Death of a Patriot

Richmond Times-Dispatch ^ | Sep 17, 2006 | MARK HOLMBERG

[USMCPOP]

HOLMBERG: Another death in East End is overlooked

MARK HOLMBERG TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

Sep 17, 2006

Mark Holmberg Mark's column appears Sun. and Wed. Contact him at (804)649-6822 or mholmberg @timesdispatch.com

It was all-too easy to miss the death of a patriot late last month.

Riddled with bullets, he fell to the ground in the 400 block of North 31st Street at 6:20 a.m. He was waiting for a bus to take him to work that Aug. 30 morning.

The man had been robbed and shot by two juveniles, police reported that day.

The slaying barely made the news -- another black man slain in the'hood. Meanwhile, the metro area was captivated by the abduction/slaying of 21-year-old Emily "Kate" Robertson.

Detective Philip Caudery drew the Church Hill case.

Checking fingerprints and identity databases, he learned that the victim, 60-year-old Holt Smith, was a Vietnam veteran.

Caudery also saw Smith had been arrested in Alabama in 1962 for parading without a permit.

[more...]

[USMCPOP]

In memory of Mr. Holt Smith, a Patriot and activist.

[Fido969]

There are many great men among us.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

RIP, Mr Smith.

[wideawake]

A great American murdered by useless filth.

[rlmorel]

This is the real kind of violence that liberals should be concerned about. A black man, minding his own business, shot and killed by other black men, for a pittance.

Democrats and Liberals are outraged over Iraq, but don't really want to provide these Americans with the tools to climb out of the holes they are in, because they have a vested interest in keeping them in that hole.

This man who served his country honorably and bravely, deserved better than the demise that he met.

[beaversmom]

Thanks for posting this man's story. What a sad, terrible end! The bastards that did this should be executed but we know that can't happen.

[USMCPOP]

I found some interesting comments from people who live in the neighborhood where he was killed right here:

http://www.chpn.net/archives/2006/08/shooting_on_400_1.php

[beltfed308]

Lynch had been released from a state juvenile-detention facility five days before the slaying. Scott was on parole at the time and wanted by police.

Why is this not surprising? RIP Mr. Smith.

[umbagi]

Elnora Smith wonders if the two suspects have any knowledge of King and his dream -- or why someone would be willing to march for freedom, to fight for it.

And I'm wondering again why we've become numb to these day-to-day episodes of homegrown terrorism -- unless the victim is of the right race and class.

Which is really how the death of a patriot went unnoticed.

Wow! Thank you -- what a great story and "takeaway"!

[USMCPOP]

I must see if I can find his Mom and talk to her.

[rlmorel]

USMCPOP, thanks for the link.

The general drift, I thought, is that this was not a normal occurence for that area, but some people are very afraid. How sad. Sounds like a neighborhood teetering a bit on the edge of crossing from respectable into disrespectable. It sounds like there is still some community life left there.

By the way, how have you been? A while since I bumped into you...

[The Mayor]

Welcome Home

[USMCPOP]

Im muddling along, thanks. Incidentally, that neighborhood (Church Hill)is notorious. There are some grand old homes overlooking the James River, but two blocks back it's a war zone.