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

[fredfep]

For this to happen in New Jersey in 2008. Racists are morons. So are Republicans. They are still stealing Obama lawn signs here on Long island, they are beyond pathetic, like immature children. But far more dangerous. And this is all they have left, slugs like this. They promise to go further right, and those like Rush will get more enflamed.

There should be a central place where we can report online threats and racism. Put these people on notice (without publicizing them). Report them to authorities. They seem to think they have a license to spread their stupidity and hatred to all. We must do all in our power to prevent this and crush them.

They can never win again and they know it.

[SuzyQ08]

Ahhh, the GOP base. Mature, rational, and as always, full of class.

[ChefDC]

Never underestimate the power of racism. We hope that electing a president of african american descent will help heal the racial divide in our great country. The truth is this is only the beginning of bridging tha gap. We have millions of miles to go.

[dadw5boys]

Bias crime ?????

How about a HATE CRIME, CRIMINAL TRESPASS, CRIMINAL DAMAGE OF PRVATE PROPERTY, ARSON, CRIMINAL DAMAGE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY ???????

If a black man had done this BIAS would be the least charge leveled against him.

[9liberal]

It is sad that they are still out there...why don't they just all move to Alaska!

[ChipOatley]

Haven't the native Alaskans suffered enough? Why not appalachia? They love them there.

[Isabellaspeaks]

Not on your life sweetie, you're stuck with your rednecks just like everyone else. We don't want them here either.

[Isabellaspeaks]

I resent that comment Chip, I'll thank you to keep your hateful rednecks there, we certainly don't want them here either. It just goes to show that hate and ignorance is global and it's up to all of us to work together until we are a planet of kinder and gentler beings.

[rbanks]

Bias crime? Why this isn't considered domestic terrorism, or at least a hate crime?

If someone wanted to protest, they could have set the cross on fire in their own front yard, and would just have been exercising their free (but intolerant) speech rights...but as usual, intolerance and cowardice are linked at the hip.

[ForObamaInDallas]

calling it a "bias crime" is trying to diminish the seriousness of this hate crime. It's racism without being overt racism (like the actual cross burning being the over racism.)

This is hate crime, based on race, pure and simple. Calling it a "bias crime" is apalling.

[protagonia]

Right you are!

We must meet this threat head on.

[curocat]

It is a Hate Crime... The FBI needs to look into this...

[surfcitysteven]

We have well-known yahoo here in NM who lives on I-25 north of Santa Fe who has put anti-dem billboards and pro rightwing garbage up for years. Right next to the American flag. He was so hurt, he put up the confederate flag. These morons are everywhere.

[DBtv]

The true face of the republic party, now totally irrelevant.

Just a speck in the rear view mirror of the New American Renaissance.

[protagonia]

I would not dismiss them so easily. Be watchful. It will take more than a government agency to handle the flood of stupid and racist monsters, flowing from the "Houses Of Christ" across the south and mid west.

[midwesthousewife]

This and the report of the burning of a black church in massachusetts. Wonder how much more of this is going to occur up until inauguration day.

[enufalready]

I find it ironic that the Repubs played all this Guilt by Association during the election,so if you reverse that notion than the Repubs share the guilt of this crime!

[happyexpat08]

The last gasps of a dying breed. From now on, you can no longer call yourself a true patriot, you cannot be a true American, and still accept racism and intolerance. It's a great day!

Thanks America!

and here's my video thank you (it's a song called...uh...'Thank you') :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4YgKHPcC64

[ravenman22]

It saddens me that people are so rooted in hate and evil that they cannot even wait to see if their life is going to be better with Obama as president. I am very concerned about the Obama family as well.

[faith]

A burning cross is someone's lawn is a "hate crime" and carries with it additional penalties to the perpretrator. I have never heard of a "bias" crime. State it truthfully AP writers.

[TheAlchemist]

Lord have mercy.

[rockyb26]

amen

[lovethesinner]

Keep your heads up, folks. It's going to take a minute for them to figure out what just happened, and when they realize that their whole life, and the lives of their parents, and their grandparents was based on a lie, it will be tough, and they will act out in disbelief.

The death of a philosophy is like the death of a family member. This is just the beginning. But, eventually, when the denial and the anger and the bargaining, are over... the truth will out.

Once it's out, it can NEVER come out again. I'm not saying racism will end, but... the institutionalized excuses for racism will be exposed. This is a cultural phenomenon.

That culture has no place in 21st century America.