Cowart, Schlesselman Plotted Racial Killing Spree

On the surface the Deseret News article about FBI reports of increasing hate crimes in places like Utah, might not seem all that alarming. But it's the overall trend that concerns me right now.

A subtle something no one seems to speak of though we all certainly feel it; as in the results of the recent AP-Yahoo! poll revealing that at least 40% of white Americans harbor some degree of negative view of black Americans.

It wasn't that long ago that three men (pictured above left) were arrested in Colorado for an alleged plot to kill Obama during the Democratic National Convention.

There seem to be a plethora of strange signals that both contradict and illuminate. To me the more complex issues aren't really being sufficiently explored in the mainstream media - but I still some of the stories and the facts being reported.

This blog has followed the increases in hate crimes in cities and towns across the globe, now it seems that many extremist hate groups are attempting to disguise their nature to tap into the currents of racial fear and division coursing through this nation.

The USA Today Website reports that many Neo Nazi groups are now tailoring their messages for a more mainstream appeal. Re-enforcing the fact that acts of bigotry, racial hatred or intolerance are agitated by factors like high unemployment and fears induced by immigration issues.

It's impossible for any media source to ignore the latest white supremacist threat against Senator Barack Obama's life. An article from Yahoo! News reports that the two braniac bigots who were arrested in connection with the case, 20 year-old Daniel Cowart of Bells, Tenn., a high school drop-out living with his grandparents and 18 year-old Paul Schlesselman of West Helena, Ark. were unlikely in any position to actually carry out a bizarre plot to kill Obama by driving towards him in a vehicle shooting weapons while wearing all-white tuxedos and tops hats.

The Yahoo! report states that both rookie racists doomed their demented far-fetched scheme from the start:

"Among the blunders: They drew attention to themselves by etching swastikas on a car with sidewalk chalk, only knew each other for a month, couldn't even pull off a house robbery, and a friend ratted them out to authorities."

What's most troubling is that even if this was a sort of fantasy that was being lived out by two uneducated disenfranchised kids seeking attention, it's hard to stomach their intentions to execute 88 black people and behead 14 of them.

Or comprehend their desire to take a cache of weapons (taken from their own relatives) and go to a predominantly black high school on go on a killing spree.

It might not lead me to understand exactly why and how two kids could harbor such virulent hate at such a young age, but it does compel me go back and look at that Deseret News article again - maybe 55 incidents of hate crimes in Utah should be more alarming to the nation than it seems to be.

The two are being held without bond for weapons violations and plotting to kill a presidential candidate. In an interesting snapshot of American culture, thekansascity.com site reports that Schlesselman's sister admits her brother believed himself to be a part of a 'master race' and often used the phrases 'Heil Hitler' and 'White Power' around the house - but the boy's father insisted, "I think it's just a lot of talk. He would never do something like this,"

According to police, the father's .357 handgun was part of the boy's arsenal.