National

Church Burning in Mississippi Investigated as a Hate Crime


MISSISSIPPI–(ENEWSPF)–November 2, 2016

By Thandisizwe Chimurenga

BIRMINGHAM, AL - NOVEMBER 03:  A church sign encouraging people to vote stands in an African-American neighborhood November 3, 2008 in Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham, along with Selma and Montgomery, were touchstones in the civil rights movement where Dr. Martin Luther King led massive protests which eventually led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ending voter disfranchisement against African-Americans. Americans are gearing up for the first presidential election featuring an African-American candidate, Democratic contender Sen. Barack Obama, who is running against Republican Sen. John McCain.  (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Black churches, like this one in Birmingham, Alabama, have historically provided space for black communities to meet, strategize, and organize, as well as providing spiritual nourishment.

Hopewell M.B. Church in Greenville, Mississippi, was set on fire and vandalized late Tuesday evening. The words “vote Trump” were spray painted on the outside of the building. The FBI is investigating the incident as a hate crime. No suspects are in custody yet but a person of interest is being interviewed. A GoFundMe account to help repair the church has raised more than $14,000 as of this writing, surpassing its goal of $10,000.

Freddie Cannon, the Greenville police chief, has called the incident a “a form of voting intimidation.” Black churches have historically served as more than places of worship for black communities. They provided meeting space for rallies and strategy sessions during the Civil Rights Movement and were points of social as well as spiritual nourishment.

It is too early to tell if the crime was actually carried out by Trump supporters or was a hoax, but the current climate in the country makes such destruction more than plausible … it makes such an event actually seem overdue.

Source: http://dailykos.com


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