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March 21, 2011· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Racism

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

In five years of blogging, this is one of the most disturbing examples of racism in the SCV I’ve ever seen:

The photo comes my way via a reader, who passed it along from Facebook. Behind the burned out car, the vandalism on the garage reportedly reads, “Leave porch monkey.”

The Sheriff’s Station adds this:

Authorities are investigating a hate-crime arson report on the 20700 block of Satinwood Drive in Saugus, where a man’s car was set on fire Friday night after racial slurs were painted on the side of it, Sheriff’s Department officials said Saturday.

Lt. Lewis of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station reported that deputies, and firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, responded to the call at 1 a.m. Saturday.

After the blaze was extinguished, the racial slurs and a pentagram were noticed on the car, a Scion, and on a nearby garage door, Lewis said. A nearby GMC Yukon also had fire damage, according to Sgt. Brian Allan.

No arrests have been made as of Sunday, according to Sheriff’s Department officials.

Lewis said the investigation was being handled by the Hate Crimes Task Force Bureau, anyone with information regarding the crime is asked to call (310) 996-4927.

There’s been an undercurrent of racial resentment and hate in the SCV for as long as I remember. It manifests itself in ugly little spasms: reports of anti-semitic flyers left on the lawns of homes, a string of fights at local high schools, or the defacement of property with swastikas. It’s always been there, just below the surface, ignored by the media and the vast majority of decent regular people because it’s too unpleasant. The schools have worked on it (I remember attending workshops when I was in high school) but still, the ugly little episodes occasionally bubble their way up and force us to think about it.

But this incident takes it to a whole new level. Someone could have been killed or seriously burned here.

What else is there to say? All we as a community can do is condemn this, unite behind the victims and find/prosecute/jail those who have such disregard for the lives of fellow humans that they would deliberately set fire to their property while scrawling racial slurs on their home.

Comments (59)

  1. LarMccMarch 21, 2011 at 6:59 am
    I remember repeated cross burnings on someones lawn, up Calgrove many years back. This is rather disturbing though. Thought we had evolved beyond things like this.
  2. Gang FangMarch 21, 2011 at 7:03 am
    Sorrow is all I can muster right now.
  3. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 7:06 am
    There’s been an under current of racial resentment and hate in the SCV… Let’s not overreact! We don’t even know the facts, yet some begin to paint the valley in a negative way. Bye the way, what is a porch monkey?
  4. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 8:44 am
    What facts you waiting on? Why don’t you go google something for once.
  5. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 11:59 am
    buz buzzzzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzzzz
  6. Gang FangMarch 21, 2011 at 8:57 am
    Overreact?!?! I’ve lived here for most of my life, and have seen more acts of race based hate here in the SCV than in any of my travels. Three of my friends were hospitalized about 5 years ago after being beat to pulp by local White Power members. There is a Neo Nazi band named Skrewdriver, and I see stickers of said band on trucks all over town. Just last summer, someone scrawled KKK into an electrical transformer box near my home. My neighbor yelled at a solicitor just last week, telling him “I don’t want to see you black ass on my property again!”. Emails routinely make the rounds in the SCV containing racist jokes, pictures, and articles (funny how some people don’t realize they are forwarding this crap to you and not just their cronies). Don’t forget Bill Reynolds little Michelle Obama/ Ape joke. The list goes on and on and on and on. This place has what I consider to be a massive undercurrent of race based hate and prejudice. It’s sick.
  7. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 9:00 am
    Yes, over react! Spin away!
  8. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:05 am
    Cash defender of the racists! Who woulda known.
  9. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 9:07 am
    Hardly a defender! Spin away Nathan!
  10. Gang FangMarch 21, 2011 at 9:30 am
    He’s just baiting. Picked kind of a sick topic to do it with, though. At least I know where Cash stands now.
  11. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:33 am
    True fact. Cash is trolling with the race baiting.
  12. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 10:21 am
    Buzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzz Buzzzzzzzzzzzz…that damn nat again!
  13. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 11:57 am
    The incident has been categorized as a hate crime, not a race crime. Let’s at least get one fact correct.
  14. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 12:52 pm
    Could be the most idiotic thing you have said yet… http://da.co.la.ca.us/hate/hcdefined.htm There is no such legal term as a “race crime”
  15. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 12:57 pm
    You are very selective in your application of the term hate crime. Hate crime is not just specific to race. But facts mean little to those that try to advance their position using a crisis. Buzzz buzzz buzzzz
  16. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 1:03 pm
    “Buzzz” – the sound of cash getting OWNED. I am not being selective at all. You are making up terms. If a crime is motivated by someone’s hate for a group whether it be race, sexual orienation or religion it is a HATE CRIME. There is no such legal term as a race crime. Buzzz buzzz buzzzz
  17. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 1:07 pm
    The incident report does not mention the race of the scion owner. You are being very selective with the definition when you conclude the crime to be race motivated. buzzz buzzz buzzz
  18. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 1:13 pm
    Troglodyte Homunculus!
  19. AnObserverMarch 21, 2011 at 7:20 am
    Yeah, cash only likes to overreact to important issues like his strange obsession with the Flemings and auto row.
  20. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 7:29 am
    We don’t know the facts about the incident. I do know an Acura King. Bye the way, what race was the man or women that set the fire? Why did they set the fire? If you know.
  21. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 8:46 am
    Don’t forget amgen or anything nice we get…
  22. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 8:59 am
    And any other “nice to have” that is paid for at the expense of more important needs, like schools, etc.
  23. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:02 am
    Get your facts before you Overreact… Ya big queen.
  24. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 9:05 am
    My facts are correct. You just don’t understand how things are done.
  25. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:07 am
    Your “facts” where a newspaper in San Fransico. Scott presented thay actual number / fact thay showed your were dead wrong…
  26. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 9:13 am
    Nat, no need to discuss this with you. Your limited understanding of the facts of life make a discussion impossible. But let me try once again, “there are no free lunches”.
  27. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:34 am
    Limited understanding? Nice try… the black and white numbers showed you dead wrong. keep spinning Queen
  28. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 10:30 am
    buzz buzz buzz
  29. JakeMarch 21, 2011 at 8:02 am
    Although this incident and behavior is very disturbing and obviously has absolutely no place in our society, I must admit that after so many race hoaxes over the years I’ll be saving my outrage until the final verdict is rendered.
  30. Capt. GeneMarch 21, 2011 at 8:10 am
    That’s a good plan. If this is the work of angry racists, it deserves all the scorn we can muster, if it’s a hoax it deserves even more.
  31. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 8:18 am
    Hoax is worse than true racism? I think not.
  32. MikeMarch 21, 2011 at 8:34 am
    A hoax is horrible for a lot of reasons, but this, if true, is an act of terrorism targeted at a single family. No one would suffer from a hoax in the way that this family is suffering now – never mind others in the neighborhood who feel just as unwelcome now.
  33. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 8:56 am
    I don’t know that this incident is a hoax. I do believe we need to wait for the facts before we start labeling the event. For all we know the owner of the Scion may have been behind in car payments.
  34. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:04 am
    And he would still be behind in car payment only now he doesn’t have a car. Good thinking. Let’s heap accusations on the guy with a vandalized house and burnt out car.
  35. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 9:10 am
    Not an accusation, rather a potential reason not unlike the racial suggestion. Try speaking for yourself Nat!
  36. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 9:32 am
    Well Cas, How about you let the Hate Crimes Task Force determine that… because you just look like racist sympathizing jerk when you say it.
  37. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 10:22 am
    buzzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzzz!
  38. Capt. GeneMarch 21, 2011 at 9:07 am
    Sure it is. You would expect a racist to do horrific things like this, but when a person that would normally be the victim of a racist does something like this for whatever sick reason they have, then it plants doubt in the minds of people as to how much actual racism there is out there (see Jake’s response) and dilutes people’s resolve to fight actual racism.
  39. john AdamsMarch 21, 2011 at 9:09 am
    Yeah actually I am going to agree with the Capt. A hoax is worse because it cuts to our deepest emotions. While racism is horrible, a hoax to induce racial fear is worse.
  40. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 9:18 am
    I can’t see it. If the direct result of a hoax can be linked to people being killed because of their skin color, I might agree. I think racism is far worse. This is not to say that a hoax is acceptable, it is not.
  41. JeffMarch 21, 2011 at 10:54 am
    Where is there any evidence that this is a hoax? The Sheriff’s Department is not treating it as such. Do you have any basis at all to think this is a hoax? Do you know the victims, or did you see or hear something that makes you think this is a hoax? Do you have experience in arson & graffiti investigations that would lead you to believe this is a hoax?
  42. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 11:37 am
    Jeff, I am not the one that suggested this incident was a hoax. Nor am I the one that suggested the incident was an act of terrorism! I have indicated that the incident may be the result of something other than racism and that we need to have the facts.
  43. Capt. GeneMarch 21, 2011 at 7:58 pm
    Maybe the Sheriff’s Hoax Unit could take over the investigation.
  44. TimBen BoydstonMarch 21, 2011 at 8:28 am
    Racism is pure evil and will be given no home here.
  45. OlenkaMarch 21, 2011 at 11:32 am
    Cash is just looking for attention with his outlandish comments. He’s like a disobedient dog. Stop addressing him and validating his comments. We all know he’s the crazy one.
  46. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 11:44 am
    You must be kidding. If I am crazy because I won’t defend the race card without the facts; then I guess that makes me crazy. Bye the way, what is the race of the Scion owner, if you know? I could not find it in the incident report.
  47. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 12:50 pm
    Considering the Hate Crimes Task Force was called in and their were racial slurs… why don’t you take a wild guess einstein.
  48. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 12:53 pm
    buzzzzz buzzzz buzzzzz buzzzz. Bill swat that nat for us.
  49. NateMarch 21, 2011 at 1:05 pm
    Calling in back up…
  50. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 1:10 pm
    buzzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz buzzzzzzzzzzzz no show nat.
  51. lvogelMarch 21, 2011 at 11:39 am
    Where did the idea of a hoax come from, Jake? I had the same questions that Jeff asked. When a mother of 3 kills her young children, goes on air and accuses a black man of kidnapping them, no one thought ‘hoax’. Yet, a family in our own city has racist slurs written on their property and their vehicle is set aflame, and hoax is being put put out there…why? Coincidentally, I just got my quarterly SPLC magazine(The Intelligence Report) last week and California has probably the most ‘hate’ groups within the U.S. 68 active hate groups followed by FL with 49. As long as our children are raised in households that believe in racism, it will continue to grow. Hate is taught; a child is not born to hate.
  52. CCMarch 21, 2011 at 12:05 pm
    Hoax, Racism, or Hate crime doesn’t matter. Any of them are despicable acts and this is jaw dropping. I hope they catch the idiot that did this and he gets what’s coming to him to set an example to everyone that this is intolerable.
  53. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 12:10 pm
    I understand that a she did it!
  54. lvogelMarch 21, 2011 at 12:13 pm
    I agree CC, however I’d be surprised if it were just one person. I do hope that follow up is done and we are kept up to date regarding this case/crime, whether it was an act of hate, racism or a hoax (though this would be a very expensive hoax). Lets give it the attention it deserves and perhaps it won’t happen as often. BTW, was this in our local paper? This happened Friday night (Saturday morn?) at 1am, yet this was posted on facebook and not brought to the publics attention. Someone could have seen something or heard about this and it could help the authorities with there investigation.
  55. 4eyedsueMarch 21, 2011 at 12:29 pm
    made the Signal today. A day late and a dollar short. http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/42161/ It’s all over fb
  56. cashMarch 21, 2011 at 1:18 pm
    The Wicca’s are to blame!
  57. lvogelMarch 21, 2011 at 9:52 pm
    Channel 4 just had a highlight for the 11:00 news regarding this.
  58. NateMarch 22, 2011 at 2:04 pm
    More supporting evidence of what Jeff said. http://westranchbeacon.com/2011/03/roger-gitlin-wave-the-flag-johnny-reb/ We have racist Roger Gitlin claiming a guy is a “Patriot” for refusing to take down his confederate flag.
  59. Capt. GeneMarch 25, 2011 at 5:23 am
    You have a problem with that guy’s 1st Amendment rights? Anyone else who’s right to free speech you’d like to deny?

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