Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Confederate Flag, Bedsheets, Crosses, Church Burnings, and Murder Oh My!

Main Stream media could not have scripted a better 2015 remake of Mississippi Burning than what has been going on in South Carolina these past few weeks.

That is until the main player in this recent adaptation (The South) went off script.

The deaths of 9 black Americans inside the holy confines of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston shocked a nation. But unlike cities of Baltimore, Ferguson and Detroit, Charleston offered forgiveness rather than angry protests and looting.

The citizens of Charleston cried and they hurt, but came together to move forward. Even when the president of the United States came to town and a bus load of outside agitators showed up the south only offered her grace.

In the days prior to the president's visit, Nikki Haley appeared in the chambers of the South Carolina Statehouse in one of her signature $2,000 St. Johns business suits and offered up the confederate flag.

Then in a moment of bizarre overreacting Walmart decided to kill the Confederate Flag and anything that contained the image including the Dukes of Hazard Lunch box on aisle 26. 


Then eBay and  Amazon fell in line within hours all to the delight of the yapping news heads on local and national television.

As if on cue, a series of church fires sprang up seemingly overnight, and when social media started unsing the hash tag #WhoIsBurningBlackChurches, main stream media jumped on the band wagon.


Every story about a new church fire included photos of clan members in white hoods looking villainous  towards the cameras. The letters KKK where shown with nearly every sound bite covering the church burnings, then the media really cranked up the rhetoric, Jim Crow, lynching, KKK, race wars and riots.


Trouble is the churches we not falling to torch carrying villains belonging to the hands of hooded Klan members but to mother natural and faulty construction.

Even The Washington Post increased the volume with misinformation:

"Before Tuesday's fire broke out, the NAACP warned black churches to “take necessary precautions” against the threat of attack. And federal law enforcement officials are now automatically investigating all such fires at black churches to see if they are hate crimes."

The truth is ATF and FBI have been automatically investigating all church fire since 1995,

Images of George Wallace and Alabama state police with water cannons and dogs attacking defensless men and women ran side by side with images of gutted out churches or a burned out church van.


Breaking news that yet again another church fire had been reported found, one reporter tweeting that at least 17 church fires had been reported in the last week. In her excitement to spred the word of Black Churches Burning she more than doubled the number of fires. 



In the end the toll would be lowered to seven the last caused by a lightining strike hitting the wooden twenty year old steeple smoldering for a hour or so before winds turned the embers into a full blown inferno.

Before the Greeleyville fire was even out words like Klan, ATF, FBI, Hate Crime, and investigation covered the airwaves with images of the burning church. Not once was the word accident or weather related used.



Despite the clear and certain knowledge that heavy storms with an amazing number of cloud to ground strikes were recorded before the fire. And that arson is normally a wee hours of the morning crime since it is really hard not to be noticed carrying a gas can, and torch while wearing a bedsheets. Main stream media continued to press the hate crime racially motivated KKK connected crime of arson.



Just the facts ma'am:

* June 26: Greater Miracle Apostolic in Tallahassee, Florida. The fire was likely caused by a tree limb falling on power lines.

* June 26: Glover Grovery Baptist in Warrenville, South Carolina. The cause has not been determined, but investigators observed no element of criminal intent.

* June 24: Briar Creek Road Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, which houses both black and Nepalese congregations. Fire investigators ruled that fire an arson, and though they have not seen evidence that hate was a motivation for the crime, they are not ruling it out.

* June 21: College Hill Seventh-day Adventist in Knoxville, Tennessee. Investigators ruled it an arson but they say nothing so far has indicated a hate crime. ATF and other agencies said that it looked like vandalism.

* June 21: God’s Power Church of Christ in Macon, Georgia. Investigators believe the blaze might be arson. ATF is investigating but no ruling has been made. The church had recently been broken into and air conditioners and sound systems stolen.

* June 30: Mt. Zion AME Church in Greeleyville, South Carolina. Investigators have not given a formal report but found no evidence of accelerant common in arson cases. Given the facts known a lightening strike is the probable cause.

The fact is church fires are a rather common event in this country, but only slightly more than 10 percent are arson and less than 1 percent are determined to be hate crimes. 

The media and in fact the president himself have widened the divide between white and black with rhetoric reminiscent of 1960's. The Obama Presidency has become a divisive rather than a uniting force in our nation. Every speech Obama has given since Trayvon Martin has been from the perspective of a Black American president rather than an American president.  

Main stream media, with their wild speculation, presumptive guilt and generous use of KKK images from the past, is also fanning the flames of racial hate and the canyon of racial divide.

It is time to go off script and stay off script and it begins with accepting that the Confederate Flag and that Dukes of Hazzard lunch box is not the cause of racism and removal is not the cure.


17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you realize that the media tends to stir up trouble even when there isn't any, all in the name of ratings. It's not just a case of lazy reporters who jump on the bandwagon before they check their facts. The real reason is the higher the ratings, the more commercials the media can sell. Added to that, they've got to fill up all that empty air time. People getting along with each other isn't news. And then there's a group of people out there, on the left and on the right, who count on the frenzies the media stirs up. That's how those people make their living and grab their fifteen minutes of fame. The whole thing is more than irresponsible. It's akin to shouting fire in a crowded theater. But unfortunately, it's nothing new.

Anonymous said...

People who were and are offended by the confederate flag probably were not ever watching Dukes of Hazzard, so no loss there. And I have never made a single purchase of my confederate memorabilia at a Walmart. Good job on not really doing anything but making a public business statement.

I've been out of "the loop" lately, so I apologize if this has previously been share; I found it interesting.
http://www.infowars.com/obama-and-hillary-both-had-no-problem-using-confederate-flag-during-presidential-campaigns/

The media is fueling what could quickly become a second uprising of the South. And while slavery was one war cause let us not forget the other war causes, partly due to overbearing federal government and an evident difference in economies and core values, between the Yanks and us Rebels. A difference that still clearly exists today. History has already once been rewritten... I fully recall learning about the War of Northern Aggression in gradeschool. Which is echoed today in recent history, when comparing citizen's responses to key events ... such as Baltimore vs. Chuck-town.

Hush up and go mind your own business all ye Yankees and Liberal media. You are offending me quite regularly.

If we want to pretend the Civil War never happened…well as the old saying goes, "those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Bless your little Yankee hearts.

Anonymous said...

The previous two commenters are spot on. The only thing valued these days are "news frames" and special interests (aka "I'm offended.").

In the new USA, if you're offended, you have the upper hand. You're the victim, someone has wronged you, and if they tell you to get real due to your overreaction or otherwise somewhat flawed logic, then you are a bully and they are further victimized.

The civil war was fought for many reasons, but from my history classes (back when NC public education was not too bad) I learned it was due to 10th Amendment considerations, the fact that the South provided raw materials, the North provided finished goods, and the South therefore funded Northern prosperity with little benefit for themselves, and lastly (drum roll), slavery, because the abolitionists threatened to make a very very bad end of the economic stick worse for Southerners by abolishing slavery.

Now, I agree slavery should have been abolished, but the North was not willing to facilitate this in any way which might impact their ability to profit off the Antebellum arrangements with the South. So moral high ground my ass, it was about money and votes just like it is today.

Some people have an idea of the Antebellum South as a place where Col. Sanders sipped lemonade while the slaves sang songs and made him a hefty profit. Not true. While this certainly happened here and there, the majority of slave owners were independent farmers, trying to make their place in this world, owned few slaves, and often provided housing and food equivalent to that of they and their families (as some whites and their slaves had the same standard of living due to the fact that the owner could only sustain his family at "survival level").

This is partially why both Blacks and Whites fought for the South. Agrarian lifestyle, common work, common standard of living, etc. Today, many rural towns down South are the most integrated, racially harmonious places you will ever find. Why? Everyone works for a living. No Plaza Midwood vs. Belmont, etc, etc.

Is everyone going to tolerance rallies and doing feel good stuff for racial harmony there? No. They just simply live and work side by side. Amazing, and blows the liberal, affluent Charlottean mind....

Moving back to the issues being discussed, the media and the "protestors" seemingly do not wish to acknowledge that the Charleston shooter was mentally unstable; to determine that mental instability was the cause of this problem does not fit the narrative of rampant racism, and it certainly does not fit their narrative by asserting that personal accountability exists and is natural.

Anonymous said...

Its SCARY to realize that some of you clowns might actually be members of the CMPD, then again..for some....that would make sense. SMH, I'm just glad the Confederates lost in the civil war or some of you would probably still be beating those, raping those and enslaving those that don't look like you.

Anonymous said...

How dare anyone tell me what a flag means TO ME. Last I checked, it's up to me to determine what things symbolize and mean to me.


And to you, 7/7 4:49:
Not CMPD here, and definitely not beating or raping ... seems like you are the prejudiced one.
You'd be better off to edify yourself before throwing stones in that glass house of yours, Clown.

Anonymous said...

Look IF ANYONE is proud of their heritage which meant celebrating slavery and their relatives that were proponents of slavery, then go get your head checked. The confederacy stood for Slavery and for backwoods type mentality, that is why the KKK embraces that particular flag, so where does that place you? Mr. anonymous July 7th @ 9:47PM?!?! You are proud of individuals that wanted people of color to be victimized, beaten and raped? Sad ideology you possess! Minorities feel the same way about the confederate flag as the Jewish feel about the Swastika and Hitler's regime. Try celebrating a maligned group of people (your ancestors) that had a MESSED UP mentality and see how that feels if that group were against someone that did look like you, wanting servitude and death for those that didn't look like them, then tell us how proud you should feel. BTW, the south got their (__/__)s whooped and I am so glad they did, so get over it. It's clueless and insensitive individuals such as yourself that actually thinks that flag and General Lee means something good to all, when in all actuality it only hold values in the hearts and minds of closed minded simpletons such as you. Thanks to you and other jerks for reminding us that the world can sometimes be a cold and mean place!

Anonymous said...

Being proud of where one is from culturally or physically does not mean that the person embraces EVERYTHING associated with that culture, region or group. Taking pride in being from the South is something a person of any color can participate in, not just whites.

Furthermore, being white and proud of your Southern heritage does not make you pro slavery, anti-black, or racist--This is like saying someone who is proud of being a German citizen is a huge fan of Nazi death camps...you just can't draw that conclusion based on someone's "pride" alone.

Also, 4:47, I am assuming that when you write "your ancestors" that you are speaking as a minority, addressing all white people as though 100% of whites owned slaves prior to 1865. This is simply not the case.

You write "You are proud of individuals that wanted people of color to be victimized, beaten and raped."

Does this mean as an anonymous poster, reading and responding to comments made by others anonymously, that you know the intentions of all people, their ancestors, how each feels and why they feel universally?

You are right, "this world can be a cold and mean place," especially when someone like you comes along and makes sweeping generalizations about a racial group with little to no supporting information.

If someone made generalizations like that about Black people, well that would be incredibly racist.

Anonymous said...

One of the biggest obstacles to positive race relations in this country is that Blacks have been given this narrative that everything bad in their life is because of whitey and slavery. Slavery had its negative impacts, as did Jim Crow and legitimate forms of racism (some intact today), but your leaders over the past 60 years or so have really undone a lot of progress made in the first half of the 20th Century by hard working, industrious Black people.

Get rid of the confederate flag...I don't care.

I'm not CMPD; I have been reading and commenting here for some time, since back when I had an interest in becoming a CMPD officer. But that time has passed.

Why? We have a large portion of citizens who blame white people, businesses, and the police for all of their problems. Why would I want to be part of that mess?

Would I really want to go into a neighborhood where as a white person/police officer, the residents have been taught their entire lives that I am the reason for their troubles?

Then, some young buck who is committing a crime and justifying a LE contact decides he's not going without a fight. Things escalate and I properly use deadly force. Chances are, as we see with cases like Kerrick's and others around the nation, the officer immediately becomes the fall guy so the jurisdiction can avoid or minimize protests.

The next week, a citizen offs another citizen in the same neighborhood, nobody "saw a thing" and it gets buried in the newspaper somewhere.

Speaking of buried in the newspaper, did you read about the officer shooting around a year ago in NY, where the kid rushed the officer just like Ferrell rushed Kerrick? You didn't hear about it? Well, the kid was white, the officer black, and no charges were filed.

See where I'm going with this?

There are many officers out there who despite being seen as "the enemy" go out and do the job, knowing the risks to their safety and their careers should they actually have to use lethal force to protect themselves.

I imagine this is why they are cops and I'm not. They are better than me in this sense and that is okay. I never took issue with the occupational hazards of traditional law enforcement, getting hurt, shot, etc. but I can't stomach the fact that the political winds and mob mentality in this country have created a dynamic where any white cop who fires on a black suspect, for any reason is automatically guilty of a crime and is a racist.

Call me selfish, but I'd rather stay out of law enforcement (and possibly prison, since I'm white). I just don't want to run the risk of ruining my career and life because any use of deadly force on my part will label me a racist forever. The evidence in the Darren Wilson case cleared him in the end, but his LE career is gone forever and for some reason there is now a monument to Mike Brown in Ferguson for his actions that day (namely not putting his hands up and trying to relieve an officer of his weapon and consciousness after stealing and assaulting a shopkeeper).

I've met a couple CMPD officers I didn't care for, but I never found it scary that any of them were cops. What I do find scary is that our country and society is in moral decline--evidence and actions mean nothing and news and government pander to anyone who dares to protest and draw negative publicity.

"Black lives matter" seems to be the new slogan for this generation, being chanted, spray painted on monuments and held high on signs. But we only seem to see that when the trigger man is white. Why is there no outrage when a Black person shoots another Black person?

Where are the protests for those victims? Do they not matter? I guess not, as it doesn't fit the narrative that whitey and the police are the cause of all the problems.

Anonymous said...

First of all lets get it straight please-- I, Mr. 7/7 9:47, am a Mrs. And while we're at it, I'll go ahead and claim the 7/3 6:11 post as well.

You clearly do not, although you assume to, know me. Yes, in this great melting pot, I take great pride that my family lived and survived during the very unstable time during our country's formative years. I recognize that my forefathers, several of whom were Revolutionary, and Confederate Soldiers, worked fervently to uphold their liberties ... Much as I do today.

This could be a wrong assumption on my part, though it sounds as if you have never watched an episode of Dukes of Hazzard - it's not a show all about of slave drivers and confederate flags. It was a good-hearted show about relationships - portraying daily struggles of "good" vs. "evil" - with the usual amount of comedic relief found in sitcoms. Yes, in the South, yes with some elements of rebellious nature, and names/nicknames taken straight from the history book.


Back to our nations Civil War history:

From a war perspective -- Talk to many current United States service members; they will likely tell you they aren't fighting because of politics. They are fighting to help serve and protect the guy next to them. My understanding is that was equally true back in the 1800s. And from an Executive perspective -- if it was strictly an issue of Slavery why did President Lincoln not issue his Executive Order when he first took office in 1861. And why did the Emancipation Proclamation specifically only free slaves in the Confederacy? Only some two years later did slavery become outlawed nationally with the 13th Amendment.

At any rate, (Not that it matters to you what I think), I think if my hometown was suddenly faced with Union soldiers coming in - taking ownership and setting up camp, I would probably get defensive and prepare to fight back, side by side with my fighting neighbors. What was erected to be a protective fort to fight off enemies travelling by sea, became a Union Fort housed by troops (i.e. Fort Sumter)- not too long after President Lincoln took office. I wasn't alive back then, but I can envision that it was a real and present fear for many -- keeping in mind the Revolutionary War was only about 100 years prior and the Third Amendment ink was probably still fresh.... there was a pretty rebellious spirit in the country and some fear of losing many relatively new freedoms and liberties.
To me, it is not all centered around slavery.

From a Political Science perspective - the ONLY persons who have any "right" to be offended or upset by the confederate flag, the battle flag, etc. are those who were alive during the times leading up to and shortly after the Civil War. The rest of us really don't have a say in it -- but since many are speaking their peace, I am speaking mine. Right or wrong isn't really for anyone else to decide - that's between me and my Creator, who endowed me with certain inalienable rights. Let us not lose sight of our Blessed Constitution.

And it's odd that you claim me to be the close minded simpleton.... when you yourself are incapable of accepting there could possibly be two sides of this story. If you think I'm lobbying for the US to reenact slavery.... If you think I condone and welcome horrid crimes against other beings on this earth.. If you think all Southern pride and heritage is equitable with the mission of the KKK.... that is more a testament of your "messed up" mentality; not mine.

I don't have to agree with that for which they were fighting, and at the same time, I can honor and respect the fact that they fought for that which they believed in. That is, at its very core, one of the most prized and basic American values.

Anonymous said...

Dedicated to July 8, 2015 @ 7:13PM, I am married to an African American man and we are raising our family as such and your mode of thinking is DISTURBING and ludicrous! Please read this article!! http://www.forwardprogressives.com/message-claim-confederate-flag-represents-heritage/ 'Nuff Said!#PeopleWhoClaimHeritageAreDillusional

Anonymous said...

Dear 3:41 p.m. - What does it mean to raise your family "as such" African American? If we're all Americans - why are you raising them to be decidedly different - why would you not raise them as American. Can you help educate me with clear examples of how someone is raised as "African American"? And, can you help educate me on why that in and of itself is not racist?

Hey! Do you think I could get away with declaring myself to be no longer "White"? I'm now Irish-Dutch-German-French-Spanish-Canadian-Cuban-American.

I don't know much about the KKK beyond the ideology of White Supremacy - and I certainly can't control that such a hate group has chosen to display the flag that means something entirely different to me. Don't forget, the Bible is one of their big go-to items, same as that flag. Just because a small sect of people such as the KKK use symbols - should not automatically mean that everyone stands with them, for them, or any of the like.

Someone pulls the proverbial race card, so it must absolutely in fact be a display of racist hate. Why is it not possible that we openly speak, and be knowledgeable about the history, and knowing our roots -- without the attacks of being "Clowns" or "DISTURBING" and "delusional"?

I have shared historically and factually based information and ideals ... and I am met with condescending remarks and holier-than-thou attitude. Your consistent rebuttal has been nothing short of "whitey is a racist" and name calling. That is what I find to be ludicrous and narrow-minded.

Nice article by the way - completely unbiased. ZZZzzzzzzz.
Have you ever read Amos Fortune? It's one of my favorite books - check it out.

Too bad when fighting for the flag to come down, everyone forgot about all the other Civil War monuments and memorials, especially those on the SC Capital Grounds. The Robert E Lee Magnolia, the Statue of General Hampton, the Calhoun Building. While we're at it, why don't we just remove Gettysburg from the US National Parks Service and erase any memory of bloodshed. Maybe we should go ahead and outlaw the color blue, or tattoos, or better yet - let's outlaw sign-language to stop Folks from throwing their signs up... lets just purge the world of all things that are in any way offensive or used by hate groups. Oh, and lets ban Christians from wearing crosses. That's no different than wearing a little guillotine or noose or electric chair charm around our necks, right?

Come to think of it, while we're happily sharing good reads, check out George Orwell's 1984. #ThoughtPolice #NuffSaid

Is what Dylann Roof did horrible, ABSOLUTELY. Is it any LESS terrible and problematic than shoot outs over drugs, property, relationships gone bad? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Good Grief this world needs Jesus.

Don't worry about a response - I'm done with all this and praying we can all find better peace and understanding of one another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9KBzzPKKQ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PAzYDDSQdI

Good day.

Anonymous said...

The trouble with 3:41 is that she, we can hope to assume that the poster is a she feels it is necessary to point out that she is married to a black man meaning she we can assume is white and feels she deserves special reconigation for her sacrifice.

If negros want to be treated as equals I'd suggest they start by dropping the African from American. Stop saying of color along with person. And stop claiming special status.

Anonymous said...

9 July @ 3:41, your being married to a black man is not a "credential." I have no problem with your choice, except for the fact you seem to think it makes you more informed on the topics at hand.

I'm white and had a past relationship with a Black woman for some time, does that increase my qualifications in your view?

By the way, I'm July 3, 2015 at 11:01 PM, July 8, 2015 at 7:11 PM and July 8, 2015 at 7:12 PM

Anonymous said...

The issue to me is folks trying to tell me how I should fell about my southern heritage. I know what the flag means to me and those trying to either shame me into changing my mind with your "articles" and links will not win. I have no issue with SC taking the off of the state house grounds, but all the bs that has followed is crap.

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