I am a white woman and I am married to a black man and have bi-racial children. I am not racist by no means obviously but let me tell you how I feel. My husband and I both agree that this is not a black and white issue. I personally am so tired of African Americans using the excuse of ” because I’m black” for everything when it doesn’t go your way or if whites are involved with why you didn’t get the outcome you wanted. Not just in this case but in everyday life in general. I hate the fact that race was ever an issue but we today can’t change what our ancestors did years and years ago. I don’t believe we should still be apologizing for it today when we didn’t live in the days where slavery and mistreatment of blacks went on. The only reason why race issues exist is because you make them exist. If you continuously pull the racecard everytime you don’t get a fair trial, a good job, a nice house and so on, it is not benefiting you by whining about it being because of your race. People are getting tired of that and are going to really start showing resentment. I don’t agree with the sentence these boys got either, but what has happened has happened. It was the jury who decided, not us. We werent in the courtroom to understand what happened and to know what went on. There was 1 black man on the jury, if he felt his race was being taking advantage of he could have spoken out and left the jury hung. Without his vote they couldn;t have come up with the verdict that they got. So don’t blame it on there were all white people involved in the verdict. I am praying for both families. Please stop dividing a community by protesting, it’s not going to bring him back, and it is not going to change the verdict.

All of this has instigated our local KKK members to do a literature blitz in the Red Lane community.  I was very disheartened and disgusted to find a KKK newsletter in my driveway this morning, and saw many other residents also had them lying in theirs.

TOm: why dont you do some reading…see below.

The Confederate flag represented a nation that once formed, wanted to be left alone in peace. Like the United States, it went to war to defend its homelands and beliefs. Contrary to popular belief, the Civil War was not fought to end the perpetuation of slavery. It was (for the North) to restore the Union and protect the ideals of freedom our forefathers vouchsafed to us.
It was not until 1863 (when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect) that the issue of slavery reached new heights of momentum. Even then did the majority of Union soldiers refuse to fight with or make the purpose of the war the free the blacks. A closer look at history also illustrates that the flag did not have a racist meaning at the time it was conceived. The book Black Confederate and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia by Erwin L. Jordan Jr., brings up the point that Tennessee authorized the enlistment of free blacks in 1861. These soldiers were paid the same as white soldiers, unlike their Yankee counterparts who were paid three dollars less. When the Confederate government called for the enlistment of 300,000 blacks in March 1865, the now freed men answered the call. (According to Soldiers Blue and Gray by James Robertson Jr.) The majority of Confederate soldiers were poor farmers without any slaves, so they were obviously fighting for something more. Besides, Northern businessmen of that era mistreated immigrant workers and child labor was also a common practice of the time

As for hate groups, they have desecrated the image of the Confederate flag in the same way they have desecrated the human race. Yes, there are people who misuse the flag, but the overall meaning of the flag as a heroic symbol cannot be forgotten because some people use it with ill intent. Hate groups also fly the American flag, quote Biblical passages, and burn crosses to promote their ideas. Should the Bible, American flag, and Crucifix be eradicated because of the fact that hate groups misuse them?

poem written by Jeff McClesse, ©1997:

I am the Confederate Flag of America.
I was born in 1861. I represented many Americans of which were many colors, contrary to modern day beliefs. I am hated by people who don’t know me or what I stood for. I was not designed as a hate object, though many people look at me this way today. I was not born to represent white sheets and shaved heads.
I was designed to support state rights and soldiers who wore grey. So don’t hate me because of what certain groups have used me for. Just remember at some point in time I represented each and every one of you, because I was an American symbol, and represented you, no matter what race you are.
I am the Confederate Flag of America

The percentages I cited on inter- and intra-racial crime may not be exact, but they are accurate and I encourage y’all to look them up.

I did see that article in the Crime-Disgrace last week. (Noticeably absent was a Powhatan Today article on that trial.) He also faced a first-degree murder charge but got it reduced to second degree. I guess the jury saw things differently, as the jury saw things differently in the Taliaferro case.

As for the third shooting, I do not think that trial has happened yet but I could be wrong. How about it, Powhatan Today staff? Can you give us some answers? How about some progress on the shooting involving Taliaferro’s father?

I am showing so much interest in the goings on of Powhatan County because I have several good friends there and I do spend a lot of time in this county. I like to know what goes on in the surroundings I inhabit.

That is what I am saying Chesterfieldst and that is sad… truly sad, the media and people around us is what is causing the big stink about it and making it something it isnt… and that is PATHETIC ...

@ptowngirl - I hate to bring this up, but it’s in response to your post which was disturbing.  PLEASE read more about the civil war!  And with an open mind.  It wasn’t caused by the south being mad at the north for having more money if that’s what you think.

PtownGirl,
You are not going to hear about it because it is NOT news. It does not SELL.. You hear about the black on black crime in Richmond, the murder, the arrest and that is it.

Family murders, the same…

I for one Walter do not feel guilty for being white. I was born that way and I will also state that I do not feel I owe another person a thing just because of their skin color.

So the NAACP can keep on stirring up crap but I will not give in.

WOW…. 80% of interracial crime, but you dont see us up there… COME ON ... i understand that this is rare there for why is racism being played….

WOW one article about the other shooting in Powhatan .... what about the 3rd shooting???

Dont they deserve the same amount of coverage as this one????