Racists are sending a message to Black America. Two weeks after Dylann Roof shot and killed nine Blacks at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, another historically Black church has been burned.
A fire destroyed Mount Zion African Methodist church in Greeleyville, South Carolina, a town just north of Charleston. Authorities have yet to reveal if arson was involved, but it’s highly likely that the blaze was set by racists. It’s the seventh Black church to be burned in recent weeks. It appears that racists could be attempting to spread hate as the debate over the Confederate flag heats up.
Mount Zion was burned 20 years ago by members of the KKK and rebuilt in 1996. President Bill Clinton visited the site and spoke about racism before the audience gathered at the ceremony. The fire and over 600 others led to the National Church Arson Task Force, which aims to investigate suspicious fires on church grounds.
The FBI and ATF are currently investigating the Mount Zion blaze and other fires that have occurred at Black churches. Racists have used the Black church as a place to enact terrorism against the Black community. Groups such as the KKK are no different from ISIL and other terrorist organizations that are based in the Middle East.
At this point, the American government may have to restrict the First Amendment rights of groups such as the KKK because of the potential threat they pose to society. An ISIL rally would not be acceptable on U.S. soil, so why are the KKK members allowed to spread a similar form of hate?
Black congregations across the nation are preparing to take precautions as more violence occurs.
