Tuesday, May 22: For more coverage of the Duke case, see the latest post, Journalists’ Rush to Judgment.
Wednesday, May 16: Michelle Malkin covers the Christian-Newsom murders over at Hot Air.
Later…Fellow BC Baldilocks comments about the Christian-Newsom case at Hot Air (emphasis in original):
“Shades of the Wichita massacre (those perverts even mutilated the dog). And, yes, I saw no MSM coverage of that evil incident either.
“As many observers have noted, crimes committed by blacks–regardless of the race of the victim(s)–do not fit the MSMs standard narrative of black people always being the victim. Such crimes don’t even fit Fox News’ narrative.
“In the runup to Stanley “Tookie†Williams’ execution, I said that we black people do not need other people to listen to and cater to the psychopaths in our number because it gives such monsters encouragment and it infantilizes black people as a whole. Well, I think that, by ignoring massacres like this one and like the one in Wichita, the MSM entities, through their inaction and cowardice, are doing just that. It’s one of racism’s sneakier and more insidious manifestations.”
Tuesday, May 15: Wow. *** [letter removed from site - letter writer said he forgot to include link to my post - I believe him] lifted an entire paragraph from this post for his letter to the editor at Chattanoogan.com (last paragraph). (Hat tip: Matt Sheffield)
Also, several people in the comment section mentioned that “white supremacist” and “neo-Nazi” sites have taken up the Christian-Newsom murder case as a cause. What that has to do with the main focus of this post — the media blackout and feminist non-outrage — is a mystery to me.
In a free society, unpopular speech is protected. That’s why we have something called the First Amendment. That some people are using this case to further their nefarious goals, whatever they may be, is called life. Deal with it. People of all colors do things to manipulate and influence — for positive and negative reasons.
That so-called white supremacists may use this post or the Christian-Newsom case to bolster their movement or whatever won’t stop me from calling things as I see them. It’s the risk we take in a country that allows freedom of speech. Well, it’s a risk I take.
——————————————————————————————-
I’ve been dragging my feet on this one, but it’s time to step up.
Early this year, a white couple was carjacked, tortured, raped, and murdered by a group of black thugs. Christopher Newsom (23) was gang-raped, shot and set on fire. There are unconfirmed reports that the killers cut off his penis while he was still alive. The going-to-straight-to-hell murderers made Channon Christian (21) watch, and then they gang-raped her over four days and left her to die. There are unconfirmed reports that her breasts were cut off while she was still alive. (Also see this story and the Wikipedia entry)
I’ve been getting e-mail about this case since it happened, but I’ve been hesitant to blog about it. Flopping Aces published a big post about the case last night, which probably accounts for why I received a few more Christian-Newsom e-mails this morning. Here goes!
I’ve noticed that mainstream media are reluctant to report this story, especially when it first happened. In light of the blanket coverage the Duke “rape” case received, the paucity of coverage in this case seems a bit unbalanced. I mean, isn’t the brutal, black-on-white gang-rape, mutilation, and murder of two people more than or at least as newsworthy as a white-on-black gang-rape (which obviously was phony)? Even if the stripper’s allegations had been true, why was the Duke case burning up the airwaves while the Christian-Newsom case barely emits a spark?
What’s up with the lack of blanket media coverage? I’m not talking about a story here or there with case updates. The media should be swarming around this story. What happened to Christian and Newsom should be all over the airwaves and printing presses.
What’s up with the stunning silence of feminist types and hate-crime proponents? Forget Newsom. He was a white male. But what about Christian? Where are the pot-bangers and wanna-be castrators?
Have so-called black leaders said anything about what those thugs did? They have so much to say about everything else.
Every time someone starts telling the truth about black crime, someone else comes out of the woodwork to remind everyone that a “few” black criminals don’t define the black community. From my perspective, it’s difficult to argue that point with a straight face. Of course, the murderous deeds and thuggish ways of black criminals shouldn’t define all blacks. But if you try to pretend that it’s not a serious problem that blacks commit a disproportionate share of crimes — an incontrovertible fact — or that the lack of blanket media coverage and outrage has nothing to do with race, you’re being willfully blind and foolish.
As I see it, black crime is so commonplace that it’s just not interesting to white liberal journalists, especially black-on-white crime. And white liberal feminists are more outraged when white men use a so-called sexist term than they are with black-on-white rape statistics. I have yet to hear a feminist condemn what was done to Christian.
I’m disgusted by the whole incident, which is why I haven’t blogged about it. But I’m publishing this post and opening comments for people who want to discuss it. Be civil.
Update: Remember the international outrage over the beating and murder of a homosexual named Matthew Shepard? There was a TV movie and everything! I doubt Hollywood will touch the Christian-Newsom case.
A commenter linked to this. I don’t remember reading anything about that case.
Update II: Glenn Reynolds writes: “My earlier comment on the [Christian-Newsom] case has had me excoriated by some white-supremacist sites for covering up a hate crime…Well, to be a hate crime, the motivation has to be hate. I haven’t seen any evidence of that so far. It’s certainly true, of course — as LaShawn notes — that if the races were reversed the press would be all over this case and lots of people would be confidently pronouncing it a hate crime without any evidence other than the races of the perpretrators and victims, but since it’s black-on-white crime they’re making less noise. That’s the press.”
That’s the problem with “hate crimes.” All crimes are motivated by hate, but crimes committed by a perpetrator who utters a slur are considered worse than other crimes. What difference does it make if a thug is motivated by hatred of blacks or hatred of rich people?
In order for “hate crime” charges to be added to the Christian-Newsom case, somebody had to have used a racial slur, and a witness would have to come forward. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter who said what in the Christian-Newsom case or any other. Hate crime laws are redundant, not to mention nonsensical.
I call hate crime laws by their proper name: thought crime laws. They were devised to penalize certain people for thinking nasty thoughts about certain “protected” groups of people.
(See Hate E-Mail and Hate Crimes and links under “Related Posts”)
Update III: A commenter writes:
Because of the Duke non-rape case I looked up some National Crime statistics on the internet. It appears that about one-third of white women who report being raped say the attacker was black. But of the over 30,000 black rape victims in, as I recall 2005, none reported being raped by a white man. The percentage of blacks raped by whites is probably not zero, but it is certainly low. Statistics also indicate that black men are about 8 times as likely to commit murder as non-Hispanic white men. I kept some statistics here in Tarrant County a few years ago (before the huge influx of Mexicans, who seem to kill each other with great frequency) and came up with statistics that indicated that about half of the victims were killed by someone they knew. Of the half of whites killed by strangers, about 90% of the time the killer was black. On the other hand, of the blacks killed by strangers, none were killed by whites other than policemen. Most of these cases were barely reported in the news. But, some years later when some whites did kill a black man for no apparent reason it was national news. (By the way, I suppose everyone already would guess it, but women rarely ever kill a stranger.)
Resources:
- Stories about the case are difficult to find, but check the Google news archive.
Related posts:
And again the MSM exposes themselves to be the hypocritical slugs that they are…
You know, in mainstream reporting there was that old rule of thumb that said, “If it don’t bleed, it don’t lead” and I guess in this case it was the wrong color blood…
La shawn, I don’t blame you for not wanting to blog this, it’s disgusting, but the animals that did this must face justice, and if the DECENT folks of this nation don’t stand and demand it, there’s not even a ghost of a chance they will get what they deserve…
Comment by TexasFred — 05.14.07 @ 3:08 pm
I work at the library and see the FBI statistics on crime. The fact that whites are being killed disproportionately by blacks who, for reasons real or imagined, hate them, just does not figure in the minds of liberals. Liberals think that they are exempt from the hatred because they “love” blacks. Liberals will also excoriate anyone who tries to tell the truth. While the democrats drone on about hate crimes they ignore the real perpetrators of hate. The hate crime charges were dismissed against the blacks who attacked the three white girls in southern California. If the crime above had been perpetrated by white men attacking a gay “transgendered” person just think what media coverage would have gone on.
Comment by Miss Carnivorous — 05.14.07 @ 3:11 pm
Like you, I’m stunned this hasn’t got more media. The only reason I haven’t brought up the issue is that I want the accused to get a fair trial. I’m tired of the media trying cases in the court of public opinion.
Space Puppy
Comment by Joel Rutledge — 05.14.07 @ 3:12 pm
Believe me, these thugs will face justice. In this country, the color of the victim decides the fate of the criminals.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 3:14 pm
No wonder you’re disgusted by this case - this case is disgusting. How awful, I can’t even imagine that horrible ordeal. I’m personally surprised that I haven’t heard more about this thing given the shocking nature of the facts, but I do believe the killers will absolutely face justice. There is no way they’re getting away with it. The paucity of the coverage might even contribute to that, because then the races of the parties don’t enter into the public dialogue and influence the minds of the potential jury.
There was a time when crimes this heinous were being perpetrated against black people, and absolutely nothing was said or done about it. In fact, it was treated as justified and normal. If what you say about blacks disproportionately committing crimes on whites is true, then I guess things have come full circle. Both situations are awful.
Comment by lucy — 05.14.07 @ 3:20 pm
Hi La Shawn. I work in and study criminal justice and I have never heard about the Christian-Newsom case. More disturbing, my “topic of scholarship” (please know I use that loosely) is hate crime … and it still never popped up in my listservs or mass emails.
Somewhat related: I live in Chicago and there’s currently an outcry about the lack of external review for police misconduct. The most vocal (I’m not sure if it’s a majority) proponents are Black clergy in Chicago. Two days after a huge to do (radio, television coverage), a young Black student and some of his female classmates were shot on a city bus. The young man was killed. It was a tragic case of mistaken identity. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070514bus-shooting,1,3058478.story?coll=chi-news-hed ~ free registration required.) The shooters were Black. This is all too common in Chicagoland and so heartbreaking. If we were to look at pure statistics, which has more impact in the life of the average person in Chicago: A (possibly) bad cop or violence between young Black people? It’s so disturbing, but the people who could affect the most change are not the ones who think like you. Instead, they’re on television blaming the police and the schools and gun makers.
I wish I had a good answer. But, I am glad that you’re out there trying to get people to think and act. Keep up the good work.
Comment by MR — 05.14.07 @ 3:21 pm
I can’t argue that the media had covered the story. But, I don’t know what the gist of the argument is. Is it that all blacks should accept responsibility for the criminals in their midst? When whites start doing that, I’ll do the same. Until then, if I’m not involved, I have nothing to plead guilty too.
And, I don’t think anyone is arguing it’s a serious problem. But, the majority of the victims of black criminals are black. It seems odd to decry the Duke coverage, but then want the same circus in this case. Either it’s right all the time or wrong all the time.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 3:21 pm
Lucy,
You’re absolutely on point about the lack of coverage of heinous crimes committed against blacks back in the day.
If your goal is to get people to not see color, but just people, why pick this story? It’s kind of inflammatory and the usual people will come out and talk about “double standards”. But, murder is murder and rape is rape. Is the argument that blacks are genetically prone to commit these crimes? I’m not getting it.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 3:26 pm
Angel, you shouldn’t accept responsibility for anything you didn’t do. But I hope you’re not the kind of black person who considers it “racist” to talk about high black crime rates, whether the victims are black, white, or whatever.
Comment by La Shawn — 05.14.07 @ 3:26 pm
LaShawn,
I don’t consider racist to talk about it. It’s the number one problem. Obviously, you selected this case to provoke discussion. But, I fear I’m going to see a lot of bizarre postings. Actually, you should know what my position is.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 3:34 pm
I’m glad you understand how serious the problem is and don’t consider it “racist” to talk about it. “Bizarre postings” are allowed.
Postings I find insulting are not allowed. If certain responses offend certain readers…well, I can’t help that. Since it’s my blog, my perceptions are the only ones that count.
Comment by La Shawn — 05.14.07 @ 3:38 pm
A few points, if I may:
(1) There is, on its face, one very plausible reason for the lack of “blanket coverage” in this hideous crime when compared to the Duke non-rape case. The Duke case was an ongoing developing story which kept everyone guessing at every turn (i.e., was there even a *crime* committed?).
By contrast, this story clearly is an open-and-shut case. There seems to be little to “follow” or debate about around the water cooler.
In other words, with the Duke case, reasonable people could (and did) disagree about the “guilt” of the lacrosse players, so there was much to discuss. With this case, I think every human being is in universal agreement: it was atrocious.
(2) “As I see it, black crime is so commonplace that it’s just not interesting to white liberal journalists, especially black-on-white crime.”
A fair criticism, but I don’t quite understand why “liberal journalists” bear the brunt of it. Fox News, which covered the Duke rape case to a greater extent than the other cable news services, is just as guilty, yes?
(3) “And white liberal feminists are more outraged by white males using a so-called sexist term than they are with black-on-white rape statistics. I have yet to hear a feminist condemn what was done to Christian.”
Well, perhaps they don’t know about it. In any event, I assume that most political feminists are familiar with *many* examples of brutal rapes, and sadly, this is just another example to throw on the pile. I’m not sure why it should be singled out for comment simply because of the color of the perpetrators/victims.
Comment by Kman — 05.14.07 @ 3:44 pm
The media is in love with the Black/victim paradigm. They cannot portray Blacks as aggressors towards whites. Liberals don’t want to “fan the flames”, conservative don’t want to get the racism tag. It cuts across all media outlets. Check out the Whicita Massacre. You’ve probably never heard of it for the exact same reasons.
Comment by Rodney — 05.14.07 @ 3:48 pm
I don’t understand why issues like this have to be coined in the liberal vs. conservative mindset. The same rape advocates that we’re so vocal about the Duke case (and others) should be completely enraged by this one. And conservatives should be pushing the prosecution to make sure they don’t abuse power like they did at Duke. Rape, murder and torture is about as bad as it gets.
Space Puppy
Comment by Space Puppy — 05.14.07 @ 4:01 pm
For every example, there’s a counter-example.
I’m sure I don’t need to remind people that the biggest media frenzy in the history of “crime journalism” involved a double murder — a black-on-white double murder.
Comment by Kman — 05.14.07 @ 4:05 pm
I also think that this case probably got a lot of local coverage and not very much national coverage, which in my opinion it should have. However, just like in the gripes of minorities about the lack of coverage of missing minority women on national MSM, I’m sure the powers that be probably decided this case wasn’t newsworthy enough while they ran endless loops of Anna Nicole’s death and baby custody circus or the fact that Paris Hilton got 45 days in jail.
I don’t have a problem with coverage of black-on-white crime. Wrong is wrong. But I do feel that it can be sensationalized to cause discord…like that isn’t already happening.
Comment by Tiffany in Houston — 05.14.07 @ 4:05 pm
That a human being could do such horrific things to another human being is almost beyond comprehension.
Did the MSM not report the story because of it’s racial ramifications, or was it because it was so brutal that they decided it could not be reported on television without careful protection for children listening, etc. I realize other horrible things are reported on television, but the details of this case involve sexual torture. This, of course, doesn’t excuse the newspapers.
I really don’t know what went through the news media heads as to why this wasn’t reported. I’m just throwing out a possible reason.
God rest the poor souls of the victims and their families.
Comment by dianne — 05.14.07 @ 4:14 pm
>>Believe me, these thugs will face justice. In this country, the color of the victim decides the fate of the criminals.>>
OJ
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 4:14 pm
>>But I do feel that it can be sensationalized to cause discord…like that isn’t already happening.>>
Discord. Where, how, when is it happening? Can you elaborate?
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 4:23 pm
>>…was it because it was so brutal that they decided it could not be reported on television without careful protection for children listening, etc.>>
I don’t believe that. It wasn’t even reported as a “brutal double homicide” that I know of. I’d almost forgive them if I thought that it was unreported to protect the children. I’m afraid I don’t think that’s even a possibility as a reason.
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 4:24 pm
Rodney…
Following your link on the Kansas massacre, this was a link further down on the page. If you link to it, way down on the page of media blackout, the Christian-Newsom murder is specifically mentioned.(quote below link) They don’t mention _who_ determines when there’s to be a media blackout.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_blackout
“Another example of a media blackout is the Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom murder which despite its intense and disturbing gruesomeness, received virtually no coverage in the mainstream media due to it being a black-on-white crime.”
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 4:33 pm
I do remember the Wichita case, and remember reading of it shortly after it happened. It was purely horrifying. Shortly afterward it seemed to disappear under a MSM blanket of p.c. denial and avoidance.
I don’t care what color the victims and perps are. Anyone who commits that heinous a series of crimes should face a firing squad. In some countries they’d have to watch their own families face torture and death.
Comment by Peg C. — 05.14.07 @ 4:38 pm
11. “Bizarre postings†are allowed.
Comment by La Shawn — 05.14.07 @ 3:38 pm
************************
Uh… Could you define ‘bizarre’ for me??
LOL, sorry, I could NOT resist…
Comment by TexasFred — 05.14.07 @ 4:50 pm
If the Wichita massacre was news to you, then I imagine the HORRIBLE torture and death of Jesse_Dirkhising is also news to you.
Why can’t the world admit that ALL of these crimes, Matthew Shepard as well as Jesse, are TRAGEDIES??? Why do we have to pick and choose the JonBenets, the Natalee Holloways, the Matthew Shepards?
Comment by Joe — 05.14.07 @ 4:57 pm
Kman…
OJ was one of the NFL’s all time greatest running backs and was in numerous movies. He was a household name. Had he been white, the media coverage would have been the same. Imagine the same murders committed by Joe Montana. Don’t think they’re would be wall to wall media coverage? Also, it became an even bigger event because a majority of the “black community”, (80% percent in one survey) thought he was innocent and should be acquitted in the face of overwhelming evidence.
And lets not forget, he played golf today and will tomorrow.
Comment by Ross — 05.14.07 @ 4:58 pm
lashawn,
i first noticed this story on riehlworldview a few wks ago. i was horrified and outraged. i sent the link to every person i knew, including the liberal reporter from my local rag, the minneapolis star tribune’s nick coleman. (powerline boy have taken him to task a million times)
anyways, here’s the reason for the blackout according to coleman who i had a lengthy email exchange with…it typifies liberal media. i’ll be concise but as close to verbatim as possible:
1.) ‘coleman denounces this murder and all other murders…they are all outrages.’
2.) ‘the story was viewed as a ‘local story’ not a national one.’
3.) ‘it happened in january.’
4.) ‘the story has been picked up by neonazis, and coleman will not ’stooge for them.”
so there you have it. basically, the same thing that keeps the media from reporting on muslim terror links has gripped them in this issue too. they’re scared that us volatile whities will riot against minorities and the MSM will be to blame. i’d bet anything that the media’s failure to report this story falls into one of the above reasons…all of which are codespeak for, ‘i’m a total coward.’
Comment by Adam — 05.14.07 @ 5:00 pm
Ross writes:
“OJ was one of the NFL’s all time greatest running backs and was in numerous movies. He was a household name. Had he been white, the media coverage would have been the same.”
I agree. And I suggest that if the Duke lacrosse players had all been black, and the “victim” white, the coverage would have been the same there, too.
My point is that this has less to do with race per se, and more to do with privilege and social status. Perpetrators of crimes that have a privileged status (students at a prominent university, celebrities, etc.) generate more media interest than perpetrators who are poor, unheralded, etc., — regardless of race.
I think La Shawn’s analysis is essentially correct, but she uses the wrong metric, and an overly-simplistic one. It’s not skin color that’s the salient feature — it’s social status — tyhat determines media interest in a story.
Comment by Kman — 05.14.07 @ 5:14 pm
After reading the comments, I get the general impression that no one is surprised about the lack of media attention. I agree with Ross that the promienece of the accused has a lot to do with the reporting.
That said, do you think that this should get more press?
Comment by Space Puppy — 05.14.07 @ 5:17 pm
>>But I do feel that it can be sensationalized to cause discord…like that isn’t already happening.>>
Discord. Where, how, when is it happening? Can you elaborate?
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 4:23 pm
In response I would say that the media has a habit of sensationalizing cases in particular when it relates to black on white crime.
As far as discord, I was referring to the obvious hositility and discord between the races of people in this country in a much more general sense and not specifically referring to this particular crime.
Comment by Tiffany in Houston — 05.14.07 @ 5:34 pm
Made the NY Times, though. As well it should have. Funny how some stories do make the NY Times but others don’t. [***See Classical Values’ sensible admonishment that the more elaborate and…
Pingback by The Anchoress — 05.14.07 @ 5:35 pm
Here in California a Muslim man, of indeterminate nationality, ran over a bunch of people in San Francisco. His family then told (through the media) the victims they should have gotten out of his way! He killed someone in Fremont. The media coverage was light to say the least. His faith and nationality bore heavily on his decision to run down Americans, yet the media payed more attention to the race of the Virginia Tech shooter. The Tech killer’s Korean nationality was a continual refrain, although it had nothing whatsoever to do with his actions. My guess is that the media is filled with program and content directors who are scared of some minorities but not the model minority who are basically known as hard working pacifists. Liberals are very afraid of Black, Gay and Muslim pressure groups. They would have to face the Stalinistic witch trials and denunciations that follow a statement or story considered to smear those minorities.
Comment by Miss Carnivorous — 05.14.07 @ 5:36 pm
“It’s not skin color that’s the salient feature — it’s social status”
Listen, if one has a zealous political agenda - believe me, it IS too often skin colour that is touted as ’salient’. That old colour-blindness ideal dissolves when there is rhetoric at stake, at both extremes of the political spectrum.
Comment by JohnD — 05.14.07 @ 5:44 pm
I didn’t blog this either, because I wasn’t sure what to say. Being the only Bi-racial person blogging a story that was mostly being passed around white supremacists sites at the time didn’t apeal to me, but the story itself is so awful I couldn’t think of anything to write that would do it justice.
But I have to disagree with Intsapundit, there’s no way that this wasn’t a hate crime. Reading the details available proves that. They raped both the woman and the man, they mutilated the people while they were alive, they were planning on terrorizing this couple and killing them, and there’s no way that the extremes they went to weren’t fueled by hatred.
Comment by Rob Taylor — 05.14.07 @ 5:45 pm
I guess I may be slightly confused here. I have never seen such a brutal murder not garner extensive local media coverage. Especially in a town a college town none the less the size of Knoxville. So, I guess the larger question is why has no intrepid local reporter been beating the drum about the lack of details and coverage for this case.
Comment by Uncle Ruckus — 05.14.07 @ 6:28 pm
When I read what was done to these two people I have difficulty believing that their color did not play a part in the extreme torture.
Comment by davod — 05.14.07 @ 6:40 pm
Why would color be an issue?
Comment by Uncle Ruckus — 05.14.07 @ 6:42 pm
When I read what was done to these two people I have difficulty believing that their color did not play a part in the extreme torture.
I second that.
Comment by La Shawn — 05.14.07 @ 6:46 pm
I guess that leads back to my original question. Have we ever seen a case like this with two white young attractive college students have been brutally murdered and no extensive local media coverage. As we now live in the age of every local reporter looking for the big break in their career not to be pushing this case at the local level or appearing on the 8,000 crime shows now on television.
Comment by Uncle Ruckus — 05.14.07 @ 6:54 pm
“When I read what was done to these two people I have difficulty believing that their color did not play a part in the extreme torture.”
Whether or nor it was racially motivated I have no opinion, but I would argue that brutality itself is not an indicator of racial motive. There are plenty of people killed and raped brutally by people of their own skin shade or ethnic extraction. Although of course, this crime could well have been racially motivated.
Whatever,this crime is grotesque beyond comprehension, and the killers deserve the maximum penalty.
The popular press is an unpleasant mystery to me.
Right now in the UK there is a rightful media furore over a little British girl gone missing in Portugal. However, as we know, many, many kids go missing DAILY all over the world, and not even a handful of them garners even one thousandth of the coverage that this one has. It does seem from the outside that America (white supremacists excluded) is uninterested to report ‘black’ killers so widely as it does white killers. Why?
Overcompensation comes to mind. Still overcooked PC nonsense to my mind. Non-white criminals should be held to the same standard as white criminals, even if there is a legacy misrule against ‘blacks’ in America. The whole show has to stop sometime, surely?
And just as nonsensical is the notion that a ‘black’ person should answer or be held representative for another unrelated ‘black’ person.
How long, America?
Comment by JohnD — 05.14.07 @ 7:01 pm
>>In response I would say that the media has a habit of sensationalizing cases in particular when it relates to black on white crime.>>
I disagree - and it seems to me that this particular case - and the Kansas murders prove it. In fact, it seems to be exactly the reverse.
>>As far as discord, I was referring to the obvious hositility and discord between the races of people in this country in a much more general sense and not specifically referring to this particular crime.>>
That’s a legitimate point, but I think it’s less likely if the individuals are the focus, not the race. Still you have to wonder…I have no doubt that terrible crimes were perpetrated by whites on blacks - but that was mostly before these perpetrators were born. Do you know of any such incidents in the last 20-30 years were such murders were white on black?
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 7:09 pm
SueK -
We are probably going to have to agree to disagree because I can think of 2 cases of the top of my head…Susan Smith who said a black man killed her children when in fact she was the perpretrator. There was a lot of media hoopla behind that case. Even in the case of the loony runaway bride, she lied and said a Hispanic man had assualted her when it wasn’t true. Even the Duke case, had all the right ingredients for major drama: race AND class. Quite obviously, in these cases someone was lying in all of them but I do think the media was quick to run the banner headlines.
off topic: LB, where is the spell checker on the comments..I need it!
Comment by Tiffany in Houston — 05.14.07 @ 7:55 pm
I really do not care about the skin color of the victims or of the perpetrators. No-one should be tortured like that. To me, what was done to the victims is so appalling and evil that skin color is irrelevant.
Comment by Stella! — 05.14.07 @ 8:29 pm
You haven’t made a case that this should be a national story other than the (apparently unconfirmed) gruesomeness of the deaths. Dozens of murders happen every day, many of them terrible, and very few draw national attention.
Comparing this to the Duke rape case doesn’t help. Coverage of that story was wildly overblown, but it kept getting press because questions arose early and then persisted about the validity of the charges. The story had, as they say, “legs.”
In this case, somebody died and somebody got arrested. It is an awful and potentially sensational story, but I find it hard to criticize the national media for failing to salivate over the morbid details.
It probably is true that the media lean over backward to avoid sensationalizing black-on-white crimes. Those of us cut our journalistic teeth in the South, especially, still recall when black-on-white crime (preferably followed by a lynching) was a daily part of the media diet. Maybe we should be over atoning for that by now, but it wasn’t really all that long ago.
Comment by David Crisp — 05.14.07 @ 8:47 pm
Tiffany…
I agree with you about the two cases you mention - though I suspect it was more about naming someone as opposite as possible rather than racism. Still, those are the facts, whatever the motivation.
I don’t consider the cases equivalent, however, and the fact that the news covered those cases certainly doesn’t justify _not_ covering these horrendous murder/torture cases.
Comment by suek — 05.14.07 @ 8:47 pm
Why would color be an issue? Uncle Ruckus
1) The story is the lack of coverage of such a brutal crime relative to the James Byrd murder or the Mathew Shepard murder. The probability is there that the lack of coverage was at least somewhat related to the races involved because the lopsided coverage has happened distressingly often in recent years.
2) Race is an issue if it is the case that there is far more black on white crime in the US than white on black. If nothing else, I would think that the lopsided statistics merit exploration as to causes and effects.
3) Race is an issue if it led to the torture and murder. The odds that it was simply a random act of violence with no animus involved is hard to swallow, given the extent of the torture. One report said that they poured cleaning fluid in her mouth which is so horrifically agonizing that few folks could fathom such pain.
4) A friend of ours’daughter was gang raped in college and had racial epithets carved into her flesh with their pocket knives. Afterward, she cried that she had no idea that she was in danger in downtown Knoxville (as it happens). She had grown up in the Middle East with my kids and we had zero idea that there was such a thing as black on white crime. We didn’t have a clue.
Comment by jan — 05.14.07 @ 8:56 pm
UPDATE on a horrendous crime — but details are still unverified…
Last month I wrote three posts about the brutal double rape and murder in Tennessee. The crime was about as horrible a crime I’ve read about, except that there was no way to verify the most gruesome (and widely repeated)……
Trackback by Classical Values — 05.14.07 @ 9:04 pm
Most crimes like these are intra-racial. A FAR majority in fact. It’s greater than 85%.
Comment by DarkStar — 05.14.07 @ 9:45 pm
Many years ago, as a High School Senior, I stood near the tidal pool listening to a very wise man hope for the day that his children would be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin.
Sadly, that day has not yet arrived. And still the Duke professors won’t apologize.
GM
Cancer Sucks!
Comment by GM Roper — 05.14.07 @ 10:05 pm
What about the Long Beach/Halloween black on white beating ????….And you had the black thugs chanting “We hate white people” as they were beating on those white gals. So, that was a bona fide hate crime.
The Media never reported on it. Plus, it was all girls doing the beating, but not a peep out of the feminists. Three white gals are getting beaten…..you’d think that would be a feminist issue….but not when the thugs are Black gals, I guess
Comment by Glamchild — 05.14.07 @ 10:07 pm
Why is nobody curious that the only details of this case seems to be leaked (created) by white supremacist websites. My guess is low hanging fruit theory, always to blame the MSM on not reporting details of the case. There are a few things that trouble me about the details of this brutal double murder. The police has not released a timeline or trail for the two victims of this brutal crime. In the Duke rape case we were quickly given the trail of where of all parties involved had been, leading up to and preceding the false allegations. Just call me a stickler for details as I compare this case to ones where people disappear.
Comment by Uncle Ruckus — 05.14.07 @ 10:13 pm
The Media never reported on it.
You’re right, only the CBS Evening News, local news, The Washington Post,…
Comment by DarkStar — 05.14.07 @ 10:25 pm
“In August, 1990 an innocent Australian Jewish student visiting the United States was viciously stabbed to death in Crown Heights, New York. He lay in his own blood on the cold pavement of a New York street-in a country known for its relentless pursuit of justice. Despite overwhelming physical evidence, a positive identification, and a confession, the killer, Lemrick Nelson, a black man, went free.”
What makes this even more horrific…
“On October 28, 1992, Nelson, his family, his attorney, his friends, members of New York’s black establishment, and even members of the jury celebrated the acquittal of the man everyone knew was guilty. With Mr. Rosenbaum, a piece of America died.”
The families/friends/community members of the Long Beach thugs laughed as the victims described the horrors they experienced. They celebrated afterward and were high fiving one another. One girl has had to have her eye sockets reconstructed among other horrific injuries, yet the community was laughing and celebrating acts of brutality among their young.
This is one thing that many of us find hard to accept. It is one thing to be a vicious thug, but it is quite another to be embraced by the community.
Prosecutors lament the difficulty in getting convictions in urban areas with the result that many are literally getting away with murder and conviction rates are a fraction of what they are in suburban areas. In fact, this is actually the biggest reason for the statistical anomaly in which murderes of whites are treated more harshly than murderers of blacks. Quite simply, most murders of blacks take place in urban areas where the criminal justice system does not adequately address the crimes. Not only are citizens reluctant to give evidence to the police, but juries are increasingly reluctant to convict.
Comment by jan — 05.14.07 @ 10:25 pm
That’s a horrible crime. Haven’t heard about it until you brought it up.
Comment by newton — 05.14.07 @ 10:38 pm
Newton;
Here’s a Wiki link. Read it and weep.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Heights_Riot
Comment by jan — 05.14.07 @ 10:51 pm
The murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom: Media double standards working overtime…
Imagine this: A young black couple in Knoxville, TN go out for a night on the town, but instead are viciously murdered - their bodies mutilated and burned, after being brutally gang raped, sodomized, and tortured at the hands of five white thugs. The …
Trackback by Sister Toldjah — 05.14.07 @ 11:09 pm
Calling the media out for their failure to cover this matter could get them attacked as racists. Does it then follow that I am now a racist because I know about it?
Comment by Thomas Hazlewood — 05.14.07 @ 11:12 pm
Anyone who didn’t hear about the murder of Yankel Rosenbaum wasn’t listening. These are all brutal crimes committed by thugs on that we all agree. But, it seems more people are mad about the media attention or lack of media attention than the actual crimes. The fact that white supremacist sites are using this particular crime highlighted by LaShawn is horrendous. As Darkstar says, most crimes of this type are intraracial. So, where are we on this? To me, this has the effect of throwing red meat into a roomful of lions. A lot of gnashing of teeth, but the hunger has to be fed again. I don’t know what we’re supposed to think about this other than crime is horrible no matter who is happens to, but we can’t seem to get past that.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 11:32 pm
Call me naive for asking, but do murders involving this type of depravity occur often? By often, I mean every twenty years or so.
There is a huge “grime and crime” press in this country. This murder is pure pornography and “sick” enough for the cover of the tabloids. It would seem that word of it would have oozed out into the public notice and thereupon achieved a life of its own in the MSM.
I may not be the best judge of good looks, but this couple appears to be attractive enough to have qualified for notice by Greta or Geraldo. What would have kept them away from hyping it for a few long, long, long weeks?
I imagine that if the slaughter had been at the hands of soldiers recently returned from Iraq that we would not be able to get away from it.
Comment by heliotrope — 05.14.07 @ 11:39 pm
jan,
You use the word “community” like it describes every black person in Long Beach. The people in the courtroom laughing are nothing but a gathering of thugs. Stuff like this frightens me because it inflames passions against black people in general. Do you know how many death threats the Rutgers womens basketball team got?
The constant gamesmanship of whose interracial atrocity is worse is only worth it if something constructive comes out of it. I’m not seeing that.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 11:40 pm
jan,
I will agree with you about the conviction rates in urban areas, but that is a relatively recent phenomenon. Urban (black) juries will convict. Happens every day. Again, it comes down to these kids intimidating witnesses and not enough protection from the authorities for the brave souls willing to stand up in a court of law. But, prosecutors are also complaining in suburban districts about the “CSI Effect” on the juries they face. People want nothing short of a videotape to convict. Most convictions used to stem from eyewitness accounts and circumstantial evidence. Juries want more than than these days.
Comment by Angel — 05.14.07 @ 11:51 pm
There are videos up on YouTube right now created by white supremacists I assume vowing to supplant MLK Day with Channon Christian-Christopher Newsom Day beginning in 2008. This is what I’m talking about. I guess some people won’t be happy until blacks and whites are totally disconnected from each other. And, at what cost?
There is no reluctance on the part of the media to report on crimes of this nature. Witness O.J.
Media outfits want to make money. So, what is really going on here. It’s my understanding that this crime has been reported on extensively in Knoxville and throughout the state of Tennessee.
If the “media” has a double standard, where is Fox News on this?
Comment by Angel — 05.15.07 @ 12:03 am
La Shawn Barber’s Corner » Media Blackout On Christian-Newsom Murders?
Pingback by Mark Horne — 05.15.07 @ 12:28 am
SueK - ‘and the fact that the news covered those cases certainly doesn’t justify _not_ covering these horrendous murder/torture cases.’
Agreed 100%
Comment by Tiffany in Houston — 05.15.07 @ 12:38 am
Prosecutors lament the difficulty in getting convictions in urban areas with the result that many are literally getting away with murder and conviction rates are a fraction of what they are in suburban areas. In fact, this is actually the biggest reason for the statistical anomaly in which murderes of whites are treated more harshly than murderers of blacks. Quite simply, most murders of blacks take place in urban areas where the criminal justice system does not adequately address the crimes. Not only are citizens reluctant to give evidence to the police, but juries are increasingly reluctant to convict.
I would agree with this statement, however there are a lot more nuances. Cooperating with the police or ’snitching’ has gotten people killed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_snitching
I am of course, not endorsing this thought pattern, just pointing out the thought process behind people’s reluctance to cooperate.
Comment by Tiffany in Houston — 05.15.07 @ 12:45 am
Because of the Duke non-rape case I looked up some National Crime statistics on the internet. It appears that about one-third of white women who report being raped say the attacker was black. But of the over 30,000 black rape victims in, as I recall 2005, none reported being raped by a white man. The percentage of blacks raped by whites is probably not zero, but it is certainly low. Statistics also indicate that black men are about 8 times as likely to commit murder as non-Hispanic white men. I kept some statistics here in Tarrant County a few years ago (before the huge influx of Mexicans, who seem to kill each other with great frequency) and came up with statistics that indicated that about half of the victims were killed by someone they knew. Of the half of whites killed by strangers, about 90% of the time the killer was black. On the other hand, of the blacks killed by strangers, none were killed by whites other than policemen. Most of these cases were barely reported in the news. But, some years later when some whites did kill a black man for no apparent reason it was national news. (By the way, I suppose everyone already would guess it, but women rarely ever kill a stranger.)
Comment by James Williams — 05.15.07 @ 12:56 am
Angel, it is not at all useful to pretend that black crime is not a bigger societal problem than white crime, or that black hate crime doesn’t exist, or that whites are not the frequent targets of black crime, or that so many black children aren’t being indoctrinated into a hatred of white people. Are you aware that a dozen or more people came in and out of that house over the four day period, laughing, observing, and some even recording the rapes on their cellphone cameras? Apparently one of the thugs put a stop to the recording part. I can’t even imagine how the poor girl stayed alive. Did they give her something to drink? To eat? It may sound like a stupid question and after all, who could want to eat?, but four days is a long time to be alive when you are being tortured and my mind wanders to these physiological realities like dehydration and starvation, on top of everything else. I cannot imagine what she must have thought about the large audience that came and went, viewing her torture with pleasure, and how the police never came.
We should all be very concerned about so many members of a neighborhood who would be complicit in these heinous, heinous crimes. NOT ONE PERSON NOTIFIED POLICE. That’s some hatred of whitey. It’s not just a few thugs, it turns out, so no comfort there. It seems to me that you want to be dismissive about the particular significance of black crime or how it is pervasive in many black communities. I would think that any black person would be very concerned about things that reflect badly on and also affect their own community. Racism will never die as long as there are people who perpetuate their own stereotype and give racists justification for their fears and hatred. I have been following this story, when I can handle it, and what a shame and a travesty that the only groups who are really paying attention to it are the White Supremicists! (You may be interested to know that they blame the Jews for black crime . . . see, blacks are too stupid to know what they are doing, but the Jooos are putting them up to it because we have a secret desire to obliterate white society and the black man is our tool.)
It is disgusting that liberals ignore black crime and race hate while relentlessly trumpeting blacks as victims of white hatred/crime. It is a false scenario, everyone knows it, and it will ultimately lead to a very ugly backlash in which the people who suffer will be the innocent (as usual). Is that what you want? Well, your attitudes are contributing to that. Brutal honesty, personal responsibility, and accountability is the only way to racial harmony. No feel-good bullsh** is going to get us there. It’s fine to say that you aren’t going to apologize because you aren’t guilty. Absolutely correct, but no one is asking you to apologize for something you are not responsible for. However, there are times when we ALL are representative of our “group,” whatever that may be, and we need to speak accordingly. To someone, somewhere, I represent white people, I represent Jews, I represent Israelis, I represent religious people, Conservatives, and so on. LaShawn represents black people, and Christians. You, likewise, are a “representative” whether you like it or not. It is important to speak up and speak against members of your group who are doing bad things. So yes, I do expect to see black members of the Knoxville community coming out against these thugs and it would sure go a long way if old Al and Jesse could roust themselves from their bigoted stupor and say something, given that they consider themselves the watchmen of civil rights. Plenty of white people are willing to make condemning statements against white criminals who target black victims. Plenty of Jews are eager to speak out against any Jew in Israel they perceive to be standing in the way of the peace process with the Arabs. Why don’t more black people do the same?? I’ve always wondered about that. The aftermath of the OJ trial derailed my trust in the black community. People like LaShawn are instrumental in rebuilding it. Be a rebuilder, not a derailer.
LaShawn, thank you for blogging about this. I know it had to be painful simply because it is such a disturbing story. After I first read about it, I could not function (literally, I cancelled appts, sat on the sofa, and only got up to eat) for almost three days. I could not have brought myself to write about it. I’m glad that you did. I’m not sure what can be done about this, what we can do as a society except hold the news media responsible for what is, in effect, a coverup, and for being obstructionists to honest dialogue in this country about race hatred and crime.
And Angel, your assertion that we all seem more upset by the lack of media coverage than the crime itself is nonsense and really not worthy of your intelligence. The crime is done and we can all moan about it but that won’t do anything, whereas taking action to hold the media responsible for facilitating meaningful conversation on the topic of race hate in this country IS something worthwhile that we can do.
Comment by batyah — 05.15.07 @ 3:42 am
Tiffany, good points. I never thought about that so thanks for bringing it up.
Comment by batyah — 05.15.07 @ 4:13 am
I read this story a week after two family friends were beaten to the point that they cannot live a normal life by a gang of young black dudes. That may not seem relevant, but it is.
White people are going to react to this for a long time. It isn’t that the media ignored the crime, it’s the rape and torture. The rape and torture? What are we becoming?
The internet rumor that is spreading has black leaders endorsing the rape and torture. Any, white/it’s all mixed up in a good way by now (ie: Shakira), white person who reads about the crime will be angry for at least one hour. Then they will get over it, after all, people of any background wouldn’t accept this horror either. Nobody of any pigment would accept this.
The clever little Nazi’s are spreading a rumor on the net that Black/African-Americans think rape and torture is what white people deserve. They are trying to catch whitey between the horror/hate reaction and 10-60 minutes later when they realize that black people feel the same way about this sort of crime. This is the worst of us.
Comment by mikek — 05.15.07 @ 4:23 am
If someone jumps in front of your car - especially in a major urban area - run them over. If someone tries to take you at gunpoint, make them shoot you right then and there. If someone on the street approaches you, run away from them. Even if they’re black and you “might hurt your feelings.” F— their “feelings,” if they are criminals, they certainly don’t care about yours.
Tell your wife, tell all your kids. Don’t let P.C. feelings instilled by a ridiculous media cause your own tragedy.
Excellent advice! I wonder how many murdered people let down their defenses and suppressed common sense for fear of being perceived as a racist? - Admin
Comment by Jenn M — 05.15.07 @ 5:25 am
The way things are these days, there is no point in “going along” with thugs, hoping that by not resisting they will just take your money and leave. Today the thugs take the money and then kill the cooperative victims.
Let’s just say that I have the means to resist, and I will not die meekly.
Comment by redbeard — 05.15.07 @ 7:30 am
Authorities may be right in asking the press not to publicize this horrific incident in order to avoid unnecessarily fanning flames of racial tension in the country. As similar case in the mid-west was made quiet several years ago. But, why is the media concerned with not inflaming whites, but not blacks? In DC, local news for decades has routinely related violent attacks and then ask for the public to assist law enforcement in the individual’s apprehension, yet laughably only provide very vague descriptions if at all, even when there were eyewitnesses. What’s going on?
Consider the LA riots in the early 90’s. An eight-second excerpt of the Rodney King video tape was show hundreds of times each day for weeks on American TV of LA police officers beating him. I remember paying little attention since I thought this was an obvious open and shut case. The press covered the trial every day for several weeks. Then we got the verdict – not guilty! I was stunned – how could this happen?!?
Then the riots ensued.
Over the next few months the press tried to come to explain how the totally unexpected verdict came to be. It was found that the jury saw the ENTIRE 120+ seconds of tape. The defense analyzed it frame by frame. When given the new context of the beating (King had violently resisted several attempts to restrain him), the case was no longer so black and white (pardon the pun). I personally blame the press for total ethical lapse in judgment over the incident (what’s new?). Why show only eight seconds of the tape and repeatedly so, and why not explain what was going on at the trial? A riot that need not have ever occurred. But it sure allowed the race-hustlers like Maxine Waters to have a field day and to assuage white-guilt among the press corps. And who else was served? No one. The press, as usual got away from all responsibility scott-free.
FK
Comment by marsouin — 05.15.07 @ 8:39 am
Prosecutors lament the difficulty in getting convictions in urban areas with the result that many are literally getting away with murder and conviction rates are a fraction of what they are in suburban areas.
Conviction rates are 84%. That’s 84%.
Not only are citizens reluctant to give evidence to the police, but juries are increasingly reluctant to convict.
That’s a big falsehood. Again, conviction rates are 84%. Most Blacks who are convicted of crimes, committed crimes against Black people in Black neighborhoods.
The same myth was put forth in Baltimore about “unwilling to convict Baltimore juries” until the local conviction rate of 82% was put forth.
Look up ‘dawson fire bomb’ to find out how the Baltimore police department failed to do a proper job of protection. Next, allegations of police abuse don’t come from nowhere and there have been events that have happened to Black policemen to sure up some of the complaints.
My father was on the NYPD force, even still, I state from experience that people not telling on people who commit crimes is partially the result of police who refuse to do their job and/or abuse their police powers. In this, I have first hand experience, and as such, if I am put on a jury, any police officer who gives testimony will not be given extra deference.
Excellent advice! I wonder how many murdered people let down their defenses and suppressed common sense for fear of being perceived as a racist?
You are most likely to be murdered by someone you know. You are most likely to be a victim of a crime from someone of the same race.
The statistics playing is deceitful. Years ago, Money did a long report on the statistics game that supports what I’m stating.
Comment by DarkStar — 05.15.07 @ 9:03 am
I’m pretty much a newshound, I live in Kansas, have a normal memory, and don’t remember anything about the Wichita massacre. That must be because it was not meaningfully reported. I can tell you right now I will never forget it after reading about it on this blog and I will never forget the Christian-Newsom torture/murders either after reading about them here. My heart nearly breaks in half when I think about their families.
The very argument that these cases are not reported because of white supremacists means that the white supremacists WIN in their quest to DIVIDE America. Shame on the U.S. media for allowing them to advance their agenda!!
And, #69, Jenn, my daughter has always said to her daughter that if anyone tries to abduct her, go insane, act like a madwoman, anything to draw attention. Never submit. I wholeheartedly agree.
And, finally, I hope this blog and those who link to it will cause a ripple effect throughout the country and will force the stories into the mainstream media, both the crime stories and the media cover-up. I personally plan to write a few letters to the media myself.
Comment by dianne — 05.15.07 @ 9:04 am
DarkStar, who on this board contradicted the fact that blacks kill blacks and whites kill whites? Everybody knows that most violent crimes are intraracial. But black-on-white crime rates are much higher than white-on-black crime rates. I don’t know why you have to pull strawmen out of hats everytime this subject comes up. Stick to the point of the post…for a change.
Comment by La Shawn — 05.15.07 @ 9:15 am
Media Blackout of Murdered Couple Suggests PC at Work…
The sudden force that the liberal press brought to bear on the falsely accused Duke lacrosse team has been curiously absent on a much more grisly crime committed against a white couple by a group of black youths.
Personally, I don’t think that loca…
Trackback by NewsBusters — 05.15.07 @ 9:55 am
Another issue that greatly disturbs me is the number of white supremacists using this crime as their issue. When I first heard about the crime and searched, I kept on getting directed to Neo-Nazi web sites until fortunately I remebered La Shawn’s site. I’d like to know how to garner more publicity while incurring the least participation by both radical left and right wing elements. (although to date I haven’t seen any left wing postings).
Comment by Space Puppy — 05.15.07 @ 9:56 am
So two white attractive college students disappear for 3-4 days and there was not a huge media presence in the first few days in the search to find them? Can anybody point to a case where this has happened before? With the lack of real details in this case it is slowly not passing the smell test. The only facts are the these two were brutally murdered. The lack of information or local media coverage on such a brutal murder case in a town the size of Knoxville should point to there is more to the story.
Comment by Uncle Ruckus — 05.15.07 @ 10:16 am
>>With the lack of real details in this case it is slowly not passing the smell test. >>
So Uncle Ruckus - what are you suggesting?
Comment by suek — 05.15.07 @ 11:05 am
batyah,
I think I referred to crime as the number one problem in post #10. But, it impacts everybody. I can’t buy into this ramping up racial atrocities, because I don’t get what the endgame is. Especially if the supremacists are using it as a rallying cry.
Comment by Angel — 05.15.07 @ 11:17 am
mikek,
I agree. This is the worst of us.
Comment by Angel — 05.15.07 @ 11:19 am
batyah,
Where do I justify any of this? Where do I give anyone a pass for anything? This is a horrific crime. But, I am not responsible for it. The topic of the post is media coverage or lack thereof. Many make the argument that new media is a great advance in that the truth is presented unvarnished. But, there were other terms for editors in the day MSM dominated. Gatekeepers. They were called that for a reason. Every black community is not a ghetto full of thugs. I live across the street from a jazz pianist who received a MacArthur genius grant. His fiancee is a physician. There are several other black professionals where I live. The problem with stories like this is that people with an agenda can use them to fan the flames of hatred against people. This doesn’t invalidate the crime. Just pointing out the fact that it’s now being used.
Someone in an earlier post advised people to run away from black people when approached by them. This is what we want? This is the color-blind society? The thugs who committed this atrocity deserve to be punished to the full extent of the law. No question. But, I think I’m at the point where I can no longer participate in this discussion because I’m reading things I can’t believe. I’m typing this with tears in my eyes because this is all too sad and tragic. When editors of the “old media” were presented with a situation like this they understood they had a duty to report, but some of the responses are just over the top. Run people over? If this represents even a fraction of the country, all is lost. My daughter is bi-racial. What do I tell her? Do I tell her to run away from black people too? And, I mention the supremacists because it is important. This isn’t simply a story of a horrendous crime, it’s a tool. It’s a firebomb. The supremacists understand the power of it. There has to be some balance. When someone on this board is advocating killing or running away from black people on the basis of this story, there is no point anymore. There is no chance for dialogue. There is too much hate now. Too many fingers pointing. I echo mikek’s point. This is the worst of it. And, I can’t watch it anymore.
Comment by Angel — 05.15.07 @ 11:38 am
I see a few folks saying that race shouldn’t be a part of this, but it IS a part of the equation…
Let’s put the show on the other foot;
A nice young black couple go out on a date and are abducted, gang raped repeatedly for several days, and then murdered in a most heinous manner…
And it was 7 or 8 Klansman or Skinheads that did it…
What level of social outrage would that particular scenario bring about??
How fast would $harpton or Je$$ie Jack$on be all over that??
And the MSM would have a field day…
Comment by TexasFred — 05.15.07 @ 11:50 am
Anyone have any theories as to why these cases received very little media attention?
http://www.clarendontoday.com/Pages/071306/News/crime.html
http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=6499426
Comment by Shade — 05.15.07 @ 11:53 am
On January 6th, 2007, two young people on a date in Knoxville were carjacked and kidnapped. Over the next four days, this is what happened to them at the hands of their five assailants: The woman was raped and tortured. Her breasts were cut off while she was still alive and bleach was forced down her throat to destroy any DNA evidence.
Pingback by Sugar Ray Dodge — 05.15.07 @ 12:12 pm
National Media’s Refusal to Cover White Couple’s Murder Suggests PC at Work…
NewsBusters.org - Exposing Liberal Media Bias
The sudden force that the liberal press brought to bear on the falsely accused Duke lacrosse team has been curiously absent on a much more grisly crime committed against a white couple by a group of black …
Trackback by Blog-o-Fascists — 05.15.07 @ 12:30 pm
Shade, I assume you posted those links of reverse situations in order to somehow diminish La Shawn’s thread premise. They don’t, of course, but then I’m left wondering why you posted them.
Comment by RedBeard — 05.15.07 @ 12:31 pm
Angel,
I believe I know where your coming from and I agree. I’m totally frustrated. I happen to be caucasian/white/whatever, and I’m intimidated about discussing any issues or approaching black people. I wish there could be civil discussion but extremists on both ends get involved and it becomes war. I wish I could overcome my fear; it’s not fear of violence per se, but of saying the wrong thing.
While I know that race plays a huge issue in how the media handles the case, surely there’s a way to express outrage over this and other vile crimes without becoming tinder for the extremists fire.
I hope that you can continue to post despite the aggravation, as you sound like you are a thinking and feeling person.
Regards,
SP
Comment by Space Puppy — 05.15.07 @ 12:31 pm
RedBeard
You just claimed to know my reasons for posting those links and then in the very next sentence claimed to not know. Which is it?
Comment by Shade — 05.15.07 @ 12:42 pm
Shade, my wording, but not my meaning, might have been awkward. Mea culpa on the former.
SP, I’m white (more of a pinkish whitish color, really) but I try not to be intimidated by the political correctness du jour. This board is a terrific place for people to exchange ideas without becoming mad dogs, as happens on too many political/societal discussion boards.
The degree of civility here is really a wonderful thing. We can argue and disagree and still feel like having coffee with those with whom we’re disagreeing.
Some of this civility is due to the quality of the people who post here, and part is due to La Shawn’s refusal to put up with any vile nonsense. Either way, it’s all good, as they say.
Comment by RedBeard — 05.15.07 @ 1:07 pm
#83
Shade, those links you gave don’t disprove zealous right-wing agenda-driven racial rhetoric, just the same as La-Shawn’s links don’t disprove zealous left-wing agenda driven racial rhetoric.
This isn’t about balance, this is about who gets to paint what ‘colour’ the worst shade of guilty.
Comment by JohnD — 05.15.07 @ 1:21 pm
Is it them ‘whiteses’? Or is them ‘blackses’?
Does one:
A. listen to Right wing idealogues that promote the ‘Bell Curve’ argument to ‘explain’ why crime is high among predominantly ‘black’ inner city neighbourhoods?
Or does one:
B. Listen to left wing idealogues that promote the ‘inherited/poverty/family structural breakdown’ argument to explain this?
Do either of these explanations hold water, or are they agenda driven? If so, what is the agenda in either explanation?
Suggestions?
Are white right-wingers keen to break down PC and return to past ’studies’ that ’show’ that blacks are really prone to be more violent because they are, (as a group!) not so intelligent?
Are white left wingers keen to promote politically correct anti-white propaganda to paint ‘blacks’ (as a group!) as ‘victims’ in order to fill those socialist coffers?
Comment by JohnD — 05.15.07 @ 1:37 pm
Shade…
The second one doesn’t seem to fit into the category of the others, although it’s incredible that such hate (and I agree, it _was_ a hate crime)is present in such young people. Still looking at the jihadists and the Palestinian Mickey Mouse indoctrination, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising.
Maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way…it seems that there are enough of these occuring that not all of them are going to get nationwide press. Maybe the question we should be asking is why some others _do_.
Angel…I think the critical matter is that just as black people built up anger as a result of being treated unfairly, so will white people, and the final outcome _will_ be backlash and bad things - even interracial war. It seems to me that what we need to do is insist on _equal_ treatment so that we all can feel that what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Whites should be condemning atrocities committed by whites against blacks, but blacks need to be vocal in comdemning atrocities committed by blacks against whites. Does that seem reasonable?
If there is a problem with blacks - or anybody, really - being afraid to speak up, then folks, we have terrorism among us. It might not be the terrorism we usually think of today, but it’s still terrorism. We need to recognize it and defeat it.
Comment by suek — 05.15.07 @ 1:42 pm
My apologies to La Shawn - I did get off focus from the non-media attention and lack of response from victim groups.
I’ll try to stay more on track.
SP
Comment by Space Puppy — 05.15.07 @ 2:05 pm
JohnD, in attempting to show how moderate you are, you’re trying to balance yourself on a mighty thin and sharp edge there.
Bell curve? Who is discussing that?
In addition, the point of this whole discussion is skewed PC-driven news coverage, not the root causes of criminal behavior. The latter subject would occupy this entire blog for a year.
Comment by RedBeard — 05.15.07 @ 2:15 pm
First off,
Thank you Lashawn for posting this story on your site where it may be discussed rationally. I first came across this story quite by accident on youtube. When I saw the post I was immediately shaken an intrigued. So I did a search and came across the full story on a racialist website.
I have got to say that my feelings on this crime are intense. As a American, I’m angry at my countrymen. This crime smacks of sick, twisted, brutal, horrific, socio-pathic criminals that are usually only found in a horror or barbarian novel. Shockingly it’s not! It’s real, ugly and heartbreaking.
Not to wax biblically, but can anyone say that this is not a sign of the endtimes. Trust me, I’m not prone to this kind of gloom and doom rhetoric, but this seems so evil and horrific. I feel that civilization is devolving and becoming more depraved before my eyes.
I don’t think this crime is abnormal in our present world. It’s TOOO common. With each day crimes are commited in THIS COUNTRY that shock and horrify the WORLD. Has anybody asked why? I think this land (AMERICA) is cursed.
We are starting to see the end of our world as we know it. I don’t see this as a black or white crime. I see it as a inhuman crime. I am ashamed not as a black man but as a human. This crime shames humanity. It strips away all veneers of us as being a decent society. Before you write me off as a nut ask yourself, “Who is crazy the individuals that did this crime or the society that made them?”
Comment by vampiregc — 05.15.07 @ 2:37 pm
suek
I agree that the first link more closely mirrors the case that is being discussed in this topic. The crime was heinous. Not quite as heinous as the topic, but heinous enough and it received clearly less publicity than this one. Bloggers didn’t hardly talk about it.
Likewise, I have never heard of this case from two years ago where a white supremist shot and killed two Hispanic men and one black man; shooting them each in the head:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/112305dnmetslayings.71b7c4.html
I have never heard of the case of white supremist Randal Lee Krager who beat a black father of four so badly that he was left paralyzed.
There was no media frenzy when Mulugeta Seraw was beaten to death. It was mentioned, but no frenzy.
I never new about skinheads shooting up black neighborhoods in Portland.
I heard mention of supremist Benjamin Smith shooting and killing two people including black former basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong on the national news, but it was far from a media frenzy.
The little black girl who was raped and strangled in a Los Vegas casino received some attention, but most of that attention related to casino safety more so than the crime itself.
Attacks against Hispanics by white supremists are becoming rather prevalent, yet few make the national news.
So the reason I posted those links was in response the multitude of comments here and elsewhere that claim how if certain situations were reversed, there would be a frenzy and that Sharpton and Jackson would be on the rampage. Well, I have posted some reversed situations. I don’t see the frenzy.
Comment by Shade — 05.15.07 @ 2:52 pm
Shade;
While the conviction rate after going to trial may be 84%, I meant the conviction rate for crimes committed. I should have been more specific.
Comment by jan — 05.15.07 @ 3:05 pm
Angel, seriously, dry your tears. I don’t think that anyone meant to say “run away from black people” or “run black people over.” They were saying run away from anyone who is suspect to you and don’t let PC attitudes cause you to let your guard down, and run over anyone who tries to carjack your car. Is there anything wrong with that? I really doubt if anyone here is a closet klansman.
To your point about fanning the flames of racial anger by reporting on these stories, it’s actually the opposite. What’s fanning MY anger is that the media has tried to cover it up. What’s fanning my anger is the obsession with white oppression/black victimization that isn’t even true. On an individual level in the violence arena, whitey isn’t coming out so well. What would douse my anger is to see normal black people condemning gang violence and racially motivated violence.
Some years ago in my old city, a white boy was waiting outside a mall for a bus. A gang of black thugs came up to him and started beating him up for no reason whatsoever. Witnesses were frantically trying to get the attention of the mall janitor (the doors had just been locked) to call the police, as the streets were deserted. This was before the age of cellphones for every human. Anyway, the white boy got a severe head injury from the attack and lay in a coma in the ICU of the trauma center. He didn’t even know these black thugs, so there were no underlying motives like drug involvement or personal vendettas, etc. The city was frightened and outraged. A minister from one of the larger black churches came with his wife to visit the family in the hospital and to offer to pray over the boy. Soon black church members were coming to sit with the family and let them know that they cared. It made a HUGE difference in the family’s healing.
You know, when a dumb fat Jewish girl decides to give a blow job to the President of the United States, I may cringe in embarrassment but I try not to take it to much to heart. After all, she’s one individual who just happens to belong to the same faith I do. But when an entire neighborhood of poverty stricken ultra Orthodox Jews decide to work the welfare system in NYC and thus “legally” get benefits they really shouldn’t be getting, then I get very concerned. In other words, when bad behavior becomes a trend within one racial or religious group, then all members of that group had better damned well get involved and try to correct the bad behavior or at the very least, denounce it. Do you think I enjoy airing dirty laundry? No, but to cover it up or downplay it just because I’m afraid the story will play into the hands of Neo Nazis isn’t the right, responsible behavior for me either. Decent people everywhere have to speak out against wrongdoing, no matter who the perps are or what their relationship to you is.
Comment by batyah — 05.15.07 @ 3:10 pm
Angel, the endgame is this: truth and justice.
When the media presents an untruth about society, it makes people justifiably angry. When the schools teach racism defined as any white person who is mean to any non-white person, that’s not truth or justice. White people begin to turn a deaf ear. Because of the Duke case, there are people who will now be unwilling to take rape victims’ accusations seriously, and who will be unwilling to take any black victim’s accusations seriously. Add to that the fact that black-on-white crime is being treated dismissively or concealed altogether, and you’ve got a whole lot of angry, resentful white people. Not to mention a whole bunch of ACTUAL black victims whom no white person will care about because they’ve been pushed too far. You know, the cry wolf story.
It’s not a good thing.
Comment by batyah — 05.15.07 @ 3:26 pm
Oh Redbeard, you assume too much. I’m not ‘trying’ to show anything other than my frustration with the whole black/white political agenda thing. That is a real frustration, and I really don’t have a horse in a black/white left/right steeplechase.
Sorry but I just don’t. And neither do I feel pressured to tie politics to a colour, as so many extremists do. My point is that too many zealots get listened to. Too many extremists are setting the tone of discourse left and right. They do it for ego. They do it for popularity. They do it for effect. Please do not misconstrue my impatience with such things to be ‘moderate’.
I believe my lying eyes inasmuch that people are individuals. I do not assign ‘white’ crime to a ‘people’ or ‘white community’, and neither do I do the same with ‘blacks’, or the ridiculous ‘black community’ we keep hearing about. (I know you share my frustration with that misleading phrase, although we totally disagree that ‘only liberals’ use it, I see it used here all the time by confirmed anti-liberals).
As for the Bell Curve?
Well, it was LaShawn and Ann Coulter that brought my attention to the right-wing usage of such a work to use against liberals and explain ‘black problems’. The notion that blacks aren’t as intelligent as white, and that such notions are nowadays ‘taboo’ because of liberals is well related to the concept that this crime didn’t reach the level of furore because ‘black’ crime is also ‘taboo’ in the ‘liberal’ press.
This has everything to do with racial dialogue today, just as does the overcompensationg ‘white-guilt’ extreme lib-tripping. It hardly gets anywhere. I don’t have patience with dishonesty and sly politicking/generalizing. That does not make me a moderate at all. There is every shade of independent between the polarity of political zealots, grant me one of those and you’d do me more credit than assuming a transparent, self-conscious ‘moderate’ stance. I despise political correctness just as much as I despise any type of race-politics.
Suek says:
“Whites should be condemning atrocities committed by whites against blacks, but blacks need to be vocal in comdemning atrocities committed by blacks against whites. Does that seem reasonable?”
Kinda sorta. I can’t get my head around collective guilt or responsibility for crime-via- skin-colour associations.
I just think the whole collective concept of ‘blacks’ and ‘whites’ is plain dumb, and in this respect, America, and many other countries, are trapped in some never-ending merry go round of racial blame-games.
Why do some people assume a black on white crime is racially motivated, but a white on black crime isn’t?
I know, but I don’t care. You can swap black over white in the sentence above and still find the same TYPE of thinking attached to the opposite political agenda. It’s just bunk.
What I COULD get my head around is for individuals to take responsibility for themselves, and condemn ANY atrocity, without the need to feel any kind of any ridiculous deference to skin-colour.
Am I expected to condemn the ‘white community’ when a (insert any non-white shade)person gets murdered by someone with ‘white’ skin?
Well I don’t. And here’s someone else who shares some of that ‘razor-edge’ moderation:
“If a white man falls off a chair drunk, it’s just a drunk. If a Negro does, it’s the whole damn Negro race.” ~Bill Cosby
Comment by JohnD — 05.15.07 @ 3:32 pm
Batyah, what makes you think blacks condone violence in their communities? Being a black man I find that blanket statement rather uninformed. I have always lived in areas with heavy community involvement where crime and other bad behavior was never tolerated. Not sure if you are aware black folks move out of high crime areas as soon as they are able. There are some areas in my hometown and current city I would never venture into past dark or even in daylight hours. But then again I realized long ago there is a such thing as good and bad areas.
Comment by Uncle Ruckus — 05.15.07 @ 3:40 pm
“Not to wax biblically, but can anyone say that this is not a sign of the endtimes”
Why so? Because someone murdered someone?
People were raping and cutting body parts off ‘injuns’ ’savages’ and ‘witches’ for centuries, and still thought they were doing the work of God.
If you read the Bible as an historical document, we are arguably far less bloodthirsty today, discounting certain gangland thugs, mentalists, National uprisings, tribal genocides, major bombing campaigns and terrorism.
Seriously, why do you think a murder signifies ‘armageddon?’ What is different now than ever before?
Comment by JohnD — 05.15.07 @ 3:49 pm
#96:
Shade: “I don’t see the frenzy.”
Best not believe your lying eyes. You know full well that such juicy ‘white on black’ crimes as you referenced would have had the slavering ‘liberal MSM’ calling it from the rooftops with bells and fireworks.
Best get a new schtick. Truth ain’t it.
Comment by JohnD — 05.15.07 @ 3:55 pm
JohnD, I may disagree with some of your conclusions, but you do make a good case for yourself.
Now if you’d only stop being so wasteful of the letter “u” in words like “colo(u)r”…… We might need them elsewhere someday.
Comment by RedBeard — 05.15.07 @ 3:56 pm
>>Am I expected to condemn the ‘white community’ when a (insert any non-white shade)person gets murdered by someone with ‘white’ skin?>>
No…but if the ‘white community’ stands back and doesn’t speak out to call the murder wrong, _then_ I’d expect you to condemn the white community. Condemn them for the silence, not for the murder.
Comment by suek — 05.15.07 @ 3:57 pm
Suek, what the hell is the ‘white community’?
Let’s skip the quasi-profanity. You can make your point without it.- Admin
Comment by JohnD — 05.15.07 @ 3:58 pm
Shade…
I remember the little girl in Las Vegas. It got quite a lot of play in the LA area. I remember thinking “what the heck was that child doing running around loose in a casino at 1am in the morning.” How could parents live with themselves after such a thing!
I haven’t heard of any of the rest of the events you mention, or at least I don’t remember them. Again - maybe we should be asking why the press makes such a big deal out of the ones they do instead of asking why they ignore so many of the ones they ignore. Is it “pet” themes and “pet reporters”? I don’t know…maybe it’s just slow news times with nothing else to report and they’re just looking for things to latch on to. I don’t know - but it really does seem that there should be some standard, doesn’t it.
Comment by suek — 05.15.07 @ 4:04 pm
Maybe the problem with the media is attention to celebrity and oddity. After all, just surfing the news I’m bombarded with articles on Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan (sp?), Alec Baldwin, etc. ad nauseum. Next to celebrities come the blooper reels and cute pictures. Then comes the candidates for the 2008 presidential race; in years past this wouldn’t even have started for six more months. Most of the crimes they bother to report on have to be horrendous, involve a celebrity and meet the criteria for promoting their own political agenda.
Comment by Space Puppy — 05.15.07 @ 4:18 pm
suek
You imply that black people don’t condemn such behavior. Can you identify exactly what white people in general do with regards to condemning violence committed by other white people that blacks in general don’t do regarding violence committed by other black people?
Comment by Shade — 05.15.07 @ 4:22 pm
Uncle Ruckus, I don’t think anything of the sort. What I do think is that there is a certain segment of the black community (and for those who get all ruffled over the use of that phrase, just think “black population in America”) that believes and has stated openly that solidarity with black thug brothers is more important than fighting for justice for all. When OJ got away with murder, black people all over America were cheering! It was a major victory and it sure seemed like it was a majority of black people who felt that way. That is abhorrent.
For all the black commenters here, if you are REALLY so mystified and confused as to the perceptions of unfairness experienced by the white commenters here, maybe YOU need to do a little waking up and looking around yourselves. Watch the news, read the papers, listen to what the black people are saying to the white folks . . . then come back and tell me with a straight face that there is NO “black solidarity and justice be damned” crap going on. Shelby Steele was the first black person I ever heard of who called a spade a spade, and he was quickly and publically denounced by Spike Lee (racist pig) and others. Since then, I’ve come across a few truth-speaking black commentators/leaders, but they are all labelled race-haters by the majority of other blacks as soon as they open their mouths. Bill Crosby had the nerve to tell the “black community” to stop calling each other ‘nigger,’ and he came under fire. Wow, that suggestion seemed inocuous and sensible enough, but I guess not.
I never said that ALL black people are thugs or that all black neighborhoods were crime infested. That isn’t the issue and it is annoying to have you think (or pretend?) that IR