Goths: the potential terrorists of the 1980s

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The FBI's definition of homegrown extremists as "U.S. persons who appear to have assimilated, but reject the cultural values, beliefs and environment of the United States" could apply to disaffected young people of any era, regardless of faith.

"Youth are vulnerable," [Philip Mudd, deputy director of the FBI's national security branch] said, whether it is the Goths of the 1980s or the anti-establishment culture of the late 1960s and early 1970s

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 February 2007 15:52 (eighteen years ago)

Panic in the streets of London

― sexyDancer (sexyDancer), Thursday, 8 February 2007 15:55 (eighteen years ago)

Dude, I've seen Bowling For Columbine.

― The Real Dirty Vicar (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 8 February 2007 15:56 (eighteen years ago)

the federales have got it the wrong way round i think.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Thursday, 8 February 2007 15:56 (eighteen years ago)

I wonder how many attendees of early hardcore shows were wearing a wire

― kingfishy (kingfish 2.0), Thursday, 8 February 2007 16:13 (eighteen years ago)

Kingfish, have you heard the stories about lame tiny left wing groups having most of their members being law enforcement people?

― Charmmy Kitty's Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (ex machina), Thursday, 8 February 2007 16:56 (eighteen years ago)

Hell, there's a long history of that kinda thing. There were times in the late 60s where the FBI would pay the phone bill of groups like the White Panther Party just so they could continue to listen in.

― kingfishy (kingfish 2.0), Thursday, 8 February 2007 17:01 (eighteen years ago)

Marilyn Manson = FBI plant = world makes sense.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 February 2007 17:02 (eighteen years ago)

i bought Floodlands at lunchtime. fear me.

― Koogy Bloogies (koogs), Thursday, 8 February 2007 17:09 (eighteen years ago)

Well.... I suppose that it is easier to want to blow up anything you see as worthless and inhuman. To that extent the FBIers don't have their heads entirely up their asses.

However, "terrorism" does not arise simply from alientation. It is intensely political. It seeks to destroy some part of the existing political order in order to remove obstacles on the path to some zealously imagined improvement. Before alienated youths become active terrorists, they must embrace some positive political vision -whether it's an Islamic Republic or Kropotkin-style anarchy. Alienation alone is more likely to lead to self-harm, or to random violence.

― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 8 February 2007 18:42 (eighteen years ago)

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