Racial Supremacism – Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

Racial Hate is Not Politics

America’s deep political partisan divisions have led to the destruction of a standard of human decency in political debate, which we must challenge: the increasing assignment of racial hate and extremist groups to political organizations and individuals. We must call for a STOP to such such racial hate and the perversion of the U.S. political debate to leverage hate.

Let us recognize and remember the difference between racial extremist organizations and the overwhelming majority of those involved in mainstream politics. We cannot simply abandon the past 50 years of progress on racial equality, compassion, dignity, and respect in America, due to the political passions and concerns of what are a very small minority of individuals in America. The fact remains that, in the United States of America, we not only can change hearts, but we have demonstrated that we have.

As a non-partisan human rights advocacy group, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) does not “take sides” on political partisan issues. R.E.A.L. is adverse to even reference political issues. But the continued “normalization” of racial hate organizations, and use of racial hate slurs, messages, and demonization in politics is a disgrace that belongs in America’s past. We call for the American people to set down the mud to be thrown at one another. History has shown that the American people can and will be better than this. The American people must rise to the challenge of their destiny.

Half a century ago, the past racial debates on politics, when there was still “white clientele only” signs legally posted in America, the U.S. faced even more difficult national problems. Our political debate then included a presidential candidate who sought legalized racial segregation. But even with this dire threat to our political system, human compassion, mercy, and dignity still won among the American people. We know this. This is a proven historical fact. Many of us, including R.E.A.L.’s founder, was part of such past change, and we have seen this with our own eyes. We can and we will change hearts on racial hate.

The continuing efforts by political figures, media figures, and political activists today to seek to assign and align political groups and individuals with racial hate groups, ignores this history and the sacrifice of so many. Among those martyrs for American human rights and dignity, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not give his LIFE so that we would tarnish his sacrifice by hating one another, and “normalizing” racial hate groups to our political activities.

Our leaders seem to be have lost their voice on this, so R.E.A.L. will help them in what we know is in their hearts: “For Shame.”

The position of R.E.A.L. in challenging “white nationalism” extremism and “black nationalism” extremism, among any other anti-equality extremist movements, is well-documented. But let us reiterate it in simple terms: Wrong = Wrong.

A popular media figure has chosen to rephrase this concept as “two wrongs and what’s right” and “not all punches are equal.” I am sorry that Dr. King is not alive to speak to such individuals. But a political recalculation of basic ethics to fit a political narrative is still wrong. 2+2 still equals 4. Wrong still is Wrong. None of us are above the law. We will not defeat Hate with Hate. Hate and Violence are Not the Answer.

We see a willful suspension of ethics and decency to slur and slander every and any political candidate with a racial hate group. This has become far from just isolated incidents at this point. It has become a common practice, and it is a disgrace. It is a disgrace to the sacrifices of so many who worked and continue to work – to challenge hate (not with more hate) with compassion, mercy, dignity, equality. It also a disgrace by the very small minority in national politics actually associated with such hate. But by “normalizing” and associating any and every political candidate with a racial hate group, this only helps the racial hate groups themselves.

In the moments before a national election in the U.S., we see one media associating one political candidate stating receiving funds from “white nationalists” and we see another media associating another political candidate with “black nationalists” with machine guns. The Society of Professional Journalists needs to find a voice on the journalism code of ethics. We need journalism reporting facts and context; political activism (let alone using racial hate groups to demonize “the other”) is not part of the journalism code of ethics.

One of the common practices of racial supremacist groups is to portray themselves as endless victims, who are so endangered that human rights, compassion, mercy, dignity are no longer options. So it is no suprise to see that the Stormfront white supremacist site, the source of so much hate and calls for violence, now views themselves as “the voice of the new, embattled White minority.” Those who continue to feed such a narrative, whether they are in politics or in the media, need to learn restraint and respect for Equality.

We can challenge and urge change in thinking and behavior, but the venom and hatred, even calls for violence, towards those in politics with whom we disagree – as human beings – must stop. Hate does not stop Hate. We not only know this, America has proven this in its history. We did not achieve the dramatic changes across diverse society through Hate. We did it through Mercy, Compassion, and a Respect for Equality.

The idea that we can and should “normalize” racial hate extremists as a practice of political activism or political reporting is simply contempt towards democracy itself. We must stop empowering racial hate extremists groups as somehow “normal” in our political lives, when they reject the very democracy that U.S. politics depends on.

We reject racial hate because we support the equality, human rights, and trust that is necessary for democracy. But the continuing upraised fist of American political partisans seem to be willing to overlook any breach in public trust. When this results in a “normalization” of racial hate groups as part of “mainstream” political activism, this is not only a political attack, it is also an attack on our shared universal human rights.

We must reject the upraised fist of hate, whether it is based on race, religion, ethnic background, gender, or politics, towards our fellow human beings and fellow Americans. Hate is Not the Answer.

We can and must make other choices. We can choose to offer an outstretched hand, not an upraised fist, in respecting Equality – especially for those not like us and those we may not like. Our human family must have bigger hearts, conscience, and mercy. We can seek an ocean of restraint, compassion, dignity, and equality for one another, rather than the bitter and toxic pool of hate.

We can appeal to the American people on human rights, equality, decency, and THE TRUTH. We agreed to this as a nation. These are not just universal human rights; “We hold these Truths to be self-evident” – as a very definition of what it means to be an American.

Let us remember this and vow to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty.

Florida: 3 White Nationalists Charged in Attempted Homicide in Gainesville

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) condemns and rejects the ongoing pattern of violence and hate that it sees involving extremist events, as well as protests of extremists. A coherent society must reject violence at all such events, before and after such events, and by those participating and those protesting. Those leading such events and those leading protests of such events must take responsibility for condemning such violence without exception.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty does, has, and will continue to condemn and reject the hate of white supremacism, white nationalism, and Nazi ideologies that express reject our shared Universal Human Rights, reject human equality, reject the dignity of others, and that have longed been involved with violence and murder in pursuit of global aims of hate against others. The public must always remember the role of white supremacy in slavery of blacks in America, and the long history of white supremacist persecution and violence against black Americans, which it took a generation to work to change. The public must also always remember the role of Nazi ideology in The Holocaust that murdered 6,000,000 Jewish people, as well as others: people of color, handicapped, gay, Christians, women, Muslims, and groups of other nationalities / ethnic backgrounds. We have challenged such white supremacist, white nationalism, and Nazi ideologies including terrorist violence by such extremists in the United States, including the recent murder of Heather Heyer and injury of 19 in Charlottesville, Virginia by Neo-Nazi supporter James Alex Fields, Jr. using a vehicle, and other attacks we have seen, including the 2009 attack on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Over the years, R.E.A.L. has been a target of threats of violence, hate, and harassment by white supremacists and Nazis, and we continue to get such harassment today. But R.E.A.L. does not respond to hate with hate. We continue to offer an outstretched hand of human rights and compassion, not an upraised fist, to those who are lost, to find their way back to the family of human rights and dignity for all.

Once again, in Gainesville, Florida, we have seen white nationalist public violence, with an attempted homicide by white nationalist extremists supporting an event by National Policy Institute (NPI) white nationalist speaker Richard B. Spencer. A fringe extremist figure since 2009, Richard Spencer’s white supremacist events have been drawing violent individuals and violence over the past nine months in venues across the United States. Richard Spencer has failed to provide any public statement condemning the acts of his white nationalist supporters in this attempted homicide. Richard B. Spencer is president of the NPI, a white nationalist lobbying and activist group based in Alexandria, Virginia, and as R.E.A.L. reported in early 2010, manages an online blog called “Alternative Right” to provide a digital venue for white nationalist ideologues. Since 2009, R.E.A.L. has peacefully protested Richard Spencer and his fellow fringe white nationalists for their rejection of our shared universal human rights.

After the latest Richard Spencer speech at the University of Florida in Gainesville, three white nationalist and Neo-Nazi extremists were arrested in Gainesville, Florida, and charged with attempted homicide, after one of them shot a handgun at a crowd of protesters, reportedly hitting a building. There were no injuries and a bullet from the rifle struck a building. The extremists were all from Texas and traveled to Florida to participate in unrest surrounding a white supremacist speaker at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The Gainesville police identified the men arrested as: (1) Tyler Tenbrick, 28, of Richmond, Texas, (2) Colton Fears, 28, of Pasadena, Texas. (3) William Fears, 30, of Pasadena, Texas. Tyler Tenbrick reported fired the handgun, and the two Fears brothers reportedly urged him to shoot at a crowd of protester. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) stated that it had been previously monitoring the activities of the three men arrested as white supremacists, including documenting their activities with extremist groups Vanguard America, Patriot Front, neo-Nazi Aryan Renaissance Society, and support for Richard B. Spencer’s “Alternative Right” blog (aka “Alt-Right” blog).

Among the white nationalist extremists, the Chicago Tribune reports that William Fears was part of the Charlottesville, Virginia extremist event and previously was involved in violence there: “he came to Charlottesville equipped for violence – and found it. He threw and took punches.” William Fears was reported previously arrested for aggravated kidnapping and criminal trespass.

The Gainesville police state that “Tenbrink is a convicted felon and faces additional charges of possession of a firearm by convicted felon” and that [a]t least two of the three have shown connections to extremist groups.” The Gainesville police state that: “The three remain in the Alachua County Jail. The Fears brothers are under $1M bond and Tenbrink under a $3M bond.” After the shooting, the white nationalists fled in a silver jeep, but were identified by their license plate and arrested 20 miles outside of Gainesville, Florida. “Units from Alachua Police Department, High Springs Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol conducted a high-risk Felony stop on the vehicle at the 405 Mile Marker of Interstate 75 North and took the three into custody.” The Chicago Tribune reported that “all three men have attended white supremacist events.”

White nationalist shooter Tyler Tenbrink is arrested and handcuffed by Florida Highway Patrol troopers Brian Blanco / Getty Images)

According to the Gainesville, Florida police report: “an investigation revealed they engaged in an argument with another group of people that turned violent with gunfire.” “Shortly before 5:30pm, it was reported that a silver Jeep stopped to argue with a group of protesters and began threatening, offering Nazi salutes and shouting chants about Hitler to the group that was near the bus stop. During the altercation, Tenbrink produced a handgun while the Fears brothers encouraged him to shoot at the victims. Tenbrink fired a single shot at the group which thankfully missed the group and struck a nearby building. The suspects then fled in a silver jeep.”

Individual police reports for the suspects further details the altercation which led to this attempted homicide. The attack was off the University of Florida campus at a nearby bus stop on Archer Road in Gainesville. The attack happened after the white nationalist extremists reportedly harassed and shouted at a group of “six to eight protesters” at the bus stop, and one of the protesters being harassed used “a baton to hit the rear window” of the white nationalist’s vehicle. The police report states the white nationalist Tyler Tenbrick emerged with a handgun, with co-defendents threatening to “kill them” (victims at bus stop), and Tenbrick fired a shot “which missed and struck the business” behind the person they threatened.

Scene of Attempted Homicide in Gainesville by White Nationalists (First Coast News – FCN)

According to the Gainesville, Florida police, “The victim (“VIC”) “was sitting at the bus stop located at 3315 SW Archer Road immediately following the Richard Spencer speaking event which occurred nearby on the University of Florida campus. The containing the defendants pulled up to VIC’s location and one of the passengers began yelling Hail Hitler and other chants at VIC. An argument ensured and VIC used a baton to hit the rear window of DEF’s vehicle. The VIC said the vehicle pulled away approximately 10 feet and then quickly stopped. DEF (Tenbrink) emerged from the vehicle and produced a handgun. CoDEF (C. Fears) and CoDEF (W. Fears) were yelling at both VICS, “I’m going to f***** kill you.” CoDEF (C. Fears) and CoDEF (W. Fears) were also yelling, “kill them” and “shoot them.” DEF (Tenbrink) fired a single shot at VIC, which missed and struck the business directly behind VIC. The DEFs jumped back in the vehicle and fled eastbound on SW Archer Road.” “A traffic stop was conducted and the vehicle was occupied by 4 males and a firearm was also located. VIC was tranported to the location of the suspect vehicle traffic stop and positively identified DEF (Tedbrink), CoDef (C. Fears) and CoDef (W. Fears) as the subjects who threatened him. VIC stated that DEF (Tedbrink) was the person who fired the shot. VIC also stated that CoDef (W. Fears) to be the subject who emerged from the passenger side and yelling at them.”

Reuters and other media has interviewed the white nationalists from Texas, prior to their involvement in in the attempted homicide. Reuters stated that “Reuters journalists spoke with Tenbrink and Colton Fears ahead of the Spencer speech on Thursday,” and that Tyler Tenbrick described himself as a “white nationalist” looking to preserve his “way of life,” and he was also interviewed by the Washington Post that reported Tenbrick was there to the white supremacist slogan of the “14 words” related to the future of white race. The attack took place after the event and protest was over, and the white nationalists and protesters had left the University of Florida Gainesville campus.

In addition to these three individuals arrested, two others were arrested by the police in connection the Richard Spencer speech at the University of Florida, bringing the total arrested to five. The other two arrested were: Sean Brijmohan, 28, of Orlando, Florida for Carrying Firearm on School Property (who reportedly was working for a media group), and David Notte, 34, arrested for Resisting Officer without Violence.

On Thursday, October 19, 2017, white supremacist speaker Richard Spencer held a speech at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, which was attended by about 20 white nationalist and Neo-Nazi supporters of Spencer. The less than 2 dozen white nationalist supporters were protested by 2,500 protesters outside the University of Florida Phillips Center conference hall were the Spencer speech occurred, as well as many more protesters who gained access to the “ticket only” event, which Spencer was having at the University of Florida. The protesters mostly shouted down Spencer.

While the majority of the protests were non-violent, there were a number of “violent confrontations,” including at least one beating by protesters of a man outside the event, and reporting of other violent confrontations on social media. Twitter and other social media showed photos and videos of “Anti-Hate” protesters chasing, threatening, and punching individuals, with one video showing a crowd of protesters laughing and cheering as one white nationalist was sprayed with pepper spray, before led away by the police. The University of Florida Alligator reported: “Other Spencer supporters were also surrounded by people shouting expletives and ‘Nazi scum’ as they followed them to police barricades. Some urged the crowd not to become violent. The swastika-wearing man was shoved by multiple protesters, and witnesses saw a protester punch him in the mouth.” Reuters reported that: “There were a few scuffles on campus that left five people with minor injuries, the university said in a statement.”

After one white nationalist surrounded by a crowd of “Anti-Hate” protesters was posted on Twitter, who reportedly was spit in his face, Miami WSVN’s Craig Taylor asked the person capturing the video of they could air the video. But as Twitter users attacked the video as “poorly acted Nazi street theater,” WSVN’s Craig Taylor replied “see what you’re talking about. Likely won’t be aired,” and replied “We’ve considered this and didn’t deem it as newsworthy as other stuff we’re getting.”

R.E.A.L. rejects the continuing pattern of normalizing such public violence by any extremist individuals. Violence is not the answer. There is no “acceptable or justifiable violence” in beating people in the street, in attacking vehicles, in shooting at and attempting to murder our fellow citizens. While people may have strong views in rejecting the ideology of others, violence is not the answer and cannot be acceptable as part of any political activity, free speech activity, or protest activity. R.E.A.L. continues to call for those involved in white nationalist activities to denounce violence by their supporters and R.E.A.L. continues to call for those involved in protests against white nationalists to denounce violence by protesters. Such violence and hate are NOT acceptable means of advocacy for human rights, equality, liberty, and freedom of our fellow human beings.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty calls for human rights-based, peaceful protests and debates to challenge the anti-human rights views and hate of white nationalists, white supremacists, and Neo-Nazis. The answer to hate is not other hate. The answer to anti-human rights views is not rejecting human rights of security by acts of violence. Wrong is wrong.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty offers consistent, non-political leadership for peace-based human rights activism to challenge extremist and other anti-human rights views by tyrants, dictators, terrorists, and other enemies of our shared human rights.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty stands ready for peaceful debate or protest to extremist leaders. Our message has and will remain a consistent focus on our shared universal human rights. We offer an outstretched hand, not an upraised fist to urge all to support our universal human rights for our fellow human beings. Choose Love, Not Hate – Love Wins.

Attack on Tennessee Christian Church Leaves 1 Dead, 7 Injured – Black Nationalist Shooter

On Sunday, September 24, 2017, a masked man attacked the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville) with a gun, killing one woman and injuring seven others, in addition to injuring himself. Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) condemns this act of violence and hate; our research leads R.E.A.L. to believe this was not a random act of violence, and based on our research, it is R.E.A.L.’s conclusion this attack was performed by a supporter of black nationalist hate.

The attacker, 25 year old, Emanuel Kidega Samson, a U.S. resident from Sudan, shot one woman to death in the church parking lot, Melanie Smith, and then sought to attack Christians in the church as the Sunday services were ending. After killing Melanie Smith in the parking lot, the armed attacker then entered the church, where he was confronted by the church usher, 22-year-old Robert Engle. The attacker pistol-whipped Robert Engle, who received a “significant injury to his head.” Then the attacker continued to shoot Christian worshipers in the church, shooting six others, including the pastor, his wife, and four other elderly worshipers. During the mass shooting, many of the 42 Christians in the church hid and ducked under church pews, while the attacker sought to gun people down. Some hid in a child’s worship room, which a 10 year old child helped to barricade.

The attacker shot the Christian worshipers using a .40-caliber handgun, firing 12 rounds, and reloading the gun at least once, according to police spokesman Don Aaron. The police stated that the attacker also wore a tactical vest with three additional magazines of ammunition. In the SUV that he kept idling to escape after attacking the church, the attacker also had an unloaded semi-automatic AR-15 rifle and an additional handgun. The police also stated that he had “many more rounds [of ammunition] available.”

Church usher Robert Engle recovered from his injury, and raced out to his own automobile to retrieve his own licensed gun to protect the Christian congregation. Robert Engle returned and held the attacker, Emanuel Kidega Samson, until police arrived. During Engle’s initial struggle with the attacker, Samson shot himself by accident. Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said of Robert Engle, “He’s the hero. He’s the person who stopped this madness.”

The attacker, Emanuel Kidega Samson, received medical treatment, then was placed in police custody. He has currently been charged with one count of murder, and additional charges, including attempted murder, are expected by the police. A judicial commissioner has ordered that Emanuel Kidega Samson be held without bond pending further court proceedings. The latest report states that the attacker did not appear for a preliminary hearing, which was rescheduled for October 6, 2017. (Update: at the October 6, 2017 court hearing, the preliminary hearing was again rescheduled to October 23, per the Tennesseean: “During a brief hearing Friday, Davidson County General Sessions Judge Dianne Turner set Samson’s preliminary hearing for Oct. 23.”)

The Memphis FBI Field Office’s Nashville Resident Agency, the Civil Rights Division, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee have opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting. Tennessee police had previously been involved with Emanuel Kidega Samson in January 2017 over a domestic dispute, in March 2017 when he was accused of trying to force entry into a home of woman who claimed he had hit her, and in June 2017, when police checked on Samson after receiving a report that he had sent his father a suicidal text message.

The victims were of this attack were all white, adult, Christians, and most of them were elderly and women. The attacker killed Melanie Smith, 39 years old, outside of the church. Inside the church, he shot Pastor Joey Spann (David Joseph Spann) (66), his wife Peggy Spann (65), Linda Bush (68), Catherine C. Dickerson (64), William “Don” Jenkins (84), and his wife Marlene Jenkins (84). The attacker also injured church usher, Robert Engle (25), during the attack. The Burnette Chapel Church of Christ was a multi-ethnic and multi-racial house of worship. All of the victims of this attack were white. Five victims in the hospital are in stable condition. Pastor Joey Spann, who was shot in the chest, had been in critical condition, but his condition has since improved. R.E.A.L. expresses our concerns and shares our prayers for the victims and the loved ones of this vicious attack.

The attacker, Emanuel Kidega Samson, a black male, is not a U.S. citizen, but has been living as a U.S. resident since the 1990s. The attacker Samson had previously identified himself as a Christian, despite recent religious and social views, as documented on his social media Facebook account, researched by R.E.A.L. After the attack, local News Channel 5 reported that “you don’t see on his social media accounts is anything that would suggest terrorism as a possible motive.” R.E.A.L.’s investigation shows a different pattern and a growing public support of extremist views by the attacker on social media, including a recent post by an extremist attacking “Jesus” as “dumb a** sh**.”

Five years ago, the attacker publicly identified himself as a Christian. But by 2017, the attacker had been increasingly posting messages about the Black Panthers black nationalist and extremist group (whose 20th century members were responsible for terror attacks in the U.S.) and promoting messages by the Anonymous hacker criminal group.

Based on R.E.A.L.’s research of the attackers’ social media and the fact that only white Christians were targeted in this attack, R.E.A.L. would conclude that there is a high chance that the attack was motivated by black nationalist extremist views. If so, this would be the fifth such black nationalist terrorist attack in the past 14 months.

Previous black nationalist extremist terror attacks in the U.S. have included: (1) April 18, 2017 Fresno, California terror attack by NOI activist Kori Ali Muhammad (killing three whites in the streets of Fresno and a fourth hotel guard), (2) July 17, 2016 terror attack in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by Gavin Eugene Long (acknowledged former NOI extremist) (killing three police officers), (3) July 8, 2016 terror attack in Bristol, Tennessee, by Lakeem Keon Scott (targeting whites on a highway, killing 1 woman and injuring three others), and (4) July 7, 2016 terror attack in Dallas, Texas by Micah Johnson (linked to NOI extremist) and supporter of the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) and Black Riders Liberation Party (killing 5 and injuring 11). In these four black nationalist-associated terror attacks, all of the victims killed were white, except for one of the Baton Rouge police officers.

By August 2, 2017, the attacker’s embrace of black nationalist extremists included posting a video where the speaker shouted about how black Americans should not “bring me Jesus and that dumb a** sh**,” while warning about “Europeans infecting us.” This was posted by African Diaspora culture activist Ankh Ma’at Ra, who distributes a number of videos, which would be considered part of the Pan-Africanist or Black Nationalist Consciousness Community/Movement (CC) ideology. The interview was recorded by “black consciousness” activist “Sa Neter,” who promotes such ideologies through videos shared on YouTube and Social Media, which he publishes on behalf of a “House of Konsciousness” (HOK) movement. “Sa Neter” has also defended black nationalist and virulent racist Louis Farrakhan, who leads the “Nation of Islam” (NOI) extremists, although as part of the Consciouness Community” movement, “Sa Neter” appears to have different religious views. Ankh Ma’at Ra offers alternatives on religious views including rejecting the concept to “love your enemy.” “Sa Neter” has also distribued videos on “Black News 101” (which was terminated by YouTube), including interviews of individuals promoting black nationalist violence, and was re-established as “Black News 102.” The Sa Neter videos promote a broad range of black nationalist and pan-African views from diverse views of New Black Panthers, Kemetic, Hebrew Israelite, Moorish Science Temple, and Nation of Islam perspectives.

While the corporate media is reporting on the attacker’s body-building photos, the increasing migration of the attacker’s public postings to focus on topics from conspiracy sites on a general “the West is attacking Africa and Africans” type of message is being generally ignored. The tone of his social media postings begin to change in December 2015.

In the days before his attack on the church, the attacker called for people to “join his rebellion,” with postings that also stated: “Everything you’ve ever doubted or made to be believe as false, is real. & vice versa, B.” He stated “Become the creator instead of what’s created. Whatever you say, goes.” He wrote“You are more than what they told us.” By August 30, 2017, he wrote: “Every single legend before me was just a false alarm. Every single thought that you think you think you thought is wrong. Crawling through hell with gasoline garments on, army-strong, barel to the devil this is the rebirth of Kong.” By August 15, 2017, he wrote about the darkened sun by the solar eclipse, “Join my rebellion and gaze into that mf with 0 **’s given, dawg.” On August 2, 2017, he posted a video from a black nationalist activist “Sa Neter,” who works out of New York City. “Sa Neter” interviewed another “Africa Stand Up” activist who described the failure to support black Americans, and called for black Americans to understand their community, including by rejecting Jesus Christ.

He also began projecting that because the names of hurricanes were quickly given with reports about such natural disasters that unknown powers conspired knew about these way in advance. (Weather conspiracy theories are frequent among posting of black nationalist extremists supporting the Nation of Islam.)

The attacker’s social media showed an increasing focus on extremist conspiracy issues, hate of police, support for the Black Panther extremist group (associated with other attacks), including posting report on calls by Black Panther extremists to “tell Blacks to ‘Arm up’,” and posting report on reported “execution” of Black Panther extremists by the police, stating “Police murder a Black Panther general execution style and try to cover it up.” The attacker continued to distance his focus on Christianity, as pan-African and black nationalist activists offered alternative views on America and the West.

The attacker increasingly also posted anti-West conspiracy theories; he posted on how “1 Trillion Stolen from Africa in 50 years and Diverted to Western Countries Illegally.” He posted on how the U.S. Government has lied in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, posted on how “Doctors who discovered cancer enzymes in vaccines have been murdered,” posted on “Woman leading Flint lead poisoning lawsuit found shot dead in her home.” With such posts, the attacker wrote text like “I believe in incidents, not accidents. There has never been such a thing as “by chance ” & nor will there ever will be.”

While this case will continue to be investigated by law enforcement authorities, R.E.A.L. urges the investigators not to discount what would appear to be links in the support of the armed Black Panther movement (viewed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center – SPLC) , and other black nationalist anti-white hate as motivations behind the attack, killing, and targeted shootings at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ.

R.E.A.L. has noted an significant increase in black nationalist hate and violence in the past year, and as previously noted multiple terror attacks linked to black nationalist views over the past 14 months. On August 8, 2017, the SPLC also reported on an increased trend of black nationalist violence, in an article titled “Return of the Violent Black Nationalist Violence.” In the August 8, 2017 SPLC report, the SPLC stated that: “Since 2000, the number of Black Nationalist groups in the United States has jumped dramatically from 48 groups to 193 in 2016.” In this this report, the SPLC notes the violence from the Fresno, Dallas, and Baton Rouge attacks, and states that “the U.S. has not experienced this level of violent Black Nationalism in nearly 40 years.”

According to the SPLC report, “The Black Nationalist Movement represents a swath of antigovernment, anti-police, racist, and radical religious ideologies. While organized groups have refrained from violence, they attract adherents (e.g. ‘lone wolves’) who are motivated to commit violence, criminal behavior, or other subversive acts as a result of Black Nationalism’s radical ideology. As a result, lone individuals prone to violence who are affiliated with Black Nationalism, pose a potential threat to law enforcement, government officials and others. Like other domestic extremists, the merging of antigovernment, racist and religious extremist ideologies is cause for concern. Historically, this convergence of extremist beliefs serves as a catalyst for radicalization and mobilization towards violent action for some members and affiliates.” The SPLC report describes that “Black Nationalist Groups of Concern,” which the SPLC states “attract violent individuals whom they indoctrinate and push toward extremism,” including: Nation of Islam (NOI), New Black Panther Party (NBPP), New Black Panther Nation (NBPN), New Black Liberation Militia (NBLM), Five Percent Nation (based out of Harlem), Black Hebrew Israelites (BHI), and the Moorish Nation (linked to Sovereign Citizen Extremists – SCE). Dallas terrorist Micah Xavier Johnson was a member of the New Black Panther Party. According to the ADL, terrorist Gavin Long was also associated with the “Moorish Sovereign Citizens” SCE. There is a similar group known as the “Nuwaubian Nation.”

In the attack on the Antioch church, the law enforcement investigation must continue. However, as R.E.A.L. has shown, the attacker had sympathy with at least the Black Panther Party described in this SPLC report.

This remains not only a counterterrorism security issue, but also a human rights issue for Americans to address, which is particularly compounded in the U.S. due to public concerns of cases involving police abuse of authority. When increasing public sympathy support black nationalist extremism, the security and human rights are compounded by a disinterest and unwillingness to hear messages to reject extremist views and to support nonviolence solutions for human rights progress.

Among Emanuel Kidega Samson’s 4,700+ followers on Facebook, virtually none of them have “un-friended” him, over a day after his attack on Burnette Chapel Church of Christ. Three of his followers publicly asked him why he did this or condemned the attack on his Facebook timeline.

In addition, once again, we see yet another attacker in the U.S., who had been working as a security guard. The night before his attack on the Antioch Christian church, the attacker worked as an unarmed security guard with Crimson Security of Murfreesboro. Channel 17 News also reports that he was in the process of working to renew his license as a security guard with the Academy of Personal Protection and Security. For context, R.E.A.L. has pointed out previous terrorist attacks in the U.S. by current or former security guards in Orlando (Omar Mateen, G4S), St.Cloud, MN (Dahir A. Adan – Securitas), NYC and New Jersey (Ahmad Raham – Summit Security), and Fort Lauderdale, FL (Esteban Santiago – Signal 88). This attack in Antioch is the fifth known attack on U.S. by a trusted security guard.

The human rights challenge to black nationalist violence requires a recognition of the need to support both belief and identity systems, as well as provide leadership in activist solutions for nonviolence in promoting human rights change.

For the U.S., cultural challenges and religious challenges are mixed together without clear and consistent leadership to provide inspirational and identity leadership to frustrated individuals. Among many frustrated black and African-Americans, there are not only extremists, but also those similarly frustrated indivividuals, who are indicating that “Christianity” is a “white” religion, and this remains a struggle in social coherency during increasing times of social and racial unrest. A number of individuals get drawn to the “Nation of Islam” extremist movement, simply because of its strength in leadership and its defiance to “white America,” despite and/or because of the NOI’s racist views.

Religious and cultural analyst Adam Coleman explains that ineffectiveness among some traditional U.S. Christian organizations have made frustrated black and African-American searching for additional sources of inspiration. According to the analyst Adam Coleman, the “Consciousness Community” (CC) includes “is a rather nebulous entity. There are a few main belief systems that people who consider themselves to be conscious tend to subscribe to, but no formal creed or organization around which the CC revolves. These include the Hebrew Israelites, Moorish Scientists, Egyptian (Kemetic) spiritualists, and practitioners of African mysticism.” He states: “Each of these groups purport to solve the identity problem, faced by people of African descent, by restoring the individual to their true identity. The primary draw for these groups is that rather than simply offering an alternative belief system, they offer an identity system.” He states: “Those who consider themselves ‘conscious’ typically take on some form of Pan-Africanist or Black Nationalist ideology. That is to say they hope to reclaim control of Africa’s resources and establish an autonomous nation of African people including those of the Diaspora.” In addition, he states that “Among the CC, anti-Caucasian sentiment ranges from latent resentment to violent aversion. By extension, Western society as a whole is viewed as a power structure that is bent on subduing people of color.”

R.E.A.L. has previously also identified this shortcoming within the Christian and faith-other based leadership, to offer activist guidance and solutions to those that claim that nonviolence is not a solution. As R.E.A.L. described in our report “Compassion And Nonviolence Leadership For Racial Justice” on April 25, 2017, “America needs such leaders of compassion and nonviolence today, in our important national issues of racial justice.” In the Autobiography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he described the essential need to leverage the new revolution of nonviolence as a solution to supporting racial justice in America. In Chapter 29 of this autobiography, pages 328 to 330, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. explained that “Before this century, virtually all revolutions had been based on hope and hate…. What was new about Mahatma Gandhi’s movement in India was that he mounted a revolution based on hope and love, hope and nonviolence.” This was the model that Reverend King sought to use to bring change to racial equality in America. Reverend King explained “As long as long as the hope was fulfilled there was little questioning of nonviolence.” But when hopes were not realized, some came to despair and sought other ways for change. Reverend King stated that “revolution, though born of despair, cannot be sustained by despair. This was the ultimate contradiction of the Black Power movement.” He explained that hope was essential for any campaign for long-term change. Reverend King rejected the “blatantly illogical” answer by some promoting violence and “overthrowing racist state and local governments.” He concluded “nonviolence is power, but it is the right and good use of power,” in support of human rights and racial equality for all Americans.

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) reject all hate-based and terrorist violence, as we have provided reports on many other terrorist violence and attacks, including the recent terrorist attack and violence in Charlottesville, Viriginia. Responsible supporter of human rights, dignity, and shared public security must unequivocally condemn all such violence and terrorism, no matter what the ideological justification, including the increasing number of violent black nationalist attacks that we have seen in the United States of America. Violent attacks on our fellow human beings are wrong, and we must set a consistent standard of rejection and condemnation for such violence and hate. To work to change the atmosphere of violence and hate, while some may call for forgiveness of brutal violence, we must clearly condemn such acts of murder and violence, and enforce our laws to make it clear such actions can never be accepted by our society. The continuing challenges of racial equality and justice in America can never justify the violence and terrorism that we have continued to see. Those solutions cannot be based on hate, but must find an understanding of our societal needs to end the causes of such violence. We must, as a nation, work towards solutions of nonviolence for all Americans.

Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.

Racial Equality, Justice, and Rage

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) volunteers of diverse races, religions, and identity groups, have worked for many decades for racial equality and justice in American and world. A key focus for R.E.A.L.’s founder has been a life-long struggle against White Supremacism and Racism. Across America, many millions and generations of the public have worked together, and sacrificed during their lives to challenge such racist and white supremacist hate and inequality. R.E.A.L. recognizes there are those frustrated today that feel equality and justice is not where it should be. R.E.A.L. also has first-hand life experience knowing how much equality and justice has progressed. There are those who believe the solution is rage and violence. It is not, has not, and will not be the answer. Furthermore, the slurs and slanders of calling people with whom we disagree as “white supremacists,” “Nazis,” “racists,” simply clarify those consumed by rage actually have no experience in dealing with “white supremacists” and “Nazis.” R.E.A.L. has direct experience in challenging actual white supremacists and Nazis. Seeking to apply such labels to “anyone” simply undermines the ability to challenge genuine anti-Human Rights extremist ideologies. It is R.E.A.L.’s experience that those who truly support such extremist views, don’t shy from being called white supremacists or Nazis. This is not our “opinion,” but our many years of direct experience with such extremists. Hate and violence is not the answer.

Choose Love, Not Hate.

Reject Violence, Seek Shared Humanity.

Love Wins.

Indivisible – America Must Challenge Racial Extremism, Work for Liberty and Justice for All

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) is deeply discouraged to see the continuing examples of racial extremism and hate, which are too often demonstrated across the United States of America. Extremist groups regularly hold events to argue that some are inherently inferior or inherently evil based on their race, and we see this with extremists among white Americans and extremists among African Americans. A volunteer human rights organization committed to equality must challenge those who reject equality and dignity for all based on their race, and R.E.A.L. has done so for many years.

One would hope that the terrible sacrifices, the deaths, torture, and slavery seen in factual history would have been enough at some point that Americans could continue to vow “never again” to such racial extremist and segregationist values. By 1860, the African American population was 4.4 million, of which 3.9 million were slaves – nearly 90 percent of the African American population was enslaved. The long struggle for equality resulted in so many sacrifices to such horrific wrongs. Millions of Africans died in transportation as slaves from Africa to the new world. The inhuman process of slavery was an immoral inhumanity by those seeking slaves in America and around the world. The Gilder Lehrman Institute has reported that “a third of slave laborers were children and an eighth were elderly or crippled.”

This horrific reality also led to many sacrifices to change the stain of white supremacism and racial extremism. During the U.S. Civil War, 620,000 died among the military struggle to end slavery. Many more were killed, injured, and struggled to end racial segregation in the century after that to secure civil and human rights for African Americans. Still in the 21st century, we continue to struggle for equality in the legal treatment, dignity, and opportunity for people of all races. As an individual, even as a child, I saw and protested the white supremacist segregationist practices that had become institutionalized across too much of America. Those who do not understand the human rights tragedies that this country faced, not that long ago, did not see the public signs “white clientele only,” and the institutionalized segregation in schools, restaurants, hotels, public facilities, and too many other parts of America. But despite the terrible tragedy, loss, and sacrifice of so many, there remain those who stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the lessons of history.

So many have given their lives in the pursuit of equality and justice in an indivisible United States of America. We have worked to ensure equal justice under the law. We have worked to ensure equal respect by law enforcement. We have worked to challenge racial extremist hate. We have worked to promote equality, not just of law, but also of dignity and opportunity. But despite this, there remains a segment of society which continues to seek to impose racial extremist and segregationist views on others.

The abuse of social media has allowed racial extremists, racial nationalists, and racial segregations to find like-minded individuals to continue to spread messages of hate and messages that attack the fundamental equality of their fellow human beings, based on their race. Such efforts seek to normalize views of racial extremism, nationalism, and segregation in a United States, where so many have paid the cost for equality with their lives.

As such racial extremist views have become increasingly normalized and acceptable, it should not surprise us to see that such normalized views on racial inequality have now found their way into corporate entertainment media. For too long, corporate entertainment media has accepted degrading and second-class citizen treatment of people of color. Many have worked to change this with corporate media, as part of a continuing effort to achieve racial equality and dignity for all.

But despite this, two American cable and Internet television outlets have announced plans for “alternative reality” television shows centered on the continuation of African-American slavery in America and on the continuation and expansion of racial segregation in America.

HBO has announced plans to make an “alternative reality” televison program, called “Confederate,” where slavery of African Americans will remain legal in part of the United States, and which will seek to provide an “entertainment” television program that addresses African Americans continuing as slaves. Amazon has announced its own plans to make an “alternative reality” television show, where racial segregation has become physically institutionalized (again), by actually dividing part of the U.S. out and making a separate nation for African Americans called “New Colonia” in a television program that is titled (with no concept of its own irony) “Black America.”

These corporate media giants have come to the apparent conclusion there was not enough horrific real history on slavery and racial segregation to report on. So they have decided to manipulate history to come up with more “entertaining” “alternative reality” programs. Both media giants have defended these ideas, with HBO being criticized by many, and there has been a painful silence about Amazon’s similarly misguided plans for such an essential issue in American history.

Corporate media and its supporters view that criticism of such projects amounts to censorship. But the American public, who have struggled for so long on the issues of slavery and racial segregation, have a right to free speech on outrageous media projects, which undermine efforts for shared equality and a shared respect for the truth of actual history.

Our generations are losing the ability to fully understand the reality of history. Too many do not know the facts of history in America today. Too many have been given “manipulated” versions of the historical trauma regarding slavery and racial extremism in America, and the echo chamber affect of those with like views in social media is only reinforcing such false beliefs on history and fact. When we have a nation with such problems today, the last thing American corporate media needs to layer on to this challenge on facts are fictional “alternative realities” about slavery and segregation.

Corporate media “entertainment” on slavery and segregation will inspire racial extremists, and find enjoyment by the followers of white supremacist leaders and black nationalist leaders. American efforts for equality, dignity, and respect for people of all races need to be based on the truths and facts that we must openly and honestly face as a nation, not “alternative realities.”

R.E.A.L. urges corporate media to recognize that there are compelling stories in American history, stories of great drama, great struggle, and great accomplishment. The real-life, true stories of courage, sacrifice, loss, and overcoming impossible odds in America’s history deserve to be heard, not allow the twisting of such history by fiction that does not honor such struggles.

We work to be Responsible for EQUALITY and Liberty for all.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaking to Audience (Source: Charlotte News-Observer Video Screenshot)

Compassion and Nonviolence Leadership for Racial Justice

Justice begins with compassionate leadership. Compassion is more than our self-focused passion for what we want and need, but empathy, mercy, and respect for what others need. Compassion allows us to suffer together, and it is a fundamental keystone of a representative democracy and the concept of universal human rights. Compassion allows us to listen to one another, even when we are different, and feel the pain of another’s needs. Compassion respects diversity and differences among us, but it never loses sight of the fundamental bond that we share as fellow human beings.

This bond of our human brothers and sisters is essential in our causes for human rights, and our efforts to work for justice of every kind in our representative democracies.

Our fellow human beings don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

If we believe in compassion as an essential element in our societal cohesion, we must recognize that we cannot only have compassion for those like us or those we like. We cannot just believe that compassion is worthy for a select few, who we believe “deserve it,” while we turn our back on the rest of our brothers and sisters in humanity. We can and we must be more compassionate human beings than that.

The long, long struggle for racial justice in America has been based on the victory of compassion over hate. It is, has been, and will be the way forward for any real social progress. Compassion and Love Wins.

This is what we must remember. We must find leaders who understand this and who are willing to defend compassion with the same vigor that challenge racial injustice.

For years, I have worked to share compassion in the struggle for racial justice and human rights in America and the world. The learning that one achieves from experience versus history books is stark. In life experience, we have moments of crystal clarity in our conscience and our mind, when we experience things that we know are wrong and must be changed.

On racial justice, my first moment of crystal clarity was in July 1966 in Virginia, while walking on the sidewalk, when I came across a public sign in front of a hotel that read “White Clientele Only.” For the first few moments, I genuinely couldn’t understand it. But as I stood there in shock, I came to realize the entrenched tenacity and determination of White Supremacy to divide and destroy the moral fabric of America.

America was once like that. And worse. In the same Virginia, and in too much of America, African-Americans were once enslaved. There has been a dark history of wrong that leaders of human rights and dignity have struggled for over 150 years to make right. It will always be a legacy of disgrace to overcome and to continue to work for change. Let us wear this national badge of shame publicly, not with pride of what was, but in determination of how far we have come, and how committed we are to a more just future.

The path to change has been a continuing victory of compassion over hate. In the United States, that unequivocal struggle for compassion has required an organized, ideologically consistent and responsible force to struggle against hate and injustice. Our history shows that these partners in compassion for racial justice have come from every group, race, nationality, background, religion, profession, and walk of life. It has and must continue to be a national struggle for racial justice.

The growing violence in America over racial justice issues brings another moment of crystal clarity to our nation, as something unshakably wrong that must change. We cannot simply ignore it, avoid it, and wish it away. The dead bodies of our fellow Americans, of every race, are there, and their blood has been in the street. Yet we have those praising killers and calling for more violence. We have those who seek to harden lines of hatred towards other Americans. We have those in denial of justice issues. We have those who openly praise those who would terrorize, injure, and murder the public representatives of our law enforcement. Those consumed by rage and anger no longer remember, and no longer care, that these victims are their fellow Americans and fellow human beings.

America has faced similar moments before.

In August 1964, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. went to the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles after riots resulted in the death of 34 Americans and the destruction of $40 million in property damage. As Dr. King recounts, one of those supporting the riots told him “We Won!” Dr. King asked him “what do you mean, ‘we won’? Thirty-some people dead, all but two are Negroes. You’ve destroyed your own. What do you mean ‘we won’? And he said, ‘We made them pay attention to us.'” Dr. King pointed out: “When people are voiceless, they will have temper tantrums like a little child who has not been paid attention to. And riots are massive temper tantrums from a neglected and voiceless people.”

This responsible leader of compassion did not simply ignore those who supported violent riots as a method of social change, but instead provided the leadership and guidance to promote nonviolence as a solution. As Dr. King wrote when he visited Watts, “[t]he people of Watts were hostile to nonviolence, but when we actually went to them and emphasized the dangers of hatred and violence, the same people cheered. Only minutes before the air had been thick with tension, but when they were reminded of the Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo, the martyrs of the Selma campaign, they cheered the thought that white people can and do cooperate with us in our search for jobs and dignity.” [White Americans Reverend James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo were murdered by white supremacist terrorists in March 1965, while working to assist Dr. King in Alabama on the Selma march.]

America needs such leaders of compassion and nonviolence today, in our important national issues of racial justice. Every movement needs a leader. The idea of “leaderless” movements are fine for short, brief events, but every long-term committed cause requires someone who can define an agenda, identify both problems and solutions, and guide the movement to work together responsibly for social change.

I was blessed to live through the years of seeing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and then other Civil Rights leaders. I saw the level of leadership that they provided to the nation. The leadership that Dr. King provided was not just activism, but also a responsible leadership as a conscience for the nation, so that those working for Racial Justice could work together and responsibly. Such community and national commitment to nonviolent progress in racial justice has been a foundation of America’s human rights for the past 50 years.

His leadership addressed grievances and issues, but also provided an ideology of compassion and nonviolence, with an organized structure and consistent ethical commitment by his supporters. America is a secular nation, and we achieve many areas of progress from our secular leaders, including progress in areas of morality, justice, human rights, and dignity. America’s history shows, however, that to effectively organize responsible, nonviolent demonstrations and social justice work for racial equality, we need the structure and value consistency of a faith-based organization within the leadership of such movements.

So as America continues to struggle with injustice, violence, and division, we must call upon leaders of faith-based groups in America for leadership in compassion and racial justice. We must urge faith leaders in every house of worship to share with their worshipers the message of our shared responsibility to support nonviolence and compassion for all of our fellow human beings, including those who face violence, persecution, and fear.

As Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated: “In spite of the darkness of this hour, we must not despair. We must not become bitter; nor must we harbor the desire to retaliate with violence.” “Nonviolence is power, but it is the right and good use of power.” “Hate is just as injurious to the hater as it is to the hated.” “I cannot make myself believe that God wanted me to hate.” America needs such an organized commitment to compassion and nonviolence, as part of our racial justice campaigns.

Our responsible commitment to nonviolence is not in ignorance of injustice and violence, but rather it is because of our knowledge of the damage that injustice and violence creates. If we have the courage to promote nonviolence to challenge injustice, then we must also have the courage to challenge the violence against people of color, as well as the social violence of poverty, humiliation, despair, and attacks on human dignity and equality.

Dr. King wrote: “a mere condemnation of violence is empty without understanding the daily violence that our society inflicts upon many of its members. The violence of poverty and humiliation hurts as intensely as the violence of the club. This is a situation that calls for statesmanship and creative leadership.” Calls for nonviolence must not only be to dissuade those who praise, support, or act in riots and terrorism, but also to call for accountability and change by those with the authority and responsibility to provide governmental and political leadership.

Most of all, national campaigns for nonviolence and compassion in racial justice must be built on a structure and organization, which is committed to nonviolence and compassion as basic aspects of its mission.

We cannot expect such long-term, nationwide movements for racial justice, compassion, and nonviolence to be guided without the commitment of an existing structure founded on such principles. We cannot be led to progress without responsible leadership that has an ideological basis in compassion and nonviolence.

While we all play a role, expecting just social media, protest activists, law enforcement, and the press to solve or even effectively address these issues is unrealistic. We must have reasonable expectations of those who seek to make changes in our society. Expecting such small groups to become something they are not and judging them based on standards they cannot meet is counterproductive.

Over the past three years, the current Black Lives Matter leaders have provided a social media-based awareness campaign of injustices and racial justice issues, which need the attention of a structured group of compassion and nonviolence leaders. The handful of activist leaders within the structure of that organization are dwarfed by the vast volume of the public that recognizes and is concerned about the need for social change; it is unreasonable to expect them to have the structure, organization, and ideological nonviolence leadership that a sustained racial justice movement requires.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown rightly points out “we’re asking cops to do too much in this country.” Our police are there to enforce the law. There are areas where they are continuing to look to make changes. But they are not our national campaigners for social welfare justice, nor are they the enemies of our nation. Like the rest of us, they are trying to do the best that they can, often under difficult circumstance, including regular threats to their lives.

Our press and media will cover events from the perspective and bias of individual reporters. Such media are human rights campaigners, nor do they necessarily come from a position of balance and fairness. They are there to provide news information which covers some segments of our community and national events. They will move on, when the next story comes around.

Social actors in our communities will focus on what they know and understand. We cannot expect those with a limited mission to do everything.

So it is with our faith-based organizations as well. Many of them too will also express that their primary mission is to organize worship services, to hold religious schooling, and to preach their religious views. However, in America, we must expect the most from such faith-based organization, especially when it comes to their vital leadership role in racial justice, using compassion and nonviolence. Our history has shown that such faith-based organizations and their value systems for compassion and nonviolence are essential to achieving social justice.

America today needs faith-based leaders with a commitment to nonviolence that can provide responsible leadership on work towards solving America’s problems, racial injustice, violence, and the need for shared respect for our shared law in a democracy.

America needs faith-based leaders with a commitment to nonviolence to show the courage to speak to all members of the community, and de-escalate the growing violence and hatred we see in our street. We need faith-based leaders as leaders of demonstrations that can show America and the world – we care about justice and violence issues, while not resorting to injustice and violence ourselves.

Dr. King stated “I cannot make myself believe that God wanted me to hate.” This is the type of leadership of compassion and nonviolence that we need today. If we want better tactics from those protesting injustice, then we need leaders who understand and are committed to nonviolence and compassion, not just for a single social justice campaign, but as an integral aspect of their identity and their mission.

We must call upon faith leaders to stand up and be counted in their community and nation at this hour of America’s need. It is not enough to expect activists, police, and others to provide the moral leadership of nonviolence and compassion in working for racial justice.

What type of religious values are we teaching to the faithful and our children if we stand by and watch while those without responsible guidance are being led to believe that violence is the answer?

Will our faith leaders be silent when those in their community are facing racial injustice and abuse?

Will they remain silent over too many instances of official abuse of authority and unnecessary deaths?

Will our faith leaders simply shake their head, as our police are now shot, attacked, and crippled?

Will they stay silent when extremists like the Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan calls for violence and hate? Louis Farrakhan is telling our public: “there is no freedom without the shedding of blood,” “don’t let this White man tell you that violence is wrong,” and “God hates…I don’t why man thinks he is better than God.” Will our faith leaders just ignore such teachings, or will they offer a real alternative to our public?

Will our faith leaders remain silent as those without responsible guidance praise terrorists and vicious individuals as heroes and martyrs?

Defiance to injustice is not an invitation to violence and terrorism, nor can it be praise and support of criminal behavior. We cannot work to counter injustice by becoming and supporting violent criminals. We must do better. Our nation must do better. We need leaders who are unyielding in their commitment to compassion and nonviolence.

Our faith leaders must see that their organized leadership in compassion and nonviolence is necessary in America today. It is not enough to expect other groups to sort these issues out, without the responsible leadership, guidance, and commitment by faith-based organizations. If we seek to change the law or change aspects of our society, we must also be willing to respect the law and show consistent compassion for our society.

America desperately needs our faith leaders today to provide leadership in compassion and nonviolence for racial justice. America should welcome such responsible leadership from every faith.

The struggle for racial justice and peace in America is the unique responsibility of the American Christian community. Let there be no doubt to my American Christian brothers and sisters, this is first and foremost — OUR fight. The forces of racism, white supremacy, and violence have attacked our nation, and the soul of our nation since our inception. When we have sung the Battle Hymn of the Republic for our nation over the past 150 years, it is with a recognition of the unique and specific American Christian responsibility in seeking change for racial justice in America.

Over 100,000 American Christians have died for this cause. Our Christian churches were bombed by white supremacists and they murdered Christian children in houses of worship. Even as late as a year ago, we saw a wave of burning of African-American Christian churches, after the white supremacist terrorist Dylann Roof went in and murdered a Christian congregation in Charleston, South Carolina during a Bible study. The white supremacist forces of evil have even defamed the symbol of the cross in city after city across this great nation, lighting it on fire, and spreading their anti-Christian white supremacist hate. Our great Christian pastor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his life and was killed for this cause. First and foremost, American Christians – this leadership for nonviolent compassion in working for racial justice is OUR responsibility. Of course, black lives matter, just as all lives matter in this nation. But it is not enough to know what is right – we must continue to work to build an America that is just and compassionate. The American Christian community has had, and continues to have a unique and unshakable responsibility to work to right the wrongs of a legacy of injustice in America.

Do not forget – Christian pastor Dr. King was not only concerned about the lives of those touched by such racial injustice; he was also deeply concerned about their souls. As much as Dr. King was concerned about freedom for black Americans, he was just as “concerned about our moral uprightness and the health of our souls. Therefore, I must oppose any attempt to gain our freedom by the methods of malice, hate, and violence that have characterized our oppressors. Hate is just as injurious to the hater as it is to the hated. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity.” Our faith leaders cannot protect the souls of their fellow Americans, and look the other way when there are those promoting violence and hate. If such soul salvation is not seen as the mission of some our faith leaders, then truly what do they view as their role in society? This is priority number one.

There are faith leaders, including many Christians speaking out today and involved in the struggle for racial justice. But clearly, there are not often. Furthermore, there are certainly not enough leaders to provide the responsible guidance that any activist movement needs, as a guard rail, to help us from going off the road of nonviolence and compassion, into the ditch of rage and violence. There are not enough to tell activists to put down bricks, concrete, bottles, and even guns and rifles. There are not enough to tell those who praise actions of violence and even murder that the answer must be found in nonviolence and compassion towards our fellow Americans, who are brothers and sisters in humanity, no matter how much we agree or disagree with them. We need more faith leaders to actively stand up and lead change for racial justice, nonviolence, and compassion in America today.

Some may be fearful to take an inflexible stand on compassion and nonviolence, because they may fear of being a minority among an angry crowd. The history of Dr. King in Watts may not be much comfort, because they may say, after all he was Martin Luther King, Jr. But pastor King has told us: “Take a stand for that which is right, and the world may misunderstand you, and criticize you. But you never go alone, for somewhere I read that one with God is a majority. And God has a way of transforming a minority into a majority.”

There is a majority that believes not only in racial justice, but also in the power of compassion and nonviolence. There is a majority that believes in seeking change through our democratic processes and the law. We must not fail our nation in its hour of need to reach that majority. If you find a group that rejects the values of this majority, remember that power is within YOU as a faith-based leader to change this group. As Dr. King stated, “a genuine leader is not searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.”

We have seen such responsible leaders of compassion and nonviolence change America again and again. Our history shows that this does make a difference.

Dr. King provided a recognizable leader, as a man not only of compassion and nonviolence, but also as a man of faith, to help bridge the gap between different Americans – both black and white. Dr. King not only stood up to racial injustice, but also he stood up and challenged those who sought violence as the answer. When Dr. King led a protest march, he made it clear to those who stood with him that, no matter what, the principles of nonviolence and compassion would be defended by those who witnessed their campaign.

Dr. King stated in Alabama: “I say to you this afternoon that I would rather die on the highways of Alabama than make a butchery of my conscience. I say to you, when we march, don’t panic and remember that we must remain true to nonviolence. I’m asking everybody in the line, if you can’t be nonviolent, don’t get in here. If you can’t accept blows without retaliating, don’t get in the line. If you can accept it out of your commitment to nonviolence, you will somehow do something for this nation that may well save it. If you can accept it, you will leave those state troopers bloodied with their own barbarities. If you can accept it, you do something to transform conditions here in Alabama.”

As he led nonviolent campaigns for compassion and justice, so our leaders today can do again today. Dr. King stated:”Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge, to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation.”

We have gone from Slave states to Free states.
We have gone from segregation to integration.
We have gone from widespread unjust persecution of black Americans to black Americans serving in the highest courts of our land and leading in our law enforcement.
We have gone from black Americans struggling to get the vote to serving as the president of the United States.

Most of this, I have seen in my own lifetime and with my own eyes. Can we continue to make change for racial justice? There is no doubt that America can and America will. America needs the leaders of compassion and nonviolence to guide them in the difficult days of this nation.

We must continue to choose to face the future with a courageous commitment to compassion and nonviolence, because it is the right thing to do. For the future of justice in our nation, it must also continue to be the American thing to do. That is the nation that we have always sought to be.

The Civil War of American Christians Against Extremism – The Lessons for Muslims Today

Today, a Muslim friend asks the question to American Christians: “Christians, since you haven’t been able to get rid of these terrorists, how do expect Muslims to get rid of ISIS?” The posting is accompanied by a photograph of members of the Ku Klux Klan with an American flag. Having fought this battle against white supremacists for 40 years, I want to reply.

Yes, it is a fair question.

But let us be clear, we will never simply “get rid of” all terrorists. That is not the real challenge we face. When we are challenging ISIS, we not simply “getting rid of” some terrorists, we must challenge and defeat the extremist ideology that it represents, and its views that members of its hate movement are superior to other human beings. We are challenging the views that its ideology has a right to deny life, liberty, security, human rights, and human dignity, to those who have different views or a different religion than the ISIS supporters. We do not fight simply a “war on terror.” – We have a war on terrorist and anti-human rights IDEOLOGIES themselves.

The United States of America has had a long, bloody, and painful war against the anti-human rights and terrorist ideology of white supremacy.

This war started at the founding of the country in July 4, 1776, but it was postponed in the interests of fighting what we thought at the time was a greater enemy. The war against such extremist views did not go away, and it returned again to haunt the conscience of the nation, over and over, until it spilled out into a national Civil War, which ripped the nation apart between April 12, 1861 – May 9, 1865.

The Civil War deaths in this battle on white supremacism resulted in the death of 214,938 soldiers and approximately 750,000 total U.S. deaths. Of the soldiers who died, 140,414 Union soldiers were killed, giving their lives in a national war against white supremacist slavery. The question is asked, “Christians, when will you get rid of white supremacist terrorists?” The answer can be partly found in Arlington National Cemetery where you can see the graves of the thousands who fought and died to stop such terrorism.

Let us also be clear, the Confederate States of America (CSA) army and its supporters also had many supporters who believed that they too were following a Christian path. But the Union American Christians could not accept such a contradiction of white supremacist slavery with the values of America, the freedoms the nation represented, and the contradiction of the majority of Americans who followed the Christian religion.

This was not just a Civil War of Americans.

It was also a Civil War of American Christians.

It is a historical guide to those fighting extremists among them, as to how to defy and challenge those who would use supremacism in their identity group and their values as a rationalization to persecute and oppress others.

In the secular United States of America, many would not immediately consider the American Civil War of the 19th century as a “Civil War of American Christians.” But this was a significant aspect of the American Civil War struggle, the Civil War between Christian defying white supremacy and those defending such an ideology to rationalize continued slavery of African-Americans. As history has shown, American Christians fought this war at great sacrifice and great bloodshed. But while the United States of America fought this Civil War as a secular nation, with people of all faiths involved, it would be naive especially in 1865, to not recognize that this was also a great American civil war in determining how Christian faith would be practiced in America, and what that American practice of Christian faith would and would not accept.

Most of the American Union soldiers fighting against the ideology of white supremacy were Christians, and the common rally song to defeat the white supremacist terrorists, was a song called the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The national battle hymn is clearly a Christian song. It concludes with the Christian exhortation to those fighting in the Civil War against white supremacy – “As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.”

This Battle Hymn of the Republic was written by Julia Ward Howe, in Washington D.C., not far from where Freedom Plaza stands today, as she toured Union army camps with Reverend James Freeman Clarke and her husband. The song of American Christianity fighting against the injustice of white supremacist slavery is one of the most fundamental songs of patriotism tied to American’s national capital. The Battle Hymn of the Republic was a national theme in fighting the CSA, and has remained the battle hymn in fighting white supremacy. It remains a standard patriotic song for all Americans and all branches of the U.S. Military Services.

So when the question is asked, when will Christians fight the white supremacist ideology of Ku Klux Klan terrorism, let us never forget that a nation rallied to do just that, and it even based its battle hymn on a Christian imperative to “make men free.” Americans, and certainly American Christians, changed as the result of that Civil War.

The Civil War against white supremacism was the 19th century “reformation” of the American practice of Christianity across the nation. But what Americans learned was that first Civil War was still not enough. We had to fight yet a second Civil War in the 20th century.

The aftermath of the Civil War against white supremacism led to uprising of CSA terrorist groups, chiefly one known as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which resulted in a series of Congressional civil rights acts, including the Civil Rights Act of 1871, signed by President Ulysses S. Grant who led the Union army to victory over the CSA. The KKK was created and recognized as a terrorist organization to continue the white supremacist activities of the CSA after its defeat. A series of terrorist prosecutions against KKK members largely defeated the 19th century version of the organization, which would not appear again until the 20th century.

But once again a second Civil War had to be fought in the 20th century, after the all of the changes by the first Civil War had failed to take hold in every part of American society. We realized that fighting white supremacy slavery, defeating the CSA and its views, defeating and imprisoning the KKK, all of these were not enough until we took hold of the extremist ideology of white supremacy itself and we declared total national war on it – everywhere and in every form.

This is the heart of the lesson which America learned, and can offer the world, in defying and defeating extremist views. No victory can begin until the extremist ideology itself is recognized, identified, challenged, defied, disgraced, and defeated.

In the 20th century, there were still parts of America, where rampant white supremacist-based discrimination permeated society and even the law, including legalized segregation in parts of the nation. There were unrepentant supporters of the CSA that sought to reconstitute the KKK, and used the frustrations of difficulties in economic and social issues, and economic depression to try to extend their ideological reach to other parts of the nation.

The CSA-based KKK continued to disgrace American Christians with their attempts to hold white supremacist rallies around a burning cross. But in the 20th century, after the resounding victory against the CSA in the 19th century, largely by American Christians fighting against white supremacy, no major no Protestant Christian denomination officially endorsed the KKK, and it was denounced in Christian publications. However, a 20th century “Civil War” was required to continue to battle this white supremacist scourge, which included defying at some local levels those misguided Christians who continued to support white supremacy, requiring a renewed effort by American Christians and other Americans to challenge the ideology of white supremacy again. This 20th century “Civil War” also saw the white supremacist KKK attacking American Catholics, which ensured that most in the Catholic Christian faith would renounce the KKK organization.

The 20th century Civil War was a different kind of struggle, which still involved troops, but not in the way of the 19th century Civil War. It was instead, a broader, all encompassing “total war” on white supremacy by American Christian and other Americans, as a “Civil Rights movement.” While much of the social struggle started in the 1920s, it returned in the 1950s and in the 1960s, primarily between 1955 and 1968, when I personally began my own fight against white supremacy.

This movement began with a focus on defeating the last remnants of white supremacy in what were called “Jim Crow” laws that legalized segregation between African-Americans and whites in America. We fought this in our schools, in our public places, and in every part of our nation, as a total war against white supremacy. We fought in every part of this nation, in a total war to defeat the evil of white supremacy. Our Supreme Court issued a ruling in 1954 in the historic Brown v. Board of Education, which declared all laws establishing segregated schools to be unconstitutional, and called for the desegregation of all schools throughout the nation.

In Little Rock, Arkansas, where this battle against white supremacy of our schools was first waged, President Eisenhower had to call out the U.S. National Guard to protect African-American students and protect them. It would not be the last time our troops were needed to fight such white supremacy. Our National Guard, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, under President John F. Kennedy was also used to defy George Wallace in 1963, when he sought to refuse the desegregation of the University of Alabama.

But unlike the 19th century Civil War, the 20th century Civil Rights Movement was a total war led by the common men and women of America defying and defeating white supremacists. This included many churches, and the national leadership of the great African-American Christian leader Pastor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The struggle was long and tumultuous and in this civil war, there were still some recalcitrant local Christians who refused to accept the reformation of American Christian practices to ensure the equality of all people of all races.

But ultimately the forces of American Christian practice reformation achieved a significant victory and change in America, over white supremacy. Pastor King and those American Christians and other Americans who stood on the cause of equal civil rights for all prevailed. Segregation was defeated, laws were made to ensure equal voting protections and civil rights, and in state after state, city after city, the tide had changed in the 20th century Civil War.

The victories were not without costs, as Civil Rights activists were killed, by a new incarnation of the KKK. The criminals in the KKK committed atrocities, murders of Civil Rights activists, and even attacked and blew up Christian churches. In attacking churches across America, the “Christian” mask of their KKK anti-Christian views was now clear for all to see, and the nation rallied to defy the army of white supremacist hatred once again. We used every aspect at our disposal, our courts, our law enforcement, our federal law enforcement (including the Federal Bureau of Investigation), our schools, our newspapers, our churches, and people of all American faiths and conscience who marched and defied the evil of white supremacy.

For every march, rally, and public event which the world captured on film, there were millions of small “civil wars” taking place to end white supremacy in our homes, among families, among neighbors, at work, in public places, and among fellow citizens – who sought to remind America who and what we are. This fight was also a fight to seize and finally reform the practices of American Christianity to ensure equality for all, and was guided by the great Christian Pastor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Christian leader Dr. King led the greatest human rights rally in history on August 28, 1963 in Washington DC at the Lincoln Memorial, a memorial to remember the president who defied the white supremacy of the CSA in the 19th century Civil War. In Washington DC, nearby, what is today the Freedom Plaza, this Christian leader finished writing his speech, which he delivered at the Lincoln Memorial, and which would change the hearts of a nation and a generation. The speech was called “I have a dream.” (The speech is still there, buried in Freedom Plaza, today.)

It was a few years later that I began my own fight in this civil war for the American Christian faith and Civil Rights for all people. It was in August 1967 in the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, where I found myself as young boy, confronting the obscenity of a sign which read “white clientele only.” One can read or hear of these things, and shake your head in disgust, but to be faced with it, changes your outlook on the world, and the need to fight for change.

I was greatly discouraged from challenging this practice of racial segregation. But I could not and would not back down. I was an American Christian, I knew this was wrong, it was wrong as a Christian, it was wrong as an American, and most of all, it was wrong as a human being.

I began my fight as a child. So when I hear my adult Muslim brothers and sisters in humanity asking me, “when will Christians defeat KKK terrorists,” I will tell you, I have and many I know have, fought such white supremacists all of our lives. We viscerally understand first-hand the disgrace and shame that these white supremacists have brought to our nation and to American Christians. So we know how it feels very much. But I also know that you are never too weak, too powerless, too ineffective to fight.

If a child can rise up to defy extremists, you can too.

This begins with deciding you simply will not accept it anymore. I don’t mean that you don’t want to hear it, or you don’t agree with it, not something passive like that. No. I mean you decide, you will not ACCEPT it any longer. THAT moment is when you begin the fight.

As we all know, Christian leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. paid for his defiance to white supremacy with his life on April 4, 1968, stricken down by a white supremacist assassin’s bullet. 10 days before Easter Sunday. I remember his loss as if it were yesterday. Many remember his birthday and honor his success. I also remember the day he became a martyr to free American Christians from the white supremacist hate which slurred Christians who have given their lives to good in this nation and around the world.

Dr. King did not live to see his successes. But he foresaw it coming, he stated the day before he died on April 3, 1968, “I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!” His last words as a Christian leader fighting white supremacy were “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!”

Yet some still believe that Christians have not struggled to defeat the evil of white supremacy.

It is an insult to injury in the never-ending attack by the evil of white supremacy that it too did not die on April 4, 1968, after it took the life of this great Christian leader.

Yet in the grief of those Christians who remember this leader, they too have to take their tiny feet, and try to walk in the massive footsteps of this great leader. We all are, of course, not sufficient to fill the shoes of such a great man, but we have the obligation as Americans, and for those who are Christians, yes, as Christians too, to soldier on.

We have continued the fight against white supremacy into the 21st century, and someone after I am gone will no doubt write about the continued civil war into the 22nd century too. There will always be hearts that hate. But unlike the views of some, my life has been shaped on the experience and personal knowledge, that, YES, you CAN change hearts. I thank God for that. Because while the scourge of white supremacy still exists, it is the exception, it is the rarity, and most of all, it is the SHAME in America. The reformation of American Christian practice on this matter is beginning to become complete on this.

That does not mean that there are not still white supremacy advocates who continue to challenge common decency, as well as the rag tag members of the CSA-inspired KKK, out of the 300 million plus Americans. But they are the vast exceptions.

In the 21st century, I created Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.). One of our first major events was on April 4, 2010, where we remembered the martyrdom of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. on the steps of the Washington Monument. On April 4, R.E.A.L. called for the freedom of those persecuted around the world, including African-Americans and people of color still facing pockets of discrimination, and calling for freedom of all people, including the end those religious minorities persecuted around the world, such as Pakistan Christians.

That same year, 2010, Washington DC faced yet another terrorist attack, this time on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which resulted in the death of an African-American security guard, which I had met in my visits there. This Washington DC terrorist attack spurred another of R.E.A.L.’s many campaigns for human rights, as we determined to defy such white supremacists inspired by such terrorism in our nation’s capital. As we have challenged more and more of the 21st century white supremacists, one thing is clear, they know that they are not welcome in Christianity. In the hundreds of battles that I have personally had with such white supremacists, it is very clear when we speak to them about their faith, most of them cannot accept the practice of Christianity with the hate of their extremist ideology.

Our God is marching on.

R.E.A.L. faced many threats from white supremacists as a result. I personally received many death threats. My family was affected (in ways I won’t discuss) by white supremacist attacks. As Americans and as Christians, we soldiered on. We defied white supremacist praise of terrorist attacks and calls for additional terrorism. We worked with the authorities to stop threats from materializing. We held protests in multiple states to challenge white supremacist groups. The white supremacists were not finished with me. They sought to slander me. They sought ruin me. They sought to attack me financially. They sought to bring legal action to stop me. But despite everything they tried, R.E.A.L. was not defeated.

R.E.A.L. carried on, on our own, without the help of any national group, because it was and is the RIGHT thing to do. We have challenged white supremacists for over 7 years now and we continue to do so today. We face contempt, we face hatred, we face mockery, and we continue to receive attacks. This website where you are reading this right now today has been a target of such attacks many, many times, including recently.

But we will soldier on. It is the right thing to do. It is the American thing to do. It is the Christian thing to do. Our struggle against the forces of white supremacy has not only been a cause for human rights, it is also a cause for Americans to help fulfill the mission of that great Christian leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to liberate all American Christian practices from such ideologies of hatred in every city, in every town, in every hamlet, and in every heart in America.

To the question “Christians, since you haven’t been able to get rid of these terrorists, how do expect Muslims to get rid of ISIS?,” the answer is by fighting against such evil every day of our lives. Yes, it is our job. Yes, it is our sacred RESPONSIBILITY. The answer is with ourselves.

How can we stop the forces of extremism and evil? By deciding that, we are obligated and responsible to defy their ideology and actions which would harm our fellow human beings.

We have difficult days ahead. But we have faced difficult days before, we have faced heartbreak before, we have had our martyrs before. We did not extinguish our watch-fires, and the light of the truth did not blow out. The gale winds and forces of evil have tried their hardest, but the light of truth remains burning bright. In that light, we must find the courage of acting in faith to stop the supremacist views of those who believe they are entitled to superior rights than others, they are entitled to acts of hate against others, and that they are entitled to violence against others, who they view as inferior human beings. To anyone of faith, God did not make inferior human beings. If we don’t know where to start, let us start right there.

People of all faiths must reject those supremacist views that diminish and degrade our fellow human beings, who are different, as somehow inferior. We can never fight for justice without fighting for freedom. We can never achieve liberty for any group, without respecting equality for all groups. We must accept our responsibility to struggle for such equality and liberty, not just for those like us, but most importantly for those who are different than us. We show the courage of our convictions by consistency in this struggle.

We are all God’s people. We all deserve the opportunity to share in God’s promises. We cannot achieve this by expecting someone else to lead the way. We are the pathfinders to dignity, we are guides for hope, we are the beacons for justice. We have already have the map to righteousness; it is imprinted on our hearts and our souls. We only need to open ourselves to the truth and lead the way.

You will see, the watch-fires are waiting in camps of those fighting the same struggle around the world. You just need to decide to JOIN the battle with your whole heart, and never look back.

New York: Anti-Muslim KKK Terrorist Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison – FBI

Ku Klux Klan (KKK) terrorist plotter Eric J. Feight was sentenced to 8 years in prison on December 16, 2015, for providing material support to terrorists in a Ku Klux Klan plot to kill Muslim-Americans in the Albany, New York area. The anti-Muslim terrorist Eric J. Feight sought to modify an industrial-grade radiation device intended to be used to kill Muslims in the Albany area. He assisted KKK terrorist Glendon Scott Crawford by designing and building a remote initiation unit to allow the radiation device to be activated from a distance.

The terrorist was arrested in June 19, 2013. As the Albany Times Union reported at the time: “they never actually obtained a radiation source and the device was not fully constructed, officials said.”

As previously reported by R.E.A.L., Eric J. Feight’s co-conspirator, KKK terrorist Glendon Scott Crawford was convicted in August 2015. His co-conspirator faces prison sentencing of 25 years to life, and also plotted an attack on the New York Governor’s Mansion, as previously reported.

The FBI reported on the sentencing of Ku Klux Klan terrorist plotter Eric J. Feight:

WASHINGTON—Eric J. Feight, 55, of Hudson, New York, was sentenced today to serve 97 months in prison for providing material support to terrorists.

The sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian of the Northern District of New York and Special Agent in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Albany, New York, Division.

Feight pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2014, and admitted to helping Glendon Scott Crawford modify an industrial-grade radiation device intended to be used to kill Muslims in the Albany area. Feight also admitted he assisted Crawford by designing and building a remote initiation unit to allow the radiation device to be activated from a distance. Both men were arrested following an extensive federal investigation. Crawford, a self-proclaimed Ku Klux Klan (KKK) member, sought financial support for his plot from the KKK, and he and Feight later met with individuals they believed to be KKK financiers to advance their scheme to kill innocent Americans. Those individuals were actually FBI agents posing as businessmen connected to the KKK who were willing to support the scheme.

“Eric Feight aided Glendon Scott Crawford in altering a dispersal device to target unsuspecting Muslim Americans with lethal doses of radiation,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “Feight and Crawford’s abominable plot to harm innocent Americans was thwarted thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement. The National Security Division’s highest priority continues to be combatting terrorism, and we remain ready to identify, disrupt and prevent terrorist threats, both domestically and internationally.”

“The sentence today highlights both the dangers we face when hatred and bigotry beget domestic terrorism and violent extremism, and our commitment to holding those who commit such crimes accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Hartunian. “No American—of any background—should have to live in fear of this kind of attack. This case illustrates the importance of vigilance by community members and an immediate, comprehensive investigation by our Albany FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, which thwarted the diabolical plan Feight supported. We must continue to counter messages of hate by empowering communities and emphasizing the inclusion on which our nation was founded—with local, state and federal law enforcement ready to stop any who refuse to heed that call.”

“Today’s sentencing is the result of the incredible efforts of our Joint Terrorism Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Special Agent in Charge Vale. “While we enjoy today’s success, it is important that we continue to gain the strongest possible understanding to allow us to better assess the terrorism threat and identify those who would go beyond hateful rhetoric and extremist views to commit violent, criminal acts.”

This case was investigated by the Albany FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen C. Green and Richard Belliss of the Northern District of New York, and Trial Attorney Joseph Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands in support of our universal human rights for all, and we stand in defiance against those, including terrorist and hate groups, which seek to attack such universal human rights, dignity, and security for all.

We cannot support human rights, if we also do not reject those who seek to rob our brothers and sisters in humanity of their lives and security, which are also our universal human rights.

Minnesota Men Arrested in Link with Minneapolis Terrorist Attack

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that police identified individuals arrested in connection with the terrorist attack on the Minneapolis protesters as:

• Nathan Gustavsson, 21, from Hermantown, MN (aka “ArcticFox”)
• Allen Lawrence “Lance” Scarsella, 23, from Lakeville, MN, lives in St. Paul, MN (aka “Black Powder Ranger”)
• Daniel Thomas Macey, 26, from Pine City, MN
• Joseph Martin Backman, 27, of Minneapolis

The announcement of the fourth arrest of Joseph Martin Backman came on Wednesday afternoon. He has also been charged with assault. FOX 9 news reports that “Police are working in conjunction with the FBI and are not seeking any more suspects.”

Allen Lawrence "Lance" Scarsella (LEFT) and Nathan Gustavsson (RIGHT) arrested in connection with Minneapolis Terrorist Attack (Source: Raw Story, Facebook) — Allen Lawrence “Lance” Scarsella (LEFT) and Nathan Gustavsson (RIGHT) arrested in connection with Minneapolis Terrorist Attack (Source: Raw Story, Facebook)

They remain jailed on probable cause for assault. The current schedule for filing charges against them is on Monday, November 30 at 12 noon.

Raw Story reports that “[a]uthorities arrested 23-year-old Allen ‘Lance’ Scarsella following a brief SWAT standoff Tuesday afternoon in Bloomington (as shown in this video), and two other suspects, 21-year-old Nathan Gustavsson and 26-year-old Daniel Macey, later turned themselves in.” Raw Story also provides the initial distribution of the photographs of Allen Lawrence “Lance” Scarsella and Nathan Gustavsson.

FOX 9 News also reports that “[w]hen raiding Scarsella’s residence, investigators looked for photos, phones, recording devices, weapons as well as “evidence of hate crimes or white supremacy paraphernalia.” Allen Lawrence “Lance” Scarsella was also apparently a classmate with a Mankato police officer, Officer Levin, who Scarsella confessed his involvement in the terrorist attack.

SWAT Team Arrest of Lance Scarsella (Source: YouTube)

Raw Story reports Nathan”Gustavsson’s Facebook profile picture shows him wearing a Belgian army jacket and holding a rifle, and Macey’s Facebook page has not been verified. The Duluth News Tribune reports that Gustavsson has a criminal record.

But Allen ‘Lance’ Scarsella’s Facebook photo shows a mole above his eyebrow that suggests he is the passenger who calls himself Black Powder Ranger in the video. Scarella’s cover photo shows ‘Bonnie Blue’ Confederate flag, captioned, ‘This isn’t the somalian flag, (by the way).’ He lists among his ‘like’ several gun shops and pro-gun groups associated with the III Percent militia movement, as well as the OAF Nation military veterans militia group.”

Based on our research, it appears that Daniel Macey, of Pine City, MN, attends Pine Technical and Community College. If we confirm this, we have additional information.

A number of the members appeared to have met on the 4chan board on the /k/ board, which is the “weapons” discussion group.

Hennepin County records show that Allen ‘Lance’ Scarsella (Booking Number 2015030565) is currently being held without bail at Hennepin County jail on an assault charge.

Hennepin County records show that Nathan Wayne Gustavsson (Booking Number 2015030563) is currently being held without bail at Hennepin County jail on an assault charge.

Hennepin County records show that Daniel Thomas Macey (Booking Number 2015030564) is currently being held without bail at Hennepin County jail on an assault charge.

Hennepin County records show that Joseph Martin Backman (Booking Number 2015030569) is currently being held without bail at Hennepin County jail on an assault charge.

Lance Scarsella and Bonny-Blue Confederate Flag (Source: Facebook)

As has been posted in a Twitter video, Nathan Gustavsson is seen shooting an automatic weapon in a video.

Nathan Gustavsson-Shooting an Automatic Weapon (Source: Twitter Video Screenshot)

It appears a fourth man, also in the earlier videos reported, was released because of an alibi for his whereabouts at the time of the November 23, 2015 shooting.

In addition to the apparent support by arrested Allen Lawrence “Lance” Scarsella for racist Confederate symbols, the men have a strong association with U.S. military individuals, including individuals in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, as well as officers in the U.S. Army and in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his arrest, Mr. Scarsella’s U.S. military friends have not “unfriended” him on Facebook.

Nathan Gustavsson’s friends and associates also have a heavy involvement in the U.S. Military, gun enthusiasts posing for photographs with their guns, gun shops, as well as supporters of the Tea Party Patriots group.

It should be DEEPLY TROUBLING to Americans to see individuals associated with the military (see also the Star-Tribune report on released individual bearing similarity to “SaigaMarine” terror suspect) with GUNS to terrorize African-Americans.

R.E.A.L. passionately urges all those in the U.S. Military with connections to the men arrested for shooting African-Americans during their legal protest for public rights, to renounce such “friendships” as being unworthy of those who swore to defend the Constitution of the United States of America — as we have seen consistently from our U.S. Military.

Our Men and Women Who Fight for Freedom Stand For Freedom of Speech - August 14 (Source: Loaves of Bread) — Our Men and Women Who Fight for Freedom Stand For Freedom of Speech – August 14 (Source: Loaves of Bread)

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As always, any individuals not convicted, but charged with crimes are always to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

Minneapolis: Home of the Brave

Minneapolis: Reminding the United States of America – How to Respond to a Terrorist Attack