Blacks surprised, concerned that arrest in sniper case will be seen in racial terms

AP | 10/27/02 | JESSE J. HOLLAND

[kattracks]

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. (AP) -- For several weeks, John Morgan kept looking for a white Chevy Astro minivan or a white box truck being driven by a white male who was responsible for a string of sniper-style killings in the Washington, D.C., suburbs.

So when police announced they had arrested two black men -- John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo -- driving a dark blue Chevrolet Caprice, Morgan, who is black himself, was flabbergasted.

"With everything I had heard on television and what people were saying, everyone assumed they were going to be white men," Morgan, a telecommunications engineer said Sunday before services at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in this Washington suburb.

As the Washington area celebrated the end of the killings, some blacks questioned their own strongly held stereotypes about blacks and the types of crimes they may or may not commit.

Many criminologists, psychologists and sociologists who profile serial killers and other criminals had suggested for weeks that the sniper was likely a white male, probably in his 30s or 40s, who was a loner with a background in the military or weapons training.

Beverly Foster, a 49-year-old black dentist from Arlington, Va., believed them, saying she didn't think blacks "killed like that."

"It just seemed too senseless, too random. It just didn't fit us," she said as she left the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va. "I'm not saying that we can't, but with all of the past things that have happened, it just didn't seem like the type of thing we would do."

Black leaders said the arrests prove the fallacy of most stereotypes.

"None of us thought that the sniper was going to be one of us," Rev. John O. Peterson told his Alfred Street congregation. "But this just shows that the devil, he has an affirmative action program."

Stewart Small, a 35-year-old America Online writer-editor from Alexandria, said he, too, was surprised by the arrests.

"Traditionally, murders like this that have been taking place are -- quote unquote -- typical of the white male, like Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber, Ted Bundy, so I think a lot of us figured that the sniper would fall into that pattern," said Stewart. "When I found out, I was definitely shocked."

Morgan and Small both said they hoped that Muhammad's arrest won't create more racism for black American males.

"Historically, it seems like if you pardon the pun, one bad apple spoils it for everyone else, and historically, it seems especially true for the black male," Small said.

Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[kattracks]

I don't see how any reasonably sane American could see Mu'Mad's killing spree in terms of black/white.

Reasonably sane Americans would not, but the media will.

[Hemlock]

Golly jee, Wally, black guys are "snipers" too, just like us! Wow, I thought black guys only did drive-by shootings 'cause they don't have the patience to learn how to shoot straight.

Barf on this article.

[patriciaruth]

What was the name of the black guy in Georgia that was a serial killer, killed black children?

No race is exempt from evil because we are all part of the human race, and born in original sin.

And I vote with the people who are concerned about the Nation of Islam connection more than the connection to "the Army" or to being "black," neither of which is the problem.

I am concerned that NoI encourages hatred among blacks, as extremist Islamic madrassas encourage hatred among Muslim school children throughout the Islamic countries of the world.

[Arkinsaw]

It doesn't have anything to do with race. It has to do with religion (Terroristic Islamism) and illegal immigration.

[D-fendr]

Isn't it a tad racist to think it must be a white guy?

[AmericanVictory]

Are you trying to tell us that you don't believe that the white man is the devil, created by an evil scientist in a test tube? If you're not careful you won't be allowed on the great space ship when it comes.

[patriciaruth]

You might convince me that all human beings are devils created in a testtube by an evil scientist, but singling any group out for special virtue or special evil only makes me glassy-eyed.

[Dan Day]

What was the name of the black guy in Georgia that was a serial killer, killed black children?

Wayne Williams, in what was called the "Atlanta Child Murders".

Twenty nine black kids killed over almost two years, starting in 1979.

Everyone swore it was some racist cracker taking his revenge on black people. When finally caught, it turned out to be 23-year-old Wayne Bertram Williams:

[AmericanVictory]

Ah, but it is not me, it is the doctrine from Mr. Fard or Ford, the man who created it in Detroit in the 1930's. But then it is not clear that he was black.

[patriciaruth]

From Rick's World of Georgia Serial Killers:

Link

In 1979-1981 Atlanta was in fear of what they were calling the "Atlanta Child Murders." Wayne Williams, known as a sexual serial killer. Several of his victims, many of whom were young men, not children, were known as "street hustlers" willing to sell sexual favors for a few dollars.

Even long after the killings began in July of 1979, Atlanta Police could find no pattern beyond the fact that the victims were all young black males. Their bodies were found all over the city in creeks, woods vacant lots, under floors and in the Chattahoochee River. They had been stabbed, shot and strangled. Some people thought the killings were a work of Ku Klux Klan, or a group of witches. Some even said that it was the work of a deranged mother who had lost her own child.

No one suspected a pudgy, 23 year old self-employed talent scout and video cameraman of being the killer of more than two dozen young black men in Atlanta.

Williams was intelligent and fascinated with electronics. He was known as a "scanner freak," because he would listen to the police scanner and rush to the scenes of spectacular accidents and disasters. He even sometimes sold his videotapes of these incidents to the news.

On May 22, 1981, a police recruit on the Jackson Parkway bridge over the Chattahoochee River heard a splash just before he saw William's car cross the bridge. When this victim, a 27-year-old Nathaniel Carter was fished from the river three days later, police started to focus on Wayne Williams as the possible killer.

Williams was arrested in June of 1981 and stoutly maintained his innocence. In February of 1982 Williams was convicted on two counts of murder. The "Atlanta Child Murders" stopped after his arrest.

[patriciaruth]

Ah, but it is not me,

Don't worry. I knew you were alluding to some of the religious hate doctrine at the base of the black Muslim creed.

I actually arranged for a couple of black Muslims to speak to my Sunday school class about 35 or so years ago and that is what they explained to those wide-eyed, white, junior high school aged kids. LOL!!

[Wil H]

"Traditionally, murders like this that have been taking place are -- quote unquote -- typical of the white male,

Apparently, when reviewing all sniper type killings in the US over the last 30 years, only 55% have been by White Males - that means White Males are under represented in the sniper population, not the predominant component as the media would have you believe

[Gracey]

Agree.

These people see in "color" and they should be seeing this as an Islamic Fundamentalist Radical, Nation of Islamofacist type mentality.

It's beyond, color of skin or nationality, IMO.

[randita]

Because blacks are so reluctant to believe this, they are fertile ground for conspiracy rumors. Such as--the two men were framed by the FBI, CIA, Republicans--you name it--to protect the real culprits, white redneck racist NRA members. The NRA is one of the Republicans largest donors, etc.

Rhetoric like this could easily take hold with those who hold that O.J. was framed.

[ODDITHER]

Most conservatives are not seeing this as an issue of race at all, even though early on in the investigation the liberals in the media convinced most of it's viewer/readers that this was going to be another Tim McVay.

Now all of a sudden these same people that when Tim McCay was arrested blamed conservative politicians, talk radio and right-winged gun totin white Christians for Oklahoma city, want a pass. No No this has nothing to do with race (except to make the villian into a victim of racism).

Regardles of how tempting it would be to make this a race issue, this is one conservative who isn't falling for that blame game. This is an issue of a murdering, amoral hate filled individual who instead of getting counseling became a radical muslim and actually followed what they preached. This one falls directly at the doorstep of Louis Farakan, AlQaeda and the Democratic party.

It is those groups that have made black people feel that they are victims that couldn't make it on their own without the help of government programs. The Democrats are the ones who fill their followers with hate for the white man, class envy and now it is the Democrats who need to take the blame.

This my friends, was terrrorism perpetuated by hate for all that is good, right and lawful.

Evil is the one thing on this earth that belongs to every race, creed, gender and sexual persuation. The one thing that never changes. Right is Right, and Wrong is Wrong. Color it, rename it, justify it, excuse it, it is still wrong. Those groups who continue to do so will reap the consequences.

[AmericanVictory]

I agree, LOL it is! Too bad you didn't tape it.

[Hal.009]

"Historically, it seems like if you pardon the pun, one bad apple spoils it for everyone else, and historically, it seems especially true for the black male," Small said."

I give up... where is the pun in "one bad apple spoiling it for everyone else"?

[hot august night]

If these black people are truly that shocked that the snipers turned out to be "brothers" (their term, not mine, which I consider is racist and exclusionary), just imagine their shock if they knew the extent of the brutality perpetuated by the Carr Brothers during all their Wichita Massacre atrocities (whose sadistic savagery and torture were a million times worse than the snipers'). Thankfully for them, because of the lamestream media's black-out and protection of the Carr vermin, they will never know. Thankfully for us, God is color-blind and, on Judgment Day, will give each man his earned due.

[hot august night]

If these black people are truly that shocked that the snipers turned out to be "brothers" (their term, not mine, which I consider is racist and exclusionary), just imagine their shock if they knew the extent of the brutality perpetuated by the Carr Brothers during all their Wichita Massacre atrocities (whose sadistic savagery and torture were a million times worse than the snipers'). Thankfully for them, because of the lamestream media's black-out and protection of the Carr vermin, they will never know. Thankfully for us, God is color-blind and, on Judgment Day, will give each man his earned due.