Well, keep in mind that it’s actually half of that with parole for the rest according to the article.
How much of a person’s life is permanently damaged by the terror caused by racists like this tormenting them when they are freaking children?
No, fuck these people. They can rot in prison, and their lives can be ruined. Let it serve as a lesson to others.
I remember the first time someone told me i couldn’t touch their NES system because I would dirty it with what I am. That was a child. I was a child. I will never forget the first time someone told me I was not only different, but different is bad.
I think the terror these people did was beyond forgivable, but i question what a long sentence like that is going to fix. In 15 years from now, are we just creating violent thugs that will kill the next time around?
It will serve as a deterrent, in that other assholes will stay in their holes and not being this bullshit into the public realm as though it were acceptable. They will be afraid to treat others in such a way, as they should be.
You really think someone who loads their truck full of flags and goes to find some blacks to terrorize is going to say nope, nope not today because I might get 15 years for this? Do they even know this happened. What did Fox News even report?
The judge said himself he was surprised they weren’t arrested on site. How many people do you think those jerks terrorized before someone risked, and it probably was a real risk, calling the cops? And that’s assuming when the cops show up, they don’t try to arrest the person calling.
Maybe. Maybe not. Throw the next guy in prison for most of his life too then.
Eventually they’ll get the message.
On the other hand, one* can just get probation and community service for kicking a coat hanger up the rectum of a mentally disable black kid.
Former high school football player John R. K. Howard entered a so-called “Alford plea,” meaning he maintains his innocence while admitting a judge or jury would likely find him guilty.
*Punk ass bitch.
That’s pretty sick. I can’t believe the judge and some of the community doesn’t think it’s sexual and also no racial bias. Dear lord.
Yeah, I read about that case over the weekend. Just disgusting.
I do think that. Most folks are fuzzy on how far “free speech” can go before it turns into harassment or terroristic threats.
These low-lives thought to themselves that “Hey, if the Klan can march in the middle of Atlanta, then I can go around and threaten anyone I want! I’ve got the 1st and 2nd Amendments at my back here!”
This decision (and civilian actions like that crap couple thrown off the plane the other day) should serve to tamp some of that shit down. Yes, the time is harsh, but people need to see that physically threatening minorities is against the law. And I suspect (though I’m not sure how GA sentencing works) that they are unlikely to serve even the thirteen and six years; they’ll get out in five and three, respectively.
http://assets.andrewconnell.com/media/Default/Misc/mistakesdemotivator.png
I just question the idea that punishment somehow deters crime but statistics usually say otherwise. These are stupid people. They don’t think ahead. So yes I am on board with this being a punishment not a message, but it seems extremely long even for that.
If some “gang” of minorities did this to my family, and knowing there was alcohol involved and genuine remorse, then I’d be perfectly content with a few years of prison, or even less for the people that didn’t get out of their cars with a gun. (I assume this is some gang law to sweep up everyone involved.)
Forgot about this thread. I just got back from Louisiana, never really noticed all the Confederate flags flying and “the South will rise again” bumper stickers before. One yard I passed had three flag poles, one flying the Stars and Stripes, one flying the Confederate flag and the last a Budweiser flag. Seemed fitting.
Yeah but the Confederate Flag is all about Southern Pride right… not at all about white guys running around harassing and threatening minorities, often while drunk and in trucks.
In my experience, southern pride is pretty inextricably tied in with drinking and trucks. Also mama and trains. I think David Allan Coe said it better than I could.
Apparently, the reason for the harsh sentence is because they were charged with “terroristic threats and street gang terrorism”, which happened because GA doesn’t have any hate crime statutes. Oh, sweet irony.
The reason they were given a harsh sentence is because they had guns and threatened people’s lives.
Yeah, but I suspect the problem was not everyone in the carpool was brandishing guns (or even knew anyone brought them) but they still got tagged for maximum sentences because of the gang laws designed to round everyone up together.
I only suspect this because news articles are terrible at explaining the facts of criminal cases. Gotta save room to remind everyone about the Charleston shooting and such.
Well sure, driving the getaway car in a bankrobbery is still being a bank robber, even if you aren’t carrying a gun.
Next you’re going to tell me you can’t yell fire in a theater. :)
Yes, I know about the getaway driver clause, but I’m pretty sure there has to be an awareness of what’s happening. That’s what the trial is there to determine.
Anyway, these articles always annoy me enough to do more research. Sounds like they got the guy for the weapon and the street gang law, and the woman for threatening words and the street gang law.
The irony isn’t the lack of hate crime laws. It’s that Georgia, like everyone else, tightened up their gang laws in response to the rise of African-American gangs. Now the same sketchy laws are being used against white racists. Oops!