Comments on: Why I’m Angry – Billy Ray Johnson

By: Cbfjeff

Cbfjeff — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:13:16 +0000

This was awful and made me very sad. I moved to Texas three years ago from Illinois and was suprised to see how much stupidity there is here. Even in the big cities they are blind to thier own ignorance. It’s like I walked into 1970. People have a right to thier own opinions and if they want to be a redneck degenerate that is thier problem, but when they commit an act like this or violate someones rights at all they should be punished like everyone else. It should be fair across the board and it sickens me when it is demonstrated that it is not.
We can only hope that these kind of redneck idiotic people/towns are the minority.
I wish we could get past the color thing, but from my experience humans are sheep they rarely go against what is considered normal even if it is wrong. Personally I get into arguments all the time because I don’t care what is considered normal or what everyone else thinks I should do.

By: the angry black woman

the angry black woman — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 02:31:56 +0000

The Guy has now made two completely clueless and strange posts on this blog. He gets one more strike, then he’s on moderation.

I suggest he read the Required Reading page before posting any more.

By: Ico

Ico — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:50:22 +0000

The Guy, racism isn’t just a matter of prejudice. Racism has also been defined as a “system of advantage based on race.” By that definition, the color of our skin *does* implicate us in racism, even when we think of ourselves as nonracist or colorblind. Whether or not we actively discriminate, we exist within this system. And as white people, we benefit from it. Our benefit comes at the expense of nonwhite people.

It’s very easy to say “it’s got nothing to do with me, I’m not prejudiced” and still reap the benefits that come with being white. And that perpetuates racism.

By: The Guy

The Guy — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:01:21 +0000

Racism exists, but it’s getting a lot better than before.
But I also see some reverse racism around here.

The color of your skin does not make you more likely to be racist.
It’s only chance that the white people were dominant in history.

Sadly, groups like the KKK still exist,

By: morris

morris — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:31:13 +0000

I was honored to have represented Billy Ray Johnson. What happened to him was purely racial and much worse than reported. Hopefully he will receive enough money to make his life better through physical theapry. Had four black men done the same thing to a mentally challenged African American man in most any state, they would be serving hard time. The bright side is that a jury of 11 whites and one African American returned a verdict to send a message. This jury, unlike the ones that heard the criminal case, had all the facts. They came from the same community. Their verdict was quite different. Linden and Cass County, hopefully, will build some bridges across racial and class lines because of what this jury did.

By: Misty

Misty — Tue, 08 May 2007 15:35:20 +0000

You know some of u people are ignorant. Now why should someone have known better to go drinking with someone I’m pretty sure Billy have seen before. This is 2006 not 1930, where it wasn’t right to see blacks and whites talking on a coversational level. And to say get over it, you get over if u wasn’t over it you wouldn’t be on here posting. All white jurors, they knew what the hell they was doing. Just sad.

By: Angel H.

Angel H. — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 02:01:59 +0000

Damn, Rabid (or Bob, or whatever name you come up with next). Are you really that obsessed with us?

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:17:00 +0000

The crime is horrible and the perpetrators got off lightly. There are similarities between this crime and the blacks that beat Reginold Denny (brain surgery) and shortly thereafter Fidel Lopez (genitals spray painted/ear sewed back on by physicians) during the 1992 LA riots.

By: Skynman

Skynman — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:36:56 +0000

I have read all the responses and my heart was broken and at the same time my blood boiled. I find it hard to beleive, well actually I don’t. I was going to say that I found it hard to beleive that I just heard about Billy Ray. We as a nation need to stand up and say that we have had enough. Enough of all the nonsence that is going on in this country. Every person in this country needs to realize that Racism did not die. It will never die until people of all colors learn about each others culture. I hate to say this, but Whites in Amerikkka have caused all of what has happened. I say this because the pilgrims were criminals from england, who stole this country from the Native Americans. Went to Afrika and kidnapped Royalty and made them Paupers. The only way to accomplish that was to strip them of their identity. That is where NIGGER comes from. The white man did nothing to build this country up, orientals built the railroads, blacks picked the cotton. What did the white man do, RAPE THE WOMEN….. Now don’t get me wrong I am not a hateful peron, I have done my research and this is where my comments come from. Think about this Anthony, have you ever heard of Emmitt Till? Do you know what happened to him, the same thing that happened to Billy Ray. The only difference…Emmitt died. His accusers where set free, just like what happened in 2003. That was over 50 yrs ago, this happened in 2003. When will White people stop being JEALOUS of Black people. Your kids want to be like us soooooo bad that it’s funny, no actually it’s sad.

By: erik

erik — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:04:38 +0000

When I was about 8 years old in the late ’70s, I was watching TV with my Grandparents in Downey, CA. A black man was talking about some injustice he received and my Grandparents responded with “Those blacks are always complaining and never willing to take responsibility, it is always someone elses fault”

I relayed the conversation to my father later and my dad stopped what he was doing and sat me down. And took the time to have a conversation with me. He explained to me that racism is not a good thing and that grandma and grandpa are racists. You shouldn’t judge someone by the color of his skin. He explained to me how he went shopping in Alabama in the late 50′s when he was serving in the army, and a black woman who was clearly ahead of him in line was ignored by the white cashier. He explained to me that that was wrong. And I understood.

Somewhere on this thread there was a comment that that racism will end when white parents start teaching their kids that racisim is bad. I hope the author didn’t imply that this doesn’t or hasn’t happened ever.

By the way, I will voting for barack or hilary.

I came about this website because I and my wife (whose parents are bigots) have donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center, and they sent me an email when they helped win the $9 mil civil suit for Billy Ray. So I googled Billy Ray Johnson and can’t believe that the dates are 2003.

Look, I don’t believe in the ‘just pretend racism doesn’t exist’ because it does.

And anger has its place.

And perhaps http://www.theangryblackwoman.com is where anger should rightfully reside.

But what are you ultimately committed to?