Black Church In MA Burned After Obama Win

Boston Globe:

A predominantly black church under construction in Springfield was destroyed by fire early yesterday, just hours after Barack Obama's landmark victory, triggering concerns that the building was purposely set ablaze in a possible hate crime.

The blaze started at Macedonia Church of God in Christ at 3:10 and caused an estimated $2 million in damage.

Church officials pledged to rebuild, but the concerns that their building was targeted dampened a mood that had been so uplifted in the night of Obama's historic win to become the nation's first black president-elect.

Read the whole story: Boston Globe

Comments

[neurologymatters]

Tonight on the news it was announced arson was the cause. No mention of race.

[SpinDown08]

I found their website:

http://www.macedoniaandfirstcogic.org

Call them up to have them set up a Paypal donation account or inquire about sending a check. I think they could get a lot of donations through credit card though.

Wherever there is injustice, let us show the force of our example, not the example of our force.

[sueno]

Reverend Bishop Robinson and parishioners,
I'm so sorry for this intolerance, better days are ahead
and better times waits you and your parishioners.
Again, very sorry...

[NewEnglandPatriot]

Those seeking to aid the church may send checks to the Greater Springfield Council of Churches, 39 Oakland St., Springfield, MA 01108. Checks should be earmarked to the Macedonia Church of God in Christ.

[AndrewInToronto]

While a final report is obviously pending, if anyone is interested, one can donate to the restoration of the church as an act of both solidarity and empathy.

Those seeking to aid the church may send checks to the Greater Springfield Council of Churches, 39 Oakland St., Springfield, MA 01108. Checks should be earmarked to the Macedonia Church of God in Christ.

[LemonMeringue]

We should pour money into the church to help them rebuild.

If racists did this, they cannot prevail. Our love is larger than their hate.

[TheBlackCat]

We don't know what has happened yet. Let's wait in see. I said this same thing with the Ashley Todd incident. As suspicious as it seemed, I wanted to wait until the facts are in before making a snap judgement.

[betabeta]

They cannot still our joy and by our I mean black, white, asian, latino, middle eastern, and all other people that make up America. Why? The USA has voted and we now know the majority of people are not racists fill with hate but concerned citizens filled with hope. The hate mongers are in the minority. That is knowledge they can no longer hide or take away from us.

[Mysticalsister]

seems like some people are jumping to conclusions here. even the fire department hasn't determined what caused the fire.

people -- settle down and take a breath.

[nwmother]

The real story here should be that all over the country millions of people gathered together to celebrate a historic and hopeful moment and there was not one violent incident. We are one America. If this incident turns out to be arson motivated by anti-black racism then I believe America (even the 46% that didn't support Obama) will join together to condemn this crime. We will rise above the bigotry and ignorance, this is not the first time a black church has been burned by racists and often the majority has risen up in outrage and support for the victims. Bill Clinton, in particular, spoke eloquently on the subject when it happened during his administration. Obama will do the same, he has condemmed all acts of violence, no matter whom they were perpetrated by or directed at.

[JoeBlough]

Racism is something a child is taught. Maybe with a Black President, the kids won't believe the cr@p their parents teach them. They now have an example that disproves the hate. In time, things might be a little bit better.

[nwmother]

I think that over the past 300 years we have slowly (very very slowly) seen each generation move progressivly toward the ideals of equality and freedom for all. It hasn't always been pretty and the struggle has cost many who stood up their lives as John Lewis reminded us last night--but we have always emerged a stronger, more unified nation. That's the hope that Obama has been talking about consistently since his speech in 04--we are one America and we will rise above the bigotry of our past by marginalizing the proponents of fear, paranoia, and division.

[girlwild]

If this is arson, those responsible need to have restitution as part of their sentence, and they should pay that restitution by raising those funds themselves through fund raisers etc. complete with signs about why they are holding these fund raisers.

Let the punishment fit the crime.

[genia]

The media...needs to stop this broadcasting of .....Obama the first black president.
It's as if the media is competing to see who can interview the most blacks in the USA.

I'm so so so very happy for the black Americans ......I can only try to understand their happiness.­...BUT....­the more this is focused on...the more a certain sick population get them twisted and determined. All this media focus on black victory.....wakes up the hate in some very sick people.

We ....as a country...tried so hard not to let Obama's run be about race....why then are we so eager to make it all about race now.?
The media needs to act responsibly......we want no harm to come to this first family that we have come to love so much
Let's pray that no harm comes to anyone ........not one person.

[thatgirlinnewyork]

HuffPost: please don't write such provocative headlines until you know all the facts. the timing of this tragedy is, indeed, ironic, but don't take the republican cue of raising ire until it is warranted. we've had enough anger after 2 years of campaigning, and most of us have had it.

prayers and condolences to the church and its parishoners.

[AprilPA]

If this turns out to be arson and a hate crime, the person or people that did it deserves to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Hate crime is a form of domestic terrorism.

My heart goes out to the church and its followers.

[RightWingMarine]

I can understand prosecuting the arson but I'm unclear as to what a hate crime is. What is frequently thrown out there is that a hate crime is an action that is done to intimidate a target population. That seems a dangerous way to define a law and relies on arbitrary interpretations.

Does it matter the actors intent or how their action is perceived by the target group? Couldn't lawful action then become unlawful, such as flying a nazi flag on ones own property that is adjacent to a synagogue? (distasteful but legal) What about stealing campaign signs? Such action could be construed as designed to intimidate the voters who support that candidate.

If the action is what matters and the person accused of commiting a hate crime performed an act that is already defined as illegal why do we allow additional punishment to be added in some cases but not in others? It seems to me that by enforcing hate crime laws we could be commiting a hate crime by excessivly prosecuting a certain target group.