(Civil Rights) Activist from Ann Arbor slain - BAMN organizer

[meganmonkey]

Activist from Ann Arbor slain BAMN organizer Joe Wagner stabbed in Detroit

Joe Wagner, who wanted nothing more than to be a civil rights leader, once told his father he was willing to give his life for the cause.
--snip--

Joe Wagner, 21, a 2002 graduate of Pioneer High School, was stabbed to death Saturday night at a church festival and dance in Detroit.
--snip--

Wagner worked for the group BAMN, or "By Any Means Necessary,'' which is fighting a ballot initiative that would ban affirmative action in Michigan.

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"He wouldn't want the way that he died to instill fear in people because fear was something he was trying to do his best to live without,'' she said, her voice breaking. "He thought fear was dividing people.

more...
http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1119883221220860.xml

There is a big effort in this state to end affirmative action, this kid seemed to be doing a great job fighting to save it. What a sad story :cry:

[mom cat]

1. Joe Wagner is a true American patriot. What a sad loss this is.

[wicket]

2. how horrible

:cry:

[BR_Parkway]

3. Shame, the first reaction to loss of US jobs is to blame AA, how

long before they wise up that it's the Shrub's policies that are killing off employment in this country?

[AllyCat]

4. Info not in link...another?

This is very sad. Is there any word on the murderer?

[meganmonkey]

5. Not a lot of info...Here's another link with some:

(and i fixed the link in the OP)

"He didn't know the people at the festival," said Driver. "There was no exchange, no fight. There was security there. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, leading up to this."


After the stabbing, rumors circulated that Wagner had danced with the wrong girl and had been attacked by a jealous boyfriend, but Detroit Police Department spokesman James Tate couldn't confirm that Monday.


Police say there are no suspects in the slaying, but they are questioning several witnesses.

http://www.freep.com/news/locway/carnival28e_20050628.htm

[AllyCat]

7. KKK and it's ilk are alive and well.

Very sad...I feel so badly for the family and his friends. The community will feel his loss. Hope this energizes others and the media to cover the issue and get it fought down.

[AuntiBush]

6. More - This is So Sad & At A Church Even, At That!

More from Posters Link:

Snip

Witnesses told police there was no altercation; someone came up behind him in the parking lot of the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and stabbed him as the event was ending about 11:20 p.m. Wagner told his friends he'd just been punched. But then one of them saw blood. He died about 11 hours later at Henry Ford Hospital.

Wagner had moved to Detroit in January and was living in a neighborhood of boarded-up buildings, in a house in such bad repair he made his mother stay in the car when she came to visit.

"It was very much in his nature to reach out to other people,'' she said. "I said, 'I'm not really happy with you living in Detroit.' He said, 'I've never been happier than living here.' We were upset because we knew the dangers, but it doesn't enter your head that something like this would actually happen.''

End Snip

This is sincerely sad... I want to cry with you. And at a "CHURCH EVENT" at that!!!!! They give the man above a bad name. Talk about using the "Lord's name in Vain..." Well, there you go.

Sad. Sad. Sad... Sad!