Second man pleads guilty in church fire

Blaze followed Obama election

SPRINGFIELD — A second white man pleaded guilty yesterday to setting a fire that destroyed a predominantly black church hours after Barack Obama was elected president.

Thomas Gleason Jr. changed his plea in US District Court two days before he was scheduled to go to trial. Gleason pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy against civil rights; damage or destruction to religious property; and the use of fire to commit a felony.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1.

Gleason, 22, of Springfield, was one of three white men charged with burning down the Macedonia Church of God in Christ on Nov. 5, 2008, the day after Obama was elected the nation’s first black president.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/23/second_man_pleads_guilty_in_church_fire/

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So it can't be terrorism. Unless they'd torched an SUV; then it would eco-terrorism. But a black church? Garden variety arson. No other motive can possibly be ascribed to it.