SC - Nine killed in Emanuel AME Church shooting, Charleston; Dylann Roof charged #1

[Queen Bee]

Anderson Cooper 360° ‏@AC360 33m33 minutes ago

She’s not just a name on a piece of paper or a victim. She’s a Christian - Malcolm Graham on sister Cynthia Hurd

 

[Queen Bee]

Anderson Cooper 360° ‏@AC360 51m51 minutes ago

Our response here is… setting the tone. This is how America responds to crisis - Rev. McKain on #CharlestonShooting

 

[bessie]

:seeya: New thread coming. This one will close in about 15 minutes.

Thanks.

 

[Snoopster]

I just don't understand why people say the south is so racist. According to the 2010 Census, the percentage of the black alone population increased in the South, from 55 percent in 2000 to 57 percent in 2010, whereas it decreased in the Northeast and the Midwest. If the south is so racist why do so many blacks still chose to live here ?

I HAVE NO WORDS. Your comments definitely shock me. You have asked why the victims didn't get their guns out more quickly...why they didn't shoot others in the church. I simply cannot handle the blaming of the victims here. The attitude of "if you don't like it, why don't you move away?" So these victims should move away from their homes because the bullies don't like them?? The bullies are bullies. Why should they win?

My father lived in Florida for about 5 years. He ultimately moved back to Canada because he felt SO uncomfortable about the racist comments that he heard...particularly for those business situations he was involved in toward northern Florida. I sense the same racism from your comments. I am depressed that people are still blaming the victim. Afterall "why don't these people simply move away?" REALLY?

I am now trying to gather my thoughts and reflect on the simple lovely life where all people respect others.

Sorry if I've offended others.

 

[KaaBoom]

Seriously ? Members of the KKK are not judged because they wear a hood, they are judged because of their actions while wearing the hood. Do you honestly believe destroying every Confederate flag in the south is going to have any real benefit ? I find the flag offensive just as the swastika is offensive, and rap songs about killing cops is offensive, wearing cuss words on shirts is offensive..just to name a few. I don't believe anyone is going to become a racist because they see an image of a Confederate flag.

It couldn't hurt. You don't think that flying a racist flag over the state capital, and refusal to pass a hate crimes law, kind of sends a message to these type of people?

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I really hope the Feds bring charges of hate crimes against this killer. There's no guarantee the public can trust the justice system in this state. OTOH, it will be helpful to shine a light on the problems there and hopefully shame its leaders into being more responsible and accountable. Moving into the 21st Century would do them a lot of good.

Charleston has made great strides. They are a very diverse town and seem to have great relationships among all races. I think the family members of those murdered do trust this Prosecutor very much and the Mayor of Charleston has been re-elected for decades. He was very close to the Pastor. Every AA who has spoken out has had nothing but praise for the police department and how they have handled this case. That is why we aren't seeing the violent riots, burning, or looting. It shows they do the right thing no matter who the race is of the offender or the victim and they arrested the police officer almost immediately and charged him with murder who shot the AA gentleman in the back.

Charleston would be a very good casebook example of how peace and justice can work together when everyone comes together.

I don't think Charleston has a problem. They had a problem when one white racist with hate in his heart came to town to do the unspeakable.

The AA Senator was just on Fox News on Kelly's show and he was outstanding. He said he was tired of some painting all whites the same for what one white man did to the victims in his city. He also felt it was offensive of Obama to make it political immediately and about gun laws when the victims haven't even been buried yet. He said there are already all sorts of gun laws both state and federal that need to be implemented instead of creating more. He also said it would not have stopped Roof because laws are respected by law abiders and are not made for those who do not abide by the law.

Imo, this will be a State case as it should be and it will be handled properly by the DA in Charleston. The death penalty will be affixed and he will get it. I don't have one doubt about that.

IMO

 

[LonghornSpeakEasy]

All of the singing of the hymns on the CNN broadcast are certainly uplifting. I kinda wish they would just let us listen instead of interviewing people for a little while. I know there are important issues to discuss but let's celebrate the victims' legacy...their faith, for just a bit.

 

[KaaBoom]

I just don't understand why people say the south is so racist. According to the 2010 Census, the percentage of the black alone population increased in the South, from 55 percent in 2000 to 57 percent in 2010, whereas it decreased in the Northeast and the Midwest. If the south is so racist why do so many blacks still chose to live here ?

Most blacks live there, because that is where they have historically lived since the days of slavery. It's hard for a large segment of the population to just pack up and move. But I have known black people who moved out of the south and were happy they did.

 

[Montjoy]

He also felt it was offensive of Obama to make it political immediately and about gun laws when the victims haven't even been buried yet. He said there are already all sorts of gun laws both state and federal that need to be implemented instead of creating more. He also said it would not have stopped Roof because laws are respected by law abiders and are not made for those who do not abide by the law.

Do you think the gun laws helped the victims here? The gun was purchased legally by the murderer, after he had been arrested for multiple felonies.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

It couldn't hurt. You don't think that flying a racist flag over the state capital, and refusal to pass a hate crimes law, kind of sends a message to these type of people?

I have to agree somewhat with the AA PC from Milwaukee. He said every crime committed against another is a hate crime for the offender has to have hate in his/her heart for the victims to do horrific crimes against them.

I have no problem labeling this a hate crime but it doesn't enhance his sentence. He will be given the death penalty and that is the highest punishment by law that he can be given.

No one will have to be told this was a hate crime. Its painfully obvious that it was. The entire trial will be all about his hate as it should be.

 

[Montjoy]

Designating crimes as 'hate crimes' is not only to ramp up punishment. It's also to track specific types of crimes. Denying such crimes is tantamount to denying that there is racism or other sorts of organized hate. And IMO, someone who denies that there is racism is no better than a racist him or herself.

 

[escape2sc]

I HAVE NO WORDS. Your comments definitely shock me. You have asked why the victims didn't get their guns out more quickly...why they didn't shoot others in the church. I simply cannot handle the blaming of the victims here. The attitude of "if you don't like it, why don't you move away?" So these victims should move away from their homes because the bullies don't like them?? The bullies are bullies. Why should they win?

My father lived in Florida for about 5 years. He ultimately moved back to Canada because he felt SO uncomfortable about the racist comments that he heard...particularly for those business situations he was involved in toward northern Florida. I sense the same racism from your comments. I am depressed that people are still blaming the victim. Afterall "why don't these people simply move away?" REALLY?

I am now trying to gather my thoughts and reflect on the simple lovely life where all people respect others.

Sorry if I've offended others.

I believe you have misunderstood my comments. I was not blaming the victims ! Often times you hear of someone running away from their attacker or someone trying to overpower someone with a gun. I said I was not familiar how long it takes to reload a glock..it is said he reloaded 5 times. I was just wondering if any of the victims may have had a chance to try to get away or try to overpower him.
As for my comments about why they would want to live here. The words I used were ill-chosen. I was referencing several comments about South Carolina or the south in general having a mainstream racist environment. People generally live where they are happy , or move if their neighborhoods become unsafe. Your father moved back to Canada because he was uncomfortable about racist comments. I only meant that IMO the south was not as racist as others were implying because the percentage of US African Americans living in the south was increasing not decreasing. And I believed this meant African Americas were happy living in the south and the racial situation was not as mainstream as others were implying.

 

[KaaBoom]

The person wearing that hood CHOSE to wear that hood. Last I heard South Carolina had a representative government. Just as I don't agree with everything the state legislature does in Texas, I'm sure many South Carolinans don't agree with everything the state legislature does there. I think it's offensive to paint all South Carolinans as racist because the Confederate flag flies on the Capitol grounds. I'm sure many disagree with it but are powerless to stop it.

The voters of South Carolina CHOSE to elect representatives, who CHOOSE to fly a racist flag over the capital, and who CHOOSE not to pass hate crimes legislation. Many of the rest of us CHOOSE to look down on the state for that reason. So whats the problem? Is CHOICE only for the people of South Carolina?

 

[Queen Bee]

sorry o/t in case anyone is interested:

CNN Breaking News ‏@cnnbrk 2m2 minutes ago

NY corrections officer placed on leave as part of investigation into these 2 killers' escape. http://cnn.it/1BBWqCm


eta..........well, it doesn't really say WHY

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Do you think the gun laws helped the victims here? The gun was purchased legally by the murderer, after he had been arrested for multiple felonies.

He did not have the gun legally. Under federal gun laws no one that has a felony indictment against them can possess a firearm. But as I said, those who are hell bent on committing heinous crimes aren't law abiding gun owners anyway. They don't care about laws and never will and never have.

Look at how many ex-felons steal or obtain an illegal weapon. Why is that? Again, because they do not care how many gun laws are on the books and its a voluminous amount of gun laws already enacted. Rules/laws are for those who respect the laws and abide by them which is not murderers hell bent on destruction.

IMO

 

[Montjoy]

He did not have the gun legally. Under federal gun laws no one that has a felony indictment against them can possess a firearm. But as I said, those who are hell bent on committing heinous crimes aren't law abiding gun owners anyway. They don't care about laws and never will and never have.

Look at how many ex-felons steal or obtain an illegal weapon.

He didn't steal the gun, though, did he?

 

[bessie]

The new thread is open and ready for posting. Please move the discussion there. This thread will be closed in five minutes.

SC - Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shooting; Dylann Roof charged #2

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Designating crimes as 'hate crimes' is not only to ramp up punishment. It's also to track specific types of crimes. Denying such crimes is tantamount to denying that there is racism or other sorts of organized hate. And IMO, someone who denies that there is racism is no better than a racist him or herself.

Who has denied this was a hate crime? I haven't seen one person on the net or on tv that has said it is not a hate crime. His case will already be tracked by the DOJ due to it being a hate crime.

Who is denying that racism doesn't exist? I don't know of anyone that doesn't think it doesn't exist. It exists among all races.