Wednesday September 26, 2007, 1:55 pm
Is this situation worsening and returning us to those dreadful years for the African American - or is it just that we are only now being made aware of something that has never stopped??????????

Wednesday September 26, 2007, 5:20 pm

Personally I don't see what the point is in announcing anyone's color. What possible difference can it make. Beating someone, anyone like this is wrong regardless of color. I think when we start seeing as just human beings instead of dividing everything up we'll all be better off. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my own ethnicity and culture but above all I am a human being first and foremost.

Wednesday September 26, 2007, 7:40 pm
Okay, if you say so, Rabbit, but you sure look like a rabbit to me.

And I sincerely support the inalienable rights of rabbits, along with everyone else. But when people are picking on rabbits, or turtles, or African-Americans, or redwood trees, it is sort of important that we know just which corporate power or institution, or institutionalized power structure, is picking on whom and why, and whether or not there is something we might be able to do about it. The point in announcing when somebody is molesting children, poisoning cats, or strip-mining mountains, is because there are groups of activists formed to oppose precisely such activities. Historically discriminated-against groups need to be named when prejudice against them has been institutionalized for hundreds or thousands of years.

Wednesday September 26, 2007, 7:41 pm
Noted. Thanks Mark.

Wednesday September 26, 2007, 9:18 pm
I believe that this is, and has been, an ongoing problem. I hope that we are finally noticing it Jaqueline, but the truth probably is that we are noticing some, but not all. It depends on who and where. In some places, the perpetrators aren't arrested or charged if they belong to the right family, or have attained a position of importance in the community, etc., Too often it is still ignored or written off as something less than what it is.

Rabbit R., while I would like to agree with you, some situations must have the race, color, religion or sexual orientation announced if that was the motivating factor for the crime. Crimes based on these factors are "Hate Crimes". Is a person killed in a hate crime more dead than a victim in a passion killing? No, but the motivation is different, and for too many years, and still, in too many places, there are people who will over look a crime or lessen the consequences because of their own personal prejudices. By labeling these kinds of crimes "hate crimes" and making the penalties harsher, the hope is, that even if a tendency to overlook the crime exists, the law will help to curtail the acts by dint of sheer punishment alone.

Thank you Mark, I agree with you 100%, just wanted to expand some.

Thursday September 27, 2007, 12:30 am
hmmm... The irony could be that the kid these punks beat up has a longer family history of American citizenship than his attackers; not that it means a lot, just saying.
What does stand out is that hate, in any form cannot be tolerated! I hope the courts go after these thugs to the fullest extent of the law and send them to prison for a VERY long time! (where they will learn about racism first hand)
Being from S. Fla. myself, I loved living in a multi-cultural society; the opportunity to learn about others and experience their culture gave me a greater understanding and respect for them. Knowledge = Understanding
Unfortunately, many don't see the opportunity, just the division, Us/Them.
Sad when you think about it. :(

Thursday September 27, 2007, 5:27 am
Noted! Every day is seems to get worse. I once lobbied a state to pass a hate crimes bill. The bill failed. This was after the James Byrd incident in Texas and the Matthew Shepherd incident in Wyoming. Both were clearly hate crimes. This was a hate crime. I will never understand why everyone can't put two and two together and come up with the right answer. Thanks for the story, Mark

Thursday September 27, 2007, 12:37 pm
Bigotry is precisely stitch into the fabric of American society.

Dee Amon- Ra (People of the Sun God Ra)

Thursday September 27, 2007, 12:48 pm
This seems to be pretty similar to the Jenna 6 story. Only this time it is white kids beating up blacks. It is wrong and criminal in both cases. Of course in both cases the accused should be given a fair trial, but if there is evidence to prove their guilt they should not get a pass.

Thursday September 27, 2007, 4:25 pm
Where are the parents and back up for the white and hispanic boys that were also beat but not as badly.
Apparently we could use some lessons from the black famalies.

Friday September 28, 2007, 1:09 am
Violence is a weakness of the mind. Seems in this day and age there are an aweful lot of kids beating and killing people! Of couse there are many factors that can cause so much anger but it really should be the exception and not the norm!

Friday September 28, 2007, 1:27 am
When African Americans call caucasion's names that is OK, when some one sponsors a particular fund for some specific race, that's wonderful, until someone says, I'm doing this for White's only. Then there is a big confrontation. White citizens are suddenly racists. In Jena, LA event, if it were white student that had beat up an African American, the African Americans would demand that all 6 should be in prison for life. I guess when any African Americans commits a crime they should be found innocent because they are black, and doing crimes are justified for slavery prior to 1865. It's time to stop that excuse. It's time for Civil behavior if they want civil rights. While I believe the school should have cut down the tree the very day the ropes were hung on the limbs. That was a hate crime right there and then. All citizens have the right to sit where ever they want, and children need to be shown that racism is wrong to begin with. This town will carry this hurt for generations now. What a shame. Of course I'm from the north.

Saturday September 29, 2007, 4:13 pm
O.K. let me go from here. I am mixed with 2 different cultural and part of black and Indian. This racism has to stop. This makes the 2nd incident that happens and it is wrong so there is going to be more and more frequently incidents that is going to continue going on because the blacks are breaking out of their raged to me like they are going back in the slavery times. Mostly down South this is going on strongly. It is going back to division like 1Community is 1 color and the other next community is another color.That is ashamed. I agree Marian E you right about hate crimes. This rage against color will never stop facing everyday victims and more victims. Civil rights are doing more but somewhere they are slacking.