Category: Violence Against Houses of Worship

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.

 

Florida – Terrorist Planned Bombing of Jewish Synagogue to Promote ISIS Cause

On May 2, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice reported on the arrest of James Gonzalo Medina, 40, of Hollywood, Florida, who was charged by criminal complaint with knowingly attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against a person or property within the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2332a(a)(2). If convicted, Medina faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. James Gonzalo Medina was arrested Friday night as he walked toward the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center synagogue in Hollywood, Florida, with what he thought was an explosive device in his hand, prosecutors said. The accused terrorist was part of an FBI sting operation with a “fake” bomb.

The accused terrorist was inspired by the ISIS terrorist movement, and sought to further the terrorist movement’s cause by his planned terrorist attack to inspire Muslims to commit other attacks. His goal was to have the television news media broadcast a story of an attack associated with “ISIS in America.” This once again demonstrates the de-centralized appeal of the ISIS terrorist movement, and its inspiration to individual radicalized extremists.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported that “[t]he arrest was the culmination of an undercover operation during which Medina was closely monitored by the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The explosive device that he allegedly sought and attempted to use had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement and posed no threat to the public.”

James-Gonzalo-Medina

In the Criminal Complaint Case Number 16-MJ-02562-WCT filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, David Clancy, Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provided an affidavit regarding James Gonzalo Medina’s terrorist intentions in attacking the Florida Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center synagogue. The criminal complaint clarifies the intentions of the accused terrorist, who sought to attack the synagogue because he believed he would kill numerous Jewish worshipers during a Jewish holiday period.

James Gonzalo Medina also sought to affiliate the terrorist act with the ISIS terrorist movement, to show his solidarity with the extremist cause. He indicated that he sought to use this ISIS-inspired terrorist attack to “go nationwide and inspire other Muslims to attack as well.” The accused terrorist felt that such a bombing of a Jewish synagogue in America “would give hope and light to other Muslims in America.” The accused terrorist felt that the terrorist bombing would inspire other terrorist attacks in Washington, DC, California, and other places around the world. According to the affidavit, he stated: “I wanna see it go worldwide with now all the Muslims realizing you know, when it’s our time… Next thing you know it will be in California, Washington, and the brothers are saying you know, it’s our time now.”

In the FBI affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, James Gonzalo Medina stated that he wanted the bombing of the Jewish synagogue to “make it look like it is ISIS in America.” The affidavit states that: “MEDINA felt the news of this attack conducted in this manner would go nationwide and inspire other Muslims to attack as well.” The FBI affidavit also describes meetings of an FBI Confidential Human Source (CHS) with two of accused terrorist James Gonzalo Medina’s associates “TI” and “BH,” which jointly sought to “stake out” the synagogue in planning for a terrorist bombing attack on it. The FBI Confidential Human Source (CHS) tried to discourage them “MEDINA is suicidal, he’s not a Muslim,” but the terrorist’s associates insisted on pursuing the plot to bomb the Florida Jewish synagogue.

The FBI affidavit reports that originally the accused terrorist James Gonzalo Medina planned to attack the Florida Jewish synagogue worshipers using an automatic rifle. The affidavit states: “Given that one of [accused terrorist] MEDINA’s associates had informed the CHS [Confidential Human Source] that MEDINA was planning to martyr himself in a firearms attack on the synagogue, the CHS sought to gather further details of the operation. MEDINA confirmed his desire to conduct the attack using AK-47 assault rifles.”

Furthermore, the FBI affidavit describes the ideological basis for the extremists’ terrorist plot. The affidavit states: “The CHS [Confidential Human Source] initially met with [accused terrorist] MEDINA alone. Over lunch, MEDINA described his conversion to Islam which occurred approximately four years ago. MEDINA explained some of his religious philosophies that form the basis for his current hatred for Jewish people made reference to a conversation he/she had with [terrorist associate] TI regarding a synagogue in Aventura.” MEDINA explained that if he would conduct an attack he would want to do it at a synagogue because Jewish people are the ones causing the world’s wars and conflicts. The CHS disclosed that TI had explained that MEDINA desire to become a martyr in the attack but the CHS offered the alternative of the CHS assisting to facilitate MEDINA’S escape. MEDINA further explained that attacking one synagogue would give hope and light to other Muslims in America.”

The FBI affidavit also stated “When the CHS explained that there was a Jewish holiday in a few weeks, MEDINA responded by saying that it would be a good time to bomb them. When the CHS questioned how realistic it was for him to be able to undertake an attack MEDINA explained that ‘this is how we were talking, cause you know TI has those AK-47s and that was our mission to use that at the synagogue, on using his weapons.’ The CHS explained to MEDINA how TI’s weapons could be traced and told him he had a contact who could get them untraceable weapons. MEDINA further explained that the ‘plot that he and BH had discussed allowed them to ‘strike back to the Jews, by going to a synagogue and just spraying everybody…’cause we’re Muslims you know what I mean? It’s a war man and it’s like it’s time to strike back here in America.’ MEDINA then stated that he wanted to go inside to kill people while the others shot people as they were fleeing the scene.”

The FBI affidavit further states: “On April 13, 2016, the CHS again met with MEDINA. The two traveled to a fast food restaurant and then to a local park to eat their food. MEDINA spent the majority of the meeting describing the ‘movies’ he creates using the Internet. While discussing when the attack should occur, MEDINA stated, ‘I’m ready whenever you’re ready. . .I’m down for this. This is, I’ve already got all my life already set.’ The conversation then turned toward the details of the attack, and the CHS addressed the concerns of entering the synagogue with firearms and then getting shot and instead proposed leaving an unspecified object behind and leaving the scene. MEDINA then replied, ‘[L]ike drop a bomb and just leave it and then it pop, just pop that b*tch and we out.’ The CHS talked about a timer for the bomb and MEDINA liked the idea and described nearby locations from where the bomb could be detonated, stating ‘[a]nd then we inside the Mall and sh*t and just pop it from like.. .see like, see that like, them red lights over there? Them three lights over there, like way out there?” This was a reference to the local shopping mall and reference to the stoplights down the road. The CHS then described how a cellular telephone could serve to detonate the bomb, and asked MEDINA whether he would like that. MEDINA laughingly responded, ‘I would, I think that would be interesting.’ ”

The FBI affidavit also stated: “After some unrelated conversation, MEDINA reintroduced the idea of the attack. He asked the CHS if he ‘felt’ what he was saying. MEDINA continued, ‘Because right now man, I’m up for it. I really am. I wanna get away with it. But I wanna, I wanna see it make the news and everybody.’ MEDINA then commented that the news coverage could galvanize Muslims to worldwide action: ‘I wanna see it go worldwide with now all the Muslims realizing you know, when it’s our time… Next thing you know it will be in California, Washington, and the brothers are saying you know, it’s our time now.’ MEDINA then discussed placing the bomb in the parking lot of the synagogue, and added, ‘[W]e can just lay one out there and then bomb it later… I’d like to put it like, as close ms possible, to the door.’ MEDINA also expressed a concern for concealing his lacks and proposed ‘to run in and out real quick like if you just park the car, I’m gonna just go in there real quick.’ The CHS and MEDINA then discussed a proposal from the CHS to hide the bomb under a large jacket and then leave the bomb in one of the synagogue’s bathroom. Regardless of these operational details, MEDINA expressed his desire to cause harm: ‘I mean though, whatever, whatever it is, it’s just gonna go off. I wanna see damage happen to their ass. l wanna see something man.’ The CHS and MEDINA then concluded the meeting by agreeing to meet on Saturday, April 16, 2016. The CHS offered to call the purported explosives associate and MEDINA agreed, stating ‘Let’s see if we can set up some kind detonate man.'”

Other parts of the FBI’s affidavit further described the desire of the accused terrorist James Gonzalo Medina to murder others, his hatred for Jewish people, and his desire to inspire Muslims to commit terrorist acts.

The affidavit states: “MEDINA envisioned a terrorist operation that would inflict maximum casualties, commenting ‘Cause, uh, I’m sure this is gonna be hammered. All these people gonna die.'”

The affidavit states: “On April 20, 2016, the CHS and an FBI employee operating in an undercover capacity (‘UCE’) met with MEDINA in the UCE’S vehicle. The UCE was posing as the acquaintance of the CHS who was an associate with explosives expertise and access. While driving to get something to eat MEDINA told a story about a Jewish woman he had met earlier who had given him a ride. A discussion had ensued regarding her fear of Muslims once she realized MEDINA was a Muslim and her thoughts that MEDINA might kill her. Thereafter, MEDINA remarked to the UCE and the CHS that he had told her, ‘[Y]ou know, we’re, we’re just getting bombed for no reason, and it was time to get out. But it made me just think more that, you know, it just, when she said that you will kill me, I’m thinking yeah man, I want to. You know what I mean? I really do…'”

The affidavit states: “Later, while in the car with the UCE, MEDINA reaffirmed his desire to commit the synagogue attack. The UCE sought to test MEDINA’s interest in the bombing and cautioned him that he did not have to go through with it. The UCE asked, ‘Why do you wanna do this?’ MEDINA responded, ‘Because I realize that I have a lot of love for Allah. And I know that all these, all these wars that are going on, it hurts me, too. You know? It’s my call of duty. I gotta get back, when I’m doing this, I feel that l’m doing it for a good cause for Allah.'”

The affidavit stated: “MEDINA’s comments prompted the UCE to ask another question about his motivation, ‘What message are you sending?’ The UCE wanted to know more about MEDINA’s purpose in attacking the synagogue, including what claim of responsibility would be made. . MEDINA answered that ‘I’m gonna call that it’s ISIS in America.’ ”

The affidavit stated: “After MEDINA described the attack plan, the UCE for a fourth time sought to question him about his resolve, ‘You’re sure this is something you want to do man?’ MEDINA responded, ‘I feel like it’s my calling.’ The UCE pressed MEDINA further, ‘Well I don’t want you to be crazy. You’re gonna have to go into this with both eyes open. You understand what I’m saying?’ MEDINA responded that it is Allah’s will and that he’s not crazy and reckless to the point where he would get the UCE arrested: ‘No I’m not like that.’ The UCE cautioned MEDINA one more time that once you do this. there’s no going back.” MEDINA reiterated his plan to personally deposit the bomb, and after it detonated, enjoy watching the news coverage of the attack: ‘That we, they, whatever they’re sayin’, that they’re being bombed and all of that. . . and knowing that it was from us. And just getting’ a joy that I’m doing this you know, I did it. It worked out. And whatever happens. it’s for the glory of Allah.’ MEDINA further explained his hope to credit ‘ISIS’ for the attack: ‘I do wanna like leave a notice that ISIS is like you know, here. If there’s somehow we can just like leave a printer or something or something that’s saying that, so at least they, they can show it on Television look they’re leaving this that ISIS is here. You know?”

The affidavit stated: “After another lengthy explanation of the attack plan. in which MEDINA would exit the car and place the bomb near the synagogue door, the UCE once again explained the seriousness of what MEDINA was planning: ‘Now you know there’s gonna be women and kids and everything else in that place.’ MEDINA at first seemed to interpret the UCE’s comments as a risk to himself: ‘And that’s the thing I gotta play it right where we’re not gonna be you know, being seen. it’s just a drop off.’ But the UCE further pressed MEDINA on his willingness to kill innocent people: ‘No, I understand that but when you put a bomb in a place like this, are you okay, you’ve made peace with Allah that you’re fine with killing women and children and everything else.’ The following exchange then took place:”

“JM : I think so. I think I’m fine. Um hmmm
UCE: You need to be sure brother.
JM : I am pretty sure. I think so. I believe so. I’m ready bro!
UCE: Ok. Cause you know you don’t have to do any of this.
JM: What do you mean doing it?
UCE: No, you don’t have to do it if you’re not comfortable with it.
JM : What? I’m ready.
UCE: It’s Allah’s will but you know …
JM : I’m up for it. I really am. This is no joke. I’m serious dog. If I have the equipment, believe me, in the time is, is that day and we doin’ it, I’m up for it bro. Just like I said. I mean, if I go inside and drop it off, that’s gon, that’s gonna be risky. You know .
UCE: Yeah, yeah.
JM : I think it’s better that I just, we just pull up to the car, put it like on the side, in the un, under, in the front and then just get back in an leave. And that’s it. That car’s gonna blow up. And that’s gonna blow the one beside it and one and everybody inside, it’s gonna cause chaos.”

The affidavit stated: “On April 21, 2016, MEDINA, the UCE, and the CHS again met and MEDINA provided the UCE with a laptop-style computer bag to conceal the device and offered his cellular telephone for use in the device to trigger the detonation. The group discussed many of the same topics from the prior meeting to include whether MEDINA was comfortable with killing innocent women and children. MEDINA did not waiver and stated that he was ready. When asked to re-sketch the target location, MEDINA did so during the meeting, highlighting important mission-critical items, such as camera locations, entry and exit points, parking lots, and access roads. MEDINA provided the UCE with a leaflet he had created for copying that contained a photo of the ‘ISIS’ flag and the words ‘ISIS in America.’ Ultimately, MEDINA and the UCE decided that the attack would take place on Friday, April 29, 2016.”

The affidavit stated: “Prior to his meeting with the UCE, MEDINA made three videos on the CHS’ cellular telephone. In one, he stated: ‘I am a Muslim and I don’t like what is going on in this world. I’m going to handle business here in America. Aventure watch your back. ISIS is in the house.’ In another, he stated: ‘Today is gonna be a day where Muslims attack America. I’m going to set a bomb in Aventura.’ In the third, he said his goodbyes to his family.”

The accused terrorist, James Gonzalo Medina, was arrested by federal authorities on April 29, 2016.  No one was injured.

Regarding the associates of the accused terrorist, the affidavit stated: “After the arrest of MEDINA, BH and TI were approached by agents. They each were cooperative and agreed to be interviewed. Each stated that they had heard MEDINA discuss his plans to conduct an attack. However, neither BH nor TI intended to participate with MEDINA.”

The following link provides an Adobe PDF file of the affidavit for  Criminal Complaint Case Number 16-MJ-02562-WCT .

 

 

Responsible for Equality And Liberty  (R.E.A.L.) reject all extremist violence and acts of terrorism as an attack on our shared Universal Human Rights for all people in every part of the world.

 

Ajaccio: Violence Against Firefighters and Mob Attack on Mosque

On the Corsican island of Ajaccio, a group of hooded thugs attacked a group of French firefighters in an ambush on Christmas Day, December 25.  As AP reported, “The violence began Thursday night, when firefighters responding to an emergency call were ambushed in Ajaccio, according to the local France 3 television. ”

After the attack on firefighters, Ajaccio community members turned out to protest in support of the injured emergency officers who had been ambushed.  However, the extremists among the protest turned the protest into mob of violence, and some in the crowd then went on to attack a local mosque including vandalizing an Islamic prayer room.  France 3 reported police reinforcements at other prayer rooms for their protection.  France’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, condemned those responsible for hurting police and firefighters in Ajaccio. He said investigators would also look into the vandalism of the prayer room, which he said included attempts to burn Qurans and prayer books.

The Daily Telegraph reported that “They shouted slogans in Corsican meaning ‘Arabs get out!’ or ‘This is our home!’, an AFP correspondent reported. Nearby was the Muslim prayer room and a small group smashed the glass door and entered the place of worship, ransacking the room and partially burning books including copies of the Koran, said regional official Francois Lalanne.
‘Fifty prayer books were thrown out on the street,’ said Mr Lalanne, adding that some of the pages were burnt.  The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) and its monitor of Islamophobia denounced the violence and pointed to the timing of the attack on Friday ‘on a day of prayer for both Muslims and Christians.’ ”

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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.

Terrorist Fire Bomb Attack on Islamic Society of Coachella Valley Mosque

The FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Department is investigating an arson attack, believed to be a terrorist fire bomb, which was set off on Friday December 11, 2015 at noon local time at the Islamic Society of Coachella Valley mosque, in California. The fire bomb damaged the front of the mosque’s lobby. No one was injured.

On December 12, 2015, KESQ News reported on that “Riverside County Sheriff’s Department says a person of interest” was being held in association with the attack on the mosque. The sheriff’s department called the fire bomb an intentional act, and was being investigated as a hate crime.

KESQ News reported: “Riverside County Jail Records show 23-year-old Carl James Dial Jr., was booked into the Indio jail at 1.46 a.m for several felony charges including arson and a hate crime. Dial is listed as a white male, from Palm Desert.”

On December 12, the New York Times reported: “Congregants at the Islamic Society of Coachella Valley had started arriving for 1 p.m. prayers when they heard a ‘loud boom’ shortly after noon, Reymundo Nour, the mosque’s acting imam, said. Soon, the front of the mosque erupted into flames. More than a dozen firefighters arrived within minutes and contained the fire to the lobby, although there was smoke damage throughout the building, officials said. No one was injured.”  Details are limited on this incident. Other reports suggested there was a significant number of Yemeni-American worshipers going to the mosque.

Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz released the following statements:

After the attack: “I am deeply concerned about the Islamic Society of the Coachella Valley Mosque going up in flames. I call for a thorough investigation to this arson as a possible hate crime and to bring the perpetrators to justice. I will continue to closely monitor the fire, the possible criminal investigation, and the safety of the members of the mosque. Our faith in humanity will not be intimidated and we stand together against any form violence towards the innocent.”

During the investigation: “One suspect is in custody. The investigation is ongoing. I have been on the phone with federal and local law enforcement agencies and faith leaders to ensure peace and security for the innocent. I’m very thankful for the rapid and professional manner the ATF, FBI, Sherrif’s Department, and Cal Fire have responded and investigated the arson attack as a possible hate crime.”

California-Mosque-Attack-1211

AP reported that: “John Dial told NBC News he saw his son carrying a backpack on Friday and he assumed he was going to class at a local college. He said his son struggled socially. ‘He was caught up in social media. Social media has produced people like my son, without person-to-person contact,’ the father said. ‘I believe he was lacking in social skills.’ ”

Another relative of the man arrested for the terrorist attack stated on Facebook: “I am not trying to defend him…I know his actions were reprehensible .But he, in no way, ever mentioned or even gave off the impression that he would do something like this. He was disturbed and depressed. There are no words to describe how sorry we are that this happened.”  “He is ill. He needs help. And I’m not saying this because “hes white”. Im saying this because I’ve seen it. He desperately needs mental help.”

As R.E.A.L. stated when we first heard of this attack, “Terrorist hate is ALWAYS wrong.”

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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.

Nigeria – Multiple Terrorist Attacks in Maiduguri, including Bombing of Mosque During Prayers

In Maiduguri, Nigeria, multiple terrorist attacks have taken place on the evening of October 15, and the morning of Friday, October 16, 2015. Dozens have been killed, and the death toll is still being determined, as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) seeks to protect the lives of the Nigerian public in the northeast Nigerian Borno state region, where the attacks have taken place. The area is frequently a target of the ISIS-affiliated Boko Haram terrorist organization.

NEMA is reporting that within the past 24 hours: 5 bombs, 39 dead, and 49 injured.

On Thursday evening, multiple terrorists attacked a Maiduguri area mosque in Molai, with suicide bombs, murdering dozens of worshipers. The attacks were the result of two terrorist suicide bombers. The Nigerian Daily Times reported that: “The bombings happened during prayer time.”

The first terrorist reportedly exploded a bomb when entering the Maiduguri mosque, and the second terrorist set off another bomb, when people came to help the first victims on the scene. Police said the mosque collapsed after the explosions, injuring many more people.

News media reports range from 32 to 42 deaths in the terrorist attack on the mosque. AFP reports that a witness near the site of the blasts stated, “all of the people in the mosque died. Not a single one escaped.” Other reports indicate that many were injured in the terrorist attack on the mosque.

On Friday morning, additional terrorist attacks were made by three women as suicide bombers in the village of Umarar, also in the Maiduguri area.

In addition, seven people were killed in a separate bombing on Wednesday in Maiduguri. An emergency official told the BBC that they believe the suicide bombers could be between 11 and 15 years old.

The Nigerian Daily Times reports that the “city is often targeted” by Boko Harm “but no group has claimed responsibility for these recent attacks.”

Terrorist and extremist violence which seeks to deny our universal human rights, our human dignity, and religious freedom has no boundaries. It can strike anywhere against anyone of any faith. Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges people of all faiths to stand together united for our shared Universal Human Rights and defy those terrorists of every kind who would deny us the inherent freedom that we share together.

Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) urges the public to warn them if they see terrorist threats (Source: Twitter)
Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) urges the public to warn them if they see terrorist threats (Source: Twitter)

Thailand : Terrorist Bomb Attack Near Hindu Shrine

On August 17, 2015, a terrorist improvised explosive device (IED) bomb was used to attack an area in Bangkok, Thailand near the Erawan Shrine, a Hindu shrine.   The 3 kilogram bomb caused an  explosion near the Rajprasong intersection.  Bangkok Post has reported the “scale of the explosion set motorbikes and taxis ablaze inside the intersection and bowed the iron fence of the Hindu shrine outward. Casualties were immediate, with body parts scattered across the area, leaving broken glass and the smouldering wreckage of burned-out motorcycles behind. ”

The latest reports on the terrorist attack state that 20 were killed and 125 wounded, including foreign tourists, and a 5 year old Chinese boy.

Terrorist Attack in Bangkok - August 17, 2015 - near Hindu Shrine - CCTV at the moment bomb went off
Terrorist Attack in Bangkok – August 17, 2015 – near Hindu Shrine – CCTV at the moment bomb went off

Bangkok Post reported: “Police said the IED that exploded inside the shrine area was composed of three kilogrammes of TNT stuffed in a pipe and wrapped with white cloth. Its destructive radius was estimated at 100 metres. Its destructive radius was estimated at 100 metres. Authorities quickly recovered an electronic circuit suspected to be part of the device about 30 metres from the blast scene.”  National police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang told the Bangkok Post that he “condemned the bombing and said it was apparently intended to kill people and damage property because it was set to detonate when the shrine was crowded.”

Update: On August 18, 2015, the Thailand police released a photograph of a man that they have identified as the person who placed the terrorist bomb.  The suspect was dressed like a tourist, wearing yellow T-shirt, shorts and sandals.  In the CCTV footage, he is shown taking off his backpack and leaving it underneath a bench at busy area. Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt Gen Prawuth Thawornsiri said: “The yellow shirt guy is not just the suspect. He is the bomber.”  Reports indicate these terrorist attacks are not consistent with those in the Thailand south, which lasted over a decade and left 5,000 dead.   In addition, Sky News reports that “As police hunted the attackers Bangkok had a new bomb scare as a man threw a small explosive device from a bridge on the city’s Chao Phraya river, but it landed in a canal and no-one was hurt.”

Person identified by Thailand police as behind the Bangkok terrorist bombing of August 17, 2015
Person identified by Thailand police as behind the Bangkok terrorist bombing of August 17, 2015
Terrorist Attack in Bangkok - August 17, 2015 - near Hindu Shrine
Terrorist Attack in Bangkok – August 17, 2015 – near Hindu Shrine

The Bangkok Post reported that the “Ratchaprasong intersection where the bombing occurred has been the site of massive political protests in the past decade and a target for bombers. Two bombs on the Ratchaprasong Skywalk outside the nearby Siam Paragon shopping mall in February injured two people and are believed to have been politically motivated. A car bomb exploded in the parking garage a Central Festival Koh Samui in April.”

Terrorist Attack in Bangkok - August 17, 2015 - near Hindu Shrine
Terrorist Attack in Bangkok – August 17, 2015 – near Hindu Shrine

The Bangkok Post also reported “Bangkok police detectives said ball bearings possibly packed with the explosive as shrapnel were found in the explosion area. They were six millimetres in diameter, the same size as those found at the scene of the botched bomb explosion set off by Iranian suspects on Sukhumvit 71, Bangkok, in February 2012.”

The United Nations issued a statement: “Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all of us at the United Nations were shocked to learn of the explosion in Bangkok today close to the Erawan shrine in Rajaprasong. The Secretary-General and the entire United Nations Country Team in Thailand as well as all United Nations personnel join together to expresses our condolences to the bereaved families and to the people and Government of the Kingdom of Thailand. We wish those injured a quick recovery. The United Nations is appalled at the loss of life of innocent civilians and hope that those responsible will be brought to justice. The United Nations in Thailand stands strongly with the Thai people during this difficult time.”

Terrorist Attack in Bangkok - August 17, 2015 - near Hindu Shrine
Terrorist Attack in Bangkok – August 17, 2015 – near Hindu Shrine

CNN reports that the “shrine houses a golden statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.”  “Thousands of worshipers visit the site each day, praying for everything from to good health to sporting results. They light incense sticks and wai (bow slightly with palms pressed together) to each of the four faces of the statue. For extra luck, worshipers pay respect and money to the shrine’s Thai dancers.”

Hindu-Shrine-before-attack
Hindu Shrine before attack

Terrorist and extremist violence which seeks to deny our universal human rights, our human dignity, and religious freedom has no boundaries. It can strike anywhere against anyone of any faith. Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges people of all faiths, all races, all ethnic backgrounds, all nationalities, all genders, and all identity groups to stand together united for our shared Universal Human Rights and defy those terrorists of every kind who would deny us the inherent freedom that we share together.

Saudi Arabia: ISIS Terrorist Bomb Attack on Mosque During Prayers

The ISIS terrorist organization attacked a Saudi Arabia mosque on August 6, 2015, killing 13 and wounding 22, during Muslim noon (Al-Dhuhr) prayer, the city of Abha, the provincial capital of Asir.  The ISIS terror group Hijaz Province of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack.  Ten of the 13 killed were emergency force members; the rest were others who worked at the site, according to Saudi state media. Saudi state media also reported that the mosque belongs to an Interior Ministry emergency services post.

It has not been specified if this was a Sunni or Shiite mosque attacked.  Previous ISIS terror attacks have been on Shiite mosques in Saudi Arabia.

ISIS Terrorist Bombing on Saudi Mosque in Abha - August 6, 2015
ISIS Terrorist Bombing on Saudi Mosque in Abha – August 6, 2015

Counter-terrorist group monitoring of ISIS Twitter accounts came up  with information on the ISIS terror group’s claims, which issued a statement that its terrorist suicide bomber targeted a “monument of the apostate,” referring to the special forces’ compound in Abha. It described the kingdom’s ruling family as “tyrants” who have aligned themselves with “their Crusader masters,” or Western allies.  The ISIS terrorist group statement identified the suicide bomber as “Abu Sinan al-Najdi,” which indicates that he is from Najd, a region in Saudi Arabia.

Injured Victims of ISIS Terror Attack on Mosque - mir of Asir Prince Faisal Bin Khaled visits the injured at a hospital in Abha, Thursday (Source: SPA)
Injured Victims of ISIS Terror Attack on Mosque – Emir of Asir Prince Faisal Bin Khaled visits the injured at a hospital in Abha, Thursday (Source: SPA)

The Associated Press reported that “An allegedly new Islamic State affiliate in Saudi Arabia claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a mosque inside a police compound in the country’s southwest on Thursday that killed at least 15 people, most of them members and recruits of the kingdom’s special forces. It was the deadliest attack against Saudi security personnel in years and one that is likely to pull the kingdom deeper into the regional war with IS extremists. The blast took place in an Interior Ministry compound in the city of Abha, the provincial capital of Asir, which lies along the border with war-torn Yemen. The troops killed were members of an elite counter-terrorism force. The attack was stunning in its timing and target, coming just weeks after the Saudi Interior Ministry announced the arrest of more than 400 suspects in an anti-terrorism sweep. In April, they announced the arrest of more than 90 suspects.”

On May 22, a 20-year-old ISIS terrorist blew himself up at a Shiite mosque in Qatif, during Friday prayers, killing 21 people and wounding more than 100.  A week later, on May 29, another ISIS terrorist dressed as a woman detonated an explosives belt at another Shiite mosque, killing four people.

Terrorist and extremist violence which seeks to deny our universal human rights, our human dignity, and religious freedom has no boundaries. It can strike anywhere against anyone of any faith. Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) urges people of all faiths to stand together united for our shared Universal Human Rights and defy those terrorists of every kind who would deny us the inherent freedom that we share together.

China: Christian Churches Under Attack by Communists

In Chinese Communist Chinese Party (CCP)-controlled China, Christians are facing a new campaign of persecution involving the removal and destruction of Christian religious symbols of crosses in a “beautification” campaign by the CCP authorities. The Communist totalitarian authorities, having sought to remove all other human rights of the Chinese people, now seek to deny them the right of freedom of worship of their faith and their religious symbols.  On July 29, 2015, ChinaAid reported that the CCP tyrants demanded in July 2015 that Christians “Take down the crosses on top of your churches, or else,” and since then, the Communist tyrants have created construction gangs to remove and destroy Christian crosses across thousands of churches.

Chinese Christian Church in Shanghai - Christian Crosses are being from Churches
Chinese Christian Church in Shanghai – Christian Crosses are being removed from Churches

This latest attack on Chinese Christians is centered in the Chinese Zhejiang province, one of the last major areas of members of the Christian faith in China, with an estimated 300,000 Catholics and 1 million Protestants. The Christian churches in Zhejiang have both government sanctioned and underground “house” churches. Over the past 10 years, the CCP totalitarians have increased destroyed such “house” churches to prevent any Christian teachings not controlled by the Communists’ iron fist. ChinaAid, Responsible for Equality And Liberty, and other human rights activists have reported on the Communist destruction of such Christian churches.

Bulldozed Remains of a Catholic church in a village in Pingyang county of Wenzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. CCP tyrants have forcibly removed hundreds of rooftop crosses from Protestant and Catholic churches in the region. (Source: Didi Tang/AP)
Bulldozed Remains of a Catholic church in a village in Pingyang county of Wenzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. CCP tyrants have forcibly removed hundreds of rooftop crosses from Protestant and Catholic churches in the region. (Source: Didi Tang/AP)

The CCP have removed 1,200 crosses from churches since 2013, and this Communist initiative has accelerated in recent weeks. At one time, the Zhejiang area had red church crosses, but most of them have now been forcibly removed; this has included the total destruction of some churches. Maya Wang with Human Rights Watch has stated (as reported by Hong Kong Free Press) that many of the churches with crosses being removed were already “official churches” under the “sanction” of the CCP.  For”official” churches, the CCP puts Communist authorities in charge of Catholics and Protestants in “sanctioned” churches.  From 1958 to 1978, the CCP banned all Christian worship and Christians were all forced underground; since then they have allowed mostly state-sanctioned churches, but the Communist tyrants are now believing Christian symbols need to be removed from public view.

Chinese Christians Pray for Religious Freedom
Chinese Christians in Prayer

The Communist oppressors attack on Christians’ human rights claim that having church crosses are “illegal building practices,” not religious symbols. CCP attacks on Christian crosses have increased in the cities of Wenzhou, Hangzhou and Lishui.

Communists tear down a cross from a Protestant church in Hangzhou's Dingqiao township (Source: ChinaAid)
Communists tear down a cross from a Protestant church in Hangzhou’s Dingqiao township (Source: ChinaAid)

Radio Free Asia reports that Communist “demolition gangs have taken down crosses from the tops of churches in provincial capital Wenzhou, Taizhou, Huzhou and Jinhua cities in recent days, in a slew of demolitions billed in state media as a building safety campaign.”  ChinaAid has reported that Communist demolition teams have also been accompanied by SWAT police forces or private security.  Such Communist police authorities have disrupted protests by Christians, beating them away from the site where their construction crews sought to demolish the Christian cross.

Communist Tyrants Beat Christian Protesters Away from Demolition Team to Destroy Crosses
Communist Tyrants Beat Christian Protesters Away from Demolition Team to Destroy Crosses
Wenling City Church Cross Forcibly Removed by Communists (Source: Twitter)
Wenling City Church Cross Forcibly Removed by Communists (Source: Twitter)
A Christian church in Oubei, outside the city of Wenzhou that was demolished by Chinese authorities, April 30, 2014 (AFP)
A Christian church in Oubei, outside the city of Wenzhou that was demolished by Chinese authorities, April 30, 2014 (AFP)

In Lishui city, Communist gangs set fire to the Huzhen Church’s cross while it was being removed, telling the news media that “the cross began burning on its own.”

Huzhen Church’s Cross Removed by Communist Gangs - Set on Fire
Huzhen Church’s Cross Removed by Communist Gangs – Set on Fire

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that “In Wenzhou, a member of the Yuyangtaitou church in Wenzhou’s Pingyang county said their church’s cross had also been demolished by the authorities on Monday (July 27, 2015).  Video footage shot by congregants and seen by RFA showed government officials lowering the cross gradually to the ground using ropes, watched by a tearful congregation singing hymns.”

A crane winches a large red cross from one of three domes on the Guantou church in Wenzhou, China
A crane winches a large red cross from one of three domes on the Guantou church in Wenzhou, China

A similar video can be seen in Yahui Church in Pingyang County with Christian worshipers in tears singing a hymn while the cross is removed from their church by the Communist authorities.

Chinese Christians Sing Hymn as Communists Remove Cross from Yanhui Church (Source: YouTube)
Chinese Christians Sing Hymn as Communists Remove Cross from Yanhui Church (Source: ICC YouTube)

The Communist authorities have been disturbed by the growth of Christianity in CCP-controlled China. The Daily Telegraph reports estimates of 58 million Protestant Christians in China in 2010, growing to a protected 160 million by 2025 (a number greater than American Protestants in 2010), with an additional projected growth in Catholics in China to 247 million by 2030.

Growth of Christianity in China Disturbs Communist Tyrants (Source: Telegraph)
Growth of Christianity in China Disturbs Communist Tyrants (Source: Telegraph)

But the Chinese Christians have remained determined to preserve the symbols of their faith. Throughout the capital of Zheijang province, Christians in Wenzhous have made dozens of crosses to be distributed to other Christians, as the Communists tore down their church crosses.

Chinese Christians Make New Crosses, while the Communists Tear Down Existing Crosses
Chinese Christians Make New Crosses, while the Communists Tear Down Existing Crosses

Other Chinese Christians have used tactics of civil non-obedience to fend off Communist demolition crews to block or interfere with the removal of Christian cross symbols from their church, include disconnecting power to local cranes.

In Wenzhou, Communist Demolition Crews Thwarted by Christians at Guantou and Dongyang Churches
In Wenzhou, Communist Demolition Crews Thwarted by Christians at Guantou and Dongyang Churches

This has included Christians protesting the removal of crosses from their churches throughout Zhejiang province.  ChinaAid reports that “Last week, 20 Catholic priests, including 89-year-old Bishop Vincent Zhu Weifang, held a small protest in front of the Wenzhou government offices. Holding a sign that read ‘Maintaining religious dignity and opposing the forced removal of crosses.'”

Chinese Christians Organizing Protests against Communist Removal of Crosses from Churches (Source: Twitter)
Chinese Christians Organizing Protests against Communist Removal of Crosses from Churches (Source: Twitter)

During the efforts by the Communist cross demolition gang in Zhejiang province on July 29, 2015, 16 Christian pastors and believers were also arrested by the CCP police, according to Christian lawyer Pang Kun, 8 of which have not been released. Pang told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that the Christians were arrested for charges such as “running an illegal business,” “obstructing official duty,” when the Christians were opposed to the removal of crosses from the churches. Mr. Pang Kun stated “This is about the fact that they were opposed to the removal of the cross from their church, and this is a form of revenge against them. They want to send any church that doesn’t comply into disarray. This is an unreasonable act of revenge, which seriously violates the rights of these believers to freedom of religious belief. It is also against the law.”

In addition, according to reports by the RFA, there have been reports of 8 Protestant Christian pastors arrested in Wenzhou, as of July 29, 2015. After a church was removed from a local Wenzhou church, their pastor Zhang Chongyang was also taken away by the police. Another church in Zhejiang’s Cannon county reported their pastor, Liant Pu, was also taken in by the police.

Christian leaders in China have been calling for non-violent protests and non-violent civil disobedience in the face of this blatant attack on their fundamental universal human rights of freedom of religion by the CCP tyrants.    The Guardian also reports that: “Protestant preachers are encouraging their congregations to peacefully oppose the removals by placing homemade wooden crosses in their homes or on their cars.”

Chinese Christians Build New Crosses to Take with Them in Defiance of Communist Tyrants
Chinese Christians Build New Crosses to Take with Them in Defiance of Communist Tyrants

Chinese Christian leaders are also calling for President Barack Obama to address to oppression of Chinese Christians with CCP leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping, when he makes his first state visit to the United States in September 2015.

International Christian Concern has a petition calling for the Chinese CCP Ambassador in the United States of America to end the CCP’s cross demolition across China, and calls for supporters to sign this online petition.

The CCP Communist totalitarians are seeking to control references on social media about the removal of the Christian crosses, and punish those brave individuals which provide this information about the cross removal and destruction campaign.  RFA states that “Protestant believer Zheng Xianghuang said he had received a visit from Zhejiang state security police at his home the southwestern province of Sichuan after he posted a photo of a cross demolition on a social media site.”

People Respecting Our Shared Universal Human Rights Must Defend the Religious Freedom of Chinese Christians
People Respecting Our Shared Universal Human Rights Must Defend the Religious Freedom of Chinese Christians

When you read this story, know that there were Christians who sacrificed to get this information to the public and defend their human rights and freedom of religion.  To those who respect our shared Universal Human Rights, Responsible for Equality And Liberty urges that you share this story on social media to let the world know what is happening in CCP-controlled China.

The Communist Chinese authorities actions are in direct violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political (ICCPR), both of which China claims to have signed. The CCP government holds “human rights” meeting in China regularly, while it rejects such rights. It is the only major nation to have never actually ratify the ICCPR which it has “signed.”

Responsible for Equality And Liberty urges all those supporting our shared Universal Human Rights to sign the petition asking for President Obama to address this issue with  CCP leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping.  We urge you to also contact the CCP-controlled government and let them know that the people around the world defend our Universal Human Rights, not just for one group, one ethnicity, one race, or one religion – but for all people – everywhere, and that we are together – responsible for equality and liberty.

 

Nigeria – Boko Haram Terror Attack on Mosque, Church – Kill 44

In another terrorist attack on a mosque during Ramadan, the global terrorist organization Boko Haram attacked the Yantaya Mosque in Jos,Nigeria.  The terror attack on the mosque was committed while cleric Sani Yahaya of the Jama’atu Izalatul Bidia was promoting peaceful co-existence between people of different religions.  Reports from witnesses state that gunmen started shooting sporadically at the Yantana mosque and then there was a loud blast.  A witness to the Yantana mosque attack, Abubakar Shehu, told news media that “we saw two or three vehicles coming from different directions and we started hearing gunshots from all angles and then a very loud bang, like a bomb being thrown into the mosque.”   The Nigeria Royal Times reports that terrorists “might have used a rocket launcher to attack the mosque.”  Media stated that most mosque attack “survivors who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.”  Zee News also reported that the mosque attack happened in the Yan Tyre market area of Jos, “while Tafsir (an Islamic preaching session) was ongoing.”  A graphic image of the attack is being shown in some news media.

The Boko Haram terrorist group also attacked at the  Shagalinku restaurant, where reportedly 15 were killed.  Like the Yantaya mosque, it was also bombed.  Reports of the bomb blasts were confirmed by National Emergency Management Agency coordinator Abdussalam Mohammed.

In northeastern Nigeria, the Boko Haram terrorist group attacked the Redeemed Christian Church  in Potiskum Nigeria during Sunday worship services, killing six people.  The attack happened as a suicide bomber, who arrived on a motorized rickshaw.   The Royal Times of Nigeria reports that the police stated “A male suicide bomber detonated a bomb at Redeem Church at Jigawa area of Potiskum, killing five on the spot. ”

Nigeria Church attacked by Boko Haram on July 5, 2015 in Potiskum (Source: AP)
Nigeria: Redeemed Christian Church attacked by Boko Haram terrorists on July 5, 2015 in Potiskum (Source: AP)

In northeast Borno, reports have stated that the Boko Haram terrorist group had also returned to  northeastern villages attacked three days earlier, killing nine villagers and burning down 32 churches and about 300 homes.

Wire news reports are currently stating that 44 have been killed and 77 wounded in the attacks.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken out on this as well. UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein told the Human Rights Council: “Interviews by my staff with former captives and survivors of Boko Haram attacks in northeast Nigeria indicate a pattern of vicious and indiscriminate attacks stretching back months, and even years. OHCHR interviews have confirmed that during their captivity – lasting in many cases for months or even years – women and girls have been sexually enslaved, raped and forced into so-called ‘marriages’. Many survivors of these horrific experiences are now pregnant by their rapists.”

 

 

Stormfront White Supremacists Support Confederate and Nazi Terrorists, including Stormfront Terrorists

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has new information on the support of Confederate terrorism by Stormfront members; the Stormfront group was founded by former Confederate Alabama Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Don Black.

Members of the Confederate white supremacist Stormfront group have been praising Confederate terrorist Dylann Roof who murdered 9 people at the Emmanuel AME Church, and they now mock church burnings across the country. Terrorist Dylann Roof has had both support among members of the white supremacist community, as well as defense for his twisted ideology of racial hate among members of pro-Confederate groups such as Stormfront.   Dylann Roof was known to be an active poster for the Daily Stormer website, providing streaming radio links to the Confederate white supremacist Stormfront’s radio program.

Former Ku Klux Klan Leader Don Black's Confederate Stormfront Group Members Praise Terrorism by Confederate Terrorist Dylann Roof - Killing 9 African-Americans
Former Ku Klux Klan Leader Don Black’s Confederate Stormfront Group Members Praise Terrorism by Confederate Terrorist Dylann Roof – Killing 9 African-Americans

R.E.A.L has reported on the Confederate Stormfront hate group for years, including its members’ ties to terrorism in the United States of America.  Many of the Stormfront members have logos with Confederate flag symbols and imagery, with some identifying their locations as within the “Confederate States of America (C.S.A.)”.  Terrorists attacking the United States of America have come from within the Confederate Stormfront group, including known active Stormfront members Daniel Cowart, Wade Michael Page, and Richard Poplawski.  Stormfront members have also praised a rogue’s list of terrorists attacking America, including white supremacist Paul Schlesselmann, white supremacist James Von Brunn, as well as terrorists Joseph Stack and Joseph Patrick Bedell – both of which attacked U.S. federal government buildings.

Confederate Stormfront Members Support for White Supremacist Terrorists
Confederate Stormfront Members Support for White Supremacist Terrorists

The increasing support for terrorist figures among members in the Confederate white supremacist group has come within the past five years.  We call for the U.S. federal government to treat this growing public support for terrorism with the same attention it would give any other group with members active and promoting terrorist attacks on this nation.   While the Stormfront members comments are offensive (we never mention the worst), it is important for Americans to know what values such Confederate white supremacists espouse and why we must reject their symbols of hate and racism.

Stormfront members praised Confederate terrorist Dylann Roof as a “soldier,” “young warrior,” and the “warrior class” needed for their white supremacist cause, with “100% Truth in what he says,” and stating that “this is a racial war… for the future of our entire white race.”  Another Stormfront member writes that “white supremacists sign up for military to train for race war.”  Regarding Roof’s terror attack, a Confederate Stormfront member states: “if we will not defend our own White Children, then who will?”  A Stormfront member writes: “we will never have peace as long as there are Africans among us.”

Dylann-Roof-Coward

Stormfront members excited by Dylann Roof’s terrorist activity have called for a “race war,” calling for war on “hateful African savages,” and justifying Dylann Roof’s terrorist attack because “blacks are fighting a race war against innocent white folks,” and pleased “that a white boy fought back.”  Regarding Dylann Roof’s terrorist attack, another Confederate Stormfront member praises it as “resistance,” stating that “Resistance is the key.  Resistance at all levels.”

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Confederate Stormfront Hate Posting

Another Stormfront member defended the idea of such a terrorist race war and asked, “How did Roof act any differently from how a government in the same situation would act in reply?”

Yet another Stormfront member writes “Dylann Roof is just going to be the first of many…there will be a new Dylann Roof every week.”  Others praise him stating “Dylann Storm Roof is the man,” and “he is ahead of his time.”

Stormfront members ask “When will it be acceptable to fight back?,” defending Dylann Roof’s terrorist murders of African-Americans at the Emmanuel AME Church as “Sometimes in war there are casualties.”

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Confederate Stormfront Hate Posting

Another Stormfront member stated “When they don’t allow people to speak their minds, they will sometimes speak with their hands.”   A Stormfront member writes: “A black African is not a White Man, they are something else entire; pretending that ‘we are all the same’ is just a denial of reality.”

Stormfront members cheered on his attack because “the pot needed stirring” and that the response to his terrorism is “making our cause stronger.” Another Stormfront member praised the attack as inspiring recruitment for their racist cause, stating “I guarantee that we have gained a lot of attention from other White people who are fed up.”

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Confederate Stormfront Hate Posting

Stormfront members also called for racists to go out and buy guns stating, “For White Nationalists owning a gun is more than a right. It’s a responsibility. If you don’t own one, now is the time, before prices go up and stock starts dwindling.” Stormfront members also state “anyone white who does not have a license to carry a handgun needs to get one.”

Stormfront members are particularly disappointed with women who denounced Dylann Roof’s terrorist activity, with one Stormfront member stating: “It shames me how many white people, in particular women, stand on the side of the liberal and betray their own race and their own heritage.”

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has repeatedly reported on the history of the white supremacist, pro-Confederate Stormfront group and its support for terrorist actions against the United States of America.  If such volunteer human rights activists can readily obtain such information, we urge those in our federal law enforcement and counterterrorism organizations to make statements on such support for terrorism in our country.  We also urge the American and world media to identify such sources of terrorist support, and find impossible to that the world media does not have the resources to investigate and report on this human rights issue.

R.E.A.L. has reported on the history of Stormfront’s support for other terrorist individuals including Stormfront supporter Daniel Cowart, who along with fellow Confederate Paul Schlesselman attacked the Allen Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tennessee and also targeted an attack on 102 Christians in the Beech Grove Church of Christ in Tennessee, as a means of plotting mass-murder terrorism against African-American Christians.  They also plotted an assassination plot against Barack Obama.  As reported by CBS News, Stormfront forum writer and terrorist Daniel Cowart used the Confederate message board to get advice on guns and weapons.

Stormfront-Terror-Cowart

R.E.A.L. has reported on Stormfront supporter and terrorist Wade Michael Page, who was not only a supporter of Stormfront, but also wore one of Stormfront’s “White Pride World Wide” shirts.  Wade Michael Page committed terrorist murder of 6 Sikhs in Wisconsin.  Terrorist Wade Michael Page was part of a Confederate musical band, End Apathy, which was promoted on Stormfront with Confederate imagery for performances in Richmond, Virginia and other locations in the South.  His terrorist attack was repeatedly praised by members of the Stormfront forum who applauded his terrorist act stating“finally a man whos got some nerve,” with the Stormfront editor and chief of staff defending the terrorism as “they’re asking for it” and calling for action in the “out and out war of crime being waged against us by the negroes.”

Stormfront-Wade-Page

R.E.A.L has also reported on Stormfront supporter and terrorist Richard Poplawski in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who used the Stormfront forum to praise white supremacy and attack racial minorities.  On Stormfront, the white supremacist terrorist also bragged and talked about his automatic weapons, which he used in an attack to murder Pittsburgh police.

Stormfront-Poplawski

As R.E.A.L. has reported, the Confederate Stormfront site members also regularly praises and supports other terrorists.

Stormfront members praised terrorist James Von Brunn who attacked the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, while wearing a “Confederate soldier’s long coat cap.”  The terrorist James Von Brunn murdered an African-American security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Stephen Tyrone Johns.   Stormfront members praised his terrorist attack, stating “if you’re white, act white,” and calling for whites to “hate with violent passion,” and other Stormfront members stating that the “ZOG” media would lie about his terror attack, viewing the white supremacist terrorist as a “martyr.”

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Stormfront Members Praised Attack by White Supremacist Terrorist James Von Brunn who Murdered Stephen Tyrone Johns in Attack on U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

In addition, Stormfront members praise other terrorists in their attacks on the United States of America, as part of their Confederate hatred against America.

This includes Stormfront members praise for white terrorist Joseph Stack’s airplane terrorist attack on an IRS building in Austin, Texas, which resulted in the death of an African-American veteran Vernon Hunter, who they were pleased to see murdered in the terrorist attack.  Stormfront members praise for the terrorist attack included: “The Guy is a true HERO!!!”, “God bless him – a true hero”, “This was quite heroic”, “People are awakening.  Whites shall be free again”, “White America needs a Joe Stack Commemoration Holiday!”,   regarding the murder of Vernon Hunter in the terrorist attack “Just consider that an early retirement!”, and one Stormfront member urging violent individuals to “take it directly to the source in DC.”  Stormfront members saw the terrorist act as a re-affirmation of their white supremacy, stating: “How many more will have to snap before the masses of White Americans wake up to our plight?  How many more will have to make the ultimate sacrifice?”

Stormfront Members Praise Terrorist Attack on Austin, Texas IRS Office and Murder of African-American Vernon Hunter (Photo: Jana Birchum, Getty Images)
Stormfront Members Praise Terrorist Attack on Austin, Texas IRS Office and Murder of African-American Vernon Hunter (Photo: Jana Birchum, Getty Images)

The Confederate Stormfront members also praised the terrorist attack on the U.S. Pentagon by Joseph Patrick Bedell, another white terrorist, who took automatic weapons to kill as many Americans as possible at the Pentagon.  Stormfront members praised his terrorism,  claiming that his attack was on the  “ZOG” (Zionist Occupied Government), stating that they shared Bedell’s that the U.S. federal government was a “criminal conspiracy”, with Stormfront members stating they felt “a swift action by many would be ideal to take down the power structure” in America.

Confederate Stormfront Members Praised John Patrick Bedell's Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon ( Photo from Washoe County Jail (AP Photo/Washoe County jail via the Reno Gazette Journal)
Confederate Stormfront Members Praised John Patrick Bedell’s Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon ( Photo from Washoe County Jail (AP Photo/Washoe County jail via the Reno Gazette Journal)

Once again, this provides evidence of the open and public support for terrorist attacks by members of the Confederate Stormfront organization and other white supremacist and Confederate groups.  Stormfront members have even voiced support for the 9/11 terrorist attacks against America.

The history of Confederate terrorism is not new, but we have seen it continue to grow over the past 10 years, and we believe it is the responsibility of human rights activists, American patriots, United States government leaders and counter-terrorists to challenge and defy such Confederate terrorists.

After the defeat of the pro-slavery Confederate army by American patriots in 1865, the Confederate activists continued their war against American human rights through a combination of terrorist insurgent and propaganda methods.  The first of the Confederate terrorists was John Wilkes Booth who assassinated U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865 at the Ford Theater.  Since then, the United States has continued to face an ongoing terrorist challenge from Confederate terrorists throughout our history.

The First Confederate Terrorist Attack on America: the Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
The First Confederate Terrorist Attack on America: the Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln

American patriots have challenged the Confederate terrorist organization of the Ku Klux Klan since 1865, and we continue to do so again.  The United States government created the Enforcement Act of 1871 (17 Stat. 13) to address the activities of the Confederate Ku Klux Klan terrorist organization, which has continued to plague this nation.   The Confederate Ku Klux Klan terrorist organization has a long history of beatings, murders, lynchings, and bombings, including killing of civil rights leaders (with the cooperation of southern law enforcement), and infamous terrorist attacks on African-American houses of worship.

Among these horrific acts of terrorism by the Confederate Ku Klux Klan were the KKK bombing of the African-American 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama killing four African-American girls, and more recently the 1995 KKK burning of the Mount Zion AME church in Greeleyville, South Carolina, which recently burned down again on June 30, 2015 (reportedly due to lightning).

Confederate Ku Klux Klan Terrorists against African-American Churches and Their Victims - Children
Confederate Ku Klux Klan Terrorists against African-American Churches and Their Victims – Little Girls

The Stormfront group was created by Confederate Ku Klux Klan leader Don Black as a way to re-package the appearance of such white supremacism, and whose members have been proven to support Confederate terrorism. Stormfront lists and actively promotes such Confederate Ku Klux Klan organizations throughout the United States.

Confederate Ku Klux Klan Leader Don Black Sought to Re-Package KKK Message with "Stormfront"
Confederate Ku Klux Klan Leader Don Black Sought to Re-Package KKK Message with “Stormfront” Promoting Confederate Flag and History

In addition, we have reported on the praise by Confederate Stormfront members in the burning of African-American Christian Churches in the United States. Stormfront members finds the burning of American churches to be a source of great amusement to them; one Stormfront member writes “Burn Baby Burn,” regarding such churches while holding a Confederate flag.

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Another Stormfront member mocks the destruction of a church (allegedly by lightning) that “Lightning is an ‘Act of God’, isn’t it?’.  Other Stormfront members mock the arson and burning of African-American churches stating that “Obama probably just told them to burn down their own churches so he could funnel them money.”  Stormfront members glamorize a box of matches on the racist website, writing “Unless they are used to set White people on fire, then it’s not a hate crime.”

Confederate Racist Website Stormfront Posts Image of Matches Regarding African-American Churches being Burned Down - Stating "Unless they are used to set white people on fire, then it's not a hate crime."
Confederate Racist Website Stormfront Posts Image of Matches Regarding African-American Churches being Burned Down – Stating “Unless they are used to set white people on fire, then it’s not a hate crime.”

The Confederate Stormfront group has been part of “white nationalist” rallies that it has in different parts of the nation, including previously in Washington DC.   When Stormfront’s recruitment event for the Washington DC area was protested by the free speech of R.E.A.L. and other human rights groups, the Confederate extremist group threatened R.E.A.L.’s founder and his family.   Stormfront posted images with machine guns calling attacks on those who protested the event, and other white supremacists groups threatened R.E.A.L.’s founder stating “I’d be surprised if someone didn’t decide to correct your behavior,” and that “when someone does declares war on us, it’s OK to fight back. With any and all means.”

Confederate Stormfront Group "Machine Gun" Threat at R.E.A.L.'s Free Speech to Reject White Supremacist Meetings
Confederate Stormfront Group “Machine Gun” Threat at R.E.A.L.’s Free Speech to Protest White Supremacist Recruitment Meetings

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s position remains constant and consistent: we support the Universal Human Rights of all people, including all of our fellow Americans.  We do not believe a human rights campaign can be limited to any one part of the world, but we believe that our shared universal human rights must be protected for all people around the world, including minorities in the United States of America.

Furthermore, we do not believe that a campaign of merely passively calling for human rights and dignity in the face of human right threats is sufficient.  We believe that to be RESPONSIBLE for equality and liberty – we must be active participants in a society which works to ensure such shared human rights, including rejecting and defying the forces of any extremist group which seeks to deny and degrade the human rights of our fellow human beings.   Our challenge to Confederates and white supremacy in the United States is no different than our challenge to extremists attacking human rights anywhere in the world.

R.E.A.L. calls for the American people to reject and denounce the ongoing Confederate culture of white supremacy and its history of racism, slavery, and hate.  R.E.A.L. calls for the American people to denounce and end the public honoring of any symbols or monuments to a Confederate culture of white supremacy, which has as its basis the rejection of equality, liberty, our shared universal human rights, and the truths that we hold self-evident as a nation, and as a human race.   In a phrase, “Take It Down.”

Such determined stance in support of our human rights and dignity, and our rejection of the forces of racial hatred and violence is the obligation of all patriotic Americans.

Our support for our universal human rights is a fundamental basis for global trust, respect, and communications among all people, not only in the United States, but also around the world.  We urge our fellow Americans and all those around the world to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty.

Orange Ribbon for Universal Human Rights - Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
Orange Ribbon for Universal Human Rights – Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)