As of yesterday, there had been 37 suspicious fires at black churches in the last 18 months, including two in Mississippi late Monday night. During about the same time frame, according to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), there have been 23 suspicious fires at predominantly white churches, which far outnumber black churches. Just this week, another white church, in suburban Atlanta, was heavily damaged by fire that investigators are examining for possible arson.
Responding to the wave of church burnings, the House yesterday overwhelmingly approved legislation to make it easier for federal officials to prosecute those involved in church burnings and to make it a federal crime to damage religious property because of its "racial or ethnic character."
At first glance one would assume that this quote was referring to the civil rights 1960s era when the South responded with violence to the Civil Rights Movement
Surprisingly the quote refers to a number of Church burnings in 1996 when Clinton was president. So racism did not end during his two terms in office.
And in fact there have been such racist motivated acts up until the present.
The civilized Israelis whom we are told represent the ideals and values Western Civilization have a policy of shooting unarmed civilians and beating , abusing and torturing prisoners especially those who are Palestinian or Arab.
Israel backed by the Obama administration are still upset that one Israeli soldier is in the hands of Hamas . Yet they do not mention the thousands of Palestinians who are being held as political prisoners in Israel who are abused & terrorized by Israeli guards.
The Americans who also believe that international laws do not apply to them abuse, beat and torture Prisoners.
Due to American exceptionalism, Manifest Destiny & God's Chosen Nation the rest of the world's nations and peoples and religions have no right to question American policies.
Israel has shown itself to have an arrogant delusional view of itself as the Chosen of God or of History.
Beating & kicking even the wounded
Shot Australian: "They were kicking my wounds, strapping me up..."
June 08, 2010 — Australian Ahmed Luqman speaks about his treatment by Israeli troops after being shot during last week's raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010...
USA Homegrown terrorists:
Department of Justice Press ReleaseAh the good old days of the 1990s - Racism was alive and well then and with Obama as president the racism continues in the guise of rhetorical flourishes and dog whistle coded words ie socialist , not a real American, Not one of us etc.
June 16, 2010 U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 514-2007/TDD (202) 514-1888
Springfield, Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Church Arson
WASHINGTON—The Justice Department today announced that Benjamin Haskell, 23, of Springfield, Mass., pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with two crimes related to the burning of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ, a predominantly African-American church, in Springfield on the morning after President Barack Obama was elected as the first African-American president of the United States.
The superseding information charged that in the early morning hours of Nov. 5, 2008, within hours of President Obama being elected, Haskell and his co-conspirators agreed to burn, and succeeded in burning, the Macedonia Church of God in Christ’s newly constructed building where religious services were to be held for its predominantly African-American congregation. The building was 75 percent completed at the time of the fire, which destroyed the entire structure leaving only the metal superstructure and a small portion of the front corner intact. Investigators determined the fire to be incendiary in nature and caused by an unknown quantity of gasoline applied to the exterior and interior of the building.
Haskell damaged religious property and obstructed the free exercise of religious because of the race, color, or ethnic characteristics of any individual associated with that religious property. Haskell conspired to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate the parishioners of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in the free exercise or enjoyment of the right to hold and use real property, a right which is secured in the Constitution and laws of the United States.
“The freedom to practice the religion that we choose in a safe environment without being subjected to discrimination or hateful acts is among our nation’s most cherished rights,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Anyone who violates that right will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts said, “Today's conviction should send a strong message that hate crimes will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in Massachusetts. When I announced my civil rights initiative earlier this month, I made it clear that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be reinvigorating it's efforts in this area, and making it one our top priorities.”
In Church Fires, a Pattern but No Conspiracy
By William Booth
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 19, 1996; Page A01
The people burning down black churches in the South are generally white, male and young, usually economically marginalized or poorly educated, frequently drunk or high on drugs, rarely affiliated with hate groups, but often deeply driven by racism, according to investigators and a review of those arrested or convicted in the burnings.
Little evidence has emerged to suggest a national or regional conspiracy, according to investigators. But they point to a climate of underlying racism that encourages the arsonists to strike at African American churches.
Noah Chandler at the Center for Democratic Renewal, a civil rights watchdog group in Atlanta, put it this way: "The conspiracy is racism itself."
At the same time, the burnings of predominantly African American churches occur against what investigators said is a backdrop of widespread arson against houses of religion of all kinds, including white churches, mosques and synagogues.
As of yesterday, there had been 37 suspicious fires at black churches in the last 18 months, including two in Mississippi late Monday night. During about the same time frame, according to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), there have been 23 suspicious fires at predominantly white churches, which far outnumber black churches. Just this week, another white church, in suburban Atlanta, was heavily damaged by fire that investigators are examining for possible arson.
Responding to the wave of church burnings, the House yesterday overwhelmingly approved legislation to make it easier for federal officials to prosecute those involved in church burnings and to make it a federal crime to damage religious property because of its "racial or ethnic character." President Clinton, meanwhile, asked Congress to provide an extra $12 million for investigations; a House Appropriations subcommittee indicated it would go along.
New Details on Church Arson Suspect
Alabama Church Arson Arrests
April 20, 2006
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