Comments on: U of Oregon Gay & Lesbian Student Alliance Office Vandalized, Neo-Nazi-Style

By: Sar

Sar — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:53:08 +0000

There’s no evidence in this case that the LGBTQ group had ANYTHING to do with what happened to their offices, and just mindlessly assuming its them and trolling about it is no help whatsoever. I feel a pretty crappy “however” coming on…. However, whilst I was at uni, a pretty high profile member of the BNP (British National Party – awful right wing fascist racist bigots) was studying there, and I personally witnessed several of the campaigners to get him off campus spraying swastikas and spreading an awful lot of fear on campus in their single minded attempts to deny him an education. There was a great irony in the fact that it was these SAME campaigners who would come and sit in my house for hours on end and lecture my Jewish friend on the evils of Israel.
I don’t think a student should be denied access to an education because his views are repugnant – maybe educating him instead of making him into a martyr victim for his cause would have had more impact – but I do think that there is no place on campus for such hateful propaganda as the poster I saw above. It would be pretty stupid for someone in the LGBTQ office to vandalise the place, and I doubt they’d be SO stupid as to not fake a forced entry were they to do so.

By: Erda

Erda — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:46:32 +0000

Can the Autostraddle staff do something about the victim-blaming trolls please?

By: Duffers

Duffers — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:33:08 +0000

I have no interest in silencing you but I have better things to do than listen to you.

By: Ozlanthos

Ozlanthos — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:19:19 +0000

I think Carl is dead on. I’d bet the members and fans of the Pacifica Forum had absolutely nothing to do with this event. Consider, 1. Several groups bristled (including and especially the LGBTQ) at the mere presence of the Pacifica Forum ANYWHERE on the U of O campus. 2. No Forced Entry. 3. Damage was minimal and easily reparable 4. Nothing was stolen.
Anyone who knows anything about “white supremacist groups” knows that they are (for the most part) a little more prone to violence than most others. They also tend to think in more militaristic terms, meaning they don’t care about mere embarrassment, and inconvenience, they care about humiliation, degradation, and rendering you inoperable.

What makes me mad is that the same people trying to stifle the free speech of the Pacifica Forum were themselves stifled not all that long ago(and in some places still are). Yet with their collective experience none of them have enough empathy to leave others to their causes. You don’t have to like what I say, but if you try to silence me, you’ll surely devise the means for others to silence you.

-Oz

By: Niklas

Niklas — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:49:10 +0000

I don’t know whether to take you seriously Carl, but I’m going to give you at least a semi-serious answer just in case you actually believe what you just wrote.
If I was your bookie, which alas I am not, I’d take your money and laugh at your stupid ass. You seem to think that your two examples of hate-crime-hoaxes are very impressive, which tells me that you haven’t a clue how common this kind of vandalism is. Where did you think the idea for those hoaxes came from?
I also think you are grossly overestimating the brain-power of the average neo-nazi. If you’d ever met a neo-nazi in person you’d know that they are generally not that smart. Certainly not smart enough to think in terms of long-term political impact. However they (individual nazis and individual nazi-organisations alike) do benefit from acts of vandalism like this one on a smaller scale: they receive validation from their peers, visibility and yes, new members and even donations. Keep in mind that we’re not talking about republicans here but nazis -people who thrive on negative attention.
For the LGBTQ-community on the other hand, the kind of hoax you’re suggesting would seem grossly out of character to me. Unlike your typical nazi they are usually quite smart, and know that “real nazis run your school” as the song goes. Any possible benefit from a “nazi-hoax” (which I think you overestimate btw) would easily be outweighed by the intimidation queer people feel, not to mention the risk of being caught. There’s also the fact that the vandalists fucked up the TV and computer, which would be pretty weird thing to do at your own office, no?
Finally I would like to question your motives Carl. Why is it you feel the need to come out against queers and neo-nazis at the same time? Does it irk you, perhaps, as Jasper suggested below, to see your homophobia associated with nazism? Whatever the case I suggest you keep your stupid homophobic mouth shut to save yourself from further embarrassment.
P.S. I wish you were here so I could slap you. (I’m feeling aggro today, can you tell?)

By: Dina

Dina — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:18:20 +0000

Wow, I’ve never seen victim blaming so… LITERAL.

By: Carl Cohen

Carl Cohen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:31:51 +0000

If I were a betting man, and I am, I would bet any amount of money that this was a false flag “hate crime”. As in, perpetrated not by Nazis, but by sympathetic individuals intent on drawing attention to “hate crimes”. You always have to ask yourself “who benefits”. Do neo-Nazi fascists benefit here? Are they going to be getting a bunch of new members, enthusiastic public support, donations? No, no, no and no. HOWEVER, the “victims” will be getting all kinds of publicity, donations from an outraged public, a bright spotlight on their pet issue, etc. This kind of crap happens ALL THE TIME. Ask Jewish student Sarah Marshak of George Washington University who was caught on video painting swatstikas on her own dorm room door. Or how about the SEVEN G.W.U. students busted for hanging up anti-Muslim posters on campus, successfully painting a conservative student group as the culprit until they themselves were caught? (That group was condemned viciously for something they didn’t do, of course.)

No doubt these goose stepping neo-Nazi Hitler worshippers are morons, but as stupid as they may be, very few are stupid enough to do something which they know will not only not HELP their cause but will HURT it terribly. If I could get a lie detector on every member of the LGBTQ I would be EVERY SINGLE CENT that the perp is a member or someone highly sympathetic to them.

AGAIN — WHO BENEFITS??? LGBTQ will milk this “hate crime” for all it’s worth.

By: RachelwasHere

RachelwasHere — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:00:15 +0000

Much love to you all as you work past this. I know how it feels and hopefully you will find that this intrusion of darkness only allows you guys to spread light farther and reach more people who would have otherwise been complacent.

By: Corey

Corey — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:03:52 +0000

Hope everyone is okay. It sucks that stuff like this still happens.

By: Lindsey P

Lindsey P — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:49:48 +0000

This really blows, and I’m sorry for you guys. Sounds like you’re handling it well. Good luck and all of my lesbian love to you.

By: Sophie T

Sophie T — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:44:01 +0000

This is really awful Vashti, I hope you and all the students who use the centre are ok and its good that the student body is rallying round you, everyone must be really shocked. I hope they catch whoever did it. Also what the fuck – why does that wanker wear Scottish stuff?

By: Sammi

Sammi — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:08:47 +0000

This is so sad, How could anyone be so cowardly and low?