Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

A Klan group is planning to protest another Klan group for…being…too…intolerant?

This is actually going in Alabama.

When I read this, needless to say, I was floored. I just have to let you read this for yourself:

Members of one Ku Klux Klan organization say they will assemble at the courthouse Nov. 10 to show their opposition to another Klan group that plans an anti-immigration rally there that day.

Ken Mier, who described himself as an investigator for the Alabama Ku Klux Klan and the national office of the Ku Klux Klan LLC, said in an e-mail to The Cullman Times that his group is against the tactics of the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which held an anti-immigration protest last month in Athens.

“We are opposed to the ignorance and stupidity as displayed by the individuals that thumbed their nose at the area churches by continuing to use racial slurs, threats and avoided Christian deportment,” he said.

This ranks pretty high on the weirdness factor. I guess someone is trying to show the “kinder, gentler” face of the Klan.

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Living in Ohio, I am far from familiar with the dynamics of gang relations in California. However, in communicating with people from that part of the country, I have heard rumblings about the various beefs between Black and Latino gangs and how, innocent civilians are being targeting in the process. However, what I was being told never seemed to rise above the level of rumors.

Newsweek has picked up the stories and are now asking about whether or not certain Latino gangs are targeting Black civilians, in addition to gang rivals.

In particular, they target the activities of one highly-organized Latino gang, Florencia 13, also known as F13. According to the federal indictments of various gang members, black civilians have been robbed, assaulted and murdered on the basis of skin color:

“…But the assaults went beyond rival gangs; they “target[ed] African-American individuals for assault,” according to the indictment. Gang leaders even allegedly instructed foot soldiers in how to hunt blacks in the most efficient manner, the feds maintain. A wiretap cited in the RICO indictment reveals that one gang leader allegedly told an underling that “when he went looking for African-Americans to shoot, only a driver and a shooter were needed.

…

The F13 indictment marks the third high-profile Latino gang charged with attacking blacks in the past two years. Last year federal prosecutors won life sentences against four members of the Latino Avenues gang for civil rights violations of blacks they had murdered simply for moving into the gang’s Highland Park turf. State prosecutors say the Latino 204th Street gang targeted African-Americans not affiliated with gangs, writing graffiti such as “187 N———” (187 is shorthand for “kill”; it’s the California penal code section number for homicide). Two 204th Street members face an upcoming trial on state murder charges for the slaying of 14-year-old Cheryl Green, a black teen killed on the street last December.”

However, let’s be clear: most gang violence targets people of the same race. Therefore, we should construe this as some wild “let’s blame Latinos for violence against black folks” rant. Instead, I am calling attention to a changing dynamic. These communities, many of which are changing as they transition from being majority-Black to majority-Latino. As these still remain poor communities, crime, unfortunately, follows in some areas.

Nonetheless, since innocent black civilians are also being targeted, I feel that I would be remiss in not speaking up.

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Britain’s Science Museum has canceled a talk by Dr. James Watson after it was revealed that Watson made some public statements that indicate his belief that black people are intellectually inferior to whites.

Watson rose to prominence by winning the Nobel Prize in 1962 for his co-discovery of the structure of DNA.

However, 45 years later, he is making news around the world for his blatant racism.

In an interview with London’s Sunday Times, Watson was quoted as saying he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours _ whereas all the testing says not really.”

He went to to say that he hoped people were all equal but “people who have to deal with black employees find this is not true”.

So, I’m just waiting for the right-wing talking heads in this country to use the words of a Nobel scientist to rationalize racism.

Well, here’s a “Middle Finger Award” to you, Dr. Watson. You do so richly deserve it.

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For most Americans, her case shocked and horrified the nation — for about a week until the next news story came along. However, we need to realize that these are real people who are affected by this long after the cameras have turned their attentions elsewhere.

FinalCall.com sat down with Megan and her mother, Carmen, to get their side of the story. I encourage you to read the interview. In addition to hearing a story that will break your heart and anger you at once, I found something Megan said startling.

When no hate crime charges were filed, we were told that it was because Megan and one of the defendents, Bobby Brewster, had a prior relationship, implying they had be romantically involved. According to Megan, they were just friends, nothing more.

I also have to give her a lot of admiration for saying the following when asked what should happen to her attackers:

“I just hope they get what they deserve. I hope they get life. I don’t wish nobody dead, because that’s not my belief, but they should be in prison for the rest of their lives.”

Again, I encourage you to read this interview.

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Over the weekend, a Florida International University student was attacked in what authorities are labeling a hate crime. Stephen Barrett was one of the attendees at a keg party on an island near Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway. As the party was wrapping up, some attendees were trying to catch a ride back to shore. On the way back, the boat’s driver noticed that the boat was overloaded and made his way back to shore.

This is where the problems started.

After making it back to shore, one of the suspects told Barrett, “Get of the boat, n***er.” Heated words were exchanged but, Barrett and two friends got off the boat and waited for another to come along.

By the time Barrett and his friends made it back to shore, the suspect lay in wait for them with baseball bats and they were attacked before they could react.

Here are more details:

Barrett was knocked into the Intracoastal, and several teens tried holding his head under water, according to police reports.

A man fishing nearby called police. Another partygoer ran off and flagged down Bal Harbour Officer Steve Goldberg, who was writing a traffic ticket on Collins Avenue.

”Upon my arrival, I observed approximately 10-15 subjects trying to leave the area in a hurry,” Goldberg wrote in his report. “There were three victims who were hit with bats and one victim was almost drowned . . . while also being beaten.”

Miami-Dade, Surfside, Sunny Isles Beach and Bay Harbor Islands officers also went to the scene.

A bloody baseball bat was taken as evidence. The arrests were made by detectives from Miami-Dade’s Intracoastal station.

The suspects and charges are as follows:

• Miguel Aranda (pictured above), 18, and Gilberto Maakaroun, 17, were both charged with a hate crime, battery and attempted felony murder
• Nicholas Checa, 15, and Marino Biondini, 17, were charged with a hate crime and battery
• Jose Osorio, 21, was charged with aggravated battery and attempted felony murder.

Both Aranda and Osorio remain in jail.

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Of course, when issues of race rise up in this country, there are people on either side. However, when those on that other side cross the line, there should be some accountability. Case in point - the FBI is currently investigating a white supremacist web site which allegedly listed the addresses of five of the “Jena 6″. In their own words, they posted them “in case anyone wants to deliver justice.”

According to an agency spokeswoman, this action “essentially called for their lynching.”

This site is run by the same idiot, Bill White, who posted the address, telephone number and name of the wife of columnist Leonard Pitts, who derided white supremacists for playing the victim card over a carjacking incident involving black suspects and a white victim.

We need to remember that, in cases like this, there are nutcases who come out the woodwork so, we need to remain vigilant and be prepared. Sadly, we are far from where we need to be on issues of race and this latest twist only further solidifies the fact.

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As many of us know, six suspects are now in jail for the week-long torture of a black woman in Logan, WV. When the feds stated that the six would not face hate crimes charges, prosecutors stated that they might still face more state charges.

It seems, now, that prosecutors intend to make good on that statement and are considering additional kidnapping and sexual assault charges against these suspects.

We should expect to hear more today about these charges. Personally, I hope they throw the book at them and that these people (and I use the term loosely) end up under the jail.

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I’ll admit that I don’t know the ins and outs of federal hate crime legislation but, I am wondering how every last one of the 6 people in custody for the week-long torture, beating and sexual assault of a black woman in West Virginia will get away with not being charged with a hate crime.

It was revealed, today, that one of the suspects, Bobby Brewster, has a previous relationship with the victim. Because the crime was not “random” in nature, this, apparently, negates the use of federal hate crimes charges.

However, the state has said that it will pursue stiffer charges for the suspects. Detailed below are the list of charges:

Frankie Brewster, 49, is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and giving false information during a felony investigation.

Bobby Brewster, 24, also of Big Creek, is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and assault during the commission of a felony.

Danny J. Combs, 20, of Harts, is charged with sexual assault and malicious wounding.

Karen Burton, 46, of Chapmanville was charged with malicious wounding, battery and assault during the commission of a felony.

Burton’s daughter, Alisha Burton, 23, and George A. Messer, 27, both of Chapmanville, are charged with assault during the commission of a felony and battery.

The victim, Megan Willams, 20, is currently recuperating in a hospital and may be released in a few days. In the meantime, the suspects are all currently in custody in lieu of the $100,000 bail for each.

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How deep can hate run?

In West Virginia, a 23-year-old black woman was repeatedly beaten, stabbed and sexually assaulted over the course of at least a week. The black woman was abducted and taken to a home where this torture occurred.

Currently, 6 people are in custody in relation to this crime. The suspects include a mother-son pair and a mother-daughter pair. At large still are two suspects who authorities believe drove the woman to the place where the crime occurred. The suspects are Frankie Brewster, 49 (Brewster owns the home where all this happened); Bobby Brewster, 24; Karen Burton, 46; Alisha Burton, 23; George A. Messer, 27; and Danny J. Combs, 20.

The apparent motive is racial as the woman was called racial slurs during her attacks. Also, one of the suspects, Karen Burton, allegedly told the woman that this was happening to her because she was black.

What happened to this poor woman is simple unspeakable. According to the report, in addition to the beatings, stabbings and sexual assaults, she was “forced to eat rat and dog feces and drink from the toilet” and ” had been choked with a cable cord and her hair was cut”.

I find it hard to keep my emotions in check as I read this. When people tell me we don’t need hate crime legislation, I keep in mind that things like this still happen. It’s not just about a guy calling you the n-word after pushing you down. There are people with evil intentions who, as it appears in this case, target people strictly based on color.

I fully expect things to get hot in Logan, WV. A crime this heinous cannot be allowed to just go by without a very strong, vocal response from Black America.

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It’s no secret that Rush Limbaugh is a racist.

Over the years, the comments he has made on both radio and TV indicate as much. However, his latest may be a new low, even for him. In citing reasons for the call for action to stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Limbaugh hypothesizes that the only reason that some Democrats are calling for it is to get black votes. However, it gets even more interesting after that:

“So you go into Darfur and you go into South Africa, you get rid of the white government there. You put sanctions on them. You stand behind Nelson Mandela — who was bankrolled by communists for a time, had the support of certain communist leaders. You go to Ethiopia. You do the same thing”

According to Limbugh, we should not go into Darfur because they didn’t attack us (…and Iraq did?) Kind of a screwy argument, huh?

The bottom line is that to people like Limbaugh, black and brown life are insignificant. Statements like this show just how much he believes this.

The audio from the segment is below.

 

 Rush's Racism Concerning Sudan: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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