Charges against 'New Black Panthers' dropped by Obama Justice Dept.

[Marnoot]

Charges Against 'New Black Panthers' Dropped by Obama Justice Dept.

Three men were accused of trying to threaten voters and block poll and campaign workers by the threat of force -- one even brandishing what prosecutors call a deadly weapon.

FOXNews.com

Friday, May 29, 2009

Charges brought against three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense under the Bush administration have been dropped by the Obama Justice Department, FOX News has learned.

The charges stemmed from an incident at a Philadelphia polling place on Election Day 2008 when three members of the party were accused of trying to threaten voters and block poll and campaign workers by the threat of force -- one even brandishing what prosecutors call a deadly weapon.

The three black panthers, Minister King Samir Shabazz, Malik Zulu Shabazz and Jerry Jackson were charged in a civil complaint in the final days of the Bush administration with violating the voter rights act by using coercion, threats and intimidation. Shabazz allegedly held a nightstick or baton that prosecutors said he pointed at people and menacingly tapped it. Prosecutors also say he "supports racially motivated violence against non-blacks and Jews."

The Obama administration won the case last month, but moved to dismiss the charges on May 15.

The complaint says the men hurled racial slurs at both blacks and whites.

A poll watcher who provided an affidavit to prosecutors in the case noted that Bartle Bull, who worked as a civil rights lawyer in the south in the 1960's and is a former campaign manager for Robert Kennedy, said it was the most blatant form of voter intimidation he had ever seen.

In his affidavit, obtained by FOX News, Bull wrote "I watched the two uniformed men confront voters and attempt to intimidate voters. They were positioned in a location that forced every voter to pass in close proximity to them. The weapon was openly displayed and brandished in plain sight of voters."

He also said they tried to "interfere with the work of other poll observers ... whom the uniformed men apparently believed did not share their preferences politically," noting that one of the panthers turned toward the white poll observers and said "you are about to be ruled by the black man, cracker."

A spokesman for the Department of Justice told FOX News, "The Justice Department was successful in obtaining an injunction that prohibits the defendant who brandished a weapon outside a Philadelphia polling place from doing so again. Claims were dismissed against the other defendants based on a careful assessment of the facts and the law. The department is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who intimidate, threaten or coerce anyone exercising his or her sacred right to vote."

So voter intimidation is something the Obama administration will overlook so long as minorities were the perpetrator? Or is there some other reason for doing this?

They obtained "an injunction that prohibits the defendant who brandished a weapon outside a Philadelphia polling place from doing so again." If brandishing it was illegal in the first place, what good is such an injunction? They'd probably just drop the charges again, if it happens again.

[Kingcreek]

Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.[1] In the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or get preferential treatment, while reverse racism favours members of a historically disadvantaged group at the expense of those of a historically advantaged group.

[AZRedhawk44]

I remember seeing this on the nooz.

I was hoping for some ventilation of those fellas by rapidly accelerated lead and/or copper.

I know that if someone blocks off my polling place with this type of jackassery... I'm going back to the truck or back home to enforce my right to vote.  Men fought and died to secure it for me; I would be doing them a disservice if I did not have the courage to fight for my own right to vote.

Carrying weapons is illegal at polling places, sure.  But you can't vote "late."  You've got one day.  Games like this meddle with the demographics of voters and are deliberate attempts to sway outcome.  There's no time for due process in this case; each minute these games are allowed to continue is as many as 5 votes that don't get to be cast.  Maybe more.  It is inherently evil and a deliberate sabotage of American principles.

I personally would probably return with an AR, enact a declared citizen's arrest and hold them at gunpoint since they are holding weapons (clubs/nightsticks).  Then organize the voting line to continue voting while police sorted out my actions and theirs; getting as many witness statements on my side as possible.

The outcome would likely suck for me... but this is absolutely brutish behavior.  It isn't that far to get from voter intimidation to machetes in the deep of Africa.

[RocketMan]

So voter intimidation is something the Obama administration will overlook so long as minorities were the perpetrator? Or is there some other reason for doing this?

In this case, voter intimidation was okay as long as the right voters were intimidated.  I'd be willing to bet that those that made clear their intention to vote for The One had no problem accessing the polling place.

[HankB]

In this case, voter intimidation was okay as long as the right voters were intimidated. 

QFT.

Same reasoning holds for Minnesota stuffing the ballot boxes to give Franken a win. (In case you hadn't heard, a couple of dozen precincts turned in vote tallies with more total votes than they had actual voters. Last I heard, the numbers were being included in the count.)

[Jamisjockey]

Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.[1] In the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or get preferential treatment, while reverse racism favours members of a historically disadvantaged group at the expense of those of a historically advantaged group.

This has nothing to do with race.  It has to do with a standard socialist ideal of winning at all costs.

[longeyes]

Socialism is the way it's going be sold.

We are talking here about race-based fascism.

[Marnoot]

This has nothing to do with race.  It has to do with a standard socialist ideal of winning at all costs.

I agree that this was probably dropped by the Obama administration due to stated socialist ideal, not racist motives, but for the perpetrators ("you are about to be ruled by the black man, cracker"), it was racial in nature in addition to any socialist ideals.

Can you imagine the public outcry had the situation been reversed? Some KKK thugs intimidating voters, and one says "you still gonna be ruled by the white man, n*****," to a black observer, while threatening people with a bat. I don't see any difference in severity between the two, but if McCain had won the election, then dropped charges against the hypothetical klanners it would be headline news on all stations, and the public outcry would be loud and piercing.

There should be a public outcry in such a situation and there should be a public outcry in this one, but there won't be any.

[AZRedhawk44]

There should be a public outcry in such a situation and there should be a public outcry in this one, but there won't be any.

Then cry!  There won't be any if you don't do it.

Contact:

AskDOJ@usdoj.gov (The bucket at the Dept of Justice)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ (No email, but I think president@whitehouse.gov goes to a bulk email junk bin still that gets read by some peon.)

WH Comments: 202-456-1111

[Werewolf]

This has nothing to do with race.  It has to do with a standard socialist ideal of winning at all costs.

Yeah.

As long as the winner was of the right race...

[Perd Hapley]

The lead-in:

I was hoping for some ventilation of those fellas by rapidly accelerated lead and/or copper.

I know that if someone blocks off my polling place with this type of jackassery... I'm going back to the truck or back home to enforce my right to vote.  Men fought and died to secure it for me; I would be doing them a disservice if I did not have the courage to fight for my own right to vote.

Wait for it...

The irony:

It isn't that far to get from voter intimidation to machetes in the deep of Africa

.

Using guns in the deep of America is different? 

[MicroBalrog]

Yes, it is.

[Balog]

I fail to see the irony. "Machetes in Africa" clearly refers to the actions of the aggressors, whereas AZ was proposing using force to stop the aforementioned aggressors. Irony fail. 

[Boomhauer]

I know that if someone blocks off my polling place with this type of jackassery... I'm going back to the truck or back home to enforce my right to vote.  Men fought and died to secure it for me; I would be doing them a disservice if I did not have the courage to fight for my own right to vote.

Amen.

My grandmother had death threats made against her many decades ago because she was one of the few Republican voters in a heavily Democrat controlled county.

That will not happen to me.

[Perd Hapley]

So some guys are using naughty words and brandishing a night stick. 

Shall we call the police?

Or shall we shoot them? 

I know:  What would the Hutu do?  

[AZRedhawk44]

You're right... there's obviously appropriate levels of escalation.

And obviously the police failed to respond in this situation.  That's why it was reported as voter intimidation, and not assault.  If it were over and resolved quickly, it would have been simple assault.

Firstly, I know that my city PD as well as county sherriff (Joe Arpaio) would get medival on anyone playing this stunt in AZ.  Secondly, I know that significant portions of my common citizenry wouldn't stand for it.

And that's why this happened in Philly instead.  Because the PD is a combination of corrupt and inept, and the stand-up people in town are already intimidated by PC behavior standards.

One day in the future, AZ will be just as sapped.  It's been happening for at least the last 10 years, probably longer.

Frankly... I don't think I'd react the same way if I did live in Philly.  I'd call the police and wait for the response, probably.  I think I'd push my luck and risk a fight, perhaps even a beat down.  Maybe call some friends and try to outnumber them first, if the police were inept at dealing with it.  I don't know.  Frankly, I just wouldn't live in a place like that to begin with.

Which is why I'd stand up against it in AZ.  I'm not a native here, but I like it and I don't want to see it morph into Philly or New York or Chicago or Detroit.

And if AZ sinks to that standard, I'll move somewhere else, until there's nowhere left to move.  And then it'll be too late for anyone to make a stand, because all the opportunities to stop small injustices passed us by in favor of nonconflict.

And it was all fistful's fault.  :|

[brimic]

How about that, Obama has brownshirts ready for hire.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

And obviously the police failed to respond in this situation.



obviously you haven't seen the video of the cops showing up

[Tuco]

So some guys are using naughty words and brandishing a night stick. 

Shall we call the police?

Or shall we shoot them? 

I know:  What would the Hutu

Americans

do?  

Walk around them and vote.

[agricola]

sorry, what?

The Obama administration won the case last month, but moved to dismiss the charges on May 15.

is this correct?  how can you dismiss the charges after a finding of guilt has been achieved?

[Marnoot]

sorry, what?

is this correct?  how can you dismiss the charges after a finding of guilt has been achieved?

The Obamessiah will find a way.

[seeker_two]

So some guys are using naughty words and brandishing a night stick. 

Shall we call the police?

Or shall we shoot them? 

I know:  What would the Hutu do?  

Bring a bigger stick.....this is another situation where a good, stout walking cane makes for a great SD option.... 

[Jamisjockey]

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=11378.0

[K Frame]

Closed.

Name calling, Godwinning, handwringing, and a tinge of conspiracy on top.

Jesus, people...  :rolleyes:


Read the announcement that Jamis pasted in.

If you don't, then you may not know why you've been banned until you're banned.