Update on racist attacks on Maryland churches

[theHandpuppet]

I was going to add this to the original thread but it was already locked (archived?). Sheesh, that was fast.

Here's the URL for the original thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=107058 (You'll note in the original thread that there have also been attacks against synagogues in the same area, but SURPRISE! the police aren't connecting the dots.

Anyway, this is the only update I could find regarding the recent, racist attacks on the churches in Montgomery County, Maryland. I guess as long as the hate crimes and terrorist attacks are committed by good ol' homegrown white boys against black citizens it's deemed not even newsworthy in this country. Can you imagine if similar attacks by some brown Muslims had taken place against some white Episcopalian churches in a well-to-do D.C. 'burb?

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0106/293717.html

Police Believe Hate Group Vandalized Churches

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Montgomery County (website - news) police believe a white separatist group was behind racist graffiti spray-painted on five schools and churches this week.

Police Chief Tom Manger says the graffiti discovered Tuesday at Ridgeview Middle School and Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg included the initials "W-A-R." Police believe that stands for White Aryan Resistance, a California-based group.

Saint Mark's United Methodist Church in Boyds and the Seneca Community Church in Germantown, both with predominantly black congregations, and the historic Boyds Negro School were also vandalized.

The graffiti also included swastikas and racial slurs.

[tularetom]

1. For a blue state, Maryland sure seems to have

a lot of red necks. This is the 3rd or 4th incident I've read about like this in the past year. In one case some assholes actually burned down some houses in a predominately black area.

[theHandpuppet]

2. And hate crimes in Montgomery County are on the increase

What in the world is going on there? Reported hate crimes up from 40 to 47 in just the past year.

http://www.bwcumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=1895

[malaise]

3. A lot of horrible things are happening

and not getting media attention in this culture of hate.

[AnnieBW]

4. Gaithersburg IS Middle Class

Gaithersburg and Germantown are pretty middle-class. Lots of townhomes, but upper-end ones. Germantown has seen an upswing in crime recently, a lot of it from Hispanic immigrants that have moved in and (unfortunately) brought their gangs with them. But, it's not exactly a shooting gallery like DC or Prince Georges County.