Or what if you saw a police officer getting shot by masked men?

Would you calmly walk over and ask them what was going on? Would you automatically assume it was a student film?

I love film-making as much as the next guy, but if you're going to film something that could easily be mistaken for something worse, you're going to have to think ahead, and prepare for it and make sure that no one is confused. That's just being responsible.

"Knut - step back from it a second - let's say you were walking along and saw a group of guys forcing themselves on a woman in an alley - she was screaming for help, pinned down, one guy filming it with a video camera and another on top of her, humping away, and the rest of the guys standing around."

Mike - step back from it a second.  This is not an alley, no-one's screaming and no actual crime/violence or threat is apparent.

You are creating a situation where an actual violent crime appears to be happening as comparison.

This should have been resolved with a simple conversation:

"hey, what's with the KKK robes?" 
"We're making a student film about the history of racism in America"
"Ok, you shouldn't be walking through school in full get-up though, you gave me quite a shock".
"Sorry. Didn't realize class was out."

You're acting as if wearing these costumes was an act of violence in itself.

Students wearing costumes while making a student film for history class is indefensible?

That's news to me. Then again, I'm not bigotted towards acting.

*****************

Wearing those costumes in a school in Georgia, and area known for racism and violence towards black people, an area where the KKK is still very much active (although not at the level they used to be), an area where I lived (and you haven't), and having you tell me what the mindset of a black student who saw that, is indefensible.

If you grew up knowing that many of the people around you still think you're worse than dirt, you might have reacted the same way. When I lived in Georgia, I was absolutely amazed at the overt racism from many of the white people down there. Of course, all of them are not like that, but enough are that I can see why the black student reacted the way he did.

There is racism everywhere. But to sit and act like it isn't worse down South is just wrong. And acting like it was even remotely alright to wear those costumes in a school is even more wrong.

Now I'm done with this. One thing I've learned from arguing with you in the past, is that you're always right and everyone else is always wrong. I really have no desire to waste any more of my time.

The last part, about being "biggoted towards acting", was especially stupid. Sarcastic or not.

right after this picture a group of around 100 men threw stones at her and killed her.

••

The fact that a time machine was not needed to acquire that picture -- easily one of the most disturbing I have ever seen -- underscores why organized religion is the most dangerous force on Earth. That a group of men living in the 21st Century could even CONTEMPLATE such an action, let alone go through the steps needed to accomplish it, all the while believing they are fulfilling the requirements of their god, shows us why such superstitions are no longer something the world can afford.

The point you dont't understand in this, Knut, is that black people don just go up to people dressed in KKK uniforms. There's a reason for that that you seem to be missing. Would you expect a Jew to walk up to a Nazi in full uniform and ask for directions?

If it was a school project, then someone at the school should have let all the students know what was going on. For all these black kids knew, some student KKK club had been formed at the school. These kids had no idea it was for a film project, and it's incredibly stupid of you the say that's the first thing they should have thought of.  Black people that see KKK uniforms think of one thing only when they see them. Now, was the kid that went to stand up to them in the wrong? Maybe. I don't know what he or his family have gone thru as far as race relations. But for you to suggest they just go up and ask the costumed kids questions is laughable.

Jodi wrote: The action was caught on video by some in the crowd, taking it with their cell phones.

They're allowed to have fucking cell phones that will record video, but women aren't allowed to talk to someone outside their group? Jesus Christ.

Let's be very clear here - it takes a specific and twisted view of the
Koran to justify those actions, and it just so happens that that view is
active in some parts of the world. But it's certainly not all muslims.

Are all Christians Eric Rudolph? Are all Christians Fred Plelps? Are all
Christians the guy who shot george Tiller in the head?

No. Like the bad muslims, there are bad Christians. And like bad
muslims, the bad christians' justifications are also terrifing and
confusing.

The difference between Christians and Muslims in America? We have
more Christians, they're angrier, and they kill more. And they don't
care if you're a woman or a man, though Leviticus has some pretty
fun death penalties for women adulterers and details of how to sell
your whore daughters into slavery.