"I say f**k your rebel flag Out here pretending like you ain't offendin' I say f**k your rebel flag You redneck judges with racist grudges I say f**k your rebel flag If you gotta tattoo, I'm aimin' at you I say f**k your rebel flag You get punched in your faces reppin' the racists"
Confederate FlagInsane Clown Posse
It's been nearly three weeks since the tragic events of Charlottesville, in which hate group members clashed with counter-protesters, one of whom, Heather Heyer, was run down and killled by a neo-nazi. Since then, another white nationalist "Free Speech" rally in Boston was met with overwhelming peaceful resistance, and a rally scheduled for San Francisco was cancelled by organizers thanks to community and social media activism.
So while the tide seems to be turning when it comes to fringe hate groups showing their faces in public with impunity, they're still planning to hold the "Mother of All Rallies" on September 16th in Washington D.C.
And as fate would have it, followers of the band Insane Clown Posse, a.k.a. Juggalos, are also planning a march at the same date and location. Creators of the website promoting the event call themselves "the outsiders, the misfits, the weirdos, and the underdogs of the mainstream world", but are hoping it will be a chance to show the world that they're law-abiding, hard-working, taxpaying citizens, not "gang members" as they've been categorized by the FBI. Whether one or the other group will blink or be forced to reschedule remains to be seen. So far, it looks like both are moving ahead full steam.
It's an open question as to what a meeting between alt-right rally goers and juggalos would look like. Insane Clown Posse members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, despite their music's violent and explicit lyrics, profess to be staunch believers in God and country. And juggalos, aside from their beef with the FBI, seem to be more-or-less apolitical. While they may share some anti-establishment views with their alt-right counterparts, and their demographic definitely skews caucasian, bigotry and racism don't seem to be a part of their worldview. In fact, as the Insane Clown Posse lyrics to "Confederate Flag" make clear, quite the opposite. If the events DO occur simultaneously, expect to see a strong police presence.
I welcome civilized discussion and comments from Insane Clown Posse fans, especially those juggalos planning on attending the Sept. 16th march.
From neo-nazis and KKK members, not so much.