Major news media cowardly ignores the past - 8.24.2007.1

What an interesting day so far. There is a lot of news on the floods in the mid-West, Michael Vick’s admission of holding dogfighting at his property (though he won’t admit he gambled on the outcome or gruesomely killed dogs that lost), the 82 minutes that Nicole Ritchie spent in jail (real punishment there), and the minor charges placed against Lindsey Lohan (6 felony drug charges were dropped – you can bet neither you or I would get off that easy in the same position). A lot of news indeed, yet a rather large miscarriage of justice has gone unspoken.

Have you heard anything about James Ford Seale? No idea who he is? No idea what I’m alluding to? Perhaps you heard about a murder of 2 Black teenagers in Mississippi in 1964. The case went ‘unsolved’ for over 40 years, and I say ‘unsolved’ because local authorities knew exactly who did it as I understand.

In May 1964, the 2 men were abducted their bodies found 2 months later in the Mississippi River. James Seale was arrested for the murders and the charges were dropped. The case went cold and nothing was done about it for decades. Why? Because Seale was part of the Ku Klux Klan (allegdedly), and so were the local police and law enforcement officers. They just let him get away with murder.

Today, 43 years later, Seale has been convicted and sentenced to 3 life prison terms. Big deal. Wait for it. I say big deal because Seale is 72 years old, has cancer, bone spurs and other health issues. Basically this killer is about to kick the bucket and take his place in Hell next to Hitler and other self-glorified murdering scum, in my opinion. The few years or months that Seale will spend in prison will hardly impact him harshly enough to begin to account for what he did.

Seale kidnapped 2 men, in the prime of their lives, and drowned them in the Mississippi River. Because they were Black and wanted to be treated with the respect the Constitution and life provides. Such a crime and its motivation turns my stomach.

Even worse is the fact Seale will be receiving treatment for his ailments, and imprisoned, on my tax dollars. Were it up to me, Seale would receive a quick and public hanging. Nothing more, Seale would be lucky to get bread and water until that time.

James Seale has lived for 43 years, working, laughing, playing with every freedom we all hold dear without a thought for the lives he took. Seale earned a living, dated (I assume though I would hope that any woman would reject a person I can only think of as refuse), basically lived and now, at the end of his life he is expected to reflect on what he did. Had he been convicted and still in jail 40 years later, I would say he could reflect, but not now.

To say this is a miscarriage of justice is to say that Lindsey Lohan has a problem. It’s obvious and leaves a taste of bile in the mouth.

But, I have yet to see a single news brief on Fox News or CNN. Since 10 am, nothing has been said. There hasn’t been a whisper. Somehow I cannot see the justification that says this is not news. I think the 5 minutes used to discuss whether or not Camilla (the wife of Prince Charles) will show up at some event for Princess Diana, could have been used to discuss this case. This is far more relevant to most Americans. It makes a statement about where we were and where we may go. It highlights how screwed up the legal (not justice) system was, and continues to be. It shows how far irrational and illogical hate can go. It reminds us that as a nation we must always be aware that fear and fanatical beliefs are not just the property of terrorists and lunatics halfway around the world.

After 43 years of shadows, lies and looks the other way a semblance of justice has been enacted. This is not something that we as a nation need to avert our eyes from, but look towards. Like slavery (and reparations) we must address the fact that horrible crimes against humanity and these 2 men, Charles Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee, went unaddressed for decades with no reason better than law officers, the public, and the government in general did not want to think about it. How much further have we really come when justice finally is enacted and the major news media are too timid to shine a light on the dark corner of the recent past that is this nation’s history.

5 minutes. About as long as it takes to read this post. Yet even that is too much to honor the 2 lives lost one night 43 years ago. Perhaps the news isn’t that James Seale will die in prison, finally, but that the cowardice that allowed him to commit these crimes and remain free still pervades this nation.

This is what I think, what do you think?