The Black Panthers were fucking awesome

[Nique]

I was kind of thrown by his use of the word 'punk' as well. I guess you'd have to understand the way the word was being thrown around in the 70s or maybe even expierience it firsthand to really get the meaning but the etomology of the word sounds sort of interesting, and points to it being used against homosexuals.

Originally Posted by http://www.etymonline.com/

punk (1)
1896, "inferior, bad," also "something worthless," earlier "rotten wood used as tinder" (1680s), probably from Delaware (Algonquian) ponk, lit. "dust, powder, ashes;" but Gaelic spong "tinder" also has been suggested (cf. spunk "touchwood, tinder," 1580s). Meaning "Chinese incense" is from 1870.

punk (2)
"worthless person" (especially a young hoodlum), 1917, probably from punk kid "criminal's apprentice," underworld slang first attested 1904 (with overtones of "catamite"). Ultimately from punk "prostitute, harlot, strumpet," first recorded 1590s, of unknown origin. For sense shift from "harlot" to "homosexual," cf. gay. By 1923 used generally for "young boy, inexperienced person" (originally in show business, e.g. punk day, circus slang from 1930, "day when children are admitted free"). The verb meaning "to back out of" is from 1920. The "young criminal" sense is no doubt the inspiration in punk rock first attested 1971 (in a Dave Marsh article in "Creem"), popularized 1976.

It's only less insulting or derogatory now, it would seem, because the culture around perceived 'punks' became sort of a popular or trendy counter-culture thing?

[Nique]

'But Liz, aren't the Black Panthers basically a somehow even worse version of the KKK?'

[Kim]

I'm gonna give you all some homework. The Black Power Mixtape is on Netflix Instant. Watch it.

No.

Really.

Watch it.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Originally Posted by Nique

'But Liz, aren't the Black Panthers basically a somehow even worse version of the KKK?'

While the black panthers were initially about black nationalism they abandoned it pretty early on in favour of internationalist, raceless, socialist ideals. In their main period of activities they were not about black nationalism at all.

[CABAL49]

Also J. Edgar Hoover was a racist fuck and wasted the FBI on making sure everyone considered scary. So a bunch of black people getting together saying they aren't going to be shit on anymore were turned into a terrorist group. This is not to say members of the Black Panthers were not racist. But most cases could be attributed to suffering from PTSD and then being shit on.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Also they were communists. Gotta demonise those commie fucks however you can. Which is why it so hilarious because like one of the principles of communism is anti-nationalism, imperialism and racism so it is pretty good manouevering to make them both scary communists and black nationalists in the public mind.

[Osterbaum]

There have been and still are a lot of nationalist communists though, maybe best known are the ones from Latin-America, but there have also been some in Africa and Asia.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

By "nationalist communists" you mean Stalinists who aren't really communists because Socialism in One Country was a complete misunderstanding of how communism operates on a macro level.
Man do you just read all the cunts of history?

[Osterbaum]

There are a lot of movements that while in no way stalinist, still have incorporated nationality or ethnic background in to their socialism one way or another. Like hell, take Che or the Zapatistas for example.

e: it's all about fighting the imperialists, which are often represented by North-American corporations.

e2: In Latin-America it is often part of their socialist agenda to get back their natural resources from foreign corporations and to not allow further interferance from foreign powers. And the foreign power they have in mind is more often than not the USA. So in a way nationalism is often part of their ideology. I suppose they see the US, a major foreign power, as a root of many of their problems either directly or indirectly by being the main advocate of US brand capitalism in the area. The counter reaction to capitalism is socialism, but at the same time the counter reaction to US government and corporations influence is nationalism.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

You're talking about socialism. Socialism and nationalism can be combined- thought the degree of socialism you can maintain under a national system is a point of contention but you can achieve some degree.
I'm talking about communism. Communism and nationalism can't be combined.
Like some of them call themselves communist groups but they don't make them communists unless you consider Stalinism as a legitimite path to communism (Hint: It isn't).
Also again the fight against "imperialism" is pretty much tied up with Stalinism. While say Marx and Lenin hadd lots to say about imperialism it was all to do with the economic factors controlling the world and never to do with viable alternatives to the capitalist order except in the extreme short term.