Brutal hate crime shows that racism still lives inside of Mississppi

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The brutal murder of James Craig Anderson in Brandon, Miss., on June 26 invokes an all too familiar theme in Mississippi history: racism. According to news reports, the 49-year-old African American autoworker was assaulted by a group of white teens, including 18-year-old Deryl Dedmond Jr., and then fatally run over in a truck. This crime, tragic and vile as it is, seems to only be the latest example of long-standing racism that appears to permeate Mississippi to the core.

The alleged murderers began their night drinking at a party when Dedmond turned to his friends and said, "Let's go f**k with some n**s." After climbing into their vehicles, they eventually found Anderson in a parking lot near the plant where he worked. After pulling into the parking lot, the teens began beating Anderson while shouting, "White Power" along with racial slurs. Anderson crumpled to the ground. Unbeknownst to the assailants, their assault was caught on camera. After the beatings, some of the teens got into a green truck, ran over Anderson and then fled the scene. According to reports, Dedmond, during a phone conversation with one of his friends, boasted that he "ran that n**r over."

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said, "Dedmond murdered this man because he was black." Smith plans to indict Dedmond on hate crimes charges. One of Dedmond's accomplices, John Aaron Rice, has been charged with simple assault.

The incident is likely to stir memories in those old enough to recall the civil rights era. Contrary to Gov. Haley Barbour's remarks that it "wasn't that bad" in Mississippi, there were several high-profile murders of African Americans during those years.

Keep reading at: http://peoplesworld.org/mississippi-is-still-burning-vicious-murder-shows/

If were a guy who looked like me (generic white guy) who was murdered by a group of drunk minorities in the south I can guarantee you that the whole fucking world would know about it. Every bat shit crazy right wing radio host would be hollering from the roof tops.

Is this country still racist, of fucking course it still is.

And the people here (In Mississippi) don't really even seem to acknowledge the racism- its just so common place for them - especially as there is a conferedate flag at least every mile

I'm hoping Mississippi has progressed, but I'm not so sure.

at least the trial is being held in Jackson- not in all-white Rankin county where the racists were from.

I do not doubt for an instant that there are still cities in Mississippi that would find a way to get them out of murder charges- if not give them a key to the city

I mean- they beat a man into the ground. Although only a few of them were present when Anderson was run over- they should all be charged as accomplices at the least.

Mississippi reports one of the lowest Hate Crimes rate in the nation- which is totally misleading because it is a voluntary reporting system. I live here, and it is racist to the core.