Today is the Anniversary of the One Terrorist Attack in America that You are Supposed to Forget

[KamaAina]

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/today-anniversary-terrorist-attack-america-supposed-forget/

Thirty-one years ago today, one of the most blatant acts of terrorism was carried out on American soil against American citizens by an American police department. Obviously, this is the one terror attack the government won’t remind you about — and, in fact, would prefer you forget completely.

On May 13, 1985, a massive operation by the Philadelphia Police culminated in an all-out attack and bombing on the peaceful, radical movement dedicated to black liberation, MOVE. At the end of the day, 11 people — including five children — had been killed, 65 homes destroyed, and the relationship between law enforcement and civilians arguably changed forever....

“In terms of the bombing, after being attacked the way we were, first with four deluge hoses by the fire department and then tons of tear gas, and then being shot at — the police admit to shooting over 10,000 rounds of bullets at us in the first 90 minutes — there was a lull. You know, it was quiet for a little bit. And then, without any warning at all, two members of the Philadelphia Police Department’s bomb squad got in a Pennsylvania state police helicopter and flew over our home and dropped a satchel of C4, a powerful military explosive that no municipal police department has. They had to get it from the federal government, from the FBI. And without any announcement of warning or anything, they dropped that bomb on the roof of our home.”

That bomb ignited an inferno that incinerated 6221 Osage — and everyone inside — though Africa managed to escape with her life. As the conflagration raged, officials ordered fire crews back, allowing the flames to swallow 65 homes — 64 of which had nothing to do with the MOVE incident.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

1. Expect to see this stuff again if the right wing fascists take over all branches of government.

[redwitch]

2. I grew up in NJ, not far from Philly.

I remember being glued to the tv in utter shock. What a nightmare that was!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

6. I was born in Philadelphia, PA; "the city of brotherly love" is their motto

[jalan48]

3. I remember it. Move, like the Black Panthers were considered too radical. nt

[kairos12]

4. Remember it well. A National Shame.

[chwaliszewski]

5. Disgusting!

[fbc]

7. They were a terror to their neighbors.

If you want to be in a wacky separatist cult, here are a few guidelines to avoid intervention:

1) Don't live in a row home with a loudspeaker on your roof broadcasting obscenities throughout the neighborhood
2) Feed your children.

Terrorist attack? This was an operation completely bungled by the incompetence of city officials, including Democratic establishment darling Ed Rendell, but MOVE had to go.

Granted, if MOVE were white people, radical right wing patriots would be calling them martyrs like they do with Koresh's followers. But we're supposed to be better than than radical right wing lunatics. Move were bad people. They could have chosen to be left alone, but instead they chose to inflict themselves upon the people of the community. They chose to allow their children to suffer from malnutrition.

[redwitch]

10. Yup, they were a fucked up bunch.

But rather than allow the kids to suffer from malnutrition the authorities caused them to burn to death. I think another alternative would have been kinder.

[msanthrope]

18. it didn't help that move decided to put gasoline on the roof..... and build a sniper's nest up there

Philly PD was amazingly incompetent... And the reason the whole damn block burned was because they kept the firefighters away because Move was shooting at them.

[uponit7771]

16. What did MOVE do that was fucked up? tia

[msanthrope]

17. They didn't believe in using bathrooms. So they taught their kids to shit in other people's

yards and forage in their garbages. Then they set up a loudspeaker system that preached 24/7 to the neighborhood about their agenda. And let's not get started with how they doused the roofs of their neighbors with gasoline and used railroad tiers to create a maze within their house to prevent authorities from moving in.... oh and shooting at firefighters and cops 2....... the neighborhood held a very heated meeting the week before this incident demanding that the city move in and do something.

[Shankapotomus]

23. So they were a little eccentric

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. Tulsa race riots 1920.

The national guard bombed North Tulsa from the air. It was prosperous and called the Black Wall Street. Most Americans have never heard of it.

[madokie]

13. I live 35 miles east of there

this riot spilled out over to the only black community in Mayes county. A little railroad town called Murphy. the blacks who survived crossed the grand river over to brushy creek south of chouteau where many of their families still live today. You won't find any of this in the history books though. I know of it because of my dad telling us the stories of how and when it happened. he was born in 1897 so he was a young man when this happened.

[dembotoz]

30. thank you for posting that i knew nothing about the tulsa riots

funny i was born on a june 1 and you look for the this day in history....
do not remember mention of the tulsa riots....

thank you again

[niyad]

9. thank you for the reminder.

[FailureToCommunicate]

11. It is good that you reminded us of this deadly overreaction by the PTB.

[madokie]

12. Now that you brought it up

I remember this happening.

[Thespian2]

14. I remember the incident...

The media was in a frenzy...these black radicals had to be brought to heel...best way TPTB thought was to bomb them...Thankfully, the police and FBI and perhaps the CIA no drones or rockets...

[Barack_America]

15. I can see my old apartment building in this photo.

I campaigned for Obama in this neighborhood. The community is STILL impacted.

Thank you for this post.

[msanthrope]

19. Yes....Osage Avenue, who asked Philly government to remove MOVE, got the short end

of it. The expected the city to do their jobs... and got fucked over in the meantime.

[Scuba]

20. Another stain on America.

[auntpurl]

21. It was an utter shitshow.

MOVE were not good people. But the Philly government's handling of it was worse (obviously). A terrible tragedy and a good example of why police have started to move toward sensitivity training, evidence-based hostage negotiation, and community policing. Developing a relationship with the community you're policing is the best way to avoid this kind of tragedy going forward.

[TBF]

22. Thank you -

my recent journal has links to this article and another one about the bombing. So glad to see the exposure on DU! http://www.democraticunderground.com/102412176

[heaven05]

24. thank you

for the reminder. I remember when Waco happened and those children were killed. The lamentations for these children stayed in the national headlines for a long time and were the subject of many discussions by the talking heads in our MSM. This Philadelphia summary execution and murder, not so much. But there was one primary difference, so I wasn't surprised..

[mnhtnbb]

25. Wow. I missed this--literally--because

the day it happened my husband and I landed in Paris to begin our honeymoon.

I had no idea this ever occurred.

[Enthusiast]

26. Kicked and recommended! nt

[classykaren]

27. Yes and thank you Temple University for housing all these familiesAnd giving them free medical care

[classykaren]

28. Thank you Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for admitting that these were among the healthiest

Children you had ever seen. There surviving children were all put in foster care.

[merrily]

29. Isn't Philadelphia hosting the Democratic National Convention this summer?

[KamaAina]

31. Indeed it is.

One wonders if the subject will be broached. I'm not holding my breath.

[merrily]

33. My thought was for the safety of the demonstrators.

[ReRe]

32. The USG should not...

... kill citizens for their political views.