Someone is burning black churches again — this time in St. Louis

[MADem]

....The most recent fire was Saturday morning at New Life Missionary Baptist Church. All five fires happened within the last 10 days and are within three miles of each other. They all have been set at the front doors of the buildings. No one has been hurt and damage to the inside of the structures has been minimal, NBC News reports.

Investigators from the St. Louis Fire, Regional Bomb and Arson and the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are looking for links between the fires.

Other churches set ablaze have included Bethel Non-Denominational Church, New Northside Missionary Baptist Church, St. Augustine Catholic Church and the New Testament Church of Christ, according to NBC.

“It is arson,’ said St. Louis Fire Captain Garon Mosby told Fox2. ‘These are being intentionally set. This is not spontaneous combustion, so they are not occurring on their own.”...

https://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/someone-is-burning-black-churches-again-this-time-in-st-louis/


What in hell is wrong with people?

[Journeyman]

1. Any word on the investigations from this past summer. . .

As I remember, there were as many as 6 churches burned in the aftermath of the killings in Charleston.

I know one was determined to be faulty electrical, but I can't find anything on the other five. Anyone have any links for progress in the investigations?

[MADem]

2. These are absolutely arson, per the reports, anyway.

Why are people such shits? I just can't understand what they get out of it.

[Number23]

3. Because there is just not enough misery in the world already for some people

And black folks are getting WAAAYY too uppity lately. Someone has apparently taken it upon themselves to put us back in our place.

[brer cat]

6. Putting you back in your place

just as they did during during the late '40's - 60's when black churches were the center for organizing the movement for civil rights. I am not going to give these cretins credit for understanding the importance of black churches during the time of slavery and early days of emancipation, but they surely believe they are hitting at the heart of the AA community. Even unchurched people feel the pain.

[brer cat]

5. Churches are a refuge.

The shits are sending a message that their reach is omnipotent and their victims are impotent.

[Cha]

4. Thank you for reporting the sad news, MADem.

[MADem]

7. I think some people want to believe that this "little disconnect" with regard to racial inequality

(I am being sarcastic, should anyone not be able to discern my tone) is all OVER now, since a few public figures said the Three Magic Words (Hashtag Bee-Elll-Emmmm!! Yay!!!).

The sad truth is that was just the opening statement in a long discussion, that should have happened a hundred years ago.

With these arsons, it's looking like that some people just aren't ready to relinquish their spots as the top dogs in the pecking order.

[KittyWampus]

8. Just saw this in GD. Is this not terrorism?

[MADem]

9. It is to me....! nt

[JustAnotherGen]

10. I'm still waiting on this one

Something doesn't feel right. Racists always speak up - make themselves known. Lone wolf asshole (since we aren't allowed to use mental illness at DU as a possible reason someone does something like this) or bigoted group?

[Chitown Kev]

11. Add another one

yesterday.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/22/us/st-louis-church-burnings/

[JustAnotherGen]

12. Little different this one . . .

While it occurred in a different neighborhood and wasn't necessarily at a predominantly black church (though it is in a mostly African-American neighborhood), that predawn Thursday blaze is the seventh one to strike the general area in about two weeks.

The arsons have gotten the attention of firefighters and police, not to mention local leaders determined to stay strong and stay together as a community.

"We are sending a message ... that you can burn down the building, but you cannot break our body," the Rev. David Triggs, whose New Life Missionary Baptist Church was among those targeted, said at Wednesday's gathering. "And we will not lose our voice."

Pointing to the absence of surveillance cameras, Dotson told reporters early Thursday that whoever set the Shrine of St. Joseph fire "did some research, scouted the area out and knew that they could get in and get out without possibly being seen."

I wonder what approach the Pastors/Ministers at these churches took during the Ferguson Protests? I wonder if the Priests/Pastors/Ministers were vocal?

[lovemydog]

13. Thanks for this news MADem.

It sickens & saddens me.

I'm praying for the victims and their loved ones.

[Sunlei]

14. I can't believe there are no security cameras at all to see traffic passing.

How many fires these past couple years? 100? and not a security camera on any of the roads or other buildings near the arson attacks.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. Low income community

They aren't going to get that bell and whistle unfortunately.

[Sunlei]

16. Churches need a security cam, they aren't expensive. It's the local police who are NOT

making an effort to catch the arsonists.

a cheap desktop computer /w a wireless outdoor camera hidden in tree or shrubbery is all that is needed to catch the idiots. Even a motion detecting game camera would help.

People need to be caught and made an example of as soon as possible.

[JustAnotherGen]

17. I think we maybe need to wait on this set . . .

In particular this set. Let's not give the racists any 'steam' to pick apart that ONE word said wrong that destroys everything that allows the perps to get away with it.

If there is Federal oversight - that makes me happy. And it seems there is Federal Law Enforcement involved in this.

I'll stop there because I don't want to attract the strident - The Police Are ALWAYS Right - crowd into AfAm. Because they really won't like my theory.

[potone]

18. This has been going on in a number of different places for a long time.

Has anyone ever gotten caught and been tried for these arsonist attacks?

[MADem]

19. This was of note because it was several incidents very close together.

Don't think they've caught the perp yet....

You're right about the long timeline, though--over the past 20 years, they've learned that half of all church fires are arsons:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/10/26/half-of-all-church-fires-in-past-20-years-were-arsons/

[JustAnotherGen]

20. I'm quietly watching this

I think it has 'teeth' - and that's perhaps why the Feds are being extra quiet.

[MADem]

21. I think you are exactly right. nt