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Racial tensions in St. Charles

Racial tensions in St. Charles

126
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PostAug 24, 2015#1

Meanwhile, in St. Charles...

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metr ... 2d15b.html

An interesting story. One of the "activists" who's in a few of the photos, Umar Lee, posted this video last October:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8gGYDBW8uE

He had plans to bring "the drama" to St. Charles County, and I guess he found an opening.

Something tells me that this might be a setup.

9,545
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PostAug 24, 2015#2

"She points to an anonymous report made to police four days after Hunter-Butler and her family moved in. The caller reported several black male subjects “walking down the street with dogs and a couple of them are snapping pics of homes. Caller (advises) that this is an all-white neighborhood and they do not belong.”
what started it.... :roll:

Hunter-Butler isn't a saint either...did time for murder for hire scheme... :shock:

641
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641

PostAug 24, 2015#3

For now I'll go by people's past records, histories, etc...

3,757
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PostAug 24, 2015#4

IMO, this is a non-racial issue between neighbors. Nothing more, nothing less. Would this be a story if the "new neighbors" were quiet and nobody ever saw them, besides exiting and entering, no dogs? Probably not. Would the neighbors probably talk about them either way? Possibly.... I think this story is just an example of the Post looking for a headline. As mentioned, it does not appear as if anyone is innocent there.
This type of article being a headline, does increase racial tensions, in an already tense, post-Ferguson era. We'll see if the big 3 news stations pick up this story.

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PostAug 24, 2015#5

First off, since we usually all get upset when places are misidentified within the city, I feel like this article—or at least the headline—needs some clarity.

This took place in St. Charles County, but not St. Charles. It appears to me that the boundaries put it in Lake Saint Louis, though the text of the article notes it as unincorporated St. Charles County. So perhaps it's not technically LSL, but it's there about. I grew up in Lake Saint Louis, so I'm not thrilled to point that out, but I like accurate information, especially as it concerns place.

To the story itself, I'll agree that Hunter-Butler doesn't sound entirely innocent here, but as I think is frequently the issue with this stuff, race is making people react differently. Those of us who grew up and live/d comfortably in a mostly-white environment react differently in black environments or when black people engage in that white environment.

I think it's the same basic thing that happens with the officer involved shootings honestly. It's not about overt racism. It's not hating black people. It's about being uncomfortable around them and being on edge as a result. So when a cop thinks or does see a black man with a gun, he automatically believes his life is in danger and is more likely to fire preemptively. More slack is given to a white man with a gun. It's not overt racism or favoritism. It's warped sensibilities based on environmental factors.

And I think that's what is in play here too. Hunter-Butler doesn't sound like a very good neighbor. But her neighbors are pre-judging everything. Cutting her and her sons very little slack. Calling the police when they shouldn't be. Reporting black people in the neighborhood as "not belonging" and suspicious.

These situations that are being exposed rarely have a clear good guy and a clear bad guy. We have to look deeper than assigning blame and understand the underlying dynamic. Hopefully exposure helps us fix it.

The only problem is that some are so defensive that they never get to the point of evaluating and understanding that dynamic. Hunter-Butler has a rap sheet, therefore she probably is a nuisance, therefore case closed. And it never gets to the honest discussion we need to have. Same thing with the police shootings. Kid had a gun. Drugs were in the house. Shooting warranted. Protest unnecessary. End of story. And no room to evaluate what else led to that.

I try frequently to get people to evaluate ALL sides of these situations, but people are so defensive that I get a lot of push back even from really good people.

(Amazing what one little jumping off point can lead too, huh :) )

337
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PostAug 24, 2015#6

Even if one takes into account Ms. Hunter-Butler's criminal history (which, in my opinion, is completely irrelevant), these articles demonstrate that she and her family were obviously experiencing racial animosity from their neighbors before her status as an ex-con came to light.

She served her time for crimes she committed. She's a human being, her life matters, and she deserves to be able to make a home without fear of racism.

623
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623

PostAug 24, 2015#7

^^ Well put. You see these neighbor vs. neighbor articles from time to time. But, what stuck out to me was the part where they question how she could afford the house. If it was two white neighbors facing off would that even be brought up as an issue?

Just another way of say she doesn't belong here, or she doesn't deserve to live in this type of neighborhood.

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PostAug 24, 2015#8

If you dare venture into the wasteland that is the Post-Dispatch comments section, one of the parties in the story has posted their version of events. Obviously its just one side of the story, but I'll copy it here to spare others from having to venture down that rabbit hole.
Thank you guys for your love and support that you're showing to our family! The true story is that Maritha and her family moved in May and brought 4 dogs with them and put up a small chain link fence and put the dogs in it and never takes them inside. Of course the dogs are going to bark because they are in a confined small area. Me and my family were out of town when Maritha moved in but once we arrived at our home on Monday I walked over to introduce myself to her as we normally do for our new neighbors. As I was walking towards her she was cussing at me so I continued to walk to her introducing myself and had to try and calm her down. She proceeded to tell me that she knew I called animal control I then said I have no idea what you're talking about because we've been out of town since Friday am. Once she calmed down she told me she was mad because someone had called animal control on them. We then changed the subject to me introducing myself to her kids. I stood over at her house for 2 hrs. She decided to start talking about her house and how she inherited life insurance money from her sister. So i thought our conversation ended fine and didn't think anything else. So two weeks later my husband and I decided that we would plant trees in the back yard to try and block out some of the barking. While planting the trees Maritha called the cops on us for supposively encroachment on her property. Clearly once the cops came here they seen for themselves that we didn't encroach on their property.
One day the five of them walked their dogs down our street and confronted two of my neighbors about them calling animal control and the neighbor said yes she called due to the dogs barking every night could she please take the dogs in at night and of course she started cussing them and saying they were just racist.
Everything that comes out of her mouth is you f ing white people. One night we were all in bed and at 11:48pm we heard a huge explosion go off and we jumped up to look at our security camara's and witnessed her 3 boys coming out of their garage into my yard setting off an explosive and ran back to their house looked out of the windows and 2 minutes later come back outside get on his knee with a flash light to see what damage had been done. And yes I have the video. They are constantly harassing and being monthy trying to provoke us to do something and since we're not engaging that makes them even more mad. My neighbor did step out on his deck here recently at 10ish and yell shut your dogs up and my son was in his bedroom and heard Maritha screaming f all you neighbors. So I went out onto the deck and she started in on me. So we did end up exchanging words. Never once have me or my neighbors said anything racist to her. She continues to say we're racist when we're not. She even slams me because she says that I couldn't have my own kids that I had to go adopt an Asian kid. Which we did adopt our baby girl 3 yrs ago and she has been definitely affected by this unnecessary drama that Maritha is causing.
So yesterday is when Umar Lee decided he would come and knock on our doors for an interview with us. How dumb to bring Christopher Winston ( Maritha's son ) along with other ferguson protesters. I had a warning they were coming towards our house so I closed my house up because we had no idea their intentions. My other neighbor answered his door and told them to leave. They are very persistent instigators they want trouble. We don't want trouble we've all lived here in our neighbor for 10+ years along with Chinese, Russians, Mexicans, African Americans, & Indians. We have no problem with any of those people and never have.
Maritha and her family moved in and instantly had 8/10 security camera's installed none of us had cameras until the day she assaulted my neighbor for trying to have a civil conversation with her about the dogs. She instantly resorted to violence. Which she denies but the police came took pics and a report so it's all documents along with many night of barking dogs.
Once Maritha found out the prosecutor charged the 3rd degree assault on her she has been on her phone non stop trying to get the media out here on her behalf. Using once again the race card.
Everyone that knows me and my family know we are not racist and this is so far out in the left field.
It's interesting because lots of detail is left out in this story but that's why I'm posting our side of the story because she has now gotten Umar Lee involved that's organizing a protest on out street this week which will not be good for anyone. We all have tons of kids that it will affect emmensly.
This lady Maritha needs to be mentally evaluated because she is clearly mentally ill and needs help along with her son Christopher Winston. Which she says he's so smart he graduated 2 yrs early from high school. If that's the case she can't have 3 disabled children as she's claiming. Thank you everyone again for your thoughts and prayers for our families that has to deal with an issue that is so unnecessary.

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PostAug 25, 2015#9

Sounds like the Wonderful Whites of West Virginia. Except they're black. Amazing what total lack of self awareness some people have.


337
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337

PostAug 26, 2015#10


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PostOct 03, 2021#11

JFC... so, Charlottesville, VA recently removed all of it's offensive Confederate and Lewis/Clark/Sacagawea statues (which all depicted Sacagawea cowering subserviently behind the explorers). Guess which beloved St. Louis exurb-that-wants-you-to-believe-it's-a-metropolis is trying to a acquire one of said offensive statues despite the Osage Nation telling them how offensive it is. Thankfully their GoFundMe is struggling.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/hurdles-arise-in-st-charles-bid-for-controversial-statue-of-sacagawea-lewis-and-clark/article_7cfa13d1-15d0-53ad-b344-c71a1c911ee5.html

(That's Sacagawea cowering behind those big, strong menz.)

https://www.fltimes.com/news/nation/hurdles-arise-in-missouri-towns-bid-for-controversial-statue-of-sacagawea-lewis-and-clark/article_914f3c9a-24b2-5709-8a9f-72c8c62a50bd.html

sc4mayor
sc4mayor

PostOct 05, 2021#12

^ Fortunately, this is dead.
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/stc ... op-story-1
On top of that, Borgmeyer’s request for the backing of the Osage Nation, which has a historical connection to Missouri, was rebuffed.  The tribe’s Traditional Cultural Advisors committee replied in a letter last month that the city “would be perpetuating an outdated view of Native American women” with the statue, and suggested the city consider commissioning an original sculpture instead.

They also suggested that Borgmeyer contact the Shoshone tribe, which Sacagawea was part of, but the mayor said Monday he wasn’t going to “continue jumping through all of those hoops.” Borgmeyer also said he had not personally received the Osage Nation response.

708
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708

PostOct 05, 2021#13

^ Jump through hoops? Haha, what an @ssh0le!