Wilding in Charleston, October 1999

Here’s a classic black “wilding,” from my files (the article is also online at FrontPage Magazine). Two white men were biking through a black neighborhood in Charleston, and a gang of blacks suddenly erupted, beating one of the men on the head with pipes and trash cans and so damaging his brain that his life effectively is over. And Fox News, which is better than most because it at least reported the story, reports it in a passive, toneless way. Look at the headline: “A Black-on-White Attack Prompts Question Of What ‘Hate Crime’ Really Means.” This savage, sub-human destruction of a man’s life—and Fox says it prompts questions? That’s it? And look at the passive, affectless, helpless response of the victim’s friend: “It’s senseless. He didn’t do anything to deserve this.” Duh! Of course he didn’t do anything to deserve it. Is that the most you can say? No anger, no indignation, no demand for justice?

But such are the typical, effete responses of white people to black-on-white savagery in the contemporary West: “It’s senseless.” “It prompts questions.” Liberalism with its conviction of white racial guilt has deprived whites of the heart, the guts, the belief in right and wrong, the proud sense of membership in a nation that believes in right and wrong, that would enable them to respond like men to this act of racial evil.

A Black-on-White Attack Prompts Question Of What ‘Hate Crime’ Really Means
June 13, 2000
FoxNews.com

Charleston, S.C. — Troy Knapp will never be the same.

In October, Troy and his friend Gary Thornburg were heading home—riding bicycles on a quiet Charleston street.

“As they were coming up they encountered a large group of black males,” said Cpl. Jerry Jelico of the North Charleston Police Dept.

Police say an angry mob attacked the two men, knocking Gary out and brutally beating Troy with pipes, trash cans and physical force.

A large part of Troy’s skull—which was broken in two places—had to be removed to make room for the swelling. As well, severely damaged sections of his brain had to be taken out—and now Troy can barely function.

“And for what?” asked Tony Chase, the victim’s friend. “It’s senseless. He didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

Fourteen adults and three juveniles were arrested and charged with second-degree lynching, a mob beating charge. Seven of them were indicted, one had charges dismissed and the rest were released on bond.

Defense attorneys would not comment, but the prosecutor did talk about the case—a black-versus-white crime where racial hatred is not being considered by the justice system.

“In South Carolina, there is no hate crime where racial motive would come into play,” said prosecutor David Schwacke, adding that “we haven’t been able to establish hate as a motive.”

He acknowledged that if it had been 17 white suspects and two black victims, hate would more likely be considered a motive, based on common perceptions of race crimes. “I think there would be people raising that as an issue,” he said.

Federal hate-crime law could apply in this case, but seven months after the incident the U.S. attorney’s office in South Carolina is not even considering charges.

“If something like this would have happened to some young African Americans, you can bet it would have been so wide,” alleged Chase. “I mean, every day on the news and in the paper, you’d still be reading about it. I believe that.”

News coverage of the beating has been almost non-existent. And the Knapp family fears that justice in this case may indeed be colorblind.

“You know, it’s just like he’s been forgotten about,” said Chase.

—Fox News’ Bret Baier contributed to this report

Posted by Lawrence Auster at July 21, 2008 02:07 AM | Send