African-Americans kill cops; protests NOT expected

Walt remembers what Hattiesburg, Mississippi was like half a century ago, or perhaps a little more. The city fathers were white. The police where white. Most of the general population was black. But everyone kind of rubbed along together according to the natural order of things, and Hattiesburg was a sleepy, more-or-less peaceful burg.

So it was until the folk-song army and agitators from New York came to town preaching "civil rights", integration, an "end to slavery", yada yada yada. Not without a struggle, Hattiesburg did change. Today the mayor, Johnny DuPree, is black, and the police force is integrated. That was proved this weekend as two officers, Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate, were killed in the line of duty. Officer Deen was white. Officer Tate was black. Both officers were shot dead. Equal in life, equal in death.

Here's how it went down. About 8:30 PM on Saturday, one of the officers stopped a gold-coloured Cadillac Escalade in an industrial area of town for a traffic offence. For reasons as yet unknown, he called for backup and was joined by his colleague. Someone in the Cadillac started shooting and, just like that, the two officers were down. They died of their wounds later that night.

Police put out APBs for two "known felons" -- the words of Mayor DuPree -- Curtis Banks and Marvin Banks. If you still haven't guessed what colour the Banks brothers are, here are their pictures.

You probably guessed it the minute you read "gold-coloured Cadillac Escalade", right? It didn't take long to find them. Warren Strain, spokesthingy for the MS Department of Public Safety, told AP that Marvin tried to escape in a police car, but "he didn't get very far, three or four blocks, and then he ditched that vehicle." No dummy he!

Police arrested Marvin and charged him with capital murder. Also charged with capital murder is Joanie Calloway, who is also, errr, black. Curtis Banks, Marvin's younger bro, has been charged with being an accessory to the murders. Cornelius Clark was arrested yesterday afternoon and charged with obstruction of justice. [I haven't been able to find a picture of him yet. Ed.]

The Hattiesburg incident is kind of a switch on the several recent stories about white cops killing poor, oppressed black people. Well, OK, the Baltimore cops accused of killing Raymond Gray were a mixed lot. Baltimore has a black mayor and an integrated police department, just like Hattiesburg. It doesn't matter. Cops killed a black guy and that's the cue ["excuse", surely! Ed.] for taking to the streets for the customary rioting and looting. And, of course, the customary bleating from the Prez and other Forces for Good about what's wrong with America and how it's somehow all the rich, white people's fault.

Walt would like to know when the protests are going to start in Hattiesburg and Oxford County. When will newly-appointed Attorney General Loretta Lynch arrive to spearhead the investigation into the violation of the cops' civil rights? When will the "Reverend" Al Sharpton come to lead the march for "Justice for Deen and Tate"? When will President Obarmy start wringing his hands on national TV as he calls for reform of America's racist police? Answer to all three questions: probably never!

Further reading:
"Attorney General Lynch Follows a Liberal Formula In Baltimore"
"Why cops shoot so many black Americans"