June 18, 2015

Dylann Roof, Charleston Suspect, Wore Symbols of White Supremacy

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/us/on-facebook-dylann-roof-charleston-suspect-wears-symbols-of-white-supremacy.html?_r=0

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Facebook profile picture chosen by Dylann Storm Roof in May is thick with symbolism. It shows Mr. Roof, a scowling young white man, against a distinctly Southern backdrop: a swamp dripping with Spanish moss. His black jacket is adorned with two flags — one from apartheid-era South Africa, the other from white-ruled Rhodesia — that have been adopted as emblems by modern-day white supremacists.

Law enforcement officials identified Mr. Roof, 21, as the suspect in the mass shooting at an African-American church in Charleston on Wednesday night that left nine dead, including the pastor, Clementa C. Pinckney. Mr. Roof was arrested Thursday in North Carolina.

A cousin of Mr. Pinckney who had spoken to a witness, Sylvia Johnson, told NBC that the gunman entered the church, asked for the pastor and sat next to him during Bible study before opening fire. “I have to do it,” he said, according to Ms. Johnson. “You rape our women and you’re taking over our country. And you have to go.” The shooting was being investigated as a hate crime.

Mr. Roof’s current address is listed in public records as Eastover, S.C., a very small town southeast of Columbia with an overwhelmingly African-American population. On Facebook, many of his 88 friends are black. He attended high school in Lexington, about 40 miles west of Eastover.

I'm glad the NY Times is highlighting this important fact.

June 6, 2015

how I'm approaching this group

If I post something really personal here, I KNOW for a fact someone on the internet will mock me. I don't care at this point and I don't really want to know, either. Knowing won't improve my life one bit.

On the other hand, if a DU'er drags my personal life into GD or another sub-forum here, I WANT to know. I will alert on them and even go to Skinner. NO DU'er should be doing that, period.

I respect your feelings though, mopinko. It's a lot easier to say you can ignore than actually DO it. I haven't posted anything really personal yet, so my theory is untested. I've been "suffering in silence", so to speak. Much good will to you!

Steve

June 4, 2015

That's a shame he said that

Of course I didn't agree with him on a few things (guns, Hillary), but he was a good guy and a good guy to me. He stuck up for me once (not that I ever need it) and I always remembered that.

Since he was here for so long and made good contributions, I'd like to see him be able to make a sincere apology in GD and be reinstated.