After Bus Beating, March For White Civil Rights
On September 14, two black students beat a white student on a West Belleville (IL) High School bus. As a result, there was a white supremacist rally Saturday in Belleville, featuring swastikas and insults with a crowd of 250 onlookers. A silent counter-protest took place close by, conducted by a church group.
While a police sniper watched from the roof of the police station, 22 members of white supremacist groups, shouted obscenities and made obscene hand gestures. One man, who had a crew cut and wore a black uniform, told the crowd of onlookers, “Wake up white America!”
“We were out there to denounce the violence,” said Belleville resident Jason Bonn, who is a corporal with the National Socialist Movement, a group with a name similar to the Nazi Party of Germany during World War II. Bonn’s group is “fighting for white civil rights.”
[...]
The videotaped fight on a school bus en route to Belleville West sparked national attention. Police originally called the attack racially motivated, but recanted that statement the next day and said it was a case of bullying.
Even though it was not a racial incident, Rush Limbaugh insisted that this is what happens “in Obama’s America,” portraying it has a hate crime against whites.
Ugly.
They’re off and running, but I would argue they already have been for quite some time.
average james Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Napolitano was, and is, correct.
EricG Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Up and running is right. With a media infrastructure that won’t call them out as disgusting, unpatriotic monsters because they want their ratings and their votes.
September 28th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Illinois Nazis. I hate Illinois Nazis.
average james Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Grrrrrrr, Illinois Nazis, Grrrrrr.
jasperjava Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I think A.K.A. is making reference to the funniest line in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”:
“Nazis! … I hate these guys!”
A.K.A Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Actually, The Blues Brothers – 1980.
Illinois Nazis have been the butt of jokes for almost 30 years. They are hardly a product of recent political events.
jasperjava Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I gotta see that movie again. It’s been a while.
EricG Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I hate racists and I don’t a give damn where they came from.
September 28th, 2009 at 11:39 am
“a hate crime against whites.”
It probably was…but I don’t like the term “hate crime” anyway. Who cares if someone was racist while committing a crime? Does that mean that crimes not committed by racists or driven by racial hatred are somehow of less import?
Hmm…is it ironic that the white supremacists wore black?
One of the coolest moments I’ve ever seen on TV (Youtube actually) is when Roy Innis, a conservative black guy, started choking a white supremacist on the Geraldo show (and the melee unfortunately led to Geraldo’s nose being broken). It was fantastic.
EricG Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
That’s a piece of video to watch right there…
Geraldo gets his nose broken…
“Who cares if someone was racist while committing a crime?”
I do. Goes to motive.
I’m not so sure about applying to sentencing.
And it’s hard to prove if someone is racist or not. Some of these are stupid kids who have no identity and just follow orders because that’s all they know.
But they always have some grand pu-ba pulling their strings.
“is it ironic that the white supremacists wore black?”
No. They are mimicking the Nazi officer’s uniform.
“Does that mean that crimes not committed by racists or driven by racial hatred are somehow of less import?”
That’s a fair point.
I am one who is not able to be objective on this.
They are so evil, I just can’t get away from thinking that they should be put down like sick animals with rabies.
Hate begets hate. But these folks make it hard to just let go.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
KKK Kuntry around there. A message to the redneck haters. We liberals generally don’t hate. But for one group of people, haters. But our one hate for you is so much more than bigoted hate like yours. Your the worst of America and America knows it. The sad part it seems the republicans are gonna use your bigotry again to try to divide and conquer the common folk. You think the conservatives are helping you out? It’s what puts the “stupid”in the truism “stupid hick”. Get off yor dumb ass and get some other views besides the shills for the big business’s who are trying to keep staus quo control of our country.
EricG Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
You hit the nail on the head.
I have that vile (get it out of me!) kind of hatred for Neo-Nazis and white supremacists of all kinds.
It’s crazy how angry they get me.
But the more important side is what you just said.
These people are used by the greedy to divide us and their bigotry becomes a tool to conquer others.
Why do you think I am so adamant about calling out racists in the media?
These people are dying for a leader and even just a low-life race-baiter like Beck is enough to fuel them.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
It probably was…but I don’t like the term “hate crime” anyway. Who cares if someone was racist while committing a crime? Does that mean that crimes not committed by racists or driven by racial hatred are somehow of less import?
Motive is always taken as a factor in sentencing. It’s right and proper to take racist hatred into acount when sentencing for a crime. The fact that the crime was motivated by hatred for a particular racial group increases its potential danger for society: it means that all members of that racial group could have been potential targets. The randomness of the selection makes the offense worse, in my opinion.
If a mugger is after your money, that’s one thing. “It ain’t personal, it’s just bidness”, you might say. If your attacker hates you for your race, there’s nothing you can do to defend yourself. “Your money or your life” gives the victim a choice. You don’t have the choice when your “offense” is the color of your skin.
Hmm…is it ironic that the white supremacists wore black?
Black has been the color of neo-Nazi chic since at least the days of the Gestapo, the SS, and the Blackshirts.
average james Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Good point on motive being taken into account in sentencing.
So obvious I forget.
That’s how our system works.
You’ve given me more to ponder concerning hate crimes legislation.
Thanx Jasper.
EricG Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
“It’s right and proper to take racist hatred into account when sentencing for a crime”
That’s a debated point.
The first sentence is not.
I am not sure it makes a difference.
That’s my concern.
I don’t think and racists stop and pause and wonder if they will get more time because of it.
I’m not sure about this issue. I;m a fence-sitter on this one myself…
September 28th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
onece again we got the Anti-American -Rush Limbaugh insistING RACIAL HATRED IN America;
lets just forget we are at War AND ARE FACING A conflict with Iran AND ChinA AND WE HAVE 56-73 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF WORK and others in Ga. with no homes or homelessness all over America……Before Obama TOOK OFFICE …BUT IN ORDER TO SAVE the Billionnairs and Media giants WHO ARE NOT ALL AMERICANS…..this Boot-licking -lackey wants to start a War here in the USA;
why doesn’t the FCC take his licience????
average james Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Sedition anyone ?
TDro319 Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
It’s true, Dennis. Limbaugh and Beck are fueling the hatred and racism in this country. If, God forbid, something horrible should befall Obama, we should hold these two clowns responsible for inciting violence.
EricG Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
The FCC can’t touch him.
He could swear or put sexy girls making sexy noises on the air, that might bring the suits into EIB.
But racism, not ever.
Makes you wonder doesn’t it…
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Well, the truth is we worship violence. You turn on the TV and it’s machine-guns and fiery explosions. If it bleeds it leads. That’s America.
average james Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Entertain me dammit !!!
September 28th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I hate these people.
I wish it were not so but I’ve known a few white supremacists and I’m familiar with that whole mentality to the extent of I can identify it.
And they don’t just disgust me or upset them.
I seriously hate these people as much or more than that hate non-whites.
And Rush Limbaugh is part of their movement as far as I’m concerned.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Wasn’t there a incident exactly like this with the school bus but the races were switched?
A black kid getting the tar kicked out of him on the same day and in the same manner?
But this lame story gets wings and the other dies…
This is the stuff that makes me wonder where the real racism is…
September 28th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
So condemn his punk a$$ with your airwaves, Alan.
We had a caller say something like you didn’t worry about losing your job if you spoke out, maybe he was wrong.
Maybe you did sign a contract the devil, man.
because at least I would be tearing apart these dueling racists in the US rightwing media : Limbaugh & Beck.
Maybe Alan can’t really go for Beck. But Limbaugh.
COME ON!
Call him a racist on the air and if you got no balls you’ll say “race-baiter” instead.
People need to hear the truth.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:51 pm