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May 16, 2009

Reckless Burning, In The Shape Of A Cross

... you know, the one they say they hung Jesus out to dry on.

Though, in Alsea, down in the Coast Range in Benton County, they're apparently hanging justice out to dry on one too.

I've been in Alsea. Cute place. Last town in Benton County before State Hwy 34 crosses into Lincoln County on its way to Waldport. Quintessential small-town Oregon, it's an unincorporated burg about five blocks long and three blocks wide. Cute store at the flashing light, all that.

There's also a single white woman with an adopted African-American boy who had ... oh, a burning cross dumped on their lawn. What does the local police have to say about it?

Because there weren't any threats or other evidence of prejudice, the crime is not being classified as a hate crime, he said. Instead, it is classified as reckless burning.

Did they fall asleep during "Ku Klux Klan" class in cop school down there or what?

I just realized that this is why we have to have hate crimes defined as hate crimes. I was on the fence about it until just now, believe it or not.

If they wanted to stage a prank, there's always, like, toilet paper. Just sayin'.

Also ironically, the name of the place, "Alsea", was inspired by the Indian tribe that the White man pushed out of the area ... the Alsi. Whom, if any Alsi still exist, are an ethnic minority. I couldn't leave that fact alone, right? Right.

Posted by The Chinuk at May 16, 2009 05:56 PM