The Southern Poverty Law Center today won a crushing jury verdict against one of the nation’s largest Klan groups for its role in the brutal beating of a teenager at a county fair in rural Kentucky.

The $2.5 million verdict will likely cripple the Imperial Klans of America, which has 16 chapters in eight states.
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The jury deliberated for approximately five hours before delivering the verdict against IKA Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards and two former IKA members, Jarred Hensley and Andrew Watkins, both of whom served two years in state prison for assaulting Gruver. The SPLC earlier reached settlements with Watkins and one other Klansmen.

The verdict included $1.5 million in compensatory damages — apportioned among Edwards, Hensley and Watkins — and $1 million in punitive damages against Edwards.

And there was, a sixty-ish white dude who looks like a chopper rider, high-fiving the “playuhs” and hanging out like I don’t have a care in the world. Which is true, because some of the “playuhs” are also my employees, and since I leave a lot of money in that neighborhood, I got nada to worry about.

I got a heads up call on my cell phone before the stop, telling me I was being stalked and that a stop was imminent. My buddies in the ‘hood know more about cop behavior than cops know about criminal behavior.

That’s a moron move. But not surprising given he’s a racist.

If that’s racial superiority, leave me out.

Dig that that guy is representing himself. Good luck with that, dude.

“I feel white people feel more oppressed,” he said. “We’re basically told as white people we can’t have any organizations. We’re ruled by communists. It’s not just about Barack Obama. It goes deeper than that.”

What an asshole this guy is. “White people” can have all sorts of organizations, just not racist ones (hopefully). These fuckers should be shocked and awed into oblivion – legal, political, financial, etc. Gee, I wonder if hate radio will bring this up tomorrow. I’ll try and listen. Pissed off.

That’s why I’m worried. They must know history is about to leave them behind, so they are getting desperate and desperate people do stupid things.

Thanks.

The “for good” sentiment, which is what I was focused on, is.

“If everyone woke up tomorrow morning with the same race, creed, and religion, we’d find a new reason for prejudice by lunchtime.”

And we’ll have a “permanent majority” in Congress.

Riiight.

It isn’t the promised land yet, but we are much closer.

Racism, unfortunately is still an intrinsic part (slowly wasting away thankfully, but still present) of the American experience – heck not just us… been to France or anywhere else in the world?

If anything, this victory has managed to let groups like the clans and the militias have a last gasp (hopefully).

Call me a cynic, but until several current living generations pass and their more open minded and diversity experienced children seize the reigns of power will we see the major paradigm shift that some believe this election was.

Don’t get me wrong – I KNOW it was a shift, heck… if someone had told me 4 years ago, let alone 8 months ago that Obama would win (I was hopeful but not expectant) I’d have been shocked and said that America was not ready.

So – I’ve learned more than a little about the possibilities and power of hope… but I still remember and acknowledge what I have to deal with on a daily basis (hopefully – within my lifetime… since the other biggie has been removed now… I’ll see racism disappear).

Keep up the good work… “A luta continua” though I’d amend that by saying the struggles (plural) continue.