The War On Kwanzaa: Maine Kwanzaa party planned despite death threats!

[NorthernSpy]

Looks like the Bangor area will be having a Kwanzaa celebration after all, thanks to the efforts of one woman who has decided to brave the recent death threats and organize a party.


The trouble started several weeks ago when a Brewer man -- Kendrick Sawyer, 75 -- told his physician at Togus that he had a .45 and was planning on shooting "any and all blacks" who would show up for the Maine NAACP's Kwanzaa event in Bangor. He also reportedly said that he did not like blacks or Hispanics, and that he thought that Maine should be a whites-only state. He made the same remarks to military officials who came to investigate the threats.

After this, Maine's (mostly white) NAACP chapter began holding their meetings at the Bangor police station in the hope that they'd be safer there.

Together with police, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives entered Sawyer's house and confiscated his gun. They did not, however, take him into custody.

At the moment, Sawyer is apparently somewhere in Maine, though not at his house. The authorities say that they know where he is, but they refuse to share this info with the public. Instead, they say that they are putting together a permanent restraining order that will direct Sawyer to stay away from all members of the NAACP, and they report that they are working out what to charge him with (probably 'terrorizing', they've said).


While Sawyer is still out loose, the NAACP decided that they did not feel safe in holding their annual Kwanzaa celebration, so they announced that they have cancelled the event.


However, this did not sit well with a Bangor businesswoman, Assata Sherrill. Sherrill, a retired policewoman who now works as an event planner, feels that cancelling Kwanzaa would be tantamount to rewarding terror, and so she has decided to put together a big, public Kwanzaa festival anyway. The First Congregational Church in Brewer have offered the use of their building. So it looks as though the event will be taking place not in big worldly Bangor, but right in Sawyer's hometown, which should really frost him.

Sherrill, by the way, is the woman who was attacked by three teens shouting slurs and throwing rocks at her as she walked her dog at the Bangor waterfront earlier this year. Two of her assailants were later arrested.

"I'm black and there is no changing that." Sherril told NEWS CENTER. "As a black person you know you live under a microscope or a lens. You realize things are going to happen and you have to go on living your life."

http://www.wlbz2.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=75926


More about this situation:


http://bangornews.com/news/t/city.aspx?articleid=157402...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/city.aspx?articleid=14...

[951-Riverside]

1. "Maine's (mostly white) NAACP chapter"

...Am I reading that right? :confused:

[AspenRose]

2. Anyone can join the NAACP

Not just black people!

[NorthernSpy]

3. yup...

Maine's NAACP chapter is mostly white.

I mean, this IS Maine, after all. Our state is 98% white, or something like that.

[MADem]

6. You are. There are no racial requirements for membership. NT

[Leopolds Ghost]

4. Where's the Hebrew Hammer when you need him?

[acmavm]

5. Good good good for this woman. Putting her life on the line (maybe) for

her convictions and the enforcement of her rights.

Good for her. Too bad more of us aren't like her.

[MADem]

7. I wonder where the whacky old bastard IS?

I also wonder if the cops haven't put a tracking device on his car....

[NorthernSpy]

8. it bugs me that he's still out loose...

If he were a Muslim threatening to shoot people for celebrating Christmas, he'd probably be in Gitmo right now. I'd bet on it.

[MADem]

9. The thing is, there are so many nice folks up in Maine. And this asshole is giving them a bad name.

He needs an asswhipping. I don't care if he is a septuagenarian.

[NorthernSpy]

11. oh, I don't think he can give us a bad name...

... because we don't have the kind of culture that grants de facto impunity to thugs, and I think that the people he threatened know it and can have confidence in that.


The authorities are sure taking their time deciding which charges to pursue, but I suspect that he's probably been more or less handed over to one of his relatives so that they can keep an eye on him. I don't know it for a fact, but it seems likely.


Of course, that's really not a guarantee that he no longer poses a threat. He could get away and get his hands on a another gun. We'll all be happier when he's finally in custody.

[provis99]

10. Maine is pretty enlightened

My guess is the Kwanzaa celebration will be even bigger than it otherwise normally have been, thanks to people turning up just to make a statement against the bigots.

[NorthernSpy]

12. that's my prediction, too...

Yeah, I think lots of people will go. They might put on some kevlar, but they'll definitely be there.


:headbang:

[Richard Steele]

13. Good for her. K&R

[flashl]

14. A cure for social ills

During the seven days of Kwanzaa, people celebrate the seven principles of African cultures: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

[NorthernSpy]

15. racists are never satisfied, and there's no point in trying to appease them...

During the seven days of Kwanzaa, people celebrate the seven principles of African cultures: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Racists go straight from bitching about blacks supposedly "Not Taking Responsibilitieee!!1!" for problems in their community, to bitching about the turrible, turrible threat of black nationalism if they do. It never fails. They want to have it both ways, apparently. You ever notice that?

[flashl]

17. Noticed that and many do not know about orgin of NAACP

[Elspeth]

16. A 75 year old racist geezer...Gee, I'll bet he watches O'Lielly

and complains about the War on Christmas.

[formercia]

18. Underground Railroad

There are many racists in Maine but there were also many who helped slaves escape to Canada. I own some land in southern Maine across the road from a former underground railroad station. There are several graves of those who died on their journey North on my property and I hope to connect some day with people who will keep their memories alive and never let them be forgotten and buried under some development.

[Swamp Rat]

19. Kick ass Assata Sherrill!!

:kick:

[live love laugh]

20. This sounds like something from The Onion. Can things be more FUBAR? nt