Holy White Supremacists, Batman

You don't see many lynch mobs around these days do you, not proper flaming torch waving ones anyway. This is surely due to two facts:

1- These days people tend to hide the fact they are morons.
2- If you do want to join an angry mob, you don't need to leave your flat.

Due to the brilliance of the internet, if you want to wave your fist at something you don't like you can do it online (in the same way that 'World of Warcraft' allows you to cast spells on Orcs without having to vist a bar and buy them a drink), in the discussion areas of a hundred different websites. The benefit of online "have your say" sections is that no matter how much a lather the mob gets itself into about the oh-so-terrible state of society, they are only a few short clicks away from image libraries of Michelle Heaton blearily flashing her baby-door to the paparazzi from a nightclub gutter, and if that doesn't cheer them up they can always open a disapproving comment thread.

At least you think this is the case until you see images of what appears to be a Klu Klux Klan birthday party, and you indulge yourself with a sharp intake of breath. Panic not though, for it is simply God Week in Spain. This intrigued me, as I wasn't sure what came first costume-wise: Clansmen, Spanish hoodies or if by some bizarre coincidence on two seperate contintents at the exact same time the two groups' founding members found themselves looking at their bed linen and thinking, "I could wear that". Well it turns out, through extensive research (typing 'holy week' into Wikipedia) that it was the Klan that took their inspiration from the Spanish, presumably with their permission so as to avoid any copyright infringement. That must have been a tricky phone phone-call.

"Hey Paplo, loved the holy week photos"
"Gracias Hank"
"I was wondering, those robes you wear, are they any comfy?"
"They're ok I guess"
"Because I was wondering if me and some buddies could wear some too?"
"But holy week's finished"
"Oh, it's not for holy week"
"Also they're Catholic robes, and you're not Catholic"
"Er...well we'll have a cross"
"How many?"
"One"
"How big?"
"Pretty big. Seriously, you couldn't miss it. It'll stand out pretty well"
"Well that's probably fine then"
[click]
"Get the bedsheets boys, we're gon' go hate us some black folk!"

But that sort of thing doesn't go on any more does it. Well, no. Nor does it go on any less. In fact a recent survey found that 926 hate groups are currently active in the United States.

Land of the free indeed.


Guardian: Holy Week in Spain (April 09)


(whilst on the subject of Lynch mobs, here's a couple of particularly odious ringleaders at a rally dishing out some very suspect material).