Guest Post by Jim Kunstler
Of all the awful tensions roiling and coiling in American society, it’s only a little bit surprising that the racial module is blowing off now rather than, say, the stock market. Perhaps it’s a seasonal thing: race riots in the summer; stock market crashes in the fall, revolutions in the spring.
Michael Brown, the 18-year-old shooting victim of a cop-stop in Ferguson, Missouri, was not the best candidate for martyrdom. But it was only after the violent protests to his killing got underway that his convenience store robbery videotape went public — despite attempts by the US Department of Justice to suppress it — and by then it was too late to stop the juggernaut of grievance. Meanwhile, the white condescension machine (The New York Times, The Huffington Post, et. al.) revved into top gear to validate the fears and resentments of the rioters.
The casual observer from Mars might have trouble finding the reality in this welter of bad feeling. A toxicology report should have accompanied the second autopsy report, and shed a little light, but apparently no one has asked for it yet — notably the leading news media. 18-year-old young men are not known for having great judgment or impulse control even when not high.
White America is tortured by black America’s failure to thrive, and all that guilt and anxiety has only gotten worse as a substantial quota of white America loses its own footing in the middle class and plunges into the rough country of joblessness, hopelessness, and government dependency. The usual remedies of even more dependency aren’t working so well for anybody. It’s politically easier for the moment, though. And both the government and the news media are frantically busy manufacturing excuses for everybody’s bad conduct.
This poor nation is faced with the tasks of completely retooling its economy in a way that it can’t bear to imagine, and of also reforming its grotesque social behavior. One might follow the other in a better world, but our prospects for the moment are not so bright. My own camp is inclined to expect an anguished collapse rather than any deliberate reformation. We’ve set ourselves up for it.
The future we don’t want to think about is an economy focused on food production at the local scale, along with the activities that support it and add value to its products, and the labor required to do all that. There’s a fair chance that we will fail altogether to ever get it running. In any case, the officially-sanctioned future that so many people are expecting — the digital wonderland economy — will not survive the energy and capital scarcities ahead.
The basic questions of race relations in America remain too painful to ask and too hard to answer. For instance, are we hard-wired to self-segregate? There certainly was a great wish that this were not so. Has it been disproven or overcome in the 60 years since Brown v. Board of Education? Do we have different standards of behavior for different races? Does that work?
The case of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, can’t inspire a whole lot of confidence about working anything out. We’re finding out that a culture of opposition produces confrontation, often just for its own sake, because there seems to be nothing better to do. Is it the opening round of broader discontent and conflict? Black America surely faces an existential crisis, but not the one imagined in the condescending news media — of somehow getting non-black America to be more just and generous. The truth is, we’ve already been through that and there is nothing left to do. We’re out of “affirmative actions” of all kinds. “Diversity” chatter didn’t make anything better. Have we completely discarded the idea of a common culture along with uniform standards of behavior? If not, we’re in for more violence and anarchy.
The new World Made By Hand novel
!! Just Published !!
“Kunstler skewers everything from kitsch to greed, prejudice, bloodshed, and brainwashing in this wily, funny, rip-roaring, and profoundly provocative page- turner, leaving no doubt that the prescriptive yet devilishly satiric A World Made by Hand series will continue.” — Booklist
My local indie booksellers… Battenkill Books (Autographed by the Author) … or Northshire Books…
or Amazon…
Rev Al disagrees with kuntsler
What’s left of Michael Brown after three fucking autopsies.
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Let Sensetti go on record saying the Cop in this case will go down with excessive force charges and does jail time. I watched a lot of video with eyewitness testimony and have drawn my preliminary conclusion. I reserve the right to change my mind after the final court case.
I have no guilt of any kind .I have some regrets but not guilt.Very easy for me to tell guilty liberals to go F themselves along with the vast majority of blacks.Tell me fellow TBP ers ,do you feel guilty
I would like to kick Econman in the nuts.I like fantasizing about it but still no guilt. Guilt free living is great.
This is an excellent summary of the events in Ferguson. I admit that I wanted this young man to be the gentle giant striving to get out of the ghetto from the first day. I actually got into an argument with a former police officer friend about how arrogant cops get when they feel their authority is questions. I am absolutely horrified by the obvious militarization of our police forces as seen on the streets of Ferguson, but have to admit that my initial assessment of the situation appears to have been ill-informed. As a journalism major (trained but never tried) I should have recognized the initial propaganda. Now, I will sit back and reserve judgement…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pr1oE34bIM
Maggie , that’s the problem . There are to many of you in this world. Typical white woman .You.probably feel a need to save blacks so you can feel good about yourself. You also vote for democrats because their so generous .( with other peoples money )Women should have never been given the right to vote.You are the main reason America has turned into a welfare state. Yes Maggie you are the main reason for the down fall of this great nation. You love the very things (socialism , welfare , government programs ,)that have bankrupt nation after nation. This well.end in total financial ruin and then another world war for the US but your kind will never assume responsibility for the damage you have done.Typical white female.
Maggie
I hope you have the sense to ignore bb; aka Village Idiot, aka Cokgobbler, aka Hypocrite Extraordinaire, aka TBP Troll.
The “if not” in the last sentence is very hard to read because we have all been conditioned to read the sentence “if so”
Kunstler prowerful use of language in the last sentence is meant to be discrete . While at the same time making a revolutionary statement.
Good catch – I completely missed it.
Kunstler implies it’s now time to “discard the idea of a common culture along with uniform standards of behavior” or get ready for more violence and anarchy.
This is where Kunstler goes wrong- it is BECAUSE we long ago discarded the idea of a common culture along with uniform standards of behavior, that we have increasing violence and anarchy.
If there is anything we need to do, its to restore a common standard of civility, and the classical values that made the accomplishments of Western society possible.
Found this piece by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be interesting… and likely closer to the truth than TPTB are willing to admit. They’ll skew Ferguson as a race issue — Eric Holder himself is already working on that — but, in reality, this is more about The Poor versus The Rich.
Like Admin, I think one of the driving issues for this 4T is going to be backlash against a system that created a huge disparity among the Haves and Have Nots. Everything, from our educational system to our job market, to our moral values, has been co-opted by those who wish to gain financially from keeping everyone else down. The middle class has already disappeared; we already have a lower class that works for the upper class in low-paid “service” roles. And an educational system that didn’t prepare youth for real (i.e., productive) jobs means there are few opportunities to change that, let alone get out from crushing debt.
Progressivism is the enemy here, not the skin color of citizens. Sure, whole swaths of people bought into it, but what has happened is that the Liberal Elites have created a new form of slavery. They just rationalize it by telling themselves it’s “kinder” — when we all know better.
“With each of these shootings/chokehold deaths/stand-your-ground atrocities, police and the judicial system are seen as enforcers of an unjust status quo.”
I think he’s right…our system has devolved into one that supports those who have money and connections (look at Corzine) at the expense of those who do not. And the more the underclass fights back, the stronger the elites will come down hard on them. In the meantime, the mouthpieces of the elites — politicians and the MSM — will try to convince you it’s a race issue in an attempt to keep you from aligning with others who can bring the whole, rotten system down.
Remember the Hangman.
Stucky , now here comes the typical guilt ridden white man to the defense of the typical guilt ridden white female. You should get together and bake the world some liberal guilt cookies.Then ask the world to forgive you of your White SINS.I think it’s funny but what do I know?
Paul Craig Roberts interview – 60 minutes but well worth it
Chicago
I think Kunstler was decrying the lack of common culture and uniform standards.
I interpret Kunsler as answering his own question . Are we hard wired toward segregation ?
All the kings horses and the kings men can’t put this humpty back together again.
We have a common culture in the south and it’s centered around a Flag, the Stars and Bars, and when push comes to shove white southern males will rally to that flag. You can bet everything you own on that.
Admin, Kunstler’s choice of words was unfortunate.
He says “Have we completely discarded the idea of a common culture along with uniform standards of behavior? If not, we’re in for more violence and anarchy.” I underline the word “not”, as though he believes that we can no way be expected to adhere to common minimal standards of decency and decorum.
Based on the entire tenor of that essay it would appear that he meant to write “if so” rather than “if not”.
Kunstler, however, may have made a Freudian slip. Whenever he makes reference to the people who inhabit the red states he does so in derogatory and often defamatory way. There doesn’t appear to be much he likes about the shrinking majority. Maybe he really thinks that anything that reflects a “common culture”, i.e. pre-1965 USA is one that is inherently violent and anarchic towards multicultural/multiracial communities. I think that’s a stretch, but I’m a provincial while Jim is cosmopolitan.
Dunno, he never responds to my queries.
Some neeegrow woman was shouting down the doctor talking about the autopsy. Then CuNNt had this neeegow woman on TV, She said things will get really bad if the copfuk isn’t arrested and sent to prison. In other words, fuck what the evidence may reveal. The neeegrows demand a GUILTY conviction, or else.
Then this neeegrow Einsten said that the bullet to the top of the head proves it was murder. Ummmmm, no, beeatch. I’ll bet you also think Guam is gonna tip over.
Some neegrow Missouri State Senator says the local/state PO-leece can’t be trusted. She’s happy the Feds are coming in. You know … cuz Eric Holder is such an upstanding politician who is completely unbiased and has never broken any laws or violated the people’s trust.
Forget liking neeegros …. it’s even harder to R.E.S.P.E.C.T. them. What a fuckin’ delusional race.
You see, this is how Battle Lines are drawn. I don’t even care if the copfuk is guilty (which is starting to look unlikely). Fuckit. Much as it pains me, I’m hoping the copfuk wins. The neeegrows insist on making this a raaayciss thingy … I might as well oblige.
Maggie I watched that entire video you posted. Thanks
Good for you Stucky. I was just kidding about you being guilt ridden. I really just wanted to get a response from Maggie.
Damn, I thought this was going to be a post about our resident shit for brains, bb.
the only salvation left for we the US is to rock that stupid vote..actually pic of T4C as her oreo activated giiz-wheel kicks in ..
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Maggie,
I enjoyed the video, however, his comment that there is no direct link between an increase in poverty and an increase in crime is B.S. He makes a lot of assumptions based upon a lot of assumptions. The killer fact though is the covenience store robbery. Hard to feel sympathetic to someone acting like a thug. Hardly an example of an innocent child.
“Damn, I thought this was going to be a post about our resident shit for brains, bb.” —- I_S
Sometimes bb is funny, sometimes he is right. Don’t leave out fukwad Nonanonymous, he is neither, ever.
See neeegro cunt on CuNNt is screaming over and over “WE GOT RIGHTS! WE GOT RIGHTS!”
So very very very hard to like these people.
Sorry Stuck but I don’t read anything bb posts anymore unless someone else quotes him.
We have a common culture in the south and it’s centered around a Flag, the Stars and Bars, and when push comes to shove white southern males will rally to that flag. You can bet everything you own on that. – Sensetti
@ Sensetti…
True. The center star is for Kentucky. Be nice to see the Orphans reconstituted…
————————————-
So very very very hard to like these people. – STucky
@ Stucky
So, why are you still trying? I was neutral towards them until I was about 19. They were the ones that made me think the way I do about them… can’t wait till someone says “They’re not ALL like that!”…. man, I throw up in my mouth every time I hear that shit…
As far as Kunstler’s book, I’m currently reading it… initial reaction (though not done yet…)…
– Apparently, the sun shines out the ass of everyone in small town New York.
– Kunstler hates Kentucky… and pretty much everyone south of the Ohio river…
– Even though multiple plagues have swept the US and people are starving to death, he manages to somehow find a fat guy in Tennessee to make fun of.
– Religious fundies in New England are okay, apparently… but religious fundies in the South are “inbred racist crackers”…
– Kunstler envisions Dolly Parton as the batshit crazy religious fundie whore leader of the new Confederacy… .
– Kunstler apparently thinks all Southerners are inbred, racist hicks of questionable genetic lineage who worship at the altar of NASCAR and eat fried chicken for every meal…
The first book in the series – the original WMBH – was a pretty good story. The one that followed – Witch of Hebron – wasn’t nearly so good. This last one is downright awful… usually, in a doomer novel, there’s a certain amount of suspension of disbelief – is the premise of the book credible? Could this shit actually happen? Kunstler’s problem is that the initial cause of the collapse is plausible, but then he surrounds the premise with ridiculous characters and events… you can hear the sneering derision he harbors for the South in almost every word…
The article?
This is nauseating —> The basic questions of race relations in America remain too painful to ask and too hard to answer. For instance, are we hard-wired to self-segregate? There certainly was a great wish that this were not so. Has it been disproven or overcome in the 60 years since Brown v. Board of Education? Do we have different standards of behavior for different races? Does that work?
Yes dumbass, we are hard-wired to self segregate. If integration were doable, it would have happened by now.
No dumbass, it hasn’t been “disproven” or overcome since that piece of dogshit Brown went down…
Yes dumbass, we DO have different standards of behavior. Whites continue to act civilized, negroes continue to act like a bunch of fucking savages, and apologists and enablers excuse their piss-poor behavior away with bullshit like “black rage”… Pro-Tip: If you stop ACTING like a nigger, we’ll stop TREATING you like a nigger.
No dumbass, it doesn’t work.
Which means us segregationists in the South were right all along, that the agitating Yankee do gooder assholes who carpetbagged their way down here to stir the shit were and are fucking WRONG… but those fucking agitating Yankee fudge-packing faggots looked down their long noses at us poor, toothless, inbred crackers and just HAD to fuck with us… again….
Meddling do-gooder pieces of shit… why don’t y’all mind your fucking business?
many years ago, a 15 yo japanese teen got drunk on rice wine or saki, what do i know, a cop stopped him, while both are face to face, the kid goes for the cop’s gun, the cop took a couple of steps back and shot the kid dead. there was no public outcry, sadness, yes.
here, the story if different, the 18 yo assulted and punched the officer, what should anybody expect? the fucker had a death wish. you do not provoke a person who has a gun and a license to kill. was he unaware that another person his size and race had died at the hands of the popo with less provocation?
the shot at the top of the head makes it look like he was charging the officer. the ‘child’ got wasted like a fucking dog.
what would you do?
Kuntsler will be shocked at how well Southerners will do after collapse. The bonds of brotherhood are strong in the South.
While analyzing the cultural issues, listen to St. Louis rapper Michael “Big Mike” Brown here: soundcloud.com/bigmike-jr-brown
IS , you had me at hello ,you complete me !
Kuntsler will be shocked at how well Southerners will do after collapse. The bonds of brotherhood are strong in the South. – Sensetti
True enough.
Thing is, when I was growing up, I heard about how the Yankees stereotyped us. As a child – maybe 8 or 9 years old – we went to visit some distant relatives Up Nawth. First thing out of their mouths : “You’re wearing SHOES!!” Har har motherfucker….
Later on, the flatlanders in Ohio demonstrated their own prejudices against us, badmouthing us and running us down, all the while coming across the Ohio River (actually, it belongs to Kentucky) to buy their booze and smokes because the oppressive Ohio Prog government taxed the shit out of them. Cheaper to buy from us. Can you imagine inviting someone into your home, feeding them and letting them take advantage of your good will and good nature, only to have them run you down – TO YOUR FACE – while they’re doing it?
I will always hate Ohio.
Much later, I lived and worked in New England. If my accent wasn’t a source of hilarity, then being the butt of countless jokes was (You’re wearing SHOES!!! Yeah, asshole. I heard that when I was 8 years old).
Bottom line is that New Englanders have ALWAYS badmouthed the South. Thoroughly convinced of their own superiority, they look down on us, sneer at us, consider us bigots, ignorant inbred hicks skunked on our own liquor and throwbacks because we cleave to a traditional way of life. Their beloved negroes will not hesitate to eliminate them, given the opportunity, just because they’re “enlightened” Yankees… WE have lived with them a lot longer than THEY have. We know how they act, think, live and react…
Kuntsler can kiss my Southern ass… just get all up in there and smooch it…
Fuck him and his New England “superiority”…
Sensetti,
Followup: When I say they ALWAYS have badmouthed us, I mean it. Since long before the War of Northern Aggression.
The propaganda about us during that war was awful, and most dimwitted Yankees believed it.
Later on, newspaper articles depicted us as toothless, drunken, shoeless, violent barbarians. Especially during the Hatfield/McCoy feud.
Then movies came out. They depicted us as toothless, drunken, shoeless, violent barbarians as well. And again, the pig-ignorant Yankees believed that crap. Just lapped it up.
During the Snivel Rights Movement, they used those same long-time stereotypes and sent carpetbagging, agitating Agents Provocateur down here to stir the shit and make trouble. Then pointed to the trouble as justification for the stereotypes…
Now we get Kuntsler… he might be a halfway awake Doomer, but he’s still one arrogant Yankee sumbitch… and a New York Jew, I might add…
So fuck him…