# Charleston, SC church shooting **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 18, 2015, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823 "2015-06-18T04:15:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/101 "2015-06-18T19:04:57Z")
**pool** : I tend to agree with all of that (though I don’t know much about the Hassan case). I just also think we tend to apply that kind of analysis to some mass murderers and not others, for reasons having more to do with politics than with factual differences in the killings or killers. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/102 "2015-06-18T19:12:57Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I don’t think there is any doubt, really. Some people probably don’t like the guessing before there are any facts, but really, **shooting 9 people in a church is very unlikely to have any other reason.** The part of your post that I bolded could be taken to mean you see it as an anti-religious act rather than a racist act. Given the statement he made in the church it is reasonable to assume he was motivated by racial bias, don’t you think? ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/103 "2015-06-18T19:13:00Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > What are you blabbering about? This is the post to which I was responding: > > “You know, if someone shot up, say, a synagogue or a mosque, no-one here would be doubting that it was **a racially or religiously motivated attack**.” > > Bolding mine. My apologies. I missed the **racially** in that sentence. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/104 "2015-06-18T19:15:49Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Some conservative [leaders](http://www.mediaite.com/tv/lindsey-graham-charleston-shooter-may-have-been-looking-for-christians-to-kill/) [seem](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/06/18/rick-santorum-reacting-to-charleston-shooting-denounces-assaults-on-our-religious-liberty/) to [want](http://mediamatters.org/video/2015/06/18/foxs-steve-doocy-its-extraordinary-that-charles/204043) to downplay the white supremacist motivations here, suggesting this might have been as much about attacking Christians as attacking African-Americans. > [@shooting fucker](#): > > You rape our women and you’re taking over our country and you have to go. Yep, he was talking about Christians. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/105 "2015-06-18T19:15:58Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > The part of your post that I bolded could be taken to mean you see it as an anti-religious act rather than a racist act. > > Given the statement he made in the church it is reasonable to assume he was motivated by racial bias, don’t you think? Of course. That is why I agreed in my post with the “racially or religiously motivated attack” reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/106 "2015-06-18T19:22:40Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > That’s what I thought. SC has a lot on its plate right now, no need to pile on with a campaign visit like it’s just another day. Or… no need to waste a trip when there isn’t a law enforcement “guns & bloodhounds” photo op… and only people you don’t give a damn about to console… Sensible isn’t where the Bush tree apples tend to fall. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/107 "2015-06-18T19:35:06Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > [“You rape our women and you’re taking over our country and you have to go.”](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/charleston-shooter-taking-over-country) > > – Dylann Roof Here we go again. The same, “we’ll be the minority in 20 years” bullshit. Of course when this young shithead hits the prisons, I wouldn’t be surprised if he continued to think he’s right, considering the number of dark-skinned people who are incarcerated… Where DO people get these dumb-ass ideas anyway? It’s a simple Google search on population stats. But they hear “the real facts” from some other idiot, think it’s true, THEN think that shooting is the solution? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/108 "2015-06-18T19:36:55Z")
Well, he’s from South Carolina, which explains the “dumb-ass ideas” part. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/109 "2015-06-18T19:51:06Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Here we go again. The same, “we’ll be the minority in 20 years” bullshit. > > Of course when this young shithead hits the prisons, I wouldn’t be surprised if he continued to think he’s right, considering the number of dark-skinned people who are incarcerated… So what if that is right? In 100 years, I bet there are a lot more mixed-race people where that’s the most numerous plurality, and no race in the US will be a majority. I pulled that out of my butt, but if it’s right, so what? We’re a nation of immigrants. Every infusion of new blood makes us better. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/110 "2015-06-18T20:00:11Z")
> [@bup](#): > > In 100 years, I bet there are a lot more mixed-race people where that’s the most numerous plurality, and no race in the US will be a majority. Sort of cafe au lait Disney looking people. Them we can beat each other according to short and tall, crooked teeth vs straight teeth, geographic location, stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/111 "2015-06-18T20:02:31Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I don’t think there is any doubt, really. Some people probably don’t like the guessing before there are any facts, but really, shooting 9 people in a church is very unlikely to have any other reason. The one other reason I’d think of when hearing “9 shot in church” is some crazy who shot up the place because his ex was there. Or her ex, but usually it seems like shooters are men. But by time I got any details, we knew that wasn’t the case here. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/112 "2015-06-18T20:08:45Z")
It appears Roof was specifically targeting Rev. Pinckney. [Link](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/charleston-shooter-taking-over-country) > [@](#): > > Sylvia Johnson, the cousin of the church’s pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, told NBC News that the gunman reportedly entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and asked for Pinckney. Johnson said the shooter sat next to Pinckney, who also served as a Democratic state senator, for the duration of the Bible study, before opening fire and killing several people, including her cousin. In addition to the fact he was a State Senator and would have been known for that reason, it has been reported he had been pushing for police officers to wear body cameras. In the aftermath of the Walter Scott shooting he had spoken at one of the vigils. I’m curious if his advocacy in these situations is what focused Roof’s attention on him. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/113 "2015-06-18T20:32:56Z")
[Apparently](http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150618/PC16/150619374), South Carolina in its infinite wisdom put into law that the confederate flag cannot be lowered without legislative approval. So while all other flags were lowered today, that one was flying high. Pretty fitting, really. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/114 "2015-06-18T20:34:33Z")
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at that. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/115 "2015-06-18T20:37:06Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at that. Cry. Until you watch The Daily Show, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/116 "2015-06-18T20:40:17Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > [Apparently](http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150618/PC16/150619374), South Carolina in its infinite wisdom put into law that the confederate flag cannot be lowered without legislative approval. So while all other flags were lowered today, that one was flying high. > > Pretty fitting, really. See my previous about “dumb-ass ideas.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/117 "2015-06-18T20:50:43Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > [Apparently](http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150618/PC16/150619374), South Carolina in its infinite wisdom put into law that the confederate flag cannot be lowered without legislative approval. So while all other flags were lowered today, that one was flying high. > > Pretty fitting, really. GAWD MUTHER FUCKING DAMN I WAS ONLY KIDDING :smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/118 "2015-06-18T20:54:38Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Super duper more important than the thousands of other people murdered today. Let’s talk about nothing but this for 2 weeks. If you don’t want to talk about it, why are you commenting in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/119 "2015-06-18T21:24:57Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > [Apparently](http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150618/PC16/150619374), South Carolina in its infinite wisdom put into law that the confederate flag cannot be lowered without legislative approval. So while all other flags were lowered today, that one was flying high. > > Pretty fitting, really. It would be pretty cool if a large diverse group of people marched right up to that flagpole, tore that fucking thing down and stomped on it. Just as a symbolic protest, mind you. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823/120 "2015-06-18T21:37:01Z")
To be fair, the Confederate flag is on such a short pole that if they half-staffed it people would probably be trying to set it on fire. Maybe this is going to embarrass them so much they finally take the damned thing down? (No, probably they’ll let that debate consume the whole thing so nothing important gets done about any of it.) ETA - **Euphonious Polemic** , may I introduce you to [Black Santa](http://www.vindy.com/news/2002/apr/18/man-wearing-santa-suit-burns-confederate-flag/?print), one of our (sadly) late local characters? Local hero! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charleston-sc-church-shooting/722823.md?page=7)