Cross Burned On Obama Supporters' Lawn

A family who had supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign emerged from their home in the northwestern New Jersey town of Hardwick Thursday morning to find the charred remnants of a 6-foot wooden cross on their front lawn.

Pieces of a homemade bedsheet banner reading "President Obama , Victory '08," which had been stolen from the yard the night before, also were found, leading investigators to believe the banner had been wrapped around the cross before it was set afire. Lt. Gerald Lewis of the New Jersey State Police said his agency is treating the incident as a bias crime.

Police believe the cross, made of two-by-fours bolted to a metal pole like those used to support road signs, was placed on the lawn sometime between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., and fell over after being set on fire. Homeowner Gary Grewal said he had noticed the Obama banner missing from his lawn the night before and reported it to police.

Grewal said his 8-year-old daughter, Arianna, spotted the banner wrapped around the burnt cross as they walked toward their car to drive to school. "She saw it, that's what bothered me the most," Grewal said Thursday. "You can imagine the types of questions she was asking. It was very tough to explain."

Comments

[gintheb]

New Jersey??!!

[EvangelicalEmpathy]

A burned cross doesn't change anything--President Barack Obama is still their president

[XME]

A "bias crime"? I believe the word is HATE.

[bellecloche]

I was saw a news clip from 1966 in which a Klansman proudly declared the KKK to be a "terrorist organizati­on." That clip needs to be played over and over and over and over next to the report on this cross burning, and every journalist needs to start referring to this incident as terrorism. Call it like it is and shove the violent into the same diverse boat where they belong.

[sisteract]

As an American I am saddend that this kind of bigotry still occurs. As an African-American I am disgusted. At what point will these people see that we all bleed the same, and that God does not play favorites? This is our country. Stand up America and shame these people for the low lifes they are!

[Krikkit]

Who calls the police to report a banner was stolen...

I smell a rotten fish in this one.

[diamondgirl9]

It doesn't say they called the police to report the banner stolen. That fact probably came out when the police questioned them regarding the cross burning. What you smell is you.

[Roy49]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we can expect much more of this to happen. I knew this was going to happen...I knew it! Racism among these closet bigots is more rampant than you know. Unless law enforcement investigates and punishes the perpetrators immediately with stiff penalties, this will continue. A lot of white people IN ALL PARTS OF AMERICA still hate black people deep down in their hearts. And mark my words...it­’s going to happen a lot more. And this is a direct result of the ugly, fear mongering, hate-filled campaign that Palin and McCain ran during their downward spiral. I knew this was going to happen!Ladies and Gentlemen, we can expect much more of this to happen. I knew this was going to happen...I knew it! Racism among these closet bigots is more rampant than you know. Unless law enforcement investigates and punishes the perpetrators immediately with stiff penalties, this will continue. A lot of white people IN ALL PARTS OF AMERICA still hate black people deep down in their hearts. And mark my words...it­’s going to happen a lot more. And this is a direct result of the ugly, fear mongering, hate-filled campaign that Palin and McCain ran during their downward spiral. I knew this was going to happen!

[queeraz]

America! Need anymore proof our educational system is in the toilet? And we talk about morals and family values against loving gays but, bigots, rednecks and supremecy groups are supposedly patriotic, flag waving, gun toting Americans.

[Isabellaspeaks]

It gets even worse, don't forget they call themselves "Christians" too

[prog]

Thugs.

They're mad at the world because they don't feel like they will get a door prize for having a white face any more. Boo. Hoo.

[Omega9111]

Sad that this doesn't surprise me in the least.

[politisophical]

we will defeat you

[EPluribisUnum]

The NJ cross burning incident isn't the only one. On Wednesday morning after Barack Obama won the election, a cross was burned in Susquehanna County PA in the yard of an interracial couple Ruth Cohen and Archie Johnson. This disgusting hate crime made the front page of our Binghamton NY newspaper and was the lead story of our local TV news. As an artist, I personally know Ruth and Archie; they are lovely people. This apparently racist reaction to Tuesday's election is reprehensible. I hope the police apprehend the ignoramus!
Shame on certain party philosophy designers who compose the core agenda behind inflammatory verbal smear attacks which certain candidates read gleefully from the teleprompters. Shame on certain special interest groups who sent incendiary smear emails which people forwarded and forwarded to everyone on their email lists. Shame on certain TV networks and certain radio talking heads who make lots of profit for throwing accelerant on unsettled radical sparks that are long overdue for sputtering out. Shame on the FREAK SHOW who delight in inciting violence with vulgar promotion of FEAR, HATE, and LIES! Even though I am a registered Republican, I voted for Barack Obama for numerous reasons. One factor in my vote was that I could not accept the disgustingly vile campaign waged by Team McCain.
From WBNG TV News12: http://www.wbng.com/news/local/34114559.html
and PressSun:
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20081107/NEWS01/811070374?GID=qIsgaPuYpSML3csIaq3DyNHcAnEZjuKymDbooDOJ8s4%3D

[rdiaz921]

the people shouldn't OVER react and the police shouldn't OVER react. By giving this kind of behavior importance by giving it alot of attention will bring back the past.

Treat it like a nuisance and they will go away.

[Obama08Supporter]

It is time to hunt them down and put them behind bars forever, they are truly a menice to society. What are racist afraid of? I would really like to know.

Being black in America for the past 44 years of my life, has not been easy, I was hoping for a dramactic change for Obama's election. Well, I now know it will only get worst for the next few months, but I stand ready for the first racist that meets me somewhere with that foolishness.

[katocat]

The work of cowardly immature little boys.

[YouDisgustMe]

...who make up 93.4% of the republican party

[nadiks]

well if God was on their side then the ugly hateful people would have won . Good has overcome Evil. But yet the evil doers keep coming out of the bottomless pit. to spew their hatred. Fools

[majii]

They are also misleading their own children and poisoning their minds. Since this election, I have had many conversations with the students in my 10th grade civics class. I have been using research and the Constitution to encourage these future GA voters to choose critical thinking and use inquiring minds when they have to make future choices among candidates running for political office. Based on the results of some of our class discussions, I seem to be making some inroads in favor of inquiry and research over blindly accepting info received from media sources. These children are finding that a lot of the things they thought and have been told by their parents and the media about P-e Obama have just been totally false. I will continue to push, push, push and push ever harder for using rational thought over fear, scare tactics, and racist tactics in electing public officials.

[Petey131]

As I have previously stated: These people are COWARDS. They conduct these bigot acts in the darkness of the night. I know one thing "God don't like ugly." They will get what they deserve.