In The Aftermath Of Charlottesville-Remember The 1960s Freedom Riders And You Will Understand Why We Hate The KKK (and their ilk on the Alt-Right)

In The Aftermath Of Charlottesville-Remember The 1960s Freedom Riders And You Will Understand Why We Hate The KKK (and their ilk on the Alt-Right)

Frank Jackman comment:

  

I have just spent the weekend making myself hoarse, once again, over the issue of “free speech for White Nationalists, Nazis, KKK, Alt-Right and whatever other para-military operations work under the assumption that “history is on their side.” (I will use the term Alt-Right hereafter as the generic expression for this right-wing rabble.) On their side programmatically with their calls for race war, ethnic cleansing, genocide and political atomization and destruction of any political opposition. Hell any opposition at all under the premise that if you are not with me then you are against me (somewhat the way their “fifth columnist” President Trump operates in his universe). The reason for the hoarse throat was my attendance at the hugely successful counter-protest to the tiny “free speech” rally at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common put on by the Alt-Right. (Hugely successful as the first in probably a long line of protests and other actions by being well-organized unlike Charlottesville where the Alt-Right out organized the counter-protesters and showing a strong sense of solidarity with the anti-fascist united front being formed now).             

I had mentioned in a series of pieces advertising the counter-protest on Saturday August 19, 2017 on the Common that a number of issues had to be clarified and thought through about how to best fight the emerging Alt-Right threat. In short to examine and learn from the lessons of history. The first, and for right now, the key issue is to understand the “enemy” and its program. That entails further understanding that no self-respecting anti-fascist activist should even consider defending the Alt-Right’s right to free speech as a measure of elementary political hygiene. We of the anti-fascist resistance are under no obligation to accept the Alt-Right’s fiction of covering their hate rallies within the umbrella of free speech. The potentially murderous armed demonstration in Charlottesville should disabuse anybody of that notion.

More importantly and this is where I began to get some headway in my argument against defending “free speech” for the Alt-Right is the program these organizations espouse. These are not merely bad ideas floating out in the political biosphere like getting rid of Obamacare or in some academic debating setting. The logic and aim of their programs for a “white nation” can only mean race war, genocide, ethnic cleansing and political destruction of the opposition. Free speech leads to the concentration camps if they get their way. They will have, and do not now have, any qualms about denying us our rights, including free speech wherever they can get the upper-hand.

All of the above comments got a rather concise exploration early Sunday morning when I happened to be travelling for a meeting early and had the BBC on the radio. Early Sunday morning they have a Bit of History show on. This particular show dealt with the heroic civil rights freedom riders of the early 1960s in the American South trying to desegregate interstate transportation-the buses, trains, and other facilities connected with interstate transportation. The commentary that stopped me in my tracks was the story related by one of the early leaders about when they got to Anniston, Alabama and met up with some rabble who were intent on murder, had tried to set the bus they were riding on fire and holding the doors closed. Only a late intervention by a previously standing-by policeman saved them. That is the program we have to look forward to if we don’t stop this rabble in the egg. No free speech for Nazis, KKK and their ilk.

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Unfortunatley when I tried to Google the show this is what I got. If anybody has a wayt to link to that show throw it up here.

The Freedom Rides 1961

The video below looks at racial segregation on US public transport.

Sorry, this clip is not available in your region or territory.

Causes

In 1960, the US Supreme Court ruled that segregation in rest rooms, waiting rooms and restaurants was illegal.

Events

In 1961, 13 members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) tested the Supreme Court Ruling, by travelling by bus from Washington to New Orleans.

The Freedom Riders faced threats and violence as they travelled south, so much so that Martin Luther King urged the Freedom Riders to call off their protest several times as he was worried about their safety.

Impact

The Freedom Riders attracted huge publicity and many white people, especially in the north, were appalled by the violence.

The US Government finally ordered all interstate bus companies to end segregation at interstate bus stations.

In late 1961, the Government also ordered the end of segregation in airports, railway and bus stations.

The video below describes the Freedom Rides 1961.

Sorry, this clip is not available in your region or territory.

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