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Friday, January 06, 2017

Chicago Demonstrates Why We Have Hate Crimes

On Tuesday, NorCo DA John Morganelli authorized a hate crime prosecution against a 14 year-old Saucon Valley High School student. In October, he filmed a 16 year-old black boy eating chicken, and included a running commentary that he then distributed to others on Snapchat.
"So there's a chicken eating contest here. This f---in' n----- is taking his time. He's getting free f---in' chicken, you n-----. It has been a minute and he's on the same f---in' wing. Oh, now the black kid is taking the wings back up to his seat. What, what, are you that broke?" At this point, "His welfare check canceled" scrolls across the screen.
This African American, whose family had just moved into the area, had already received a rude welcome by a group calling themselves the "Red Necks." They disparaged him and even tried to drape a Confederate flag around him.

When the 16 year-old African American learned of the video, he confronted and struck the younger 14 year-old. Lower Saucon Police charged the African American, but when made aware of the offensive video that precipitated the assault, they turned that over to DA John Morganelli. County Detective Paul Hulbert investigated, and that led the District Attorney to conclude that a criminal prosecution was appropriate for ethnic intimidation.

Before doing so, Morganelli received a number of phone calls from people who were upset that he was even looking into the matter. He was warned to drop the matter, but he refused. He wants the public to know that "this kind of conduct will not be tolerated. ... Harassment, whether it's based on race or otherwise, is a crime."

Around the time that Morganelli was making his announcement, Chicago police stumbled across a bloodied young white man with special needs. He had been kidnapped and tortured by four black assailants angry at white people over Donald Trump's election. They filmed their criminal activity, shouting epithets like "*F*ck Donald Trump!" and "F*ck white people!" They even forced the victim to say it, as they carved a patch off of his scalp.

The mentally challenged victim thought one of these assailants was his friend.

Chicago police had no difficulty in deciding to charge this quartet with ethnic intimidation. As one former Chicago cop explained, "This is hate. And hate doesn't have a color."

Wonder if Morganelli's critics want to argue that these four black kids have a first amendment right to commit hate crimes?

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

I disagree with your comparison point. The local act was a video tape of a racial taunt. The Chicago act was a video of a kidnapping and torture. with racial overtones.
Both acts had racial components and a video, only one included extreme violence. That is a huge difference and is no real defense of the DA's decision.

Anonymous said...

Tend to agree. The Chicago video shows deep hate on the basis of who people vote for, the race of a person and their mental capacity. It involves kidnapping, torture and violent taunting over an extended period of time. On the other hand you have a non-violent video with fried chicken taunts.

Is this the same? Seems like a stretch and more of a false equivalency.

Anonymous said...

There is a huge difference between the Saucon Valley racial taunt and what happened in Chicago. The incident Morganelli is all upset about is about a moron acting like a moron and a case of bad parenting. The Chicago incident is about four feral beasts who gang members. You have a mayor in Chicago who is doing nothing and it seems that nobody is outraged about the 700 murders a day there. The only thing that makes this different is one of the gang members decided to be cute and put their actions of torture on Facebook. There is no equivalency here.

Anonymous said...

Where is Jesse Jackson and cohorts? I don't hear anything from the Rainbow Coalition on these acts of barbarism. How about the great Black Lives Matter organization that crooked Hillary supported so dearly. Racism does exist, but in all segments of society; not just white!

Anonymous said...

Weaponized bullying by any chance?

Anonymous said...

If you yell "fuck white people" while torturing a special needs white kid, the City of Chicago won't call it a "Hate Crime" and the superintendent of police will say it's "just a bunch of kids".

If you yell "alluah Akbar" right before blowing yourself up in a public area, Obama won't call you an Islamic Terrorist

If you burn down cities and destroy property, you're a misunderstood protestor, fighting oppression.

If you voted for Trump, you're a violent racist and white supremacist.

Anonymous said...

8:23 you're absolutely correct. The feverish attempt by the media to shield Black Lives Matter as if there is any difference between a large gang of thugs and a small one, or as if shooting white police officers from ambush is one thing but abusing a white mentally retarded teenager is something completely different.

by distancing that "organization" from this incident is disingenuous and cowardly. Shooting white cops, beating up defenseless white kids, blocking interstates with bonfires, terrorizing the population, fomenting anarchy, destroying property, etc., that is what the media supports ?

Those who support BLM need to EMBRACE this incident; it's what they wanted.

Anonymous said...

The Trump Haters are dangerous, out of control and have been nothing but constantly egged on by the Lame Stream Media. Has President Barrack Hussein Obama, himself, come out and criticized these barbaric savages from his beloved city of Chicago or is he too busy crying and wailing about his legacy? Or perhaps too busy bitching about Trump on his Twitter account.

Anonymous said...

With no Facebook video, the incident in Chicago would have never been reported. It's certain that this is not an isolated incident either. Morganelli needs to deal with real criminals and not concern himself with a kid in high school. His actions seem almost like he's playing the public for votes in a political career.

Anonymous said...

"Hate crimes" require government types to divine the thoughts of criminals. That's dangerous and fertile ground for abuse. I mostly like Morganelli. But he's shown himself to be a very political animal at times. He's a sharp guy, but not a mind reader. A crime is a crime. Aggravating factors should be considered at sentencing. One cannot be more guilty of something, due to a subjective view of that person's thoughts. The Chicago ghouls should be properly charged with their crimes and their sentencing should reflect the aggravating circumstances. As they weep, surrounded by character witnesses and others asking for mercy, they should have the book thrown at them.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with assigning a designation of hate crime to any criminal offense. Prosecute crime as crime without special designations. Prosecute the young man in Saucon Valley for taunting the 16 year old boy, prosecute the people in Chiraq for kidnapping and assault. Take race out of the equation and look at the actual criminal offense, leave motive to a jury.

Also, drop any and all charges against the 16 year old. His actions were just and his intent was to stop further harassment. I love chicken, it's my favorite food. If some knucklehead taunts me relentlessly for eating a tasty food we will have a come to Jesus.

Sometimes violence is necessary.

Anonymous said...

If the point of this entry is to use the Chicago incident to justify the DA's actions in Saucon Valley, it misses the point completely. You can't get two more dissimilar incidents if you tried. The only thing they have in common is video. Even the "hate" is like night and day. Sorry, no soup for you!

Anonymous said...

Making hate a crime is as effective as a law making people love each other.


Weaponized bullying by any chance? 8:26AM

It's possible these thugs could be mercenaries, but I doubt it based on the target...it's not like the victim was a whistleblower, or working for civil rights, a journalist, a progressive, or political in any way.

If just released journalist Barrett Brown was assaulted by thugs, chances are that would be weaponized bullying.

Anonymous said...

"If you yell "alluah Akbar" right before blowing yourself up in a public area, Obama won't call you an Islamic Terrorist"

You would think that the Grand Cyclopes of Islamic terrorism would tell the faithful to yell "Praise the Lord Jesus" before their martyrdom. But they just don't understand the whole "Dino" "Rino" thing.

Best way to make a democrat look bad is to be one...and the reverse in also true the savages don't understand the west.

Anonymous said...

almost well said, 11:41am, at least part of your first paragraph.

Violence isn't/wasn't the answer in the SV situation. The 16yo had plenty of other appropriate resources at his disposal, but he chose not to use them. And, the "fight" was unreasonable and wrong. It wasn't a fight, it was an assault. (I know I will get a lot of heat from many posters as I continue this train of thought...), but, for a lack of a better term...

...and I'm not being mean by saying this, the 14yo is "a little twerp weakling- who has barely entered adolescence"; while the 16yo is a much larger, more muscular adult-looking teenager. He gave the 14yo a pretty solid and significant beating (slamming head in ground repeatedly, etc...) And from what I know, he now walks around school each day pretty much "scared-sh*tless" and has to attend physical therapy for his head injury. I ask you, "Is this the society that we want and respect?" Plain and simple, it was overkill and because of this, I am less sympathetic to the 16yo's plight.

By no means do I defend the 14yo, but Morganelli is on the right side of this issue. This situation shouldn't be an either/or (racism/bullying vs. [justified?] violence). Evaluate each situation/individual for his own actions. I believe what the 14yo did was horrendous (and I wrote about his father's influence/behavior yesterday on another post), but I don't think he "deserved" the beating as much as I don't think that young man in Chicago deserved being kidnapped and severely assaulted.

Anonymous said...

I see your point. Yes the 16 year old has a variety of options most of which have proven ineffective. The beating he gave the harasser stopped the harassment and hopefully prevents future harassment.

Anonymous said...

12:20PM
You said, "I believe what the 14yo did was horrendous"

I tend to agree...What was his crime? You didn't mention his crime to wit the hate enhancer applies.

I agree with everything you wrote I'm just not clear on the criminal offence.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The underlying crime was cyber harassment.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"There is a huge difference between the Saucon Valley racial taunt and what happened in Chicago.

Yeah, in one case the victim is white.In the other, the victim is black.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps if the Chicago four had been whooped at some point, they'd refrain from the recent behavior.

Anonymous said...

I thought cyber harassment was when some entity uses a "stingray device" or a IMSI-catcher to intercept phone and internet traffic for the purpose of Degrading, Disrupting, Denying, and Destroying the quality of a persons life.

I had no idea it was about video production and internet censorship.

Anonymous said...

It's a good thing the kid didn't draw pictures of Mohammed and post them on Facebook to offend Muslims. That would be cyber harassment?

Bernie O'Hare said...

4:53 & They probably didn't instruct you on cyber harassment at Racist Law School.

X said...

Bernie,
What has been instilled in racist people is not only racism it is just more hate centered by the have knots on the haves? Seek and they too could find if these simpletons could just free there mind from the circus carnival hypnotic sights and sounds! Notice there is no mention of the REpulsive smells?
REpublican redd
humanist by design

Anonymous said...

Naked political pandering from Morganelli, nothing more and nothing less. I contend he has a surprise coming for him one day in that America is absolutely sick and tired of the Race Card BS, particularly in light of what just happened in Obama's beloved Chicago city. It is NOT an accident that Hillary Rodham Clinton's long awaited coronation was abruptly canceled. Good little solider Democrats like Morganelli really need to get re-acquainted with reality.

Anonymous said...

These two incidents couldn't be more dissimilar. You are really reaching to make a point on this one O'Hare. Also playing the race card defeats you immediately.

Anonymous said...

If a white person beats up on a black person then its labeled "a ugly racial incident" but when a group of blacks beat up a white person then the excuse is that the blacks cannot help it because they had a bad upbringing. Just look at the papers when criminals have their pictures published. The over whelming majority of the criminals are either black or Hispanic. No denying it.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Bernie, but I think you are wrong here. They are different. The boy from Saucon Valley is wrong and should be punished by the law. But to say that is the same as a special needs person being kidnapped, beaten, cut with a knife, held against their will, parents texted, forced to drink from a toilet, and threats is wrong.

Again, I think what the boy from Saucon Valley is absolutely terrible and should not be tolerated. The victim was fortunately never held against his will and beaten. The Chicago incident is just deplorable and hopefully the 4 cowards will have plenty of time to think about what they did in prison.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I don't say they are the same factually. But they are both examples of hate crime. People can understand it with the Chicago example.

Anonymous said...

The Chicago example is like comparing a shoplifter to a rapist because they are criminals. You are really out there on this one. I suppose you endorse the beating the "victim" gave the kid in Saucon.

Bernie O'Hare said...

in both instances, a person was victimized bc of his race. But while you will be angry over what happened in Chicago, the victimization at SVHS is excused. And no, I never once condoned the violence.

Anonymous said...

"But while you will be angry over what happened in Chicago, the victimization at SVHS is excused."

No one excused it but fried chicken jokes and kidnapping and torture are quite a bit different. Your liberal broad stokes notwithstanding.

Anonymous said...

"The underlying crime was cyber harassment."
---so the video was just tasteless, it's the publishing on the internet it became a crime?

So the crime in Chicago was the video being posted online?


Anonymous said...

Publishing evidence of a crime should never be twisted into making the publishing the crime.

Local said...

Hopefully the punishments won't serve to strengthen all of these individuals racist beliefs.

Anonymous said...

"Hopefully the punishments won't serve to strengthen all of these individuals racist beliefs."

Then what would be the point?

As stated above the SV youth's "underlying crime was cyber harassment" not harassment.

Making it about race diverts attention away from the attempt to exercise control over what is published on the internet. It's accomplished by attaching CYBER to the crime, when if fact the cyber part is the evidence, not the crime.

Anonymous said...

The SV "victim" seemed well enough to pound the so-called perpetrator's head into the floor. Not sure how these incidents are alike.

Anonymous said...

The 16 year old was primarily harassed at school, part of the evidence of this "school harassment" was a video online. This kid was being harassed at school not by a single belligerent person, but by a group.

It has been mentioned on this blog that bullying is learned behavior and I think the evidence on this is everywhere when bullying is examined.

1. The belligerent person who bullies everyone--The Bully on the school yard which leads to fights where no one stands with the bully.

2.The group bully--- tends to be weak, can't hold his own. But part of the group he's a tough guy--- leads to fights, and because of the group aspect and intensity, "some people say" can lead to school shootings. At this level the Hate Enhancer should be applied.

As to where Bullying is learned...Bullying does not stop at graduation, the thread of bullying runs through the whole tapestry of life.

When they go out into the workplace they will experience the same pattern of bullying.
Here it could be called "workplace harassment" but it's the same pattern of bully 1 and bully 2.
"some people say" that bully #2 leads to workplace shootings. At this level the Hate Enhancer should apply.

When bullying is ramped up to the community level, this could be called "community Harassment" Bully #2 becomes lethal at this level. The groups bully #2 is part of can be highly organized with the ability to use the expertise of the entire group.----this leads to cross burnings, lynching's, and all sorts of crimes. "some people say" this can lead to retaliator mass shootings.

Then there is the "weaponized bullying" that is sanctioned or even organized by jurisdictional authority or corporate entity. This is carefully targeted terrorism like that practice by the former East German government. The Stasi carried out it's program of "Zersetzung" on it's victims some of whom now get a pension as reparations. Many referred to it a touchless torture. Any group practicing this form of bullying should have it's members put to death as traitors to our nation and its constitution.

Anonymous said...

Nice essay 11:23, you get a "C-"