Mass shooting at Charleston church in South Carolina leaves 9 dead

[CMNightRider]

Well, turns out this Roof guy has a lot of black friends. Kills the racism claim. And, one more time, that quote from the NAACP person was not a direct quote from an eyewitness, as she herself said.

Those who apologize for the racist hater and cold blooded mass murderer are sinners not saints.

He wanted to start a civil war because he's certain whites are being run out by black racism.

Not the first time I'd heard that either.

Oh no, not another hysterical rant. I don't think any of these posters are apologising for this guy.

Hopefully, the guy who killed these 9 people at the Charleston church will receive the death penalty, and his father who gave him the firearm will be held accountable.

My guess is the same people who want guns and the death penalty banned, will be weeping over this fool receiving the death penalty because of being mentally unstable.

[Jingthing]

Was it illegal what the father did?
If not, he has no liability.

If so, his liability is only about the gun violation, not the murders.

I heard a report that when reporters called the parents house they were told, No interviews. NEVER, click!

Understandable but have to wonder where he got the racism.

[chuckd]

What a load of crap. Fox is covering the story in depth and offering all the different theories about the crime.

http://www.foxnews.com/

Fox is doing their level best to keep off the narrative that them doing their daily angry white man rants against blacks and constantly implying that they deserve their treatment at the hands of white police has in some way helped stoke the tension.

They are also particularly outraged that they have been called out for it.

Kelly did nothing but try and go on about "healing", when the bitch has probably been the most racist of the lot.

Hannity is spending his time talking about drugs being an issue.

That station has gone beyond a joke.

No wonder the average age of viewers is 68, you have to be senile to consider any of that "news".

Amusingly, you seem to be the only one addiced to watching Fox.

Physician, heal thyself.

[Neurath]

What a load of crap. Fox is covering the story in depth and offering all the different theories about the crime.

http://www.foxnews.com/

Fox is doing their level best to keep off the narrative that them doing their daily angry white man rants against blacks and constantly implying that they deserve their treatment at the hands of white police has in some way helped stoke the tension.

They are also particularly outraged that they have been called out for it.

Kelly did nothing but try and go on about "healing", when the bitch has probably been the most racist of the lot.

Hannity is spending his time talking about drugs being an issue.

That station has gone beyond a joke.

No wonder the average age of viewers is 68, you have to be senile to consider any of that "news".

Amusingly, you seem to be the only one addiced to watching Fox.

Physician, heal thyself.

Or addicted to watching people watching Fox. Like gogglebox. Very popular apparently.

[cantplay]

What he is -> an ignorant, stupid a-hole. A moron to suit the morons that believe in racism and prejudice.

A sad day!

[StevieH]

What a load of crap. Fox is covering the story in depth and offering all the different theories about the crime.

http://www.foxnews.com/

Fox is doing their level best to keep off the narrative that them doing their daily angry white man rants against blacks and constantly implying that they deserve their treatment at the hands of white police has in some way helped stoke the tension.

They are also particularly outraged that they have been called out for it.

Kelly did nothing but try and go on about "healing", when the bitch has probably been the most racist of the lot.

Hannity is spending his time talking about drugs being an issue.

That station has gone beyond a joke.

No wonder the average age of viewers is 68, you have to be senile to consider any of that "news".

it's always really funny reading people who leap to the defence of fox news. well it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic i suppose. the shock and outrage that anyone could possibly consider the quite openly bigoted, right-wing propaganda machine owned by ultra-conservative rupert murdoch and run by ultra-conservative lunatic roger ailes to be, you know, biased, right wing and bigoted. the bits of their coverage i've seen of this horrific charleston incident have been typically disgusting and structured.

[Publicus]

Well, turns out this Roof guy has a lot of black friends. Kills the racism claim. And, one more time, that quote from the NAACP person was not a direct quote from an eyewitness, as she herself said.

Those who apologize for the racist hater and cold blooded mass murderer are sinners not saints.

He wanted to start a civil war because he's certain whites are being run out by black racism.

Not the first time I'd heard that either.

Oh no, not another hysterical rant. I don't think any of these posters are apologising for this guy.

Hopefully, the guy who killed these 9 people at the Charleston church will receive the death penalty, and his father who gave him the firearm will be held accountable.

My guess is the same people who want guns and the death penalty banned, will be weeping over this fool receiving the death penalty because of being mentally unstable.

I don't think any of these posters are apologising for this guy.

Wrong.

My guess is

Wrong again.

Roof is very likely to get exactly what he should get to end his miserable journey through this world, apologists of him not withstanding and no tears being necessary either way. I'd also like to find out if Roof or his father had any memberships of groups or organizations on the far out radical racial right.

Roof did everything in the church except let out a rebel yell.

[simple1]

Ban the guns!

...

This is politically impossible in the USA.

There could be incidents like Charleston daily and that still wouldn't happen.

Why? Australia did it after their biggest massacre. In reality Governments do things everyday that the public do not like. After a few months everyone will forget!

You're not American, right?

The USA is NOT Australia.

The gun thing is ingrained in the U.S.

Sure there may be very minor so called "reforms" but banning totally impossible.

Be clear I am not supporting the gun culture in the U.S., I don't, just facing the political reality.

Australia did not 'ban guns', rather put in-place very strict gun ownership laws. I take your point, even restrictions in the US cultural / political climate would be unachievable.

An example of Australian gun ownership laws.

Category C: Self-loading rimfire rifles holding 10 or fewer rounds and pump-action or self-loading shotguns holding 5 or fewer rounds. Category C firearms are strongly restricted: only primary producers, occupational shooters, collectors and some clay target shooters can own functional Category C firearms.

Ownership of military style assault weapons was banned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Gun_politics_in_Australia

[Ulysses G.]

it's always really funny reading people who leap to the defence of fox news.

How about the nitwits who attack them with blatant lies and misinformation and then double down on stupid when the lies are exposed? Some people get a kick out of that.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[JakeSully]

it's always really funny reading people who leap to the defence of fox news.

How about the nitwits who attack them with blatant lies and misinformation and then double down on stupid when the lies are exposed? Some people get a kick out of that.

Like Bill O' Reilly from Fox News. You betcha!

[Thorgal]

Well, turns out this Roof guy has a lot of black friends. Kills the racism claim. And, one more time, that quote from the NAACP person was not a direct quote from an eyewitness, as she herself said.

Those who apologize for the racist hater and cold blooded mass murderer are sinners not saints.

He wanted to start a civil war because he's certain whites are being run out by black racism.

Not the first time I'd heard that either.

So it's clear now that race was in fact the motivation. Crystal clear. What's the chance that sdaniel will admit his mistake?

Wrong, the main target was the senator. That's why he drove 140 miles to kill him with everyone around him.

It's a political racial murder.

If he would made a crime based on only racial motives, he would have done the same without targeting a public and political figure and much closer from the place where he lived...Columbia...

[MaxYakov]

Mooner, on 19 Jun 2015 - 11:51, said:

Ban the guns!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is politically impossible in the USA.

Ban the guns!

...

There could be incidents like Charleston daily and that still wouldn't happen.

Why? Australia did it after their biggest massacre. In reality Governments do things everyday that the public do not like. After a few months everyone will forget!

You're not American, right?

The USA is NOT Australia.

The gun thing is ingrained in the U.S.

Sure there may be very minor so called "reforms" but banning totally impossible.

Be clear I am not supporting the gun culture in the U.S., I don't, just facing the political reality.

Australia did not 'ban guns', rather put in-place very strict gun ownership laws. I take your point, even restrictions in the US cultural / political climate would be unachievable.

An example of Australian gun ownership laws.

Category C: Self-loading rimfire rifles holding 10 or fewer rounds and pump-action or self-loading shotguns holding 5 or fewer rounds. Category C firearms are strongly restricted: only primary producers, occupational shooters, collectors and some clay target shooters can own functional Category C firearms.

Ownership of military style assault weapons was banned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Gun_politics_in_Australia

Yep, Pinot was pushing the same Australian gun ban misconception (lie) and I addressed it here with more detail and links

[Chicog]

What a load of crap. Fox is covering the story in depth and offering all the different theories about the crime.

http://www.foxnews.com/

Fox is doing their level best to keep off the narrative that them doing their daily angry white man rants against blacks and constantly implying that they deserve their treatment at the hands of white police has in some way helped stoke the tension.

They are also particularly outraged that they have been called out for it.

Kelly did nothing but try and go on about "healing", when the bitch has probably been the most racist of the lot.

Hannity is spending his time talking about drugs being an issue.

That station has gone beyond a joke.

No wonder the average age of viewers is 68, you have to be senile to consider any of that "news".

Amusingly, you seem to be the only one addiced to watching Fox.

Physician, heal thyself.

It's not the only channel I watch Chuck.

But it is, by a significant margin, the absolute worst.

Plus I must bring down the average viewing age significantly.

[F430murci]

Fox is fun and has some hotties. Seriously, if you cannot weed through their bs propaganda and enjoy it for what it is, then the problem resides with you. Fox has actually been very aggressive against the cops that keep popping up in the news and against nut bags like this guy. I also watch CNN and think people like Anderson Cooper are a bit more comical than some of the Fox news bs. The fact is, they are all bs. Its TV. Watch for enjoyment, but don't get caught up in everything you hear.

Yes we have too many nutters going on shooting rampages. I have always been for stricter gun laws, background checks and closing the gun show loop holes. That said, these incidents are very few and far in between when dealing with the total population and the vast majority of people in the US are extremely safe. No need to go absolutely bizarre about the US, guns or gun laws because some nimrod, mental midget when and committed a horrendous act. Hopefully, the father or whoever gave him the gun will get prosecuted and sued civilly so there is some potential chilling effect in the future.

[Jingthing]

Well, turns out this Roof guy has a lot of black friends. Kills the racism claim. And, one more time, that quote from the NAACP person was not a direct quote from an eyewitness, as she herself said.

Those who apologize for the racist hater and cold blooded mass murderer are sinners not saints.

He wanted to start a civil war because he's certain whites are being run out by black racism.

Not the first time I'd heard that either.

So it's clear now that race was in fact the motivation. Crystal clear. What's the chance that sdaniel will admit his mistake?

Wrong, the main target was the senator. That's why he drove 140 miles to kill him with everyone around him.

It's a political racial murder.

If he would made a crime based on only racial motives, he would have done the same without targeting a public and political figure and much closer from the place where he lived...Columbia...

That's absurd.

You've just made this up in your own imagination with no evidence whatsoever.

You don't even know if he knew about this senator.

He was a STATE senator. Not a U.S. senator!

State senators are not big celebrities, most people wouldn't know their names at all.

The report of his racist statements before the murders ... no mention of a STATE senator. Only general race hatred on blacks.

If his target was one man ... why kill all those other largely old people ... were they going to jump him?

Before you seemed to not even realize what a STATE senator was compared to a U.S. senator ... now you act like you know something in the brain of this terrorist when there is no evidence of it?

Now the TARGET SITE we do know is a very historic black church which is very symbolic to any local person who knows anything about race history in South Carolina.

I am assuming he PROBABLY did pick that church on purpose although there are reports he had another target in mind first ... I recall it was a college of black people.

Or maybe he didn't know the history ... only knew black church / black people. Little difference in the result of what he did.

See the theme here, dude?

Black people. He hates them. He's a racist.

Not a specific political hit.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Jingthing

[Chicog]

Fox is fun and has some hotties. Seriously, if you cannot weed through their bs propaganda and enjoy it for what it is, then the problem resides with you. Fox has actually been very aggressive against the cops that keep popping up in the news and against nut bags like this guy. I also watch CNN and think people like Anderson Cooper are a bit more comical than some of the Fox news bs. The fact is, they are all bs. Its TV. Watch for enjoyment, but don't get caught up in everything you hear.

Yes we have too many nutters going on shooting rampages. I have always been for stricter gun laws, background checks and closing the gun show loop holes. That said, these incidents are very few and far in between when dealing with the total population and the vast majority of people in the US are extremely safe. No need to go absolutely bizarre about the US, guns or gun laws because some nimrod, mental midget when and committed a horrendous act. Hopefully, the father or whoever gave him the gun will get prosecuted and sued civilly so there is some potential chilling effect in the future.

It's no coincidence that in all the black bashing they've indulged in for months, one of their regular contributors has been one Mark Furman. Yes, the same Mark Furman that created reasonable doubt for OJ Simpson with his memorable "You can take one of these niggers, drag 'em into the alley and beat the shit out of them and kick them. You can see them twitch. It really relieves your tension."

Probably gets all those racist old Fox News coffin dodgers off the sofa for a quick fist pump.

[MW72]

Well, turns out this Roof guy has a lot of black friends. Kills the racism claim. And, one more time, that quote from the NAACP person was not a direct quote from an eyewitness, as she herself said.

Those who apologize for the racist hater and cold blooded mass murderer are sinners not saints.

He wanted to start a civil war because he's certain whites are being run out by black racism.

Not the first time I'd heard that either.

So it's clear now that race was in fact the motivation. Crystal clear. What's the chance that sdaniel will admit his mistake?

Wrong, the main target was the senator. That's why he drove 140 miles to kill him with everyone around him.
It's a political racial murder.

If he would made a crime based on only racial motives, he would have done the same without targeting a public and political figure and much closer from the place where he lived...Columbia...

That's absurd.
You've just made this up in your own imagination with no evidence whatsoever.
You don't even know if he knew about this senator.
He was a STATE senator. Not a U.S. senator!
State senators are not big celebrities, most people wouldn't know their names at all.
The report of his racist statements before the murders ... no mention of a STATE senator. Only general race hatred on blacks.
If his target was one man ... why kill all those other largely old people ... were they going to jump him?
Before you seemed to not even realize what a STATE senator was compared to a U.S. senator ... now you act like you know something in the brain of this terrorist when there is no evidence of it?
Now the TARGET SITE we do know is a very historic black church which is very symbolic to any local person who knows anything about race history in South Carolina.
I am assuming he PROBABLY did pick that church on purpose although there are reports he had another target in mind first ... I recall it was a college of black people.
Or maybe he didn't know the history ... only knew black church / black people. Little difference in the result of what he did.
See the theme here, dude?
Black people. He hates them. He's a racist.
Not a specific political hit.

There is a photo of this guy on the BBC website. He is wearing a coat that has a patch with the old South African Boer flag on it.
I have worked with quite a few South Africans and the ones that still fly the old Boer flag are some of the most rascist and ignorant people i have met.

I doubt that this guy wore this patch for the pretty colours. I would think it symbolised something to him about the old apartheid days but I'm no phsycologist.

[F430murci]

Fox is fun and has some hotties. Seriously, if you cannot weed through their bs propaganda and enjoy it for what it is, then the problem resides with you. Fox has actually been very aggressive against the cops that keep popping up in the news and against nut bags like this guy. I also watch CNN and think people like Anderson Cooper are a bit more comical than some of the Fox news bs. The fact is, they are all bs. Its TV. Watch for enjoyment, but don't get caught up in everything you hear.

Yes we have too many nutters going on shooting rampages. I have always been for stricter gun laws, background checks and closing the gun show loop holes. That said, these incidents are very few and far in between when dealing with the total population and the vast majority of people in the US are extremely safe. No need to go absolutely bizarre about the US, guns or gun laws because some nimrod, mental midget when and committed a horrendous act. Hopefully, the father or whoever gave him the gun will get prosecuted and sued civilly so there is some potential chilling effect in the future.

It's no coincidence that in all the black bashing they've indulged in for months, one of their regular contributors has been one Mark Furman. Yes, the same Mark Furman that created reasonable doubt for OJ Simpson with his memorable "You can take one of these niggers, drag 'em into the alley and beat the shit out of them and kick them. You can see them twitch. It really relieves your tension."

Probably gets all those racist old Fox News coffin dodgers off the sofa for a quick fist pump.

Lol, okay. While I don't watch Fox or any news channel all day long I have not seen Mark Furman or heard his name on Fox or any news channel. Fox also usually brings on someone equally whack the other way to argue against someone like Furman, but I suppose some are so simple minded they fail to see that and further fail to see its just a bunch of entertainment like mid day soap operas.

Dude, live in reality not the Net and whats on stupid news channels. The hilarious part is some would think that just because Fox or any news channel would interview Mark Furman on a subject that they endorse or support them. These new channels get the looney idiots from both sides and let them embarrass themselves on national TV. Its called ENTERTAINMENT.

[Publicus]

Faux produced wingnut pastor E.W. Jackson to say, as described by Fox monitor NewsCorpse.com

Jackson leaped ahead to suggest the utterly improbable notion that a white man firing randomly into a congregation of black parishioners was actually an assault based on religion and not race. He propounded this theory even though there were already reports that the shooter had announced his his racist purpose before he began shooting, saying that he was there "to shoot black people."

"And I would mention one other thing very quickly, and that is I would urge pastors and men in these churches to prepare to defend themselves. It's sad, but I think that we've got to arm ourselves."

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=28878

Fox is a consistent source of entertainment which makes it not all that bad some of the time and even comical, however, Faux is continually and regularly a source of right wingnut propaganda which is terrible.

[Chicog]

And the award for the biggest dumbass goes to.....

A newspaper in Charleston has apologised after it promoted a gun range above the story of the Emanuel church shooting.

The Post and Courier, one of the oldest continuously-operating newspapers in the United States, featured a front page picture of gunman Dylann Roof, with the headline: "Church attack kills nine".

But an advert stuck to the front, obscuring the paper's name, offered all-women shooting classes with 50 rounds of ammunition for a special price of $30.

"Ladies' Night!" it said. "Pistol or revolver. Souvenir T-shirt."

[Jingthing]

There is more than ample evidence of the killer's extremist racism. His appearance is interesting. Kind of a slight boy. Not scary but perhaps creepy. Him without the gun ... no power.

[cantplay]

There is more than ample evidence of the killer's extremist racism. His appearance is interesting. Kind of a slight boy. Not scary but perhaps creepy. Him without the gun ... no power.

"Him without a gun - zoo creep, bonobo special".

White blockhead.

[Wat dee]

Now, that more certain facts have surfaced I must say: "I am sorry, very sorry".

Frankly, I was hoping that there was a hidden agenda behind his awful crime.

Something, like an act of vengeance, retaliation for some blacks attack on his loved ones.

In fact I was looking for not an excuse, but understanding, some kind of rationality.

As it turned out it is much worse. And sad. The bastard must be put to death, no if's or but's.

Yes, white christians don't do things like this.

This was a hate crime indeed but it had nothing to do with hatred against a religion.

The killer wasn't targeting people in a church because they were Christian; it was instead about their RACE.

In the U.S. hate crimes include different kinds of hate motivations:

Racial (largest target in the U.S. is black people)

Religious Identity (largest target in the U.S. is Jews, even more than Muslims)

Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity (as in minorities like gay people and transgender people)

To complicate matters, there is an overlap of religious and race/ethnic hatred. For example haters might hate people who look Arab and assume they are Muslim, so what part is the ethnicity and what part the religion? Jews of course are an ethno-religious group so that's not purely about either ethnicity or religion. So it's not always clear cut.

Again, THIS crime was about RACE.

To add, for those who have experience with the culture of the American South (sadly that includes me), we know how important the role of Christian churches are there, for blacks and whites. I think that's probably another reason the killer picked this target, being a southerner he knew the importance of black churches to black southern people, and in his goal of sparking race war, he thought hitting a black church would be particularly socially disturbing.

I was advised there ... it's OK if you're not Christian as well, but you need to have some religion, if you tell southerners you're an atheist you're basically saying you're an evil person.

If religion wasn't part of this, why not go to local fried chicken place?

[chuckd]

What a load of crap. Fox is covering the story in depth and offering all the different theories about the crime.

http://www.foxnews.com/

Fox is doing their level best to keep off the narrative that them doing their daily angry white man rants against blacks and constantly implying that they deserve their treatment at the hands of white police has in some way helped stoke the tension.

They are also particularly outraged that they have been called out for it.

Kelly did nothing but try and go on about "healing", when the bitch has probably been the most racist of the lot.

Hannity is spending his time talking about drugs being an issue.

That station has gone beyond a joke.

No wonder the average age of viewers is 68, you have to be senile to consider any of that "news".

Amusingly, you seem to be the only one addiced to watching Fox.

Physician, heal thyself.

It's not the only channel I watch Chuck.

But it is, by a significant margin, the absolute worst.

Plus I must bring down the average viewing age significantly.

As well as the average IQ?

[Jingthing]

Now, that more certain facts have surfaced I must say: "I am sorry, very sorry".

Frankly, I was hoping that there was a hidden agenda behind his awful crime.

Something, like an act of vengeance, retaliation for some blacks attack on his loved ones.

In fact I was looking for not an excuse, but understanding, some kind of rationality.

As it turned out it is much worse. And sad. The bastard must be put to death, no if's or but's.

Yes, white christians don't do things like this.

This was a hate crime indeed but it had nothing to do with hatred against a religion.

The killer wasn't targeting people in a church because they were Christian; it was instead about their RACE.

In the U.S. hate crimes include different kinds of hate motivations:

Racial (largest target in the U.S. is black people)

Religious Identity (largest target in the U.S. is Jews, even more than Muslims)

Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity (as in minorities like gay people and transgender people)

To complicate matters, there is an overlap of religious and race/ethnic hatred. For example haters might hate people who look Arab and assume they are Muslim, so what part is the ethnicity and what part the religion? Jews of course are an ethno-religious group so that's not purely about either ethnicity or religion. So it's not always clear cut.

Again, THIS crime was about RACE.

To add, for those who have experience with the culture of the American South (sadly that includes me), we know how important the role of Christian churches are there, for blacks and whites. I think that's probably another reason the killer picked this target, being a southerner he knew the importance of black churches to black southern people, and in his goal of sparking race war, he thought hitting a black church would be particularly socially disturbing.

I was advised there ... it's OK if you're not Christian as well, but you need to have some religion, if you tell southerners you're an atheist you're basically saying you're an evil person.

If religion wasn't part of this, why not go to local fried chicken place?

Because the local chicken place isn't associated with a long history of African American civil rights struggles as was that specific church. You'd have to ask him of course but there is nothing coming out so far that this was meant to be attack on Christianity. There is also the cowardice factor. Black kids at a college would have likely been aggressive and strong enough to attack him back. Same at a fast food place. The place he eventually attacked had mostly quite old passive physically weak people. He took some steps to escape ... maybe he thought he could even get away with it but it's also clear he assumed he might be killed too. But he'd rather not! Another thing to wonder about ... IF someone hadn't recognized him from the video imagine the terror people would have felt as long as he wasn't caught.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Jingthing

[chuckd]

Fox is fun and has some hotties. Seriously, if you cannot weed through their bs propaganda and enjoy it for what it is, then the problem resides with you. Fox has actually been very aggressive against the cops that keep popping up in the news and against nut bags like this guy. I also watch CNN and think people like Anderson Cooper are a bit more comical than some of the Fox news bs. The fact is, they are all bs. Its TV. Watch for enjoyment, but don't get caught up in everything you hear.

Yes we have too many nutters going on shooting rampages. I have always been for stricter gun laws, background checks and closing the gun show loop holes. That said, these incidents are very few and far in between when dealing with the total population and the vast majority of people in the US are extremely safe. No need to go absolutely bizarre about the US, guns or gun laws because some nimrod, mental midget when and committed a horrendous act. Hopefully, the father or whoever gave him the gun will get prosecuted and sued civilly so there is some potential chilling effect in the future.

It's no coincidence that in all the black bashing they've indulged in for months, one of their regular contributors has been one Mark Furman. Yes, the same Mark Furman that created reasonable doubt for OJ Simpson with his memorable "You can take one of these niggers, drag 'em into the alley and beat the shit out of them and kick them. You can see them twitch. It really relieves your tension."

Probably gets all those racist old Fox News coffin dodgers off the sofa for a quick fist pump.

What got OJ acquited was when Johnny Cochran said..."If they don't fit, you must acquit".

The acquital had nothing to do with some Mark Furman comment.

[Publicus]

This was a hate crime indeed but it had nothing to do with hatred against a religion.

The killer wasn't targeting people in a church because they were Christian; it was instead about their RACE.

In the U.S. hate crimes include different kinds of hate motivations:

Racial (largest target in the U.S. is black people)

Religious Identity (largest target in the U.S. is Jews, even more than Muslims)

Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity (as in minorities like gay people and transgender people)

To complicate matters, there is an overlap of religious and race/ethnic hatred. For example haters might hate people who look Arab and assume they are Muslim, so what part is the ethnicity and what part the religion? Jews of course are an ethno-religious group so that's not purely about either ethnicity or religion. So it's not always clear cut.

Again, THIS crime was about RACE.

To add, for those who have experience with the culture of the American South (sadly that includes me), we know how important the role of Christian churches are there, for blacks and whites. I think that's probably another reason the killer picked this target, being a southerner he knew the importance of black churches to black southern people, and in his goal of sparking race war, he thought hitting a black church would be particularly socially disturbing.

I was advised there ... it's OK if you're not Christian as well, but you need to have some religion, if you tell southerners you're an atheist you're basically saying you're an evil person.

If religion wasn't part of this, why not go to local fried chicken place?

Fried chicken and watermelon too are cultural cliches.

Black folk gathering in their church is the socio-cultural norm.

The mass murderer travelled a specific distance to a specific place for a specific reason and purpose, all of which and more were predicated on race, racism, violence, bloodlust, shock.

[Jingthing]

I noticed the fried chicken comment too.

A bit of a provoke, but the truth there is nothing wrong with liking fried chicken and watermelon (except the fried food health issue).

You don't have to be black to like fried chicken!

[Publicus]

Fox is fun and has some hotties. Seriously, if you cannot weed through their bs propaganda and enjoy it for what it is, then the problem resides with you. Fox has actually been very aggressive against the cops that keep popping up in the news and against nut bags like this guy. I also watch CNN and think people like Anderson Cooper are a bit more comical than some of the Fox news bs. The fact is, they are all bs. Its TV. Watch for enjoyment, but don't get caught up in everything you hear.

Yes we have too many nutters going on shooting rampages. I have always been for stricter gun laws, background checks and closing the gun show loop holes. That said, these incidents are very few and far in between when dealing with the total population and the vast majority of people in the US are extremely safe. No need to go absolutely bizarre about the US, guns or gun laws because some nimrod, mental midget when and committed a horrendous act. Hopefully, the father or whoever gave him the gun will get prosecuted and sued civilly so there is some potential chilling effect in the future.

It's no coincidence that in all the black bashing they've indulged in for months, one of their regular contributors has been one Mark Furman. Yes, the same Mark Furman that created reasonable doubt for OJ Simpson with his memorable "You can take one of these niggers, drag 'em into the alley and beat the shit out of them and kick them. You can see them twitch. It really relieves your tension."

Probably gets all those racist old Fox News coffin dodgers off the sofa for a quick fist pump.

What got OJ acquited was when Johnny Cochran said..."If they don't fit, you must acquit".

The acquital had nothing to do with some Mark Furman comment.

Mark Furman wasn't on trial but he's the one both sides across America found guilty.

A run of the mill burned out unstable right wing racist cop.

[Jingthing]

Anyway, they don't need hate crime charges to execute him. I wonder if an insanity defense can save his life. What other chance does he have? (Beside being white in the south. Yes I said that.)