Main Entry: rac-ism (Webster's Dictionary)
Pronunciation: 'rA-"si-z&m also -"shi-
Function: noun
Date: 1936
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for ou are all one in Christ Jesus"-Galatians 3:28
All types of hate (racial/ethnic, sex, gender orientation, class (social/financial background), physical disability, and all types of disrciminatory acts)is what the Bible calls "sin".
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.-2 Corinthians 6
(must look at one another through how God would see them; how?, what does He say in the Bible?)
We can hate the sin, but not the sinner! As human beings, we all...I mean all!...do this-no matter how liberal you are! The only "person" that was sinless (not even-Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatman Gandhi, Mother Theresa, or even Mr. Rodgers!) was Jesus, who came down on Earth to really show what it really is-how to love!
Growing up in St.Paul, I
(Sal) was exposed to so much racial diversity-not world diversity yet (it wasn't until Morris, where I acutally met people from different nations! I had neighbors from different ethnic backgrounds: Vietnamese, Hispanic, Native-American Indian, Caucasian, and African American.
Race was NOT an issue as a little kid as we were to young to notice the difference. Pretty much everybody was your height and we just wanted to play!
Race started to become an "issue" through my social surrounding as I got older. I remember we had a "mini race riot" in Battle Creek Middle/Junior High School. It was the "rockers" (predominately Caucasians into 80's heavy metal) and the "rappers" (predominately African Americans into 80's rap before hip-hop became really big). There was this place across our school called the "bridge" (now a beautiful paved remodeled park last time I went for a job-summer of 03'), where the "troublemakers" would like to hangout and do their own "thang" (drugs, smoke, sex, etc..). One school day, the "rockers" and "rappers" were supposed to have a "meeting" or a "fight". I was neutral, so I went straight home (only 2 blocks away or over the fence from Battle Creek Middle/Junior High School) and stay away from this. I remember sitting home and watched some folks running past my backyard (we live behind the schools' sports field-just 15 feet from the fence that's between our townhomes and the field)from the "fight". I think he was bleeding and the several or more cops cars had to come to the scene. To this day, I don't really know what really happened; but the racial tension was still present or grew!
During the 3 years of Junior High/Middle School, I couldn't ignore or avoid the racial incidents. It started to become my life! One time, I was entering the main part of the school where all the students meet before school began (they don't want students running around the halls before classes started). I was trying to get inside, but this "white boy" (Caucasian American) would not let me inside. I then suprisingly used whatever muscles (I didn't really start working out yet) I had and slammed the window door against this "white boy's" (Caucasian American)face. He swore at me as I went through the doors past him as I got inside. I was called "gook" again when I was delivering newspapers in my neighborhood, which is by Battle Creek Middle/Junior High School. Then another time during the Persian Gulf War in Iraq, a "friend" teased me on how I "look like the enemy" because of my dark hair and skin complexion of a Middle Eastern. One time I was Beginning to be a "tough guy" became to grow inside of me due to my surroundings.
I was focused on my studies, which my peers really knew. This "black guy" (African American) started to pick on me until I gave my homework to him, so he can copy my notes (thought I knew all the answers!). Being a "tough guy", I refused to do so and I let him pushed me around. My close Caucasian American friend helped defended me and stood by my side. As friends, we hanged out and started to share our racial hatred beliefs due to our similar circumstances. I went over to his house many times, and his brother would be repeatedly making racial jokes. Due to peer pressure, I started to believe it and would do the same-like a virus!
During the earlier years of high school, I encountered more racist experiences. I was playing tennis with my sister at a park located nearby in a "high-level crime" neighborhood. As I was serving the tennis ball and moved from my serving area, I heard a glass broke. I look over to my right and notice a 12" inch glass beer bottle smashed on the green tennis court on the exact serving spot! I look around and notice two "white guys" (Caucasian American w/ the 80's heavy metal long hair/partially sides shaved look) running away. I took off myself running after them and went to their front yard. I notice an "adult" painting" the side of the house, which I hesitated going over there "telling on them". I was full of rage and anger, which I was literaly going to beat them up if I did had a chance to get a hold of them.
During my Taco Bell years (5 +/- on and off years working their pt mostly between another summer job during high school and first 2 years of college), I encountered close to similar junior high racism level experiences. The staff was diverse: Hispanic, Caucasian 80's Heavy Metal long hair/partially shaved people, Asian, African American, Developmetally disabled, etc... However, we got a long as we worked together for a common goal-money and fast food work! We had one instance that almost divided us all as some Neo Nazis (7-10) came into the restaurant to "recruit". They sat in the back of the dinning room with no intention to eat as they didn't even buy any Taco Bell food. I was cleaning the dinning room when they stared me down as they came in. As being "sal da pal", I didn't get bothered! When I went back to the kitchen area, I told all the staff. One by one, they looked out of the back kitchen door window and reacted differently. One Hispanic-American staff, started pounding his fist as he wanted to rumble. My shift manager told us to cool down and ignore them. As we continued to work, the tension grew in our restaurant with the presence of the Neo-Nazis. We as a staff finally were able to do something about them when we told them to leave the dinning room area if they were not going to purchase any food as a fast food restaurant rule! We were all happy, but it didn't last long as they went outside and hanged out in the picnic tables in front. More different staff came in to work and the tension grew!
Finally, a customer complained of being harassed by them when one of the Neo Nazis grabbed one of their starter sport jackets, accusing them to be a "wanna be" (80's term of white person trying to be black). We called the cops after they refused to leave and several cop cars came rushing into the parking lot. The Neo Nazis eneded up walking down the commercialized busy street to McDonald, where they continued with their mission. I never heard from them again after that day, but would occasionally hear about Neo Nazis overall in the news.
Cultural "Shock" in Rural College Town
I tell many people about the cultural shock when I went to college in Morris. I now try to help others deal with it by sharing my experiences...(see more).
I've learned that we have to understand why people are the way they are. After living in Morris (9 years now-9/23/04), I've learned to approach people here in a more different way compared to my first time here. I used to get offended when they make a negative/racist comment, which many say it ignorantly (didn't know). I try to be in their shoes-living in a town with a little exposure to "minority" ethnic diversity, except what they see on television (mostly negative stereotype).
Racism was, is, and will be evident in our "sinful" world until Jesus comes back! Until then, we need to continue to live and obey what He commanded us to-"First love our Heavenly Father" (source of love, which we can all get after inviting him into your heart and grow in a personal relationship with Him. Second, "love your neighbor", which isn't easy to do until you get to know them too (not just reading books about them or live in fear of judgment by staying away from them by avoiding them). What helped me is getting involve in as much cultural activities (eg. UMM: RA for a diverse floor, Gateway Mentor to "minority students", co-establisher of a multi-culturally christian student organization-Alpha & Omega, etc..) to get directly exposed. For example, Jesus-He was a Jew who was traditionally known to not interact with Gentiles/Samartians; however, he did with the "Samaritan Women at the Well" story (read John 4).
In conclusion, I will be updating this website for more stories on my experiences with racism as it's going to be on-going in the world we live in today. Till then, keep reading your history of what they did during the Biblical times, so we won't make the same mistakes.
I wanted to share the issues of racism so far in my work experience. One can easily get frustrated with what you hear or see at work. God has given me peace to deal with a variety of episodes:
-A former co-worker admitted to me that he was a former "White-Supremacist" and was involved with the Neo-Nazis back in the days. He humbly told me that he has Hispanic-American relatives now after a sister married one, which his heart changed overtime. However, he would still jokingly make racist remarks, which I had to tell him up front not to do so. Yes, I could easily complain to my boss and file a suit. However, I try to educated him with love, so he can learn instead of continue to do this in life and hurt other people. I try to understand his background as he has shared some negative experiences with African Americans, which he needs to know NOT to generalize a whole race group because of several or less individual experiences. I have shared about God's love with him and to forgive, which is currently a timely process....
-One time a co-worker of mine remarked about an Asian American doctor in town. She was criticizing about how this particular doctor handled one of our consumer's health accident. Then she went on to say that "he's probably use to doing this in his country back home where it's very unsanitary". Oh, my blood heated up and I wanted to yell back! Being that quiet sometimes passive guy, I calmed down and just stayed quiet. I did wish I could've explained to her about cultural sensitivity. However, I use my actions and prayer to see God change her through love.
Be Understanding with Love
Being angry can take a lot of worthless energy out of you. What helps me is to understand this particular individual and many others that make ignorant comments like these. People in this rural predominately "white-Caucasian" community haven't been around people from different cultural backgrounds. In fact the only understanding the get is mostly from the media (t.v.), which majority portrays a negative stereotype. Jesus said "love your neighbors", which is the best counteract against racism.
"First of all, during the civil rights movement of the 1940's -70's, many
Bible belters and So. Baptists taught that all Blacks were ordained to
servitude and/or slavery by God because Noah cursed one of his descendants
to be "a servant of servants" to his brethren, the rest of us, since only
Noah and his descendants survived the flood. Gen. 9:22 makes it crystal
clear that Ham, Noah's son, erred seeing his father's/parents' genitals.
Gen. 9:24, 25 makes it equally clear that even though Ham is the one who
erred, it was Ham's son Canaan --- NOT HAM ---that was cursed to be
"servant of servants" to the rest of us. If you check Gen. 10 with 1
Chronicles 1 and any orthodox Bible atlas, you will see that Canaan settled
in Canaan (Surprise?!?!), aka the Promised Land, which is part of the Mid
East, not Africa. I think even the KKK admits that Africans/Blacks came
from Africa where THE REST of Ham's children settled and parented Africans.
So according to the Bible, it was Canaanites, NOT AFRICANS, who were
cursed to be "servant of servants" to the rest of us...."
What Color is Jesus Christ?
http://www.streetwizdom.com/commentaries/color.html
�May '98
Written by Ron T. aka Get Wizdom
Jesus Christ, the Son of God has been depicted in many different
cultures over the centuries. The host culture who shows a physical image
of him usually makes him out to look like themselves. But it seems like
the most prevailing image of Christ in the world these days is a blond
hair, blue-eyed European Jesus. This image of Christ is
rejected by most people of color.
What Jesus really wrote in the sand when he was dealing with the Pharisees in
John 8:3-11. (Comic courtesy of Reverend Fun.)
Skin color is a hot issue in the U.S. because of the
legacy of racism & misinformation that was put forth by powerful white
individuals who had influence in church & government. And it still lingers
today. During slavery some white churches propagated the Cursed Ham
Theory. This Theory is based on Genesis 9:20-25 where Noah condemns
Ham's son, Canaan into slavery (Jdg. 1:28, 1 Ki 9:20-21) because of
Hams failure to do right by his father. Africans are supoosedly
descendants of Ham, therefore, African Americans are supposedly
cursed. However, in-depth Biblical study shows that this curse was
fulfilled during the time of Joshua and his successors and ceased to be
applicable since the Canaanites assimilated into other peoples. Also If
this theory was true, Jesus would have never acted on the behalf of a
Canaanite in Matthew 15:21-28. So this theory IS false. And the irony of
it is that it is a theory. Theories are not facts (just like evolution) but
some people propagate them like it is the Gospel. Sadly, some
churches still believe in this theory today.
It is amazing what great lengths some
people will go to because of their insecurities
about skin color. None of us specifically knows what Christ's
skin color was because we were not alive during his lifetime. But the
Bible does gives us a clue: his genealogy.
First of all, His lineage specifically tells us he is Jewish. After all he is
called The King of the Jews.
"Meanwhile Jesus stood before the
governor, and the governor asked
him,2Are you the king of the Jews?2 3Yes,
it is as you say,2 Jesus replied. Matthew
27:11"
In Jewish culture, the genealogy is traced through the father. Even
though Joseph biologically was not Jesus1s father, he became his father
when he married Mary. It is Joseph's line that traces all the way back to
Abraham (Matt. 1:2).
Even before Abraham, the world1s ancestry is traced back to Noah's
three sons: Shem, Ham and Japeth.
1.Shemitic peoples generally represent Jewish and some
Mediterranean ethnic groups.
2.Hamitic peoples generally represent southwestern Asian and
northeast African ethnic groups.
3.Japethic peoples generally represent European ethnic groups.
These three groups do not represent specific ethnic groups today but
God sent them out to populate the world (Gen. 9:19). Throughout world
history, ethnic groups and/or individuals have intermarried & created
new ethnic groups.
Secondly, even though Jesus was Jewish, his genealogy has a mixture
of other ethnic groups in his background. Ruth, the great-grandmother
of King David was a Moabite. Israel & Moab were two nations who had a
bitter rivalry experiencing times of peace & times of war in the Old
Testament. Also Rahab the prostitute is in his lineage. She helped the
spies & became a convert to Israel (Jos. 2 :1-14). She is also spoken
well of in the Book of Hebrews because of her faith.
Examples of mixed ancestry in the New
Testament are the Samaritans. They are a mixture
of Jewish & Assyrian ancestry. Their nation was avoided and looked
down upon by other Jews who did not see them as pure Jewish stock
(John 4:9). In spite of this, Jesus, a Jew still went through Samaria.
What a testimony! Also Luke (writer of the 3rd Gospel) was a Gentile
who was well educated in Greek culture. Timothy was a hybrid of
Jewish/Greek ancestry and Apostle Paul still embraced him! What does
that tell you about the issue of skin color and culture?
There is no description in the Bible that says that Jesus was white with
blond hair & blue eyes. But there is also none that says he was dark
skin either. Some use Revelation 1:14 where it describes Jesus' hair as
being like wool to indicate his African roots. But what is overlooked is
the Book of Revelation's symbolic imagery in describing Jesus. A lot of
the metaphors go beyond human understanding. Most of the
descriptions of Jesus are symbolic of his glory, honor & power (Rev.
1:17-18).
I have read articles suggesting that Jesus is
Black using the one-drop rule as its
validation. Presently, the only nations in the world that use the
one-drop rule (unofficially) is the United States and South Africa. The
one-drop rule is racist in its assumption (Hitler used a similar ideology
to support his idea of an Aryan Race). It is meant to communicate a
disdain for anything not white. The result of this rule in the U.S. has
created a climate of indifference toward interracial couples and people of
color. Some Blacks and Whites see the one-drop rule as a conspiracy to
eliminate their particular group. Those who support this view see race
mixing as "selling out." "Passing" became a norm for some African
Americans who looked white in post-slavery America. But if the one-drop
rule is the standard, then the majority of the world would be Black. The
one-drop rule does not acknowledge boundaries that may have
developed through unique cultural, spiritual, geographical, economic,
political and/or social circumstances. It insists only in separating people
based on skin color. Sadly, some African Americans have embraced this
ideology believing that they are thinking outside of the box. In reality,
they are supporting a racist ideology. Separation of peoples because of
skin color is absent in the Bible. In the Old Testament, intermarriage is
avoided not solely based on ethnicity, but on religious grounds.
(Genesis 28:1; Deuteronomy 7:3-4; Ezra 9:1-2; Ezra 9:14). God called
Israel to be a separate and distinct people when he made the covenant
with Moses (Exodus 34:15-16). This should tell you that racism as an
ideology is a fairly recent invention.
Lastly, it is the location of Christ's genealogy (Middle East) that suggest
that humanly he could have been a person of color. His home was
Nazareth which is located in modern day Israel. If you watch T.V. reports
on the Middle east, you will see a diverse range of skin colors. Jewish
people can range from extreme white skin to dark skin just as African
Americans, Asians & Latinos do.
In conclusion, whether Jesus is black or white should not be an
issue. But Biblical history must be corrected if we are to move beyond
this dilemma. Some people worship the image of Christ but not Christ
himself. So for some, Jesus can only be white. For some he can only be
black. Jesus Christ1s ministry extended beyond ethnicity & culture. This
is such a simple and true statement yet we bypass it. To worship the
skin color of Christ is idolatry(Duet. 4:15-19). Yet that is what some
Christians do everyday. As a t-shirt designer this is exactly why I am
afraid to depict Jesus Christ on my t-shirts. Depicting Christ on t-shirts is
big business but at who's expense?
Some of you might say to me it is not an issue for you. Well my
response to you is, if you had a choice between a white Jesus & a black
Jesus on your t-shirt, which would you pick?
"You are sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus, for all of you were baptized with
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek,
slave nor free, male nor female, for you
are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to
Christ, then you are Abrahams seed, &
heirs according to the promise. Galatians
4:26-29"
This verse does not say you are sons of God through skin color. It says
through faith which is the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Christ came for
us all. AMEN!
A young teenager innocently-ignorantly calls an African American friend of mine the "n-word" after meeting him.
A UMM Asian-Hmong American student gets his tire slash
Two UMM Int'l-African students walking through a neighborhood. They see kids hiding in the corner as the 2 students walk by their toys. As they pass by the toys, the kids mention "she didn't take it!"
"Everytime I walk around town, people just stare at me as I've done something (e.g. stold something) or as they've never seen anyone that look like me (e.g. alien) before."
"Preacher Moss from the Allah Made Me Funny DVD"
*I went to see this earlier this evening and thought it was soo...funny! Here are some other stuff he talked about... What A Friend In JESUS, from youtube.com "A Very Meaning ful Song which i love to Sing"
Name:
End of Racism
Tagline:
Comedy about racism? can it be done? come and find out!
Host:
Black Student Union, Morris Chapter
Type:
Education - Lecture
Time and PlaceDate:
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Time:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Edson
Street:
600 E 4th Street "The objective of the "End of Racism" is to carefully put a smile in the hearts of all brothers and sisters. Thus developing a dialogue whereby we see the essentials need to put the "human" back in to Humanity.
This is not a lecture. This is a comedy act surrounding racism performed by Preacher Moss. So, if you're tired of the usual lectures come out and see a wonderful stand-up act!
This is a free event!"
"Stymied over six anti-Semitic drawings and racial graffiti that have appeared on the St. Cloud State University campus in recent weeks, St. Cloud police are putting more time and resources into finding who is to blame.
The case is moving from the patrol division to the criminal division.
"They will be able to dig deeper," St. Cloud Police Sgt. Jerry Edblad said Thursday. "But in these cases, it's very hard to track. We really are hoping for a tip."
During the fall semester, swastikas were found etched on bathroom doors, on the wall of the multicultural center, and in one case a drawing was slipped under a faculty member's office door. On Tuesday, a Ku Klux Klan hood and a drawing of a burning cross were found in the Student Center bathroom.
Students are frightened, University President Earl Potter said Thursday. "
Related Sites: Care Wall of History
"
When reflecting on particularly horrendous expressions of racism in American history, relatively few people today think about the northern United States. Many people focus on the “Old South” — states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Although it is generally understood that racial unrest and conflict did exist elsewhere, this knowledge is usually general and abstract. Few people know that one of the most heinous instances of senseless, malicious brutality against blacks in American history actually happened in the North: Duluth, Minnesota to be exact.
Duluth Police StationOn June 14, 1920, a traveling circus brought Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, Isaac McGhie, and other young black men to Duluth for a one-night performance. All three men were in their early twenties and worked with the circus as hired help. That same night Irene Tusken, 19, and James Sullivan, 18, went to the circus. The actual events that night are sketchy, but the next day it was claimed that six black circus workers had threatened the couple at gunpoint and raped Tusken. Though little to no evidence was garnered, Clayton, Jackson, McGhie, and three other black workers were rounded up and arrested by the Duluth Police and held in the city jail.
Word of the alleged rape spread quickly, and on the night of June 15, a mob of thousands of Duluth townspeople formed. The police had been ordered not to use force against them, so in true lynch mob form they forced their way into the jail. In a mock trial travesty, Clayton, Jackson, and McGhie were declared guilty and taken one block to the corner of First Street and Second Avenue East. Though a few people tried to dissuade the mob, the three men were severely beaten and finally hanged to death from a light pole. After a rather tardy show of force, the Duluth Police were able to intervene and save the lives of the other three prisoners.
Postcard image of the lynchingThe Minnesota National Guard came the next day to restore order and protect the three surviving black prisoners, but irreparable damage had been done. Black residents of Duluth felt unsafe in their hometown. Over time, a significant number chose to leave the city for good. Newspapers all over the country were appalled that such a horrible thing had happened in a Northern state. Justice for the atrocity appeared nonexistent in the following weeks, as only three people involved in the lynching received any type of incarceration – and that for rioting, not murder. Duluth stood as a city plagued by shame and marked by injustice.
The lights in this dark section of Minnesota’s history are twofold. First, a local Duluth chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed in 1920 as a result of the ordeal. Second, after much work by the black community including Nellie Francis, a social activist from St. Paul, an anti-lynching bill was created and signed into Minnesota law in 1921.
It is important for us to ponder this event, not only for awareness of this blight on American history. We should also reflect on our general unawareness of this historical event and what that may imply. Could there be a reason that one of the most atrocious hate crimes in the United States that involved thousands would be relatively unknown today, even by many Minnesotans? Perhaps remembering the past can help us understand our present – and the future.
If you would like more information about the Duluth lynchings, please visit the Minnesota Historical Society website on the Duluth lynching. You may also read the book “The Lynchings in Duluth,” by Michael Fedo (2000).
"..BEMIDJI, Minn. (AP) - Beltrami County sheriff's officials say two men have been arrested in a cross-burning incident.
Authorities say the Bemidji men, ages 19 and 20, were arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats and use of an incendiary device. On May 25th, the homeowner called the sheriff's office and said there was a burning 8-foot cross propped up against a tree in her yard. She put out the fire with a garden hose. A deputy said there was a racist message and material on the cross.
The Bemidji Pioneer (http://bit.ly/K05Ag6 ) reports the woman is white and her two children are of mixed race. Sheriff Phil Hodapp has previously said the incident was being investigated as a "bias crime."
"But, Minnesota state Sen. Mee Moua rejected the idea that cultural differences played any role in the shooting.
"We're all just speculating that may have been a trigger for him," said Moua, who is Hmong. "We're all searching for answers."
Moua added that Hmong-Americans feel racism on a daily basis, but "that doesn't mean you kill people."
"Vang told the police that he had opened fire after the hunters had cursed him with racial epithets and that one of them had shot at him.
According to the statement, Vang said several of the hunters surrounded him, swore at him and threatened him after he climbed down from the platform. He said that after he had walked about 60 feet from the hunters, he turned and saw one of them point a rifle at him.
"Vang immediately dropped to a crouch position, and the subject shot at Vang," the report said, summarizing his account. "The bullet hit the ground 30 to 40 feet behind Vang."
"Vang shot two times at the man with the rifle, and the man dropped to the ground," the report said. It did not give any explanation for why the other victims, some of whom who had raced to the scene in an all-terrain vehicle to help their friends, were shot.
The police statement said that as Vang looked down the trail and saw that one of the hunters was still standing he yelled, "You're not dead yet?" and shot again."
"OTSEGO, Minn. - First time homeowners come with big expectations.
..
(Copyright 2012 by KARE. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)"
Why Black People Shouldn't Believe In The Evolution Theory Part 1/6
"Creationists Kent Hovind explains the terrible actions that took place as a result of people believing in Evolution. "
Related Sites: Evolution and racism, and other facts you are not taught in school, from youtube.com "Darwins false claim of common origins FORMED THE MAIN BASIS FOR RACISM, and became THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR FASCISTS, who used racism as a supposed justification for massacres. Darwinism maintained that human beings were evolved from primitive life forms, and even claimed that some races had progressed further than others in the course of that fictitious evolution, thus providing a scientific mask for racism. To put it another way, Darwin wanted society to regard human beings as a species of animal and to believe in the existence of supposed "superior races" and "inferior races" within that species on the basis of false science and a false philosophy. What the Nazis and all other fascists did was simply to put Darwins theory into practice..."
"OTSEGO, Minn. -- First time homeowners come with big expectations.
"Laying our foundation, excited to get out of school and start a journey just me and her you know," Demetrius Baker Jr. said of buying a townhome in Otsego with his fiancée, Michelle Cardinal, just a few months ago.
Demetrius and Michelle welcomed it all, but after five months in their new home they say they were put on notice that they were unwelcome on Lachman Avenue.
"As soon as the sun goes down that's when my heart sinks, I don't want to be here," Cardinal said Thursday night.
The couple said the trouble started in April.
"All the wires under the hood of my car had been cut, the brake line, the parking light, the AC it was a hack job," Michelle said of one of the early incidents.
That same month they say a neighbor came over, a white man, and tried to start a physical fight with Demetrius. Demetrius is black; Michelle is white.
"He called me the n-word, a nigger," Baker Jr. said.
Two weeks later the couple says they let their black lab out on his leash in the front yard for just a moment until they heard him crying.
"I went over there and saw a hole, really deep and I knew he had been stabbed," Baker Jr. said.
The dog had been stabbed and had to be rushed to a 24-hour vetrenarian for care.
The couple at that point had filed three reports with police about the harassing neighbor.
After the stabbing they got a restraining order, installed security cameras and put in an alarm system.
It didn't stop a burglary three weeks ago or what happened Thursday morning.
"Today when we woke up and I went to the garage, I was about to go to work, and all our tires were flat. Somebody just took a knife and stabbed them," Baker Jr. said.
Thursday was police report number seven since April.
The couple says they believe the same neighbor is the prime suspect and his motive they say is simple.
"There is nothing I can do to change the situation or alter his feelings. He doesn't like me because I am black, it's black and white and that's what it is," Baker Jr. said.
The couple is working with deputies from the Wright County Sheriff's Department on these issues.
A deputy with that department said he could not comment on this specific case.
(Copyright 2012 by KARE. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
"BRAINERD, Minn - Witnesses told police the color of a man's skin was the motivation behind an alleged beating by two men outside of a bar in Brainerd on Feb. 6.
According to court documents 26-year-old Lucas Eastwood and 28-year-old Travis Campbell were at the Yesterday's Gone bar Late Saturday night. An employee overheard Eastwood telling Campbell "he wanted to fight tonight."
Brainerd Police said Willie Navy was also at Yesterday's Gone Saturday night and a witness heard one of the two men say he wanted to assault Navy because he is black.
Navy was found beaten around 1:30 a.m. by two women outside of the bar, Brainerd Chief Deputy Mike Bestul said.
"The best that we can get from witnesses is that they were kicking and punching Mr. Navy," Bestul said. "We interviewed the female that was first on scene and was assisting Mr. Navy ... She explained to us that Navy had reported that (the attackers) had called him a negative connotation."
Police found Eastwood and Campbell at a nearby apartment building with friends and arrested the two men. Navy was taken to the hospital for serious injuries.
"His (eye) sockets were severely damaged and potentially would require some plastic surgery," Bestul said.
Jerome Bath said he is a friend of Navy and is worried about his health.
"I've known him for almost 10 years and it makes me really upset," Bath said. "I saw him in the hospital. He may be blind and I don't like that."
Eastwood was charged with first, second, and third degree assault. He was also charged with kidnapping for refusing to allow a friend to open the door for police when they showed up at the apartment building.
Campbell was charged with first, third, and fourth degree assault.
Both Eastwood and Campbell are being held on $100,000 bonds without conditions or $50,000 bonds with conditions.
Bestul added authorities are continuing their investigation. Navy could be released from the hospital as early as Thursday but authorities didn't know if Navy would need to have surgery.
Written for the web by Brian Collins.
bcollins@ksax.com"
"BRAINERD, Minn. - Willie Navy said he's experienced prejudice in his life, but never imagined the color of his skin could get him beaten to the point where he may have lost all sight in his left eye.
"I couldn't' imagine nothing happening like that," Navy said "Ain't nothing changed (since the 1950s)."
Navy was at Yesterday's Gone bar in Brainerd early Sunday morning, while Lucas Eastwood and Travis Campbell told employees they were looking to fight, police said.
Navy said he's a regular at the bar and knows several employees there.
"It was ... closing time and the dude approached me like, 'What are you doing here?'" "So I approached him and said, What are you talking about?' And somebody hit me in the back of my head." "That knocked me out right there. And the only thing I could feel was my face getting kicked in," Navy said.
Authorities said assault suspects Eastwood, 27, of Backus and Campbell, 29, of Pequot Lakes, then went a friend's apartment where they were found and arrested by police, while Navy was sent to the hospital.
The suspects are in custody, facing five felony charges and two gross misdemeanors for the alleged assault. Navy is home from the hospital but said he doesn't know if his eye will ever heal.
"I've got multiple surgeries I gotta go through with my eye, so they don't know yet," he said.
Navy said the attack illustrates the how racism is still a part of American society.
"We've come so far, but we've started going backwards though." "We have a black president. That's not making (race relations advance) either. So we started going backwards," Navy said. "It's always hidden ... We've got the invisible handcuffs ... We're still enslaved, their just invisible."
"Just don't look at people because they black or white or whatever they is. Look at their heart and what they about, you know what I'm sayin? You just can't judge a book by its cover without readin' it," he said.
But Navy said the attack isn't a reflection on the Brainerd community.
"It's not gonna make me just up and just leave Brainerd because of (the attack)." "I came here to make this my home and I'm not gonna let nobody run me away," Navy said.
Campbell and Eastwood could face up to 20 years in prison and a $30,000 fine if convicted.
Written for the web by Joe Nelson.
jonelson@ksax.com "
"BRAINERD, Minn. (WCCO) — Two men are in jail are accused of beating a man outside a Brainerd bar.
Police say 29-year-old Travis Campbell and 27-year-old Lucas Eastwood targeted Willie Navy last weekend because he is black.
Campbell and Eastwood face several charges including assault motivated by bias.
"I’ll never be the same,” said Willie, the victim of a racially-motivated attack.
He said he will never forget last Saturday’s attack. Every time Willie looks in the mirror, he said he’ll relive hearing the racial slur followed by a sharp pain on the head.
"When I fell, I was knocked out. So they had free shots at me and they took them,” he said.
"You’re using boots on a human head, that’s a little bit past first-degree assault. You’re trying to kill him,” said Pastor Robert Navy, the victim’s brother.
As he healed in the hospital, Willie would learn from investigators that not only was he jumped because of his skin color but the bartender at Yesterday's Gone bar knew Willie was being targeted.
The criminal complaint said that Eastwood mentioned twice that he wanted to fight the black guy.
"That’s why I feel betrayed. They could have helped me, but they didn’t," said Willie.
The workers at Yesterday’s never dealt the actual punches, but Willie argued they may as well have.
" he said.
The attack may cost Willie vision in one eye. Healing will take months, even years, and there will always be scars you can’t see.
"Here we are in 2011. We have a black president. Ain’t nothing changed at all," he said.
Willie’s family said Brainerd is a good, safe town and racism can happen anywhere.
Workers at Yesterday’s Gone bar said the bar does not condone racism or fighting of any kind.
" Protesters Rallied To Support Alleged Racial Assault Victim , Updated: 02/15/2011 6:12 PM KSAX.com ksax.com "BRAINERD, Minn. (KSAX) – Protesters rallied together at the Crow Wing County Judicial Center in support of an alleged racial assault victim who is still recovering while awaiting surgery.
53-year-old Willie Navy was assaulted outside a Brainerd bar February 6, and witnesses said he was attacked because he is black. Protesters attended the hearing of suspects Lucas Eastwood and Travis Campbell who both rescheduled their court dates for April 12.
"It makes me feel a lot better knowing that I got people behind me,” Navy said. “I’m a good guy; I’m not a bad guy. I don’t deserve this; I really don’t."
About 40 people showed up at the court house at 9 a.m. to attend the hearing. People were holding posters and wearing supportive t-shirts, but the rally was peaceful overall. Protester Lucille Windorski said she’s not only protesting in support of Navy, but also to stand up for her bi-racial family.
"If I’m walking down the street with my grandchildren, do I have to worry about some idiot out there jumping me because my grandbabies are with me?” Windorski said. "They’re a part of me. They’ve got my blood in them too. It has nothing to do with skin. It has to do with the way people are and they way they are raised."
The Brainerd Jimmy’s Pizza also held a benefit to raise money to pay Navy’s medical bills. Owner Charles Johnson said 20 percent of the proceeds would go to Navy; they were also accepting donations.
Written for the web by Laurie Stribling
lstribling@ksax.com"
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Christian Life: Boldness, Bravery, Courage, Guts, Stand-Up!!, etc.... Hearing For Racial Assault Continued: Only Three Supporters Show Up Updated: 04/12/2011 4:53 PM KSAX.com "BRAINERD, Minn. (KSAX) – The court hearing was continued for the two men charged with racially assaulting 53-year-old Willie Navy, and unlike the last hearing, only three people showed up in support.
Navy was assaulted outside a Brainerd bar February 6, and witnesses said he was beaten because he is black. Travis Campbell and Lucas Eastwood face assault charges for the incident and the Crow Wing County Attorney’s Office said the continuance will allow both sides to build their cases.
During their first appearance back in February, around 50 people rallied at the courthouse in support. Rally leaders hoped people would come out and show support again, but that was not the case.
"It’s kind of like I said, out of sight out of mind,” supporter Shelly Green said. “What a disappointment."
Only three people attended the hearing in support, but Green hopes there will be a bigger turnout at the next one.
Eastwood posted bond February 18, but Campbell is still in custody at the Crow Wing County Jail. Navy still has one more surgery scheduled for fractures around his eye, but his recovery is going smoothly.
"God bless everybody."
Campbell and Eastwood will appear again on May 4.
Written for the web by Laurie Stribling
lstribling@ksax.com"
"Los Angeles (CNN) -- Acura apologized Wednesday for a casting document that called for an African-American actor who was "not too dark" in the car company's Super Bowl ad.
The controversial casting call document, published Wednesday by the celebrity gossip site TMZ, "pulls back the curtain" on the widely known practice of casting based on skin tone in Hollywood, a longtime manager said.
TMZ reported that it got the audition posting from "an African-American actor who didn't fit the profile, and who's pissed."
The role was for an "African-American Car Dealer" who would appear in a car showroom scene with Jerry Seinfeld. Jay Leno also appeared in the ad.
The sheet's "role details" read: "Nice Looking, friendly. Not too dark. Will work with a MAJOR COMEDIAN."
Acura spokesman Gary Robinson told CNN that the company did not know about the casting description until the TMZ story was published.
"Any of the creative directions didn't come from Acura," Robins said. "They would've come from the casting agency."
Cathi Carlton Casting, the agency hired by Acura to choose actors, declined comment. An employee who answered the phone at the agency's Santa Monica, California, office said they would defer to Acura's apology.
"We apologize to anyone offended by the language on the casting sheet used in the selection of actors for one of our commercials," Acura said in a statement to CNN. "We sought to cast an African-American in a prominent role in the commercial, and we made our selection based on the fact that he was the most talented actor."
Acura said it was "taking appropriate measures to ensure that such language is not used again in association with any work performed on behalf of our brand."
Longtime Hollywood manager Roger Neal said he was not shocked that a casting director would choose based on skin tone.
"People in the business a long time deal with this every day," he said.
But Neal, who has looked at daily casting breakdowns for 31 years, said he was surprised the description was written on a casting document.
"I've never seen it in writing before," Neal said. "No one has been bold enough to put it in writing."
The publication of the casting sheet "pulls back the curtain" on the casting practice, he said.
Neal said he suspects it was an inexperienced casting assistant who wrote the description.
Casting agents have told him in the past that his clients were too dark, or "not black enough," Neal said.
A euphemism in Hollywood is to tell a rejected actor that the casting director "went a different direction" when their race cost them an acting job, Neal said.
SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, "immediately reached out to the casting office when the notice was brought to our attention so we could discuss the specific language used," it said in a statement sent to CNN Wednesday.
"Despite the intention behind it, the notice was clearly not as well stated as it could have been and this is an area in which SAG-AFTRA's equal employment opportunities and diversity staff can help," the union said."
"A video posted on TMZ.com shows that the tirade apparently began after two black audience members started shouting at him that he wasn't funny.
Richards retorted: "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your a--."
He then paced across the stage taunting the men for interrupting his show, peppering his speech with racial slurs and profanities.
"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now mother------. Throw his a-- out. He's a n-----!" Richards shouts before repeating the racial epithet over and over again.
While there is some chuckling in the audience throughout the outburst, someone can be heard gasping "Oh my God" and various people "ooh" after Richard uses the n-word.
"The Warning Signs
A longtime Lockheed employee, Williams fumed when blacks at the plant complained about his racial slurs or received better-paying jobs, according to several co-workers. He once wore the bootie of a white protective suit on his head in the shape of what black workers said looked like a Ku Klux Klan hood. Given the choice by management to remove it or go home, Williams left. Lockheed took no disciplinary action against him for the incident, according to Lockheed documents."
"But in the South, it goes further: White-controlled Grand Lodges in 12 Southern states do not even officially recognize black Masons as their brothers � the Masonic term is "mutual recognition" � and in some cases, black lodges have taken similar stands."
White teen faces possible hate crime charges in the killing of a black man captured on video. Drew Griffin reports. Aug 7, 2011 | 06:05
"An 18-year-old is accused of driving over a black man and killing him in a racially motivated attack that involved other teens. As Drew Griffin reports, the attack was caught on tape"
"WEST ALLIS, Wis. -- Witnesses say a crowd of young people attacked fair-goers as they left State Fair Park at the end of opening day.
Milwaukee police confirm squads were dispatched to the park shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday because a large, unruly crowd of people was causing property damage and fighting.
Norbert Roffers of Wind Lake says he was standing with his wife at an intersection waiting for the traffic light to change when he was hit in the back of the head by two young people. Another witness, identified only as Eric, told a local radio station the attackers were pulling people off their motorcycles.
People who were there told WTMJ, Milwaukee's NBC affiliate, that the attacks seemed racially motivated. Witnesses say young black people beating white people as they left the State Fair.
Eric, a war veteran, said that the scene he saw Thursday outside State Fair compares to what he saw in combat.
"That rated right up there with it. When I saw the amount of kids coming down the road, all I kept thinking was, 'There's not enough cops to handle this.' There's no way. It would have taken the National Guard to control the number of kids that were coming off the road. They were knocking people off their motorcycles."
Some witnesses described attacks on the State Fair Grounds as well.
Police have not confirmed the number of people suspected of attacking, or the number of people injured. They say that some injuries were serious, and local hospitals were attending to the injured.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) "
Editor's Note: Jeff Yang writes the column Tao Jones for the Wall Street Journal Online, is a regular contributor to WNYC radio, blogging for "The Brian Lehrer Show", and appears weekly on "The Takeaway". He formerly wrote the "Asian Pop" column for the San Francisco Chronicle and was founder and publisher of A magazine. He tweets @originalspin.
By Jeff Yang, Special to CNN "Two young soldiers, Private Danny Chen of Manhattan, New York and Lance Corporal Harry Lew of Santa Clara, California, volunteered for military service over the objections of their families. Both ended up being posted to remote parts of Afghanistan, deep in hostile territory and largely cut off from the world. Both subsequently experienced extended campaigns of harassment at the hands of their comrades-at-arms. And last year, both, it appears, were driven to take their own lives as a result.
Their shocking deaths have raised new questions about hazing in the armed forces — but the truth is, "hazing" isn't even the right word for what they experienced.
After all, hazing is generally part of a process of initiation, in which a newcomer voluntarily undergoes ritual abuse in order to win acceptance within a group.
There was nothing voluntary about the punishment Chen and Lew experienced, and it was designed to alienate them from their peers, not create a path to solidarity. In Chen's case at least, the program of isolation included being repeated called racial slurs like "gook," “chink” and “dragon lady" by his tormentors (all of whom were white).
The more appropriate term for what Chen and Lew faced is targeted bullying — and it's something that's hardly limited to the military.
In fact, recent research suggests that young Asian Americans are facing a bullying epidemic. Last year, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education released a joint study showing that over half of Asian American teens said they'd been the subject of targeted abuse at school, versus around a third of blacks, Hispanics and whites.
See more on CNN's special coverage on bullying
There's also plenty of anecdotal evidence to support this phenomenon. In Philadelphia, a series of concerted assaults against Asian American students at South Philadelphia High School in 2009 counted 26 victims in a single day, 13 of whom were sent to the emergency room with serious injuries.
The attacks were part of an ongoing stream of persecution and violence that included racial taunts, anti-immigrant slurs and mockery of accents. The incidents continued, despite pleas for the school administration to intervene, until one student finally organized a strike, with 80 Asian students refusing to attend classes until their physical safety could be guaranteed.
Just this week, a video of an immigrant Asian American teen being violently beaten by a group of masked youth near James Ward Elementary in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood has gone viral on YouTube, where it was apparently posted by one of the assailants. In the video, the boy shouts "Please no more! Don't hit me anymore please!" as the attackers viciously drag, punch and kick their victim.
Why are Asian Americans disproportionately targeted for abuse?
A harmonic convergence of factors. There's the perception — and in some cases, the reality — of the "nerd" stereotype. The trinity of social awkwardness, physical frailty and academic overachievement has always served as a magnet for bullies.
There's the rising tide of animosity toward immigrants, particularly those from predominantly countries that are seen as emerging rivals of the United States, like China and India.
There's the plain old fact that those who are "different" in obvious ways — appearance, name, faith, accent — are often the focus of unwanted attention in environments where fitting in is prized, like high school. Or the military.
And especially among immigrants and the children of immigrants, there's the reality that cultural and familial expectations push them to submit to bullying rather than being "disruptive" or succumbing to "distraction."
Yul Kwon speaks out about being bullied, and identity
As a result, incidents of anti-Asian bullying frequently go unreported, and victims can find themselves increasingly distanced from peers, parents and authorities, in a growing sense of desperation.
Over the past ten years, depression rates among Asian Americans have skyrocketed — with young Asian American women, in particular, more likely to be diagnosed with depressive symptoms than those of any other racial or ethnic group.
So have suicide rates: It's now the fifth most common cause of death among Asian Americans; by comparison, among white Americans suicide ranks ninth.
Clusters of Asian American suicides have emerged in situations that are both heavily stressful and highly isolated. Like Cornell University, in remote Ithaca, New York, where nearly two-thirds of suicide victims — 13 of 21 — over the past decade have been Asian, even though Asians currently make up about one-fifth of Cornell's student body.
Or like the remote frontlines of Afghanistan, where soldiers, far from home, family and the comforts of civilization, have only one another to turn to for social and emotional support.
When that sole source of aid and encouragement is removed — when it's replaced instead with coordinated contempt and repeated abuse — it becomes easier to understand the mindset of Lance Corporal Harry Lew when he wrote his final message in pen on the skin of his forearm, before shooting himself with his own rifle: "May hate me now, but in the long run this was the right choice." And then: "I'm sorry, my mom deserves the truth."
We all do.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeff Yang."
"Watch the trailer for the new movie, THE GRACE CARD, in theaters 2.25.11."
NEW Tenth Avenue North - Healing Begins [The Grace Card Film] - Music Videos
"As a band, we are really excited about the theme and message of The Grace Card. It's an honor to have our song attached to something that we believe will help people come out of hiding and find mercy and healing in the gospel. Our hope for our music and
for this movie is that it will help break down walls of isolation and division and will empower all of us to break the cycle of revenge that enslaves so many by giving back grace to those who have hurt. Father forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin
against us. -Mike Donehey / Lead Singer of Tenth Avenue North For more information, visit thegracecardmovie.com " Outreach, Inc. Releases Church Resources for ‘The Grace Card’ Movie
Sermon Series Church Kit Based on New Motion Picture; Provides Powerful Opportunity for Churches
By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries assistnews.net "VISTA, CA (ANS) -- Outreach, Inc., a Southern California-based church marketing and publishing company, is offering a sermon series church kit based on "The Grace Card," a new movie which stars Academy Award winner, Louis Gossett Jr., which arrives in theaters across America on February 25, 2011...“The Grace Card” is a drama that poignantly illustrates the everyday opportunities we have to rebuild relationships and heal deep wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace.
A news release from InChrist Communications, Inc., says, “The movie focuses on the relationship of two police officers whose lives are headed in opposite directions and are forced to grapple with what it means to both receive and extend grace. Containing thematic elements, such as racial reconciliation, the movie wrestles with a nagging question: How do you extend grace to someone when you don't get along?”
That question and many others are tackled in the resources produced by Outreach and developed in partnership with Calvary Church. Interested churches, pastors or lay leaders are encouraged to learn more about “The Grace Card” campaign resources by visiting The Grace Card resource informational page at www.Outreach.com." ...
"...Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe star in this well-intentioned and largely successful civil rights-era thriller. Mississippi Burning, using the real-life 1964 disappearance of three civil rights workers as its inspiration, tells the story of two FBI men (Hackman and Dafoe, entertainingly called "Hoover Boys" by the locals) who come in to try to solve the crime. Hackman is a former small-town Mississippi sheriff himself, while Dafoe is a by-the-numbers young hotshot. Yes, there is some tension between the two. The movie has an interesting fatalism, as all the FBI's best efforts incite more and more violence, which becomes disturbing--the film's message, perhaps inadvertently, seems to be that vigilantism is the only real way to get things done. The brilliant Frances McDormand, here early in her career, is not given enough to do but still does it well enough to have racked up an Oscar� nomination for Best Supporting Actress. (Hackman also received a nomination for Best Actor, and the film won an Academy Award for Cinematography). The story line of Mississippi Burning is ultimately unsatisfying--it is, after all, the story of white men coming in to rescue poor blacks--but it is beautifully shot and very watchable and features a terrific cast playing at the top of their games. --Ali Davis.."
KKK IN MISSISSIPPI
" Klansmen boast of terrorist history, promises more of the same " Wikipedia
*see deceiver "...is the name of organizations in the United States that have advocated white supremacy, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism, homophobia, anti-Communism and nativism. These organizations have used terrorism, violence, and acts of intimidation, such as cross burning and lynching, to oppress African Americans and other social or ethnic groups."
Related News: Jury awards $2.5 million to teen beaten by Klan members,
updated 5:46 p.m. EST, Wed November 12, 2008 (CNN.com) By Ann O'Neill
CNN " (CNN) -- A jury awarded $2.5 million in damages on Friday to a Kentucky teenager who was severely beaten by members of a Ku Klux Klan group because they mistakenly thought he was an illegal Latino immigrant, the Southern Poverty Law Center said.
Jordan Gruver, then 16, was targeted and beaten by Klan members, his lawsuit alleged.
The jury found that the Imperial Klans of America and its founder wrongfully targeted 16-year-old Jordan Gruver, an American citizen of Panamanian and Native-American descent.
The verdict included $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages against "Imperial Wizard" Ron Edwards.
The law center said before the verdict that a large damage award could break the Klan group, allowing the teen and the law center to seize the group's assets, including its headquarters, a 15-acre compound in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.
"We look forward to collecting every dime that we can for our client and to putting the Imperial Klans of America out of business," said SPLC founder and chief trial attorney Morris Dees, who tried the case.
Gruver, backed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, filed the personal injury lawsuit last year seeking up to $6 million in damages from the Imperial Klans of America and two of its leaders -- Edwards and "Grant Titan" Jarred R. Hensley.
An all-white jury of seven men and seven women deliberated for five hours after three days of testimony. The suit alleged that Edwards, Hensley, and the Imperial Klans of America as a whole incited its members to use violence against minorities.
"The people of Meade County, Kentucky, have spoken loudly and clearly. And what they've said is that ethnic violence has no place in our society, that those who promote hate and violence will be held accountable and made to pay a steep price," Dees said.
According to testimony, three members of the Klan group confronted Gruver in July 2006 during a recruiting mission at the Meade County Fair in Brandenberg, Kentucky. They taunted him with ethnic slurs -- inaccurate ones -- spat on him and doused him with alcohol .Two of the men, including Hensley, knocked Gruver to the ground and repeatedly struck and kicked him.
Ku Klux Klan
* Founded as violent white supremacist movement by Confederate officers after the Civil War, lasted until the 1870s
* Klan began again in 1915, still active today
* Most recent surge of activity came during civil rights movement of 1960s
* Membership exceeded 4 million in 1920s; now a few thousand members in splinter groups
"All I could see was a bunch of feet," Gruver, now 19, told the jury. "As they were kicking me, I prayed to myself. I said, 'God, just please let me go. Please let me make it home.' "
When the blows stopped, Gruver had a broken jaw, broken left forearm, two cracked ribs and cuts and bruises.
He testified that he has suffered permanent nerve damage and psychological trauma. He doesn't leave his house and rarely sleeps more than two hours at a time because he has nightmares, CNN affiliate WLKY reported.
Among the evidence the jury saw was a pair of red-laced, steel-toed boots. A police witness testified that Hensley wore the boots the night he and another Klansman attacked Gruver.
Edwards acknowledged from the witness stand that the boots were the "weapon of choice" for skinheads and that the red laces carried special significance -- that "someone should shed blood for their race."
Also revealed during testimony: An alleged Klan plot to kill the Southern Poverty Law Center's attorney, Morris Dees.
Former Klansman Kale Kelly, once a member of Edwards' inner circle, testified he was told to kill Dees because of the center's lawsuit in Idaho against the Aryan Nations, a neo-Nazi supremacist organization.
The plot was thwarted by the FBI in 1999, according to testimony.
Kelly, who since has left the group, cried on the witness stand during his testimony.
Other former Klansmen also testified that they were encouraged to use violence. One said he was conditioned to kill. Video Watch the former Klansmen testify »
Gruver's assailants already have gone through the criminal courts, striking plea bargains and serving time in the Kentucky state prison system, according to court documents. The case was not treated as a hate crime.
Dees alleged that on the night in question -- July 29 and 30, 2006 -- Edwards "sent his agents out on a mission." During that mission, which included recruiting and distributing Klan literature at the fair, Gruver was beaten because the men mistakenly believed he was an illegal immigrant.
Edwards, who represented himself, told the jury he had nothing to do with the attack. "I stay within the law. I don't break the law," he said.
At an earlier court deposition, Edwards demonstrated his contempt for the center and its lawsuit by tattooing a profane reference to it on his freshly shaved head.
On its Web site, the Imperial Klans of America refers to itself as a Christian organization exercising its rights of free speech and assembly under the U.S. Constitution.
The site carries this proviso: "If you are not of the White race, this Web site is not for the likes of YOU!" It then goes on to name the races and ethnicities it "hates," adding, "This is our God-given right."
The Web site disavows violence or any kind of criminal activity.
Edwards lives in a trailer on the Klan group's heavily guarded, gated compound in rural Dawson Springs. The compound is the site of the Klan's annual white power rally and music festival, know as "Nordic Fest," according to the suit.
It was at the compound, the suit alleges, that the Klan group incited its members to use violence against minorities.
The Klan seems to thrive during times of political and financial turmoil, according to organizations that monitor its activities.
The first incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan was founded by a group of Confederate generals at the end of the Civil War to promote a white supremacist agenda. The Klan was driven underground, but re-formed after World War I. Klan activity increased during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and has surged again since 2006 as a result of opposition to gay marriage and immigration.
There is no single, centralized Ku Klux Klan. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the Imperial Klans of America is the second largest KKK group after the Brotherhood of Klans Knights, based in Marion, Ohio.
Booth Gunter, the center's spokesman, said there are 34 named Klan organizations across the country, with 155 separate chapters.
The Anti-Defamation League estimates there are more than 40 different Klan groups, with as many as 5,000 members in more than 100 chapters, or "klaverns," across the country.
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It is not the first time the Southern Poverty Law Center has taken a supremacist group to court and won.
In 2000, for example, the center won a $6.3 million jury verdict that forced Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler to give up the group's Idaho compound. In 1987, a $7 million verdict in Mobile, Alabama, targeted the United Klans of America."
Assassination plot targeting Obama disrupted
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer Lara Jakes Jordan, Associated Press Writer – 10 mins ago (Monday, October 27th of 2008 @5pm CDT-news.yahoo.com)
"WASHINGTON – Law enforcement agents have broken up a plot by two neo-Nazi skinheads to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and shoot or decapitate 88 black people, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives said Monday.
In court records unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Tenn., federal agents said they disrupted plans to rob a gun store and target a predominantly African-American high school in a murder spree that was to begin in Tennessee. Agents said the skinheads did not identify the school by name.
Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of ATF's Nashville field office, said the two men planned to kill 88 people, including 14 African-Americans by beheading. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community.
The men also sought to go on a national killing spree after the Tennessee murders, with Obama as its final target, Cavanaugh told The Associated Press.
"They said that would be their last, final act — that they would attempt to kill Sen. Obama," Cavanaugh said. "They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying."..."
-Protestantism
Ku Klux Klan- A Secret History [1/9]
"Since the days following the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan has preached a gospel of hate, intolerance and exclusion. But while it has attracted members who number in the millions at times, it has also repeatedly been battered into near-submission by activists, the government and changing public opinion. "
"..This is part one of a series of interviews with TJ Leyden, a former racist skinhead leader who has since redeemed himself. In this interview, he exposes links between Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam with the KKK and NEO-Nazi's back in the 60's and how they worked together and even spoke at each other's events.
This is a must see if you don't believe ALL racist groups have links with one another, regardless of the fact that they publicly proclaim each other as enemies. ..
"Oak Creek, Wisconsin (CNN) -- An Army veteran who neighbors say played in a far-right punk band was the lone shooter in the rampage at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin that killed six people and wounded four, according to information Monday from law enforcement authorities.
Wade Michael Page, 40, was shot to death by police responding to the Sunday morning attack in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek, the community's chief of police told reporters.
It was the latest violence against the Sikh community in the United States in apparent misdirected revenge for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Sunday's attack occurred 16 days after a gunman killed 12 people and wounded scores in a Colorado movie theater, reigniting the gun-control debate in the United States.
"These kinds of terrible and tragic events are happening with too much regularity for us not do some soul-searching and examine additional ways that we can prevent" such violence, President Barack Obama told reporters when asked about the Wisconsin shooting at a White House bill-signing ceremony.
However, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg criticized Obama and certain Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for not advocating tougher laws to prevent dangerous people from obtaining guns.
"The fact that criminals, terrorists and other mentally ill people have access to guns is a national crisis," Bloomberg said during a visit to a Sikh community center in Queens.
Bernard Zapor, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent in the investigation, said Monday that the 9 mm semiautomatic handgun with multiple ammunition magazines used by the attacker had been legally purchased.
The gunman shot people inside and outside the Sikh house of worship, including a police officer, Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards said. Another police officer with a rifle then shot the gunman, who died at the scene.
A long history of bias crimes against Sikhs
While authorities said Page was the only gunman, they also had been looking for another man spotted at the crime scene Sunday who left before anyone could identify him. On Monday, the FBI's Paul Bresson said the man being sought had been "located, interviewed and cleared."
According to Edwards and the FBI, authorities have received tips that Page might have links to the white supremacist movement, but nothing had been confirmed.
Two neighbors of Page identified him in photos that showed him playing in the far-right punk band "End Apathy," and the nephew of the slain president of the Sikh temple said the attacker had a 9/11 tattoo on his arm.
Teresa Carlson, the FBI special agent in charge of the investigation of Sunday's shooting, said no motive for the attack has been established. The FBI was looking into whether it was domestic terrorism, which is the use of violence for political or social gain, Carlson said.
"We are looking at ties to white supremacist groups," Carlson told a news conference, adding there was no active investigation of Page prior to Sunday's attack.
According to a man who described himself as an old Army buddy of Page's, the attacker talked about "racial holy war" when they served together in the 1990s. Christopher Robillard of Oregon, who said he lost contact with Page more than a decade ago, added that when Page would rant, "it would be about mostly any non-white person."
"He didn't seem like the type of person to go out and hurt people," Robillard said. "He would talk about it all the time, but it was more like he was waiting for the ... revolution to start."
Page, born on Veterans Day in 1971, joined the Army in 1992 and left the service in 1998, according to Army spokesman George Wright. His service was marked by "patterns of misconduct," though he received an honorable discharge, according to a Pentagon official.
The suspect did have a criminal record, Edwards said. A background check showed Page had separate convictions for DUI in Colorado in 1999 and for criminal mischief in Texas in 1994.
A federal law enforcement official told CNN that investigators interviewed a former girlfriend of Page. The woman, who had recently broken up with him, told investigators she had no indication Page planned such an attack. She provided the names of friends and associates of Page, the official said.
Because of their customary beards and turbans, Sikh men are often confused with Muslims, and they have been the targets of hate crimes since 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
Obama noted Monday that the motive for attack had yet to be determined, but if it turns out to be based on the ethnicity of the worshipers, "I think the American people immediately recoil from those kinds of attitudes."
The six victims of Sunday's attack were identified by police as five men -- Sita Singh, 41; Ranjit Singh, 49; Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65; Prakash Singh, 39, and Suveg Singh, 84 -- and one woman, 41-year-old Paramjit Kaur.
Photos: Shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin
Two other Sikh victims remained hospitalized in critical condition, while a third was treated and released, Edwards said.
The wounded police officer, identified as 51-year-old Lt. Brian Murphy, also was in critical condition, the police chief said. Earlier, Edwards said that Murphy's injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.
Terror, tragedy for tight-knit Sikh community
One of the dead, Prakash Singh, was a priest who recently immigrated to the United States with his wife and two young children, said Justice Singh Khalsa, a temple member since the 1990s.
Relatives of Kaleka, the president of the temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, said that he was killed fighting the attacker.
"From what we understand, he basically fought to the very end and suffered gunshot wounds while trying to take down the gunman," said Kanwardeep Singh Kaleka, his nephew.
Kaleka said those inside the gurdwara, or Sikh house of worship, described the attacker as a bald white man, dressed in a white T-shirt and black pants and with the 9/11 tattoo on one arm -- which "implies to me that there's some level of hate crime there."
Belief Blog: Who are Sikhs?
While officials try to piece together what prompted the man to go on his shooting spree shortly before the main Sunday morning service, America's Sikh community struggled to come to grips with the brutal attack.
A Sikh human rights group said it would give a $10,000 reward to Murphy, the police officer wounded in the attack.
"Our government must take urgent steps to educate the country about the Sikh population and help put an end to these horrific and deadly acts of violence," said a statement by the group, Sikhs for Justice.
Kaleka was horrified to have such violence occur at his place of worship, especially so soon after the 12 killings at a screening of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colorado.
"You're talking about Aurora one minute, and the next minute it's you and your family," Kaleka said.
Khalsa said late Sunday that the attacker was "probably somebody not in their right mind."
"It's possibly a hate crime, somebody not understanding the religion," Khalsa said.
Meanwhile in India, the birthplace of Sikhism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was "shocked and saddened" by the shooting.
"That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful," Singh, himself a Sikh, said.
The country's main Sikh political party, the Shiromani Akali Dal, held a demonstration in New Delhi's embassy district Monday to protest.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke by phone with India's foreign minister, and U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell met with Sikh community leaders in New Delhi and visited the largest Sikh temple in the city, said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell.
Sunday's attack occurred about 10:30 a.m., when temple members were reading scriptures and cooking food in preparation for the main Sunday service and community lunch. The temple has more than 350 members.
According to witnesses, the gunman started shooting in the parking lot, killing at least one person. He then entered the temple and continued firing, they said.
Police spent Sunday night searching the shooter's home in nearby Cudahy, a short distance from the temple.
Political leaders at the national, state and local level offered condolences for the killings and declared solidarity with the Sikh community.
Obama ordered U.S flags flown at half-staff through Friday "as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence."
In a statement Sunday, Obama said the United States had been "enriched" by Sikhs, and that his administration "will provide whatever support is necessary to the officials who are responding to this tragic shooting and moving forward with an investigation."
Romney, meanwhile, called the slayings "a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should never befall any house of worship."
Romney: A 'senseless act of violence'
The Sikh religion originated in northern India around 1500 and has about 25 million followers.
The United States is home to about 700,000 Sikhs, nearly all of Indian origin, according to the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. The men are easily identifiable by their beards and turbans, a tradition that's lasted for 500 years.
The first person murdered in retaliation for the 9/11 attacks was a Sikh -- Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner in Mesa, Arizona. He was shot five times by aircraft mechanic Frank Roque on September 15, 2001. Roque is serving a life sentence.
In the intervening years, the Sikh Coalition, a New York-based advocacy group, reported more than 700 attacks or bias-related incidents.
Obama: Shooting a 'tragedy'
Six people were killed in a shooting rampage. Share your thoughts and remembrances.
CNN's Tom Cohen, Brian Todd, Harmeet Shah Singh, Poppy Harlow, Ed Payne, Ted Rowlands, Marlena Baldacci, Matt Smith, Steve Almasy, Greg Botelho, Shawn Nottingham, Carol Cratty, Susan Candiotti and Deborah Feyerick contributed to this report.
"
"(CNN) -- An Arizona jury on Monday convicted anti-illegal immigration activist Shawna Forde of murder in the killing of a Latino man and his 9-year-old daughter during a 2009 vigilante raid she led on their home.
The Pima County jury convicted Forde on eight counts, including two counts of murder for the shooting deaths of Raul Flores and his daughter, Brisenia, and the attempted murder of the child's mother, Gina Gonzales, at the family's rural Arivaca home on May 30, 2009.
The child and her father were American-born U.S. citizens.
The jury also convicted Forde on two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of burglary, armed robbery and aggravated robbery.
The jury is scheduled to return Tuesday for the penalty phase of the trial.
Forde's alleged accomplices, Albert Robert Gaxiola and Jason Eugene Bush, are scheduled to go on trial later this year.
During the trial, prosecutors portrayed Forde as the ringleader of the hit squad, and said she had planned the raid and the murders to steal weapons, money and drugs to finance a new anti-illegal immigration outfit.
The trio picked the Flores home, prosecutors said, because of a claim made by Gaxiola they would find drugs there.
While Flores had a history of drug-related offenses, none were found in the house.
Posing as border patrol and law enforcement officers, Forde, Gaxiola and Bush, whom prosecutors identified as the gunman, showed up at the Flores home after midnight, several hours after the family had returned from a shopping trip in Tucson to buy shoes for their daughter for summer camp.
Brisenia Flores was sleeping on the couch with her puppy when the killers demanded to be let into the home. They accused Flores of harboring illegal aliens and said the house was surrounded by agents.
Once inside, the gunman shot Flores in the chest and Gonzales in the leg. Later Brisenia was shot as she pleaded for her life.
Jewelry taken from the Flores home was later found in Forde's possession. Text messages discovered on her phone also implicated her in the crime.
Forde once belonged to the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps before she was removed for what former fellow members described as unstable behavior, according to news reports.
Forde then formed a splinter group, Minutemen American Defense. She led protests against illegal immigration and patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border armed with weapons.
Bush was the group's national director of operations, according to reports. "
"In these early stages, we can't tell you if ESPN copy editors using "chink in the armor" as a way to describe Asian-American Jeremy Lin and his New York Knicks losing their first game in 13 days on Friday night is on par with what Jason Whitlock pulled off a week before. Whitlock obviously, and admittedly, made an awful (and worse, to me, unfunny) joke at Lin's heritage's expense. The copy editors that OK'd this headline:
and the on-air copy whose work you'll hear on video after the jump could have just been making a pair of mortifying, awful mistakes. Endless amounts of writers from all fields still use that phrase, and for those of us that only think about Lin's ethnic background about once-in-whenever someone does something stupid, we have to go easy until we find out just who put the mistakes together. Knowing ESPN, though, we'll never know, we'll never find out their real intentions, and this will "go away" quicker than rumors of a potential human relations violation regarding the preparation of the gruel in 1930s Siberia.
[Related: Reality: No Linsanity if he didn't play in New York City]
Here's the video, from ESPNNews on Wednesday. And while we can't excuse this sort of phrase going through, think of the endless times you've heard it used on either 24-hour radio or 24-cable shows like these to describe a mitigating factor. Again, no excuse for someone on the floor not to raise a hackle and ask the anchor to switch his copy, but it could be an innocent, mortifying mistake:
As a writer, I'm not picking my poison in trying to be safe in failing to deliver some third-hand slamming of what happened in Bristol on Friday night. If the editor in question pulled this as a joke, then he or she should be fired in an instant; and this is coming from someone that wasn't at all in favor of Jason Whitlock's firing (though I did get one FOX News joke out of it on Twitter).
v
Whitlock's was an unfortunate attempt at humor. This play on words was more of a play on an ethnic slur, if it was intended to reference "chink" as "Asian," even if it was a smarmy joke from someone who is too dumb to know better.
It's an ugly word that happens to double as a type of fissure that would serve as an Achilles heel of sorts in a knight's suit of armor. I'm not being overly cautious when I tell you without looking that, honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if I used that phrase in my breakdown of New York's acquisition of J.R. Smith from Friday, or any other post that or any other day. It's a go-to sports cliché. If it was meant as a joke, by someone who doesn't think the word is "that bad," then this is a fireable offense. If this was meant with malice, then this is a fireable offense.
[ Related: Jeremy Lin named part of experimental Rising Stars Challenge ]
If this really was someone using yet another sports cliché that he or she has to fit into about 20 characters or less? Than that's different. A terrible, awful, oversight. A learning experience, no doubt, and a nice reminder that -- holy crap, this Asian-American kid is amazing at pro basketball, and we happily have a whole new set of double-entendres that we have to watch out for as writers.
To have that oversight -- using a phrase that would go unnoticed most other nights regarding just about any other NBA storyline that details a potential weakness to be exploited regarding a sports team -- possibly paired in a post that mentions Jeremy Lin? That would be mortifying.
To serve as a headline directly below a picture of the most noted Asian-American basketball player in NBA history? I can see why you're either up in arms at your angriest, or dubious at your most patient. You're well within your rights to be both. If you want to be angry and assume the worst, believe me, you have more than enough reason to, and my own blessing. There's a very good chance this was deliberate, and that's astonishing in its insensitivity and tactlessness. Especially in describing someone who never wanted to identify himself with anything more than as "Jeremy Lin, NBA point guard."
Until we find out more, which is doubtful considering ESPN's history, I'm going to ease off a bit. Uneasy with the knowledge that it, honestly, could happen to anyone (especially on an understaffed Friday night) with nobody looking over their shoulder, with no malice intended. That's just my take until I'm proven wrong or the creator, personally, apologizes. Even ESPN's quick statement of apology, issued on Saturday morning, feels unsatisfying:
"The headline was removed [35 minutes after it appeared]. We are conducting a complete review of our cross-platform editorial procedures and are determining appropriate disciplinary action to ensure this does not happen again. We regret and apologize for this mistake."
You, sick of this, are more than welcome to demand a swifter, and more transparent and public reaction from ESPN."
UPDATE:
"NEW YORK — The Linsanity may be over for now, but that hasn't stopped New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin from remaining upbeat and speaking of his faith in Christ.
Lin, the rookie whose surprise emergence has been the biggest story of the NBA season, underwent surgery April 2 to replace a torn meniscus in his left knee. He will likely miss the rest of the season but may be available if the Knicks advance deep into the playoffs.
"Praise God for a successful surgery!" Lin wrote on Twitter following the procedure. "Now on the road to recovery! Lets gooo. Much love to all the fans for your support and kind words."
Lin was averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game when he was sidelined.
Following his surgery, Lin answered a number of questions from fans on his Facebook page about an array of topics. One fan asked Lin how he stayed humble.
"i struggle with pride everyday, but the one thing that i try to remind myself everyday is that im still a sinner no matter how many points/assists/win i get on the court," Lin wrote in response. "Gods grace and the death/resurrection of his son Jesus Christ has given me salvation even though im not worthy of it."
Prior to his surgery, Lin made headlines when he had lunch with former ESPN editor Anthony Federico, who was fired after he inadvertently wrote a headline that contained racist language.
"When I saw what I had done, I was devastated," said. "I used a sports cliché that describes the first time someone shows a weakness. I didn't anticipate how people would apply racism to what I did."
The gaffe cost Federico his job at ESPN (he has since found another position with better hours and better pay), but it didn't cost him his faith. Federico said he relied on the Lord through the difficult days that included all kinds of hate mail and even death threats.
"It's not up to us to ask 'Why God?' in the bad times," Federico, a Roman Catholic, said. "We have to be as praiseful and cognizant of God in the bad times as we are in the good times. We know that God doesn't change, but our circumstances change."
It's in their suffering that people most truly proclaim Jesus, Federico said, noting, "You develop and cultivate your faith in the good times, but you can rely on it in the bad."
About a week after the incident, a family member of Lin's e-mailed Federico, saying that Lin felt terrible about what had happened and didn't believe Federico had intentionally insulted him. Federico said he wasn't surprised when Lin reached out to him, because he knew that Lin is an outspoken Christian.
The two met for lunch in Manhattan on March 27. They discussed the headline situation briefly, with Federico explaining what had happened.
"And then the rest of the conversation was about basketball and Jesus Christ," Federico said.
Federico, a big Knicks fan, said they discussed Lin's knee injury and what was happening with the team. Through it all, Federico said he was impressed by Lin's humility.
"He wasn't an NBA superstar in that moment," Federico said. "He was a brother in Christ. He was doing what Jesus would do -- he was being Christ-like."
"
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- "The Boise State running back who scored the winning points in the Fiesta Bowl, then proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend on national television, says he has hired security for their wedding because of racial threats.
Ian Johnson, who is black, and Chrissy Popadics, who is white, are due to be married Saturday in Boise.
Since his Jan. 1 proposal, Johnson said, he has received phone calls, letters and some personal threats from people who object to their marriage plans.
"You take it for what it is -- the less educated, the less willing to change," Johnson, 21, of San Dimas, Calif., told the Idaho Statesman for its Tuesday editions. "But we're not acting like we're naive to all the stuff that's going on. We know what's been said. We're going to make sure we're safe at all times. It's an amazing day for us, and we'd hate to have it ruined by someone."
"It's really sad because a lot of people that are probably doing it are the same people who were cheering me on," Johnson said.
A Boise State football spokesman, Todd Miles, said Tuesday that Johnson hoped to put the matter behind him and did not want to discuss it further. Popadics' family said she was not available.
At the Fiesta Bowl, Johnson used a "Statue of Liberty" play to score the winning two-point conversion as underdog Boise State beat the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 in overtime. The Broncos ended their season 13-0."
"Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show. ..
..Storyline
Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teenager with all the right moves, is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny run home to watch the show and drool over the hot Link Larkin, much to Tracy's mother Edna's dismay. After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins holds auditions to see who will be the next person on the Corny Collins show. With all of the help of her friend Seaweed, Tracy makes it on the show, angering the evil dance queen Amber Von Tussle and her mother Velma. Tracy then decides that it's not fair that the black kids can only dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month, and with the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle, her father and Edna, she's going to integrate the show.....without denting her 'do! ..
"second part about EUGENICS in history and presence an excerpt from "ENDGAME - Blueprint for Global Enslavement", a documentary by ALEX JONES! watch whole movie here: "
"Federal Apology (feb. 13, 2007) issued by Prime Minister Rudd of Australia:
"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians...
hindusaim is nearly dead in india because of the racist cast system
"Oppression. Slavery. Apartheid. Yesterday's vocabulary? Think again. Learn more about the Dalits of India and the Dalit Freedom Network that is working on their behalf. For the last two months, the dalits in Bapcha village in Shajapur district of Madhya Pradesh are living in fear. The pressure from the powerful is so strong that the dalits' plight is not reported by the media and the administration too remains a mute spectator. An introduction of a documentary on the caste system in India. Stories of people fighting to make a change.Dir Nirmala Nair Producer Drishti THIS IS THE TRUTH ABOUT HINDUISM
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