Shh, We Have Secrets, and if you discuss them we will censor you and ban you from further posting.

 

Censorship of Scottsboro historical information by Scottsboro Face Book Groups, where the name of Scottsboro is utilized and information concerning race relations and questions about public involvement have been posted, then censored, along with the removal of participation in the groups.

 

Pupose of my involvement on the Scottsboro Face Book sites described: 1) To determine the site's purpose and affect on the City of Scottsboro and assess racial attitudes toward minorities, people of color and the poor in Scottsboro, Alabama. 2) To determine the purpose of the Revive Scottsboro site and discover if the City of Scottsboro is involved, who is involved and exactly what are they attempting to revive in Scottsboro.

 

The following stories of historical facts were posted, the end result was censorship and banning of the writer, me, from two sites which pertain to Scottsboro, Alabama and where the political entity's name is utilized.

 

"You know you are from the 'boro, If you remember..."Hugh Otis shooting people because of the color of their skin.  

 

The "two sides of the track" - White Wash Story.

 

Scottsboro Boys Museum opening.

 

Head knocked off of "Old Hickory" on the square by drunk woman, discovered statue made from cement and chicken wire .

 

The study of history and learning from its mistakes.

 

 While posting the above articles I was massively, verbally attacked by site members in what can be called a mob mentality of delusion and hatred, in my opinion as a Department of Defense Race Relation Equal Opportunity Specialist, Retired. 

 

The Story: Censors of local history close ranks and public input on Face Book (FB) Scottsboro History site. Examples: "You know you are from the 'boro, If you remember..." 1) August 16, 2014 Pat Patterson -group administrator - "If you're from Scottsboro, here's a place to see who remembers what... from back in the day. This is intended to be a nostalgic page to allow folks to reminisce. Please, keep it light. No advertising of any kind, no political or religious discussion. Not looking for controversy or debate. Basically, just play nice. This is not intended to be a "historical" account or record. Enjoy!" 2) Pat Patterson, group administrator changed the groups privacy settings from Public to Closed. The group header contains a picture of the old Scottsboro Freight Depot.

 UPDATE - At 12:30 PM August 16, 2014 I have been censored and blocked from the FB "You know you are from the 'boro, If you remember..." Mr. Pat Patterson, site administrator, has been given an opportunity for a press interview, he has declined. Since I have been censored, I take it my postings have also been censored-removed.

These events began with the questioning of the purpose of the "Revive Scottsboro" site and remembering of incidents concerning racial discrimination, murder and the head of Andy Jackson being knocked off by a drunk on the square; which includes the subsequent report that the statuary was intended to be constructed of stone, but it was discovered that it was concrete and chicken wire when Old Hickory was decapitated. Mrs. Ann Chambliss did not agree with the report that "Ole Hickory" was supposed to be made of stone and stated, "... the Historical Association commissioned the Chicken Wire and Cement statue as we could not afford the stone one." Others attempted to "goad" me as to my source, which I would not reveal, except to say, "they are very reliable and have posted on this site."

 

At approximately 2:30 PM today, August 16, 2014 - the site administrator of the "You know you are from the 'boro, If you remember..."  has stated he intends on closing the site. After I asked of him if my postings had been removed as I was removed from posting on the site. He said, "it takes a considerable amount of time to delete 2800 members, one at a time."

 The postings of the "Old Hickory" decapitation event, and the postings regarding historical incidents of racial discrimination and other postings relating to history which did not conform to the Face Book site members idea of history, resulted in numerous personal attacks pointed personally at me and now includes censorship and banning from the site for discussion of historical facts and asking questions about purpose of the sites.

This is not the first time personal attacks have occurred, to include threats of murder, harassing communications and terrorist threats pointed at the Scottsboro Boys Museum, stating - "We will burn it down when you get it built." These threats originated on the anonymous Al.Com Scottsboro Forum. Police reports were filed to include a visit to the District Attorney's office but no action was taken to correct the obvious criminal activity.

The problem are groups utilizing the Scottsboro name and pretending to be either a history site, or a site to "Revive Scottsboro." I was removed from the "Revive Scottsboro" site when I questioned why the city was not involved, why problem solving was not implemented for improvements, and why the group was not inclusive of all citizens. Mrs. Ann Chambliss removed me from that site after she warned, "if there was one more negative comment, you will be removed." There was also a reminder that questioning the group leadership or comments about the "Revive Scottsboro" site would not be tolerated.  The so called negative comment was, why wasn't the city of Scottsboro involved and all of the citizens, since the site involves the revival of the downtown Scottsboro area. 

 

Hate Crimes Bill Includes Military Service Members and Dependents Protections

A new hate crimes bill will most likely be signed by the President soon. Many will remember several churches were burned in Alabama and in the south due to racial hatred.

The hate crime legislation contains protections for military service members and their family members.
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I am highlighting a few excerpts from the Hate Crimes Bill and including commentary concerning the bill.

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The Bill was attached to the Defense Appropriations Act which is a 1500 page + bill. It appears this bill will be approved by the President. One other important point, there is a segment in the bill which no one has discussed, the protections offered to the military and their dependents.

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This article summarizes an argument against the bill. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=113907# highlights from the article: "But we already have laws against violent crime. The only purpose of hate-crime legislation is to stifle politically incorrect speech. The left repeatedly claims that there is absolutely no way that these laws will be used to criminalize speech. Yet at the same time, they are claiming that conservatism fuels hate crimes."

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"The open-borders lobby uses this tactic to silence opposition to illegal immigration by associating it with violence against Hispanics. Last year, Barack Obama blamed Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh for "feeding a kind of xenophobia" that is the "reason why hate crimes against Hispanic people doubled last year." "

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Another argument against the bill: "What’s crazy about this legislation is that what defines a hate crime is based entirely off of subjective reasoning. So in essence, certain political points of view including particular religious points of view by an individual could potentially implicate them in a hate crime. Undoubtedly, this is an incredibly dangerous bill and unfortunately it will most likely be passed in the U.S. Senate and signed into law by the President."
Link: http://www.roguegovernment.com/Hate_Crimes_Prevention_Act_Sets_Foundation_To_Destroy_Free_Speech_In_The_U.S./15482/0/13/13/Y/M.html

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I'll highlight a few items from the original bill:
How may a hate crime be conveyed other than an act of violence? "Channels, facilities, and instrumentalities of interstate commerce are used to facilitate the commission of such violence." (This includes the Internet.)

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What are Hate Crimes other than violence against a protected class? "Members of targeted groups are prevented from purchasing goods and services, obtaining or sustaining employment, or participating in other commercial activity."

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Who are protected classes? "OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY." (including} "...when the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution of the United States were adopted, and continuing to date, members of certain religious and national origin groups were and are perceived to be distinct ‘‘races’’. Including all "personnel of the Armed Forces, their Dependents and their property within 5 years of discharge." The armed forces protections are included in a separate section of the "Hate Crimes Bill"

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When may prosecution occur? "...criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that—is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the State, local, or tribal hate crime laws."

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Motivations of Bias--(Bias is not defined in the definition within this law.) "The problem of crimes motivated by bias is sufficiently serious, widespread, and interstate in nature as to warrant Federal assistance to States local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes."

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First Amendment and Free Expression:

"FREE EXPRESSION.—Nothing in this division shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual’s expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual’s membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs. "

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"FIRST AMENDMENT.—Nothing in this division, or an amendment made by this division, shall be construed to diminish any rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States."

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" CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS.—Nothing in this division shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionally protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief), including the exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and peaceful picketing or demonstration. The Constitution of the United States does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence."

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It is also interesting to note that members of the United States Armed Forces and their dependents are protected by this legislation. Not only is an assault on a service member or his/her dependents a hate crime but the destruction of military members personal property is also covered under this law. The law extends the coverage to 5 years after the service member's discharge from the service.

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Article which discusses the issue and list a link to the 1500+ pages of the Bill. http://reason.com/blog/2009/10/15/could-politically-incorrect-sp

Change in Scottsboro, or the Update: Freedom From the Repression of Truth by the Press

Wiki has a good bio of President Elect Obama. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

"Scottsboro Boys" under the armed escort of the Alabama National Guard (1931). Link to the Scottsboro Boy's History: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/Scottsboro/SB_acct.html

Dr. Gary Speers, City Councilman, Educator and Ass't Principal Collins Elementary School (seated left); Mr. Thermon Bell, City Councilman, U.S. Army, Retired and Scottsboro Power Board Employee (center); Mr. Terry Thomas, Councilman, Special Agent Alabama Bureau of Investigation (right).

>>>>>>>Dr. Speers during his campaign at a debate.

A phenomenal cultural Event has occured in our nation. The election of a Black Man as President of the United States. President Elect Barrack Obama's election is a milestone in Race Relations for our nation.

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Much may be said about Scottsboro's change concerning race relations in a positive fashion. Our city's advancement through the debilitating, destructive attitude of Jim Crow; from the Scottsboro Boys Case, the begining of the 2oth Century's Civil Rights movement, to our current historical moments of change. Not much has been said about our local community in this historical moment. President Elect Barrack Hussein Obama truly represents a change of our national culture, leaders such as Dr. Gary M. Speers, Educator and Scottsboro City Councilman represents a positive change for Scottsboro.

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*Update, 6PM: This postings link was removed from al.com's Scottsboro Forum. Very obviously the local editors of al.com Scottsboro Forum, Advance Internet, support censorship. Now it appears their censorship goes much deeper, into the realm of racial bigotry and discrimination. There were other posts from this blog that had been linked over several days but not removed until this one was posted. When this posting was linked, it was removed and the poster has received a posting ban. The prejudicial and bigoted actions of Advance Internet's al.com's editors is reflective of an attitude of tyrany and now intolerance of African American History and Truth. What can be said about a media's empire whose values display that of bigotry and tyrany?? What is so disappointing, The Huntsville Times, The Birmingham News and the Mobile Press Register are part of that media empire. Freedom of the press or freedom from the press and their repression of the truth and responsible discussion of events?