Similar things happen with primarily non-white inner cities here in the states. The sad fact is, some of those living there are causing the problems, and some of them are trying to overcome them, and many people outside those situations view them all as the type that cause the problems. And the leaders are of both types as well. It does make it difficult to sympathize at times, and it makes it difficult to know whether or not you're safe, but it also makes me really, REALLY sad, because there are many who do not deserve the label, the discrimination, the police harrassment that DOES happen and these things make it MORE difficult to rise above the life they were born into. The politics of such things is a barely balanced but very dangerous sword as far as I'm concerned.

However, I didn't mean to make it sound like I was defending anyone, really. Just making a more general point. I can see why you might think he means all non-Muslims when he says rednecks. That would mean, of course, that he is going to rednecks to ask them to send some other rednecks to keep yet OTHER rednecks from doing violence. I don't know. It could also be that his statement is similar to my example, but it would be tough to say how he actually defines the term. In any case, on an individual basis he probably has a point. On the whole, he's probably doing "his people" more harm than good.

I agree about the "my people" thing, though. But at the same time, I'm sure everyone does that. Everyone has a group with which they identify more strongly. "My people" could be an ethnic group, a religious group, even an occupational group. I know that the Czechs in the area here consider that "their people". I know that Christians here, especially certain denominations think of themselves as "their people". And I know plenty of computer programmers who consider that "their people".

It is perhaps just more damaging to the situation in his case, for the reasons you mentioned. I believe that being proud of and strong in your heritage is a good idea, but compartmentalizing is not. The African-American / Latino American / European American / whatever american blah blah.. I have to admit that I hate it. I'm an American. I happen to have mostly European heritage, most of which I know plenty about, all of which I'm proud of, but I don't refer to myself as a German/Scotch/Irish/Polish-American, and my heritage is as recent as being only the second generation born in the country. There are people who refer to themselves as some specific kind of American whos' ancestors were here long before my own. I understand the reasoning behind these things, but I just can't agree with it. But that's just me.

And harrassment of the Police by these same people DOES also exist. And that makes it more difficult to Police an area.

Of course, MikeyD6. As I said, there are people who do not deserve the police harrassment. But those are the people who are trying to rise above the problems. The ones who are causing the problems harrass everyone, including the police. The wary stance the police must take is understandable but unfortunate. Because of the ones causing the problems, the police adopt an almost guilty until proven innocent attitude, for their own safety, but my only point is that in many cases that attitude and the resulting prejudice and possibly even violence are undeserved. Not all the people who speak out against police harrassment are guilty of harrassment themselves. Some of them have simply been victims because of a perceived threat. Some of them are innocent. Like in the other examples I cited, there are victims on all sides and all sides must share the blame as well.

No one deserves Police harrasment. I worked in the toughest and busiest areas of the city. I never harrassed anyone. Many cops just go to work and do their job. I was always well aware of the hard working law abiding people in the toughest of neighborhoods. I concentrated on making them feel secure if I could. I assure you, I was not alone. I guess it is always the bad we hear about.

Unfortunately, I think that's true.