievous sins that inflame our sensibilities today were the stuff of carnivals in some communities only yesterday.

—Sam

It seems to me that these atrocities are always brought up by the people whose ancestors did not belong to these communities (except as the ones being lynched). Seems to me that if someone wanted to remind themselves, or their friends and family of what we're all capable of that they would bring up their own family atrocities instead, lest someone mistake this for yet another tribal provocation as opposed to genuine introspection. Of course part of that difficulty is that unlike the South, which is endlessly barraged with a stream of intense guilt long after these events have passed, the people behind the barrage are still aiding and abetting (when they're not committing them) inhuman atrocities themselves, so the commentators have every incentive to keep The Other busy defending himself instead.

[Sam]

It seems to me that these atrocities are always brought up by the people whose ancestors did not belong to these communities (except as the ones being lynched). Seems to me that if someone wanted to remind themselves, or their friends and family of what we're all capable of that they would bring up their own family atrocities instead, lest someone mistake this for yet another tribal provocation as opposed to genuine introspection. Of course part of that difficulty is that unlike the South, which is endlessly barraged with a stream of intense guilt long after these events have passed, the people behind the barrage are still aiding and abetting (when they're not committing them) inhuman atrocities themselves, so the commentators have every incentive to keep The Other busy defending himself instead.

Well, you can read that Rod Dreher article I posted, where Dreher notes that he found out about three lynchings done in his own home community (think it was three). Dreher also quotes another author talking about a carnival-style murder done in his home community, if memory serves.

[Darth Executor]

Well, you can read that Rod Dreher article I posted, where Dreher notes that he found out about three lynchings done in his own home community (think it was three). Dreher also quotes another author talking about a carnival-style murder done in his home community, if memory serves.

I did read it, but Dreher is a statistical anomaly (if I were to grant him Tribal Status on the right), not typical or even common. Nevermind that as far as I can tell Dreher didn't actually bring it up so much as respond to an existing conversation.

[Teallaura]

If thy arithmetic offends thee ...

The South remained strongly Democrat well into the Nineties. Political monoliths are almost non-existent so defining 'stronghold' as 'monolith' is idiotic at best.

Alabama's legislature didn't become fully Republican until after 2010, if I recall correctly.