To some in Paris, Texas sinister past is back

PARIS, Texas There are no plaques or markers to denote it, but several of the most notorious public lynchings of black Americans in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries were staged at the Paris Fairgrounds, where thousands of white spectators would gather to watch and cheer as black men were dragged onto a scaffold, scalded with hot irons and finally burned to death or hanged. Some are thinking the "old ways" are making a come back. And our legal systems inequities seems to confirm it. For example, there was the 19-year-old white man, convicted last July of criminally negligent homicide for killing a 54-year-old black woman and her 3-year-old grandson with his truck, who was sentenced in Paris to probation and required to send an annual Christmas card to the victims' family Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family's house, to probation. And then there is the case that most troubles Cherry and leaders of the Texas NAACP, involving a 14-year-old black freshman, Shaquanda Cotton, who shoved a hall monitor at Paris High School in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun. The youth had no prior arrest record, and the hall monitor--a 58-year-old teacher's aide--was not seriously injured. But Shaquanda was tried in March 2006 in the town's juvenile court, convicted of "assault on a public servant" and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years, until she turns 21. It seems that even spitting (not necessarily even hitting with spit) a "public servant" is considered and assault or even an aggravated assault. And a shove, well that warrants up to 7 years in prison, if you are black apparently. But a white guy who runs over and kills a black woman and grandson, killing them both - his sentence ? Having to send an annual Christmas Card! Merry Christmas, courtesy of Texas Justice

[No rope]

A little more subtle than lynchings though.

[Fed Up]

Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville needs to be investigated.
I was in Paris, Texas on the day the 19 year-old white man ran over the 54 year-old black woman & her grandson! I remember
it well. I also remember the white man as being related to
someone in Paris' Law Enforcement. Parisians have told me the white man still drives his mega truck around Paris wrecklessly. It seems sending the family a card every year has really taught him a lesson. The African-Americans in Paris need to get up off of their knees & fight back. Superville & his racist brand of justice needs to be stopped!

[Al AZ]

I wonder if black students are disciplined more often because they commit more offenses than others? Just curious.

[Rumple Stilskin]

Al Az, It is not whether black students commit more offenses than the white students, it is whether the punishment afforded to the black students is more harsh than the punishment to the white students.

There is still a hanging tree in Clarksville, Texas, Red River County that has a brass plaque commerating it's notarity.

East Texas seems to have the mentality that blacks are not as good as whites. You can see it in the punishments afforded them by the courts system in Larmar, Red River, and Bowie Counties.

The people in these counties (law enforcement, and judicial system) need to take off their white sheets and hoods, quit burning crosses and step into the 21st. century with the rest of civilization that believes all men are created equal.

[Janie]

Rumple Stilskin wrote:

Al Az, It is not whether black students commit more offenses than the white students, it is whether the punishment afforded to the black students is more harsh than the punishment to the white students.
There is still a hanging tree in Clarksville, Texas, Red River County that has a brass plaque commerating it's notarity.
East Texas seems to have the mentality that blacks are not as good as whites. You can see it in the punishments afforded them by the courts system in Larmar, Red River, and Bowie Counties.
The people in these counties (law enforcement, and judicial system) need to take off their white sheets and hoods, quit burning crosses and step into the 21st. century with the rest of civilization that believes all men are created equal.

Tell me-------When and where did you see white people wearing sheets and burning crosses??? Be specific. We all missed it and are curious as to hust when and where this happened..

[Rumple Stilskin]

Janie wrote:

<quoted text>Tell me-------When and where did you see white people wearing sheets and burning crosses??? Be specific. We all missed it and are curious as to hust when and where this happened..

Janie,
It was not long after I moved into far NE Texas that an active member of the KKK asked me if I would like to join their organization.

I have also had the displeasure to hear elected officials use the "N" word more than I care to, and some of these are in the judicial and law enforcement areas.

Just recently I was called a "N" lover because I am going to vote for OBAMA.

My question to you is "Do you believe that all persons are created equal by God, and in his likeness?"

[janie]

Rumple Stilskin wrote:

<quoted text>
Janie,
It was not long after I moved into far NE Texas that an active member of the KKK asked me if I would like to join their organization.
I have also had the displeasure to hear elected officials use the "N" word more than I care to, and some of these are in the judicial and law enforcement areas.
Just recently I was called a "N" lover because I am going to vote for OBAMA.
My question to you is "Do you believe that all persons are created equal by God, and in his likeness?"

Of course I beieve that all men are created equal by God!!! My question to you is why are you asking such a dumb statement?
I asked when and where did the poster saw white people wearing white sheets and burning crosses. I don't believe she saw anything of the sort. She was asked this question because of her rude remarks about whites needing to quit burning crosses. And FYI, blacks call white people ugly names too so don't start.

[Rumple Stilskin]

Janie,

Your remarks reflect the true meaning of your words.

[janie]

Rumple Stilskin, you have no idea what you are talking about and are just wanting to argue. So, be my guest and enjoy yourself. lol

[Rumple Stilskin]

Janie,

You are the one without a clue.

[Anonymous]

lol I have no desire to engage in this childish banter with you. See Ya!!

[tess]

Dorr tis

[parisbornparisra ised]

Rumple Stilskin wrote:

Al Az, It is not whether black students commit more offenses than the white students, it is whether the punishment afforded to the black students is more harsh than the punishment to the white students.
There is still a hanging tree in Clarksville, Texas, Red River County that has a brass plaque commerating it's notarity.
East Texas seems to have the mentality that blacks are not as good as whites. You can see it in the punishments afforded them by the courts system in Larmar, Red River, and Bowie Counties.
The people in these counties (law enforcement, and judicial system) need to take off their white sheets and hoods, quit burning crosses and step into the 21st. century with the rest of civilization that believes all men are created equal.

I can honestly say that Blacks are treated better in the school system. As a white student I had 3 black girls attack me and they were only give 1 day of OnCampusSuspension. I also had a young black man throw me into a wall by my throat and threaten to kill me. He served 2 days in OCS. The Black On campus police officer told me I was not able to press charges, because It was already taken care of in the school system.

Don't be so quick to judge Paris based on what the Media has to say. I was born and raised in Paris. It is the complete opposite.

I stopped going to Paris High because I was in fear everyday when I went to school. I was not the only one!

[StandingforTruth]

parisbornparisraised wrote:

<quoted text>
I can honestly say that Blacks are treated better in the school system. As a white student I had 3 black girls attack me and they were only give 1 day of OnCampusSuspension. I also had a young black man throw me into a wall by my throat and threaten to kill me. He served 2 days in OCS. The Black On campus police officer told me I was not able to press charges, because It was already taken care of in the school system.
Don't be so quick to judge Paris based on what the Media has to say. I was born and raised in Paris. It is the complete opposite.
I stopped going to Paris High because I was in fear everyday when I went to school. I was not the only one!

Thank you. It is about time somebody told the actual story and not just what the biased media has to say. I noticed in the article that it mentioned Paris High being investigated for punishing black students more harsh than white students. It failed to say that all reports of such treatment were proven to be invalid and untrue. The reason that Ms. Cotton got 7 years and the other girl got probation was because the 14-year-old white girl was released to the custody of her mother, who said she would be punished at home. Ms. Cotton's mother didn't believe that her daughter had done anything wrong and refused to punish her further, and while she didn't have an arrest record, she did have a record of violence with the school district. There are so many things incorrect with this story, and it makes me very sad that people think of my hometown in such a manner that is simply untrue.

[Michael Justice]

I am an American Citizen, and view my nieghbors, black and white, as being the same, unless they themselves tell me different. I felt that we had over come this place in our country, where people could see each other as being equal. However, both white and black Americans are both the blame for the racial ineqaulity in this country, because it appears that both sides will not allow history to be history. We have the ability to change the way people see each other, but we are color blind. I am a resident of Paris, TX, and if the Chicago Tribune would come and survey and research the towns geographic lay out according to color, rather than take a few racists idea of their town, then they would see that the only people that have a problem with color and its place in our little town they would see that these stories are not true. It seems as though this has only become worse.
I would like to see a country and community that is about the person rather than the color that makes that persons skin. When this takes place then, and oly then may the United States of America progress into the world.
[e-mail]

[Ebaumsworld]

Because she was a coon!

[El Kabong]

Typical Chicago misrepresentory hate mongering blather. Any place that has cursed the world with the likes of Obama and Blagojovich has nothing a thinking person should car about.

BTW how did some one getting accidentally run over by a car become dragging? I thought to drag something it had to be tied to the car and pulled around.

BTW the most virulent racists that I have known were northerners and those from the midwest.

[Steve]

I've been to court with my son when he was 12 yers old for spitting on a girl. He was charged with assault and I paid his fine of $80. This was over 10 years ago. I guess the county needed the money more than trying to dispense justice.

[bizlady08]

I am from the Midwest and take exception to some of your remarks--especially putting President Obama and impeached Governor Blago in the same sentence. They are two entirely different people who both happen to have served public office in Illinois. Your comment belies your own prejudices.

As for Witt's articles, I learned about the Shaquanda Cotton story earlier today when one of my Facebook buddies posted a link to the honorable mention Howard Witt received for the series he wrote.

Gotta say, I found both the story about Ms. Cotton and the truck-dragging incident to be horrifying--especially in this day and age.

My friend who posted the link is originally from Paris, TX. She didn't learn about the lynchings on the fairgrounds until COLLEGE! and SHE was mortified, she said. Her high school prom was held on those fairgrounds and she had no idea...

If blacks are given such preferential treatment in Paris, according to one of the posters, then why isn't black history of that area taught within the school system? My white friend grew up there and didn't know about the fairgrounds lynchings until she went away to college. I told her that I'd be willing to bet that every black person from Paris has known about that shameful piece of history from the time they were little kids.

Statistically, the fact that black kids, who make up about 40% of the Paris student population are disciplined twice as often as white kids, and disciplined for being disruptive more than EIGHT times the amount of white kids, definitely shows a discrepancy. Even if we were to presume that the black kids had more disciplinary problems, those numbers are really high.

I wonder if the study by the Education Department has been completed. I'd be interested in seeing what turns up.

As for the Cotton sentence compared to the young arsonist's sentence, I don't buy for a minute that the arsonist got probation b/c the mother said she'd discipline her child at home vs. Cotton's mother: The judicial system I'm familiar with simply doesn't work that way. Sounds to me like discrimination pure and simple. I hope that judge gets investigated and drummed out of his job.

[Obomb us]

Well I'm glad you did not join the kkk nuts. As for obama his tax and spend liberal nutballs they are killing America, he is a commie with his far left wing ways.

Rumple Stilskin wrote:

<quoted text>
Janie,
It was not long after I moved into far NE Texas that an active member of the KKK asked me if I would like to join their organization.
I have also had the dis pleasure to hear elected officials use the "N" word more than I care to, and some of these are in the judicial and law enforcement areas.
Just recently I was called a "N" lover because I am going to vote for OBAMA.
My question to you is "Do you believe that all persons are created equal by God, and in his likeness?"