Stephen Lawrence...

[David Johnson]

"What do you know ? Different ? One could make the assumption that was a racist comment !"

Eh? The attack occurred at 10:35 pm on 22 April 1993, as Lawrence waited with a friend, Duwayne Brooks, at a bus stop in southeast London.
As Brooks called out to ask whether Lawrence saw the bus coming he claimed that he heard one of Lawrence's assailants saying: "What, what, nigger?" as they all quickly crossed the road and 'engulfed' Lawrence, who was then stabbed to a depth of about five inches on both sides of the front of his body, in the chest and arm.

Two of the suspects have subsequently received convictions for separate, racially motivated attacks. It is a very reasonable "assumption" that these guys have a problem with people that are "different".

Cheers
D

[andy at handiwork]

Talk about completely missing the point!

[David Johnson]

"Thanks for providing backup, the only thing that separates you from the killers of SL is your level of racism."

Your view is ludicrous.

There are offences called racially motivated crimes. Those crimes such as white people attacking blacks, asians attacking whites where there is a racial aspect are judged as racially motivated crimes. The people who carry out such crimes tend to consider individuals that are attacked to be inferior i.e. often on the basis that they are viewed as "different".

Personally I couldnt care less if someone is black, white, pink, brown or mauve with yellow spots.

Cheers
D

[David Johnson]

The use of the word "different" by myself and OEJ is from the point of view of the racist criminal viewing people as "different" i.e. a different colour, as a trigger for their crime.

It is not because myself or OEJ view people as "different" purely because of their colour.

Got it now?

Cheers
D

[max_tranmere]

It seems certain that Stephen Lawrence was murdered because he was black and the murderers were racists. However, does that really matter? A murder is a murder, whatever the reasoning behind it, and just as terrible. Let's says, completely hypothetically, that Stephen Lawrence was murdered for his wallet, by some muggers who just mug anyone - white or black. Do you think his parents would have said "oh, that's a relief, I'm a lot less bothered now that I know it wasn't because he was black". Of course not! They would be just as upset whatever the reasoning behind the killing because their son is DEAD!

[David Johnson]

"It seems certain that Stephen Lawrence was murdered because he was black and the murderers were racists. However, does that really matter? "

Max, perhaps you could sit down in a quiet place with the TV/radio off and try to think of some answers to your own question.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers
D

[max_tranmere]

David, you seem to be suggesting that it is worse that he was murdered because he was black than possibly for another reason. I think you will find that is little comfort to his parents. They will miss him just as much, and be just as devastated, whatever he was murdered for.

[David Johnson]

Read the message I posted about you coming up with some answers to your own question.

Cheers
D