http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090105/thompson

After reading the story I found so surreal I thought it was fake. The fact that is is not makes it all the more disturbing.

I remember posting about this like a year ago and everybody (bg4150 or whatever the fuck his name is in perticular) thought I was making shit just to start shit..............Funny.

Man all I'm going t say is that it looks straight out ofa Law and order episode. Oh and for those of you too busy to read the whole thing (Iknow most of you are t the office) check this out.

the fuck? I made 2 threads?

I only read the first page, but does it ever say why he was in that neighborhood?

They were trying to find the shuttlebus to get them out.

Damn, that sucks.

I'm trying to imagine myself in the situation of the homeowners...I'd probably have a gun and be ready to defend my home too. I wouldn't go around shooting people without warning, but I would definitely do what was needed to protect my family.

It sounds like the neighborhood decided that if you don't live there, then your only purpose being there would be to commit a crime. Very narrowminded, but I can't see as being unrealistic either. Especially with reports of mass looting and the absence of law.

Like I said, I didn't read the whole article, but I read enough to get the gist.

I understand wanting to protect your family and form what the article says, during the whole time the media kept stirring the pot that there were mass lootings and this seemed to scare these people even more. That being said, if you see someone who you suspect may loot you warn them. these people just shot anyone who wasn't white, which I suspect means they just wanted to shoot someone. They evenmention it in the article and in the videopiece how many of these people were boasting about "hunting season" and how they just shot anyone suspicious. The worst part is that the police was or still isn't willing to inversitgate. I think a senator or congressman is adressing the issue but so far no investigation ffrom the authorities has commenced.

The lack of Police investigation doesn't surprise me. Afterall, if they were doing their jobs, then the looting and random killings wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Probably the fact that the "authorities" left town, or decided not to show up to work, is the reason that they're not investigating any reports. Because, wouldn't that be them admitting that they weren't doing their jobs? The fact that shit like that was happening? Wouldn't they, in essence, be admitting that they were nothing but a bunch of Officer Barbrady's?

Darn right. Also, some of the cops who stayed told these people that they had to do what they had t do, in other words shoot whoever you want.

That was crazy!!!!

The crazy part is that shit like that happens all over the country...only it's called gang violence.

Good point. What disturbs me a lot about this case is that these people didn't all shoot because of fear but because they wanted to shoot someone.

That is some fucked up shit. I believe in unity & working together for a better place. These pricks are isolationists & should be treated as such. Fuck these muthafuckas they can live in their gated community & never leave.

Dude, gang violence, as fucked up as this is, is a completely different story. Gang bangers kill other gang bangers.

You're right. Rather than merely protecting what was theirs, they were almost looking for an excuse.

It could be that the two neighborhoods had been clashing for years, and the Algier's Pointe peeps acted as oppotunists to attack...or it could be that people, in general, will turn to chaos in the absence of law. It's an interesting story either way.


Gang bangers kill anyone that comes on "their" turf. It's the same philosophy...

I was never in a gang, but I always knew which neighborhoods it wasn't safe to take a stroll through. Shit, some neighborhoods it wasn't even safe to drive through.

That is a very good observation and something that is often discussed in books about the crimina nature of mankind. I do believe some people were genuienly scared, the radio reports of black pepople looting most likely reinforced their sense of fear. Others however just shot because they wanted to kill. Their comments are what leads me to that conclusion but I don;t know.

No Sir...

This was an act of "racisim". One race came across the line to look for help after a major disaster and the other race started shooting!!!!

Not comparable to Gang Violence. (Though... Gang violence is just as shitty)

Oh, by the way... the people in that story were staright up RACIST and took pleasure in trying to kill black people...

FUCK THAT FEAR SHIT!

This is a concept that I've always found peculiar...

How is killing a man based on the color of his skin ANY different than killing a man based on the color of his shirt?

When you live it, I guess it's easy to say that what directly affects you is "special", but in reality, it's the same type of senseless behavior.

because you can change the color of your shirt...

So you're saying that gang violence is MORE senseless?

Is it more retarded to kill someone because they're wearing a red shirt and you're wearing a blue one? or more retarded to kill someone because they have slanty eyes and you have round ones?

lol, that is a good question.

And innocent kids as strays hit them.

i didn't know cops were gangbangers

Ummm Michael Jackson is proof of otherwise I believe.

I can't believe people are comparing Gang Violence to this crap!

How is gang violence SOOOO different to racist shootings?


Some people kill someone because of their skin colour

Some people kill someone because of where there from/who they hang with



I personally cant see THAT much of a difference.

I think the difference is, that you can have control and a choice on whether you become a gang member or not. People don't choose to be black, brown, yellow or white.

Good Point!

Also, Gangs fight amongst each other... They kill each other. If one side doesn't kill first then the other side will. (Im not saying its right but thats how it is) I think it's pretty shitty.

In this case you had innocent people coming across to look for HELP... and they were shot at and killed because of the color of their skin. (Thats a little different the gang violence in my opinion). Either way it's pretty shitty. But in no way would I veiw this the same as gang violence.

It's all about protecting your territory...gangs do it in their hoods, these people did it in theirs. The difference is that these people don't use violence to make their money the way that gangs do, so I guess it's surprising that they were as eager to use force as they were.

Recognizing this doesn't excuse the act. Just like recognizing that purpose and attraction to gangs doesn't excuse them. It just puts it in its proper perspective.

Since when is gang violence limited to just gangs? That's news to me, I know it wasn't where I grew up.

That post didn't come out like I wanted it too.

The difference I'm trying to point out is that one city was struck by tragedy! New Orleans was crushed... People lost "EVERYTHING". They went to other nearby cities to get help. They were shot at because of the color of their skin. If those were white people that were looking for help then those people would not have shot at them.

I don't see how that senario can be referred to as Gang Violence...

I didn't call it gang violence...I said that shit like that happens all over the country, only it's called gang violence.

Meaning that innocent people get shot all the time for going into the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time...ALL THE TIME.

There are STILL neighborhoods in my town that I wouldn't walk through, because I KNOW it's not safe. That's not me being a pussy, that's me knowing how to avoid problems. Do you think that those neighborhoods would treat me any differently if there was some kind of mass disaster? I don't. If anything, shit might be MORE dangerous. I don't know.

But don't get it twisted, I'm not defending or excusing those actions, just putting it into perspective. Shit like this happens all the time.

This is coming kind of late but...

If you were never in a gang then you never really knew. I wasn't in a gang officially either, but I grew up with gangbangers. Trust me, a person that comes into your "turf" looking like a gangbanger is treated much different compared to a person coming in a three piece suit. Gangbangers aren't stupid, they won't fuck with anyone that will bring police around.

In the end, it all is killing and it all is fucked up, but it's the REASONING behind it that's different.

These white racists killed someone because of who they were from birth. They didn't choose to be black and they were killed for it. Like Fitz said, gangbangers at some point make that "choice" to be in a gang and they take the risks that come with it.

You make a good point about innocents getting killed but that really is getting off the topic. Gangbangers never intentionally shoot at kids or innocent bystanders and motive is what this whole discussion is about.

And trust me, I grew up with gangbangers too. A lot of my childhood friends got involved in one type of gang or another, so I know what's up.

A person coming on your "turf" with a friend is treated much different than a complete stranger. That's the truth.

Oh no doubt. I know what you mean. But a person coming on your turf dressed like a hoodlum vs a person coming on your turf dressed like the CEO of a company are treated differently.

I guess if a white, redneck hick came onto their turf, I don't know what would happen. I think they'd just be confused. LOL.

I think we know what would happen...

"look at this mutha fucka...hey jethro, you lost?!"

It's not like they'd just start blasting him like the rednecks did, but he definitely wouldn't leave un-taxed.

not just on your turf, but on your turf when all hell is breaking loose because of a disaster. Picture Cletus from Alabama walking around the streets during the LA Riot. That shit would not be pretty.