News and views from the award-winning author of the novels The Skinny Years, America Libre, House Divided and Pancho Land

Sunday, August 19, 2012

The true face of racism


Many on the far right over the last few years have grown fond of calling minority members "racists." The example of Sonya Sotomayor comes most quickly to mind. Newt Gingrich among many others claimed Sotomayor was a "racist" because she dared suggest that a "wise Latina" judge might have more insights into minority issues than a Non-Hispanic male.

The Associated Press article below shows what it truly means to be a racist. 
_________________________________________


Suspects in NW crime spree accused of hate crimes
By By STEVEN DUBOIS, Associated Press


A young couple accused of killing four people in a multistate crime spree last fall have been indicted of federal racketeering charges alleging the rampage was part of a campaign to "purify" and "preserve" the white race, the U.S. Attorney for Oregon, said Friday.

A grand jury handed up the indictment Thursday against David "Joey" Pedersen, 32, and Holly Ann Grigsby, 25, prosecutor Amanda Marshall said in a news release. Grigsby will be arraigned Monday in Seattle. Pedersen's arraignment in Portland hasn't been scheduled.

"The indictment in this case alleges horrendous crimes were committed as part of defendants' white-supremacist campaign to kidnap and murder targets on the basis of race, color, religion and perceived 'degenerate' conduct," Marshall said.

They are charged in the killing, kidnapping and robbery of four people last fall: Pedersen's father, David "Red" Pedersen, and stepmother, Leslie "DeeDee" Pedersen, on Sept. 26 in Everett, Wash.; Cody Myers, a 19-year-old from Oregon on Oct. 1; and Reginald Clark, 53 of Eureka, Calif., on Oct. 3.

Clark was black and Grigsby allegedly told investigators that Myers, a Christian, was killed because his name sounded Jewish.

The 24-page indictment charges that Pedersen and Grigsby were members of a criminal enterprise whose aim was to promote a white supremacist movement. The pair robbed their victims to finance the campaign, stole their cars to escape and murdered them to eliminate witnesses and avoid capture.