Halloween display is a "hate crime" in South Pinellas,FL

St. Petersburg Times ^ | Oct 20, 2004 | LAUREN BAYNE ANDERSON and LEANORA MINAI

[pillbox_girl]

It had the face of Frankenstein and the hands of a werewolf.

Outfitted in jeans and flannel shirt, the creature - stuffed with crumpled newspaper - hung by the neck on a homemade gallows outside a home in the Allendale neighborhood.

To its owner, "Bob" was a Halloween decoration. But to Omali Yeshitela, it was a racially charged symbol of hate.

On Tuesday, as police officers on the scene scrambled to contact the homeowner at work, Yeshitela and others from the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement tore the dummy down.

[Viking2002]

Dude, I like the avatar........!

[andy58-in-nh]

the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement

Any comments, Lieutenant?

[madison10]

The ONLY reason it could be a hate crime is because ole Frankenstein looks like John F. Kerry & vice-versa.

Duh. The usual Halloween colors are black & orange. I don't see orange-tanned people getting upset. ;)

[Blood of Tyrants]

Apologize my ass. I would have had them arrested for trespassing and vandalism.

[xp38]

Shouldn't that be "Aw Geez, not this Yes***ela again!"

[codyjacksmom]

" Post-slavery, lynchings were used to terrorize African-Americans and remain a painful memory for many today, Yeshitela said."

Does this mean they were reincarnated? This is one of the most ridiculous stories I've seen in a long time. They should have had their butts thrown in jail for trespassing and vandalism.

How pathetic that the owner acted like such a wimp. I can think of a few words I would have for them (not printable here) but it sure wouldn't be I'm sorry.

[Tench_Coxe]

Simple statement: There are greater horrors in this world than a Halloween display. Continue the thuggery and they could be invoked.

[Tacis]

" Omali Yeshitela?"

My bet is that Omali was born something like "Darnelle Roosevelt Brown" and has a record of minor offenses as long as his arm. He is a disciple of Jesse Jackson and has made a fair to good living in recent years being a victim of all sorts of nasty racist things. Check to see if he didn't play football for a year or two at a "traditionally black college" after being released from some Florida State Correctional Unit but did not graduate and did not learn a whole lot. Sounds like a professional black scammer to me. Any evidence?

[Luis Gonzalez]

"On Tuesday, as police officers on the scene scrambled to contact the homeowner at work, Yeshitela and others from the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement tore the dummy down."

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THE POLICE STOOD BY WHILE THESE THUGS BROKE THE LAW AND DID NOTHING ABOUT IT?

[ItsForTheChildren]

Never heard of him.

[lula]

Tomorrow they will want to outlaw the game Hangman, too insensitive you know. Already they have problems with Witch costumes in one Washington town. Wiccans are offended.

Did it ever occur to this looney to go talk with the property owner first. What was the intent?

The apology had to do more with preserving her property than hurt feelings.

[andy58-in-nh]

Most illogical, Captain.

[rudehost]

Heres what I found

Basically a revolutionary communist
http://burningspearuhuru.com/0603_point.htm

[rudehost]

And here is the gist of it. According to the character who tore down the display america needs to be destroyed

We think this is a very critical time. Given its preferences, the U.S. and the imperial powers altogether would re-impose direct colonial rule over the world. George Bush has said as much. It’s clear they don’t even pretend anymore that they believe the peoples of the world have a right to be free. They even write about themselves as "imperialists" today.
......
Neo-colonialism not only must be destroyed as a system — the neo-colonialists themselves are going to have to be physically destroyed before Africa can be liberated.

[Dante3]

Isn't this the same county that delcared that an innocent brain damaged woman, Terri Schiavo, is to be starved to death?

[jordan8]

This is really quite beautiful. A Black Nazi organization has the gall to accuse someone else of racism then commits an act of low-level terrorism and the government (police) and media fall all over themselves to break out the tea and sympathy. The respect the system gives to organizations like this is an indicator of the moral and intellectual fraudulence of the "anti-racism" movement.

[HiTech RedNeck]

It was really offensive to Frankenstein-faced werewolves.

[walkerk]

An update to the story:

Official: Police favored Uhurus

A City Council member questions an officer's inaction as Uhuru members ripped up a Halloween display.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/27/Tampabay/Official__Police_favo.shtml