Salem Witch Trials and Current Events

[Traveler]

I caught a documentary on the Salem Witch Trials and decided to do a little research on my own.  History is quite interesting.   The Puritans were responsible for the Salem Witch Trials.  Perhaps the most prominent historical figure that was connected to the Puritans was a guy named Oliver Cromwell.   If anyone ever decides to visit Ireland I would suggest that you not make a big deal should you support Oliver Cromwell or the Puritan treatment of the Irish.  In short – Oliver was well established as someone that used political power to destroy any real or perceived critics.

I think it is interesting how many view the history of the Salem Witch Trials.  Mostly the witch trials are seen as not just a blunder and failure but as one of the worse uses of power in the history of the Americas.  As much as witch craft was considered wicked and a collaboration with Satan history looks back on the witch trials as a worse evil than that which was ever perpetrated by any or all of the witches that were tried and executed.  

I do not know anyone that thinks the Salem Witch Trials was a good idea or an excellent example of justice.   The reality of the witch trials was that it did not matter so much what the results of a trial were – the very accusation of being a witch was enough to ruin any individual – regardless of their social status.  It is true that those convicted, suffered death but even those not convicted were ruined.  The only way out of ruin was to turn evidence towards someone else accused of being a witch.  Many did exactly that.  They testified to being a witch but being under the spell of someone else.  This was the only way to protect yourself.  If you were not willing to lie when accused and blame someone else – you would die.

So how does this apply to current events?  I believe that the cancel culture is the same as the Salem Witch trials on steroids.   Instead of accusing someone of witch craft – the accusation is that someone, some law, or some institution is racists.  All that is needed is an accusation and ignorant peasant mobs are ready to burn the accused at the stake.   The only way out is to admit your once racial prejudice but to claim you have changed and to blame someone or something else for your prejudice.

What would you do if you lived in Salem during the witch trials?  I suggest you would have the same attitude about witches then that you currently have about racial prejudice today.

 

The Traveler

[Still_Small_Voice]

I also agree that the cancel culture is disgusting and attacks American's freedom of speech.

Meanwhile the Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors was sharply criticized recently after news broke that she had purchased a $1,400,000 million home in a mostly white Los Angeles area neighborhood.

I do not like the Black Lives Matter organization.  They care nothing about the many poor black Americans in this nation and are doing virtually nothing to help them.  They are also helping and pushing the cancel culture in America presently.

 

[Traveler]

5 hours ago, Still_Small_Voice said:

I also agree that the cancel culture is disgusting and attacks American's freedom of speech.

Meanwhile the Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors was sharply criticized recently after news broke that she had purchased a $1,400,000 million home in a mostly white Los Angeles area neighborhood.

I do not like the Black Lives Matter organization.  They care nothing about the many poor black Americans in this nation and are doing virtually nothing to help them.  They are also helping and pushing the cancel culture in America presently.

 

The first step into the evil quicksand of racism is to allow, support or champion any divide of the human race into various sub-races.   I used the quick sand metaphor because once one engages in the thought - whatever they do next will only make it worse.

 

The Traveler

[NeuroTypical]

On 4/7/2021 at 2:32 PM, Traveler said:

So how does this apply to current events?  I believe that the cancel culture is the same as the Salem Witch trials on steroids.   Instead of accusing someone of witch craft – the accusation is that someone, some law, or some institution is racists.  

I strongly agree with the overall point, but the "on steroids" part needs a bit of clarification.  Nobody is being convicted and executed, whether under the color of law, or under mob rule.  But yes, lives and careers ruined, and it's more widespread.  

I'm also amazed to follow the riots in places like Portland and Seattle.  There's quite a slew of abuses and injustices being foisted on individuals, groups, and property.  Burnings, beatings, vandalism.  It's amazing to think of the KKK's hoods' history - meant to keep people anonymous, being replicated with black bloc tactics of "everyone mask up", and "streamers will be dealt with", and "everyone show up with an umbrella to hide the one throwing the rock/smashing the window/setting the fire".  And they get away with it in Portland and Seattle, because the local government refuses to prosecute.  Often, arrests aren't even made, like this week when numerous buildings were set on fire.

[Still_Small_Voice]

6 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

I'm also amazed to follow the riots in places like Portland and Seattle.  There's quite a slew of abuses and injustices being foisted on individuals, groups, and property.  Burnings, beatings, vandalism.

The Governor of Oregon should have called out the National Guard to put down the rioting and insurrections.  What happened in District of Columbia on January 6th is nothing compared to what has been going on in Oregon for months.

[NeuroTypical]

11 hours ago, Still_Small_Voice said:

The Governor of Oregon should have called out the National Guard to put down the rioting and insurrections.  What happened in District of Columbia on January 6th is nothing compared to what has been going on in Oregon for months.

Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions when the District Attorneys refuse to prosecute, to the point where cops don't even bother making an arrest or charging anyone.  And when they do, the well-funded bail program has them out on the streets burning and rioting the next night.  

Those folks are very well-versed at only breaking laws that won't get them in trouble with the feds or the governor.  It's ok to barricade people inside local police buildings and try to burn them down, for example.  That's a city matter, not a governor thing.  And for whatever reason, federal ICE facilities tend to be good targets.

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by NeuroTypical

[JohnsonJones]

On 4/14/2021 at 9:45 PM, Still_Small_Voice said:

The Governor of Oregon should have called out the National Guard to put down the rioting and insurrections.  What happened in District of Columbia on January 6th is nothing compared to what has been going on in Oregon for months.

This makes it sound very bad there.  This is rather alarming.  Not much about it has gotten out in the general news I watch, but it sounds like more articles about it should be published.

[Jamie123]

On 4/7/2021 at 9:32 PM, Traveler said:

So how does this apply to current events?  I believe that the cancel culture is the same as the Salem Witch trials on steroids.

Historian David Starkey is a good example. Last year he was "investigated" by the police because he told an interviewer that slavery is not the same thing as genocide. (He put it rather crassly I admit, but Starkey has never been one to mince his words.) The police saw the complaint for the garbage it was, but that didn't stop several learned societies throwing him under the bus. The Historical Association demanded back the Medlicott Medal they had awarded him in 2001. The University of Lancaster stripped him of his honorary doctorate, and the University of Kent are "investigating" whether or not they should do the same. (Not that Starkey's worried by that: he has plenty of actual doctorates that they can't take off him no matter how hard the Wokers scream.) Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge stripped him of his fellowship. Canterbury Christ Church University terminated his visiting professorship. Etc...etc...etc. The Woke Brigade have him in their eye, and whoever won't stamp on his head risks having his own head stamped.

And on top of all this, Starkey (believe it or not) is a practicing homosexual. (Or at least he was practicing until his partner of 21 years died in 2015.) The trouble is, he's the wrong sort of homosexual - the sort who refuses to make victimhood the mainstay of his life. To the Wokers that makes him worse than a dirty hetero like me!

P.S. The Wokers even went after the interviewer for not punching Starkey on the nose the moment he said it!

Edited April 21, 2021 by Jamie123

[Anddenex]

On 4/14/2021 at 9:44 AM, Still_Small_Voice said:

I also agree that the cancel culture is disgusting and attacks American's freedom of speech.

Meanwhile the Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors was sharply criticized recently after news broke that she had purchased a $1,400,000 million home in a mostly white Los Angeles area neighborhood.

I do not like the Black Lives Matter organization.  They care nothing about the many poor black Americans in this nation and are doing virtually nothing to help them.  They are also helping and pushing the cancel culture in America presently.

 

And this is why I don't trust Fact-Checkers (talk about one of the most biased sources and manipulators). Here are the excuses: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/04/19/fact-check-misleading-claim-blm-co-founders-real-estate/7241450002/

If not, then where did she earn her money from to purchase 4 properties up to almost 3 million dollars. It is really a pitiful attempt to hide facts.

[Still_Small_Voice]

19 hours ago, Anddenex said:

And this is why I don't trust Fact-Checkers (talk about one of the most biased sources and manipulators). Here are the excuses: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/04/19/fact-check-misleading-claim-blm-co-founders-real-estate/7241450002/

If not, then where did she earn her money from to purchase 4 properties up to almost 3 million dollars. It is really a pitiful attempt to hide facts.

The Black Lives Matter organization lies about almost everything.  Why would this time be any different?