Mississippians Brace for Civil-Rights Trial
TN HR
1,170 Posts
I find it appalling that the state of MS waits 38 years to re-file murder charges against Edgar Ray Killen. What in the world do they hope to accomplish?
- Show the world that they are above-board in dilligently investigating and prosecuting hate crimes and civil rights violations? HA!
- Bring closure to the victims' families? HA!
- Attempt to bring little old Philadelphia and the rest of Neshoba County, MS together to sing Kumbaya? HA!
In my opinion, this is a slap on the face of the entire judicial system and the civil rights movement in America. It is nothing more than a token move for whatever hidden agenda lies behind it.
Expect the biggest circus there since the Shriners'.
Gene
- Show the world that they are above-board in dilligently investigating and prosecuting hate crimes and civil rights violations? HA!
- Bring closure to the victims' families? HA!
- Attempt to bring little old Philadelphia and the rest of Neshoba County, MS together to sing Kumbaya? HA!
In my opinion, this is a slap on the face of the entire judicial system and the civil rights movement in America. It is nothing more than a token move for whatever hidden agenda lies behind it.
Expect the biggest circus there since the Shriners'.
Gene
Comments
It's called P O L I T I C S. We also just exhumed the body of a Chicago boy who was killed here in 1954. All the players are dead as far as I know; but, somebody will go on trial for this one too. It's all about the furtherance of political careers, film rights and book deals. All that's required is a (Democrat) County District Attorney or (Democrat) State Attorney General who has visions of grandeur. It's nothing new and has been going on in Mississippi for years and years. Look for the book.
Just to play devil's advocate for a moment -
1. There is no statute of limitations on murder, so you could say the prosecution is being diligent - when presented with new evidence, they act appropriately.
2. You will also notice we did not stop going after fugitive Nazis after the war ended - we and the Israelis were hunting them down for decades afterward. Why would we stop going after murderers of any kind if we have information that could lead to a conviction?
Seems like it's only been within the last couple of decades that the South has been able to own up to its role in denying civil rights to African Americans.
"why didn't they move to try him at the state level rather than leaving it to the feds to try him? I'll tell you why. The state found it distasteful (if not insulting) to prosecute a native son." Wrong on that count too Beagle. In 1965, state jurisdictions didn't pull rank on the Justice Department or the FBI. The trial decision was decided in Washington D.C. by Lyndon Johnson's Justice Department.
You're right Ray; they will 'have to dig a little deeper' on the Emmitt Till 1954 murder. Six feet deeper to be exact. The gentlemen are dead and decayed now, notwithstanding what they told Look Magazine 50 years ago.
Having lived here all my life and watched this kind of crap closely for the past ten years, I can tell you it all has nothing to do with 'The state of Mississippi owning up to' past acts. And even if so, 'The State of Mississippi' didn't kill and bury anybody. But, I can see how the peanut gallery in left field (Oregon) can reach such remote conclusions. It's about as accurate as me commenting on Portland's weather however.
BTW, MS ETV will cover portions live with a feed being sold to Court TV. To the defense's dismay, today, as jury selection got underway, representatives from the Alabama KKK showed up on the courthouse lawn. Just what we need. You remote 'judges' will be interested to know the defense attorney told the news media that the Klan should crawl back under the rock they came out from under. As I said, look for the book and the movie. WATCH THE MONEY TRAIL.
Gene, have you replaced ParasailBeagle as chief instigator now? He's the master, so watch him closely and you'll do well. x:-)
And I'm sure the feds trumped the state of Mississippi. I don't even pretend to know what happened down there because I was only 10 years old at the time and living in Oregon. But I'll bet the state didn't jump on their State's Rights platform to demand the right to try them at the local level.
I remember hearing a real estate agent telling my parents that he was selling a new house to us because the only other viable bidders were African Americans and "it wouldn't be good for the neighborhood, you know."
In the 1920s, Oregon had one of the most active Klan organizations in the country. It was rumored that Oregon's governor at the time was actually a Klan sympathizer.
No, I just think the South has been a little slower to embrace civil rights than the northern states. That's all.
This is the final paragraph in the newpaper article that I read about the attempts to pass anti-lynching bills. "But the Senate, with Southern conservatives wielding filibuster powers, refused to act. With enactment of civil rights laws in the 1960's and changes in national attitudes, the issue faded away".
Those Southern conservatives were Democrats, which shows that labels mean nothing, but what is inside does.
I do have a suggestion. Reread the posts from last week. No regional knocks, or defensiveness. No personal assertions. No reference to the liberal democrats. In fact, the only post which was close to political was about translation. While there were divergent opinions, they were stated in a matter of fact way containing nothing about the wrongness of those who think differently and certainly nothing personal. Refreshing! Join?
PS I really just wanted the gong to ring on this one. It's starting to get good.
Parabeagle again steps in it. He says 'The South has been slow to embrace civil rights...'. Not only does he have no clue, he is factually wrong. The State of Mississippi has more black elected officials per capita than any other state in the United States of America and we have had this designation for at least seven years. Our schools were integrated well before those in several northern states. Busses, hotels and lunch counters, bitter points of contention in the 50s, were integrated in the South long before similar integration in several states not in the South. The segregation that has continued and still exists in many, many northern cities lags way far behind the integration of Southern neighborhoods. Blacks and whites have belonged to the same college fraternities in the South for at least 30 years which cannot be said of most northern schools or western for that matter. It's time to let your old myths go and see some light. Quit listening to CNN and reading Look and Life and flip off the liberal radio programs. If you can't speak in facts, at least shut up. x:-)
(edit) Gillian3 doesn't like this sort of post because it contains truth and facts. Liberals tend to speak in platitudes, assumptions, wrong-headed conclusions and emotion-based commentary filled with elusive and slippery, unprovable suggestions intended to incite and mislead. Oh, but can't we just all hold hands and get along and rid the planet of these wascally wepublicans? x:-)