theignoramus
Member
"I would like to burn them alive" is what he meant. Evil bastard.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Black History Month: 1985 - Philadelphia drops bomb on black neighborhood, 11 dead
- Thread starter kame-sennin
- Start date
- Status
Sounds like a fucked up situation that didn't stop escalating until a bomb was dropped. Not so much a racial conflict, but definitely some of the worst judgement from government officials in recent memory.
Edit: Also it really feels like a big chunk of the people posting in this thread only read the title.
Edit: Also it really feels like a big chunk of the people posting in this thread only read the title.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_the_Fire_Burn
Wikipedia says they tried tear gas first and it didn't work.
theignoramus
Member
And motherfuckers think the Black Panthers were a terrorist organization??!! Far as I know, they never set a whole community alight and burnt children alive. Disgraceful actions from the Philadelphia PD.
Only reason bombing was on the table is because they were black. No way they would have done that shit in a white neighborhood.
DontBeThatGuy
Member
Yep. I don't think the police commissioner would've essentially said let the motherfucker burn if it was an white middle-class neighborhood in the city.
Cite your sources (Same situation in low-income white neighborhood if you can find one)
Jawbreaker
Member
I'd argue the results would have been the same if it had been a white anarcho-primitivist commune doing the same thing.
Saint Gregory
Member
Well it happened at Waco but that compound was in the middle of nowhere and setting it on fire was a mistake.
I'm not familiar with Philly but I'm trying to imagine something like this happening in DC in a place like Georgetowne and I just can't fathom it.
Again, this wasn't a "house" out there by itself like Waco or what have you. It was a rowhome, with neighbors directly attached to it. The fire only had to spread a foot in either direction, which is exactly what happened as they let it burn.
http://i.imgur.com/0LaomKl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0LaomKl.jpg
dave is ok
aztek is ok
They rolled a tank into Waco
theignoramus
Member
The bombing is bad enough, it's the refusal to put the fire out (presumably to burn Move members to death) that makes a bad situation turn to pure evil.
fallengorn
Bitches love smiley faces
Thanks for the link. Watching it now.
to be fair MOVE was basically a cult and had done a lot of nutty things over like a 15 year period beforehand, like changing everyone's last name to "Africa" and living in extreme squalor with many children; as well, everyone was taught that John Africa was their father and that they had all been reborn and were only 1 years old for some reason
that being said, the Philly government was (and probably still is to some degree) insanely racist, and spent much of its police force attacking anyone it considered an "outsider", such as black people, liberals, lgbt community, etc
the previous mayor frank rizzo was both police commissioner and mayor for over 20 years and still had quite a bit of influence up until the early 90s when he finally died, and he was an incredible racist, sexist, homophobic, etc
that being said, the Philly government was (and probably still is to some degree) insanely racist, and spent much of its police force attacking anyone it considered an "outsider", such as black people, liberals, lgbt community, etc
the previous mayor frank rizzo was both police commissioner and mayor for over 20 years and still had quite a bit of influence up until the early 90s when he finally died, and he was an incredible racist, sexist, homophobic, etc
dave is ok
aztek is ok
They were an extremist cult who built a bunker on their roof and started shooting at the police. It wasn't an 'unquestionably race related' incident.
B1gg_Randall
Member
Holy shit! I never heard about this.Thanks,op.
Secret Fawful
Member
I'm constantly saddened and amazed by how much of America's shameful history has been deliberately forgotten and brushed under the rug. At least we have the ability to search out and uncover said history.
It's like you're deliberately ignoring the widespread damage to the actual neighborhood full of civilians unrelated to MOVE, that they deliberately let get worse.
It's like you're deliberately ignoring the widespread damage to the actual neighborhood full of civilians unrelated to MOVE, that they deliberately let get worse.
I totally forgot about Waco. What a clusterfuck.
While one of the worst 20th century racial attacks ever conducted, it's also 60 years prior and not the police/white militant group standoff that I was asking for.
It's kind of crazy how many people don't know about this in Philadelphia even. I didn't find out until a few years ago. Well into my 20's.
I wish I knew older people (both black and white) that were living in the city at the time to discuss it with further.
The conversation now is only, "Wow, that was fucked up."
I wish I knew older people (both black and white) that were living in the city at the time to discuss it with further.
The conversation now is only, "Wow, that was fucked up."
theignoramus
Member
Nobody in that fire or police department gave a flying fuck about children when those fires were blazing. They had a score to settle with Move and literally went scorched earth to get some payback. Sick fucks.
*white peopleMeanwhile in 2016, people can form armies and storm government buildings with guns and the police response will be "take your time".
Easy to do sick shit, when you see the targets as less than human
RecRoulette
Member
What the fuck...
Soapbox Killer
Grand Nagus
Couple of things.
Its 2016 and more than 50% of those house that were rebuilt after the fire ARE STILL EMPTY DUE TO SHODDY WORKMANSHIP!
Ever heard these lyrics?
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn,
Burn motherfucker burn.
Yup, based on the MOVE FIRE.
The Bombing of West Philly gives you a very even recount of the issues that led up to that. As a small black child growing up in West Philly at the time, that day was like 9/11, no hyperbole at all.
Edit: Also they have a 10 foot statue of that Head busting Mayor Frank Rizzo in front of City Hall still.
Mayor Gangster
Its 2016 and more than 50% of those house that were rebuilt after the fire ARE STILL EMPTY DUE TO SHODDY WORKMANSHIP!
Ever heard these lyrics?
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn,
Burn motherfucker burn.
Yup, based on the MOVE FIRE.
The Bombing of West Philly gives you a very even recount of the issues that led up to that. As a small black child growing up in West Philly at the time, that day was like 9/11, no hyperbole at all.
Edit: Also they have a 10 foot statue of that Head busting Mayor Frank Rizzo in front of City Hall still.
Mayor Gangster
TheOctodad
Member
I had never heard of this, holy crap.
I hope we can change things one day. Maybe...
I hope we can change things one day. Maybe...
I was just thinking about the MOVE bombings this morning. It's the most violent instance of police brutality in modern American history, but so few people know about the attack.
My parents, reporters in Philadelphia at the time, remember the incident quite well. While they only covered the protests and immediate reaction (most Philadelphians were actually horrified, and the outcry prevented Mayor Wilson Goode from winning reelection), their friend Sam was one of the first journalists on the scene. Last month, Sam told me about his experiences the day after the 1985 bombing. Philadelphia police, hoping to hide their dirty laundry, tried to hide the location of the former MOVE building. Osage Avenue had been so badly damaged by the fires that no addresses could be read, but Sam snuck past a police barrier to see a forensic crew digging through the remains of the MOVE headquarters. One of the men lifted up a sheet of metal, and underneath was the burned skull of a child.
Ramona Africa, one of the only survivors of the MOVE bombing, later worked with my parents and Sam pretty extensively. She would later spend seven years in prison for her involvement with MOVE, a nonviolent group.
My parents, reporters in Philadelphia at the time, remember the incident quite well. While they only covered the protests and immediate reaction (most Philadelphians were actually horrified, and the outcry prevented Mayor Wilson Goode from winning reelection), their friend Sam was one of the first journalists on the scene. Last month, Sam told me about his experiences the day after the 1985 bombing. Philadelphia police, hoping to hide their dirty laundry, tried to hide the location of the former MOVE building. Osage Avenue had been so badly damaged by the fires that no addresses could be read, but Sam snuck past a police barrier to see a forensic crew digging through the remains of the MOVE headquarters. One of the men lifted up a sheet of metal, and underneath was the burned skull of a child.
Ramona Africa, one of the only survivors of the MOVE bombing, later worked with my parents and Sam pretty extensively. She would later spend seven years in prison for her involvement with MOVE, a nonviolent group.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
I'm not. 61 houses burned down. It was the most massive fuck up Philadelphia's history by far. Thankfully the homes were evacuated or the death toll would have been even worse
Bo Knows GAF
Member
This is what I came here to post. Gaf gonna gaf though and turn this into white cops hate minorities thread. Again.
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
People thinking the mayor being black prevents this from being a race issue must have never heard Stacey Dash, Ben Carson etc. speak
Jawbreaker
Member
I only found out about it in 2004 (I was 17) myself after hearing a song about the incident titled "Operation: MOVE" by Leftöver Crack. I really liked the song so I looked up the lyrics, which then led me to doing extensive research on it. It's certainly not something that's remembered or talked about often, that's for sure.
That was released before the bombing. This one, however, was indeed written about it!
So stand up, and save your neighborhood
Fuck the city, burn it down
Fuck the city, burn it down
Fuck the city, burn it down
I don't think that's accurate. The Roof Is on Fire came out in 1984
i agree, evrything ive heard about philadelphia from the 50s-early 90s makes them sound terrible essentially because of mayor rizzo
I mean really
- Status