Has the media's coverage of Black church arson promoted a copycat effect, or is the increase due to a larger conspiracy?
Name: Brother Messiah Akindele of MAD Writer Productions Email: akinyemi@emuvax.emich.edu Response:
Let me begin by saying that when you burn down someone's place of worship out of fear or hate I think that is not just ignorant but plain wrong. Second, I don't believe "White people" (as Nubian Americans call them) are burning down these churches. The Government have a hand in burning down the churches also. For all we know Black people (who are paid by FEMA or whoever) might be doing it also. The purpose of the series of church burnings is to provoke Nubian Americans to start a "riot" (rebellion) against these Canaanites so we can have this thing called a "race war" or whatever. Then the government can place the country in the state of emergency so they can activate FEMA and turn this country into a police state. So we have to be careful about what step to take. But as usual, we will riot out of anger and disappointment and get ourselves killed because as usual we don't think!!!!!!
Name: Dr. Bradley Skelcher Email: bskelche@dsc.edu Response:
It is my opinion that if these recent church buildings are not a part of a larger conspiracy, then it is worse. If the environment has been established that allows people to think that it is alright and proper to commit such crimes, then we have a worse problem than a conspiracy. As a professor of history at an HBCU, I have been the recipient of hate mail from white racists. A man also shot a shotgun into a black owned business in Dover. Two churches burned on the Eastern Shore of Maryland recently. I think that we live in a time when many believe that it is correct to commit such acts.
Name: G. Woman Email: Response:
As I sit here reading all of the responses that
have been received concerning this issue I
wonder................. Does anyone think that
the persons responsible for the burnings could
be using the internet as a device to strategically
plan these burnings? It seems to much for one
individual or a small group to travel throughout
the country and commit such crimes. The burnings
are well defined within regions of the country.
This of course makes it hard to isolate any one
group. Does anyone think that there are a
collection of groups working together as one to
commit such crimes? I just wonder if those
involved are networked in some way. What do you think?
Name: Don Baxter Email: Barbarab55@aol.com Response:
The medias coverage of these church bombing
have nothing to do with copycat bombings. I
as a firefighter in California have seen many
arsonist at work. They do like the attention
and they're getting it but it's a hate problem.
They're low-lifes and I quess it is a copycat
routine. When I first began typing this short
note I tried to think differently but NO.
This is your basic LOW-LIFE trying to kill,
steal and destroy as the Bible denotes in the
Word.
The bottom line is that God will take care of
his church and its buildings.
God Bless everyone.
Barbarab55@aol.com (wifes email address)
Note: previous email address of
DonBaxter@ichange.com
Name: Attica Scott Email: SCOTT@LIBRA.LAW.UTK.EDU Response:
The entire situation is sickening! Unfortunately, I think that media coverage is leading to a series of copycat fires, particularly the burnings at predominantly white churches. I do think that there is a conspiracy underlying these fires. I do not think it is one organization, but a group of organizations with an understanding that their goal is to destroy the foundation of African-Americans.
Name: geoffrey n brooks Email: gnbrooks@teleport.com Response:
It is my firm view that the media may have promoted additional church burnings, but
more significantly, it is the environment of 'racism' in America that has fueled this
phenomenon. Being African-American -with our distinct human history in America- we should not question whether
this (church burnings) are a conspiracy..... for me it is. Not a conspiracy in the definitive sense as the federal would like us to believe.
Further, it is important for African-Americans to liken our situation to being the objects of a war on our culture, contributions to global civilization,etc.
What is needed is leadership to demonstrate that even white America is being objectified and being led to believe that we are the demons instead of racism, economic oppression and
destructive capitalism. What has valuein this society is the 'market economy' (ala Cornel West). African-Americans are no longer wanted/needed as a work force.
The time is NOW for action and coalition building while maintaining our political and economic advantages as black folk. Lastly, as African-Americans we do not
play our citizenship as the right to be held in value in America!
PEACE
Name: Peter Joseph cabrel Email: Cabrel 1@aol.com Response:
Interesting... I am amazed at the spirit and content of conversation when people are free to express themslves, without having to be mindful of other peoples sensitivities. As to the cowardly and criminal acts initiated on our places of worship, we must use at least the amount of effort - in solving the crime and bringing the perpetrators to justice - as we have in solving the Oklahoma bombing, or Defending Bosnia. Places of religious worship, like our press-media, and beloved freedom of speech, are the cornerstones of our Constitution. With no part being more important than the other and no part is to be defended less. Regardless of religious beliefs, we must defend the guarantee's of our Constitution.
As citizens, we must do more; we must find truth, and not point the fingers of blame. I think we are more interested in getting us out of this situation, than accusing each other for getting us in this mess.
P.J.
Cabrel1@aol.com
peterj49@idt.net
Name: Michael Taylor Email: miketalr@lightspeed.net Response:
While IM setting here a Microsoft ad came on and
it made me think about what he said in his famous
speech I have a dream churchs are still burning
in America.Im glad its not hapening here in Tulare
CA. I guess some of the kids burning churchs
thing that satan will make them rich and famous
they just don't know that they will be famous
famous in prison.
Michael Taylor fill free to commmite
Name: T. Fleming Email: tec@lanminds.com Response:
Briefly, the burnings are an attempt to get black folk mad enought to rush in the streets. They have their militias, and paramilitary troops trained and ready to use this as the catalyst for the "great race war". They want that, to the core of their very souls, they want that. The Civil War is not over, and can still be lost is what a sister once said. Looking at it now, It's like WW2, my dad fought, in fact has a metal plate in head. But the Germans he fought were admitted to canteens he couldn't even enter. We as a people are not racist, racism is a device used to separate us and them. Divide and conquer is still the strategy that works best. Now we are divided on our reaction to this. Let us form clear strategies and tactics, but let us not burn down our own communities like we did in the 60s. re
Name: George Email: Response:
As a journalism teacher, I can say the media are too busy to have time to think up conspiracies. It just doesn't work that way, not even in the boardrooms. Journalists are just trying to get the story. As to whether idiots copycat what they see in the media, sure. It happens all the time. What to do about that? Nothing, unless you want to do away with the First Amendment. And look on the bright side (if you can call it that): The media have called attention to the fact that this country still has a few kooks left over from the pre-civil rights movement era. The same thing happened in the coverage of the Oklahoma City bombing. You had constant coverage about all the Timothy McVeigh wannabes (can you say "Freemen"?). Would we rather have the media NOT report the burnings? I don't think so.
Name: Email: FrankieLou@aol.com Response:
Both.. But, it depends on what newspaper you are reading. The Black press has done a tremendous job of telling the true facts- listing the churches, telling you the arsonists are not poor folks but middle class, telling you where to send money and where to get help etc. These are necessary tools to know. You can't hide the story. It is too big. The more we learn the more we can be able to fight back.
Name: Joy Wellons Email: jkw121@psu.edu Response:
I also agree with Natasha Mason. I really do think that this is part of a larger conspiracy.
Why would the media NOW decide to start covering church burnings when it has been going on for
hundreds of years. There are white supremancy hate groups that are trying to send a message to
blacks as if we are weak people and are going to stand for this. I also think now it is time
for blacks more than ever to come together and fight for what is going on to us and fight for
what we as a people worked so hard to achieve. A friend of mine has suggested that I started
my own organization concerning the matter of how much more unity is needed in the black community.
If anyone is interested in helping me get it started please contact me by my e-mail address.
Name: Ralph Randall Email: Response:
Curfews should only be set by parents. When curfews are set by Government Officials they are implicit police states or minimally police matters.
If Government Officials had increased the money they put into Education & Recreation as they did with the money they put into prisons, I might think they are trying to deal with the long and short term issues of teenage delinquency. My grandmother told me you could always tell the priority of Government by how they spend there money. There is no money for education but plenty for jails. HEAR ME !! Government curfews for kids will be effective if the government is building more jails. When curfews are imposed by government it is a step away from lock-downs.
Name: Ralph Email: Response:
Church arson fires are sick-ning. Black Church arson fires are a wake up call. Copycat or conspiracy makes no difference to the bottom-line.
Could you ask the question will blacks and or African Americans come together to solve this issue. I have seen and heard alot of people discussing these fires and the "unity in the community" that is necessary. But, I am wonder what the larger audience is hearing. Hopefully, if you ask my question it will not alienate the other ethnics that are equally disgusted, Alienation is not my intent. My intent is to ascertain if we as a people have found something to bring us closer together. Awaken the BLACKPOWER that changed this nation and resulted in Civil Rights, Womens Rights and Gay Rights.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak!
Name: L. Smith Email: Response:
Wouldn't it be something if this were a plot by
the Nation of Islam to get the African American
communities in an uproar, to get them fired up,
and good and mad at the "white devils".This would
then create a militant attitude in the African
American communities and maybe make them more
sympathetic to the NOI movement. This could do
nothing but strengthen their cause and eliminate
enemies in the process since they think that
African American Christians are naive in their
beliefs and Christian preachers are nothing but
a bunch of weak Uncle Toms. I think this is due
to a larger conspiracy, but this is just a
theory because I also feel that some ignorant
white trash may have taken this as an opportunity
to contribute his part to the cause to keep
America white.
