Racism in Alabama

[Darth Wong]

I know Southerners don't like being reminded that they live in a time-warp of racism, but look at this:

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Two teenagers were sentenced Friday to more than 20 years in prison for the random slaying of the grandson of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.

Antwan Howard, 17, and Brent Jackson, 16, were among a dozen youths - some as young as 10 - who allegedly beat Jackson Beasley to death last year with bricks and bats.

Howard, who pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Jackson, convicted of manslaughter, was given 20 years.

Beasley, 53, was walking home from work July 30, 2001, when he was attacked by members of a gang called the South Jackson Street Thugs. After a gang leader yelled the code word "Slaughterhouse," the youths chased Beasley down and beat him to death, authorities said.

Saying many witnesses had been intimidated into silence, authorities prosecuted only three of the youths, and only Howard and Jackson as adults.

Jackson was convicted on the lesser manslaughter charge Thursday; the jury's verdict dismayed the victim's family and others.

"If there is a gang of people doing these things, this is not going to stop them," civil rights activist Johnnie Carr said.

No shit. Alabama has made much less improvement over the last 30 years than some people would have you believe. A gang of youths beats a kid to death for being the grandson of a civil-rights activist, and they give a handful of them a slap on the wrist while letting the rest go free. How hard did the authorities really try to prosecute this case, particularly given the limp-wristed plea-bargain they settled for?

[salm]

25 years = a slap on the wrist????????????????

[Kelly Antilles]

You know what the problem is? NOBODY WILL LET THE PAST BE THE PAST!

The US has no future when the past is still more important than today. I have lived below the Mason/Dixon line all my life. I'm a proud Southerner, most of the time. True, the South is probably the most racist area. But, when it comes to defending our country, we're right in there. I have tried to keep myself from living up to being the "stereotypical" Southern. I don't want to be racist. I try hard not to be.

You do know what group won't let the past go? NAACP. This is not racist. This is the truth. They are backing that woman who is trying to get restitution for her ANCESTORS being slaves. Good grief! That was over 200 years ago. Why should someone five generations seperated from that one person get money? I just don't understand that. Then again, this world is so caught up in material possessions....

I do hope this doesn't sound racist. I am not racist. I am just trying to prove a point.

[kojikun]

*cough* Mike old fella, Beasley was 53, not a kid. I know you're old in some peoples eyes, but you aint THAT old. LOL

[Raptor 597]

25 years = a slap on the wrist????????????????

Compared too getting the chair...

[Darth Wong]

25 years = a slap on the wrist????????????????

For murder? Yes.

[Darth Wong]

You know what the problem is? NOBODY WILL LET THE PAST BE THE PAST!

The US has no future when the past is still more important than today. I have lived below the Mason/Dixon line all my life. I'm a proud Southerner, most of the time. True, the South is probably the most racist area. But, when it comes to defending our country, we're right in there. I have tried to keep myself from living up to being the "stereotypical" Southern. I don't want to be racist. I try hard not to be.

You do know what group won't let the past go? NAACP. This is not racist. This is the truth. They are backing that woman who is trying to get restitution for her ANCESTORS being slaves. Good grief! That was over 200 years ago. Why should someone five generations seperated from that one person get money? I just don't understand that. Then again, this world is so caught up in material possessions....

I do hope this doesn't sound racist. I am not racist. I am just trying to prove a point.

Red herring. This case is not about slavery. This case is not about past civil-rights offenses. This case is about a gang of youths who beat someone to death out of white-supremacist rage and were mostly let off the hook for it. The only ones clinging to the past in this case are the white-supremacists, who bore a grudge against Rosa Parks' progeny.

[Darth Wong]

*cough* Mike old fella, Beasley was 53, not a kid. I know you're old in some peoples eyes, but you aint THAT old. LOL

Whoops, I didn't bother checking that. Sorry. But the point still stands.

[Stormbringer]

No shit. Alabama has made much less improvement over the last 30 years than some people would have you believe. A gang of youths beats a kid to death for being the grandson of a civil-rights activist, and they give a handful of them a slap on the wrist while letting the rest go free. How hard did the authorities really try to prosecute this case, particularly given the limp-wristed plea-bargain they settled for?

They settled for the plea agreement because outside of a few touristy area along the Gulf Coast, they haven't progressed. Thoose prosecutors knew that if they put it in front of a jury that those kids would likely walk. The racists are still there and haven't changed. They've just learned to keep their heads down and not try anything to open.

It's the same way in most the South. The urbanized areas have made some progress but the rest are still just as bad.

[kojikun]

"Whoops, I didn't bother checking that. Sorry. But the point still stands."

Mike: When I was young, we had to walk 15 miles to school barefoot in the snow UPHILL! And that was on the warm days! We didn't HAVE shoes then! We went BAREFOOT!

Becca: Thats nice dear..

[salm]

For murder? Yes.

25 years is a looooooooooooong time. i´m not saying that it´s too short for these fuckos but a slap on the wrist??? in my oppinion they got what they deserved ( the other ones who werent punished need to get something similar as well of course)

on the other hand i´m just a bleeding heart european.
nevermind

[Rhadamanthus]

For murder? Yes.

25 years is a looooooooooooong time. i´m not saying that it´s too short for these fuckos but a slap on the wrist??? in my oppinion they got what they deserved ( the other ones who werent punished need to get something similar as well of course)

on the other hand i´m just a bleeding heart european.
nevermind

The death penalty is even longer, permanent in fact, and still better than they deserve, damn that "cruel and unusual punishment" bit. If there is one good thing that comes out of the Bible its the "eye for an eye" bit, everyone one of those boys should be beat to death.

[Kelly Antilles]

Red herring. This case is not about slavery. This case is not about past civil-rights offenses. This case is about a gang of youths who beat someone to death out of white-supremacist rage and were mostly let off the hook for it. The only ones clinging to the past in this case are the white-supremacists, who bore a grudge against Rosa Parks' progeny.

I know. Just trying to defend Southerners. And not all of us are white-supremacist assholes.

[Darth Wong]

25 years is a looooooooooooong time. i´m not saying that it´s too short for these fuckos but a slap on the wrist??? in my oppinion they got what they deserved ( the other ones who werent punished need to get something similar as well of course)

on the other hand i´m just a bleeding heart european.
nevermind

By the way, did you know that they'll probably be out in 10, thanks to parole?

[Wicked Pilot]

25 years = a slap on the wrist????????????????

For murder? Yes.

I can almost guarantee you that if it were a gang of blacks killing a white kid, all of the culprits would have been charged, and there would have been some life and/or death sentences handed out.

[Darth Wong]

Red herring. This case is not about slavery. This case is not about past civil-rights offenses. This case is about a gang of youths who beat someone to death out of white-supremacist rage and were mostly let off the hook for it. The only ones clinging to the past in this case are the white-supremacists, who bore a grudge against Rosa Parks' progeny.

I know. Just trying to defend Southerners. And not all of us are white-supremacist assholes.

I know. I didn't say you were. But the percentage is much higher there than in other places; this case, and the fact that the prosecution settled for such a dismal plea bargain due most likely to recalcitrant juries, is simply more evidence of that fact (and let's not even get into the disturbingly narrow 60/40 vote to legalize interracial marriage in Nov/2000).

[kojikun]

Murder deserves to be punished with the death penalty, unless its defensive. End of story. Unless we can legalise gladiatorial games or we can stick all these people on a big island with limited food and then broadcast the struggle for survival on national TV.

I like the latter two best.

[Wicked Pilot]

we can stick all these people on a big island with limited food and then broadcast the struggle for survival on national TV.

And hunters can pay for a license to land on this island and bag themselves some human game.

[salm]

I can almost guarantee you that if it were a gang of blacks killing a white kid, all of the culprits would have been charged, and there would have been some life and/or death sentences handed out.

that could be, but it doesnt have anything to do with my opinion about the 25 years. if black kids had beaten a white guy to death they´d deserve just the same. maybe "deserve" is the wrong word because it doesnt bring the guy back to life and if you get what you deserve it means that you´ve payed for your crime. so they can hardly get what they deserve. but in these 25 years they can be resocioalized. a better thing to do than killing them. the chair would mean to do the same thing as they did. a life sentence might not be wrong in some cases for example if they dont change.

By the way, did you know that they'll probably be out in 10, thanks to parole?

yup, that sucks!

[Wicked Pilot]

that could be, but it doesnt have anything to do with my opinion about the 25 years.

It by all means shouldn't.

if black kids had beaten a white guy to death they´d deserve just the same.

I only mean to point out what I feel to be hypocritical. They do of course deserve the same, but in this part of the country, they won't get it.

[Kelly Antilles]

I know. I didn't say you were. But the percentage is much higher there than in other places; this case, and the fact that the prosecution settled for such a dismal plea bargain due most likely to recalcitrant juries, is simply more evidence of that fact (and let's not even get into the disturbingly narrow 60/40 vote to legalize interracial marriage in Nov/2000).

The 2000 census for Alabama.
71.1% White
26% Black or African American (whoa, what's the difference?)

(the above stats taken from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/01000.html)

Just to prove your point. And I agree. With that percentage, how can you get a non-partisan jury?

[Raptor 597]

No shit. Alabama has made much less improvement over the last 30 years than some people would have you believe. A gang of youths beats a kid to death for being the grandson of a civil-rights activist, and they give a handful of them a slap on the wrist while letting the rest go free. How hard did the authorities really try to prosecute this case, particularly given the limp-wristed plea-bargain they settled for?

They settled for the plea agreement because outside of a few touristy area along the Gulf Coast, they haven't progressed. Thoose prosecutors knew that if they put it in front of a jury that those kids would likely walk. The racists are still there and haven't changed. They've just learned to keep their heads down and not try anything to open.

It's the same way in most the South. The urbanized areas have made some progress but the rest are still just as bad.

Indeed unless, they can get a black in some area where no one would know & they be quiet,. Even then they don't have the audicity for that.

[Kelly Antilles]

Another thing I just noticed.

Of the 4,447,100 people in Alabama, 945,705 claimed to be disabled (age 5+) and that is 4.7% of the population.

75.3% of those 25+ years old claim to have graduated high school
19% of the same claim to have a bachelor's degree or higher
Median household income (1999): $34,135 (compared to $41,994 in the whole US)
16.1% in 1999 were below the poverty level.

[Stormbringer]

The 2000 census for Alabama.
71.1% White
26% Black or African American (whoa, what's the difference?)

Well, you can have white African-Americans. Charlize Theron springs to mind.

(And does anyone else think the hypen american thing is just a wee bit retarded?)

[C.S.Strowbridge]

Murder deserves to be punished with the death penalty, unless its defensive. End of story. Unless we can legalise gladiatorial games or we can stick all these people on a big island with limited food and then broadcast the struggle for survival on national TV.

I like the latter two best.

Isn't that last one being developed into a TV show for Fox?