Dyron L. Hart is an African-American man from Mississippi. He admitted today, after being charged in federal court with making threats over the internet, that he posed as a white supremacist to send a death threat through Facebook.
Yes, you read correctly. An African-American man pretended to be a white supremacist and sent death threats to other African Americans.
Hart created a fake Facebook account in November. He pretended to be a white supremacist who wanted to do violence because Barack Obama was elected as the nation’s first African-American president.
He then sent a death threat through the Facebook account to an African-American student at Nicholls State University. He stated that he wanted to kill African-Americans because of Obama’s election.
It’s not known why Dyron Hart did this.
Hart plead guilty in federal court. He used a white supremacist’s photo he found on the internet to pretend to be a white man who planned to kill blacks. He sent the threats from a computer in Mississippi.
Hart is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Personally, I think Obama supporters can learn a lot from this incident. This is what Obama would call a “teachable moment.” Dyron Hart is much like a lot of Obama supporters who come on this site and try to play the race card, when the race card does not exist. Dyron Hart is an extreme example of what happens when liberals turn race into an issue where the issue doesn’t exist. It only hurts other minorities.
August 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Klo? br8dybnch?
August 14th, 2009 at 10:59 am
I don’t understand how this relates to Obama in any way at all. First of all, when we say “play the race card”, we’re not talking about black folks masquerading as white supremacists, we’re talking about black folks accusing others of white supremacist tendencies.
Also, how did you determine that Hart is an “Obama supporter” or a “liberal”? I see no link whatsoever.
Sounds to me like a sick guy doing something sick, plain and simple.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Rhayader, Obama supporters during the election would come on this site and make racist comments, to try to make GOP sites look like white supremacist sites. We have the IP addresses to prove it.
My point is, there is far more “created” and “pretend” racism these days than actual racism.
Dyron Hart is an example of this.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:07 am
My point is, there is far more “created” and “pretend” racism these days than actual racism.
Eh, who knows; that would be a hard point to either prove or disprove. My hunch is that there’s still plenty of subtle racism in our day-to-day lives; it’s a part of human nature that isn’t easily eradicated.
This story is so odd though that it doesn’t really fit with the modern-day dialog regarding racism. I would say it has more to do with mental health and the perceived anonymity of online aggression than with racism or “playing the race card”.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Tawana Brawley, Duke lacrosse team, Professor Gates….
No Rhayader, not at all hard to prove or disprove. Manufactured racism is “stock-in-trade” for Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Professor Gates,and even a community organizer like Barack Obama.
It’s funny how liberals can’t see the blatant race bating in this case yet racism was their first reaction to the Detroit car chase story. You people embarass yourselves.
Yes, mental health is also a big part of this story. I suggest reading Michael Savages book,
“Liberalism Is A Mental Disorder.”
August 14th, 2009 at 11:26 am
There’s no mental health issue. If it existed, he wouldn’t have plead guilty.
It has everything to do with how people seem to think it’s ok to create a false sense of racism. He thought he could get away with it because he thought everyone would think saying “racist” would make him immune.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:26 am
No Rhayader, not at all hard to prove or disprove. Manufactured racism is “stock-in-trade” for Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Professor Gates,and even a community organizer like Barack Obama.
That is about as far from “proof” as it gets. Purely anecdotal, and not at all what I was talking about.
It’s funny how liberals can’t see the blatant race bating in this case yet racism was their first reaction to the Detroit car chase story. You people embarass yourselves.
I’m pretty sure I’ve told you this before, but I’m not a “liberal”, and am certainly not a Democrat.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:28 am
He thought he could get away with it because he thought everyone would think saying “racist” would make him immune.
Huh? Not sure what you’re getting at here. Hart thought he could get away with posing as a white supremacist because… he could accuse others of racism if he were caught? Is that the idea?
August 14th, 2009 at 11:47 am
“My point is, there is far more “created” and “pretend” racism these days than actual racism.” (Ignats)
“Eh, who knows; that would be a hard point to either prove or disprove.” (Rhayader)
If the three cases I pointed out aren’t proof then I truly don’t know what you’re talking about. Manufactured racial incidents and accusations are almost a daily occurence in today’s political atmosphere.
August 14th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Obama has really blown his chance on the one single issue he might have helped. Race relations in this country should have been his signature domestic priority by using the bully pulpit. He wasted all his political capital on this doomed healthcare boondoggle, and now he is a abject complete failure as president. Is anyone listening to Obama anymore?
August 14th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Rhayader, that wasn’t clear, you’re right.
I’m saying he thought he could get away with it by making it a case of white on black racist. He thought no one would consider the possibility that a black man could pretend to be a racist white man.
He is manipulating race to his advantage. Creating racism where it doesn’t exist.
August 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
He is manipulating race to his advantage.
I mean, I suppose, although it’s tough to see what real “advantage” was gained. It’s not as though he injected race into the discussion as a means toward some other end; the racist threats were the end, from what I can tell. The absence of racism wouldn’t have been a tactical disadvantage for him, because it appears there was no goal other than the racists threats themselves. The racism was the whole point, not a diversionary tactic meant to shift the discussion (which is the typical allegation in cases like the Gates ordeal).
If the three cases I pointed out aren’t proof then I truly don’t know what you’re talking about. Manufactured racial incidents and accusations are almost a daily occurence in today’s political atmosphere.
Right but the issue I was discussing was Ignatius’ claim that there is more “pretend” racism than “actual” racism. To accurately assess that claim, one would have to have a good picture of the day-to-day racism that persists in our society — which is obviously hard to measur — as well as a good picture of the day-to-day “pretend” racism that persists. I’m not talking about figureheads and pundits, I’m talking about real life. This guy Hart is not Jesse Jackson.
Remember too that I never said his claim was wrong, just that it would be difficult (if not impossible) to prove one way or the other.
August 14th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
“…one would have to have a good picture of the day-to-day racism that persists in our society…”
What do you mean by that. I live, work and play in a culturally diverse environment. I don’t, by any stretch of the imagination, see day-to-day racism. I don’t even see occasional racism.
By even making that statement, you perpetuate the charges of the race baiting poverty pimps who make their living off of promoting racial disharmony.
August 14th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
By even making that statement, you perpetuate the charges of the race baiting poverty pimps who make their living off of promoting racial disharmony.
Yeah OK let’s just dial back a bit on the invective, this is simply a discussion.
What do you mean by that. I live, work and play in a culturally diverse environment. I don’t, by any stretch of the imagination, see day-to-day racism. I don’t even see occasional racism.
See, that’s the tricky thing about racism though; it doesn’t need to be overt to exist. Heck, I consider myself fairly open-minded, but if pressed I would have to admit that I have preconceived notions when I meet people from groups different than mine. Like I said above, it’s deeply ingrained into human nature — group survival and the like — and can manifest itself in subtle, perhaps unnoticeable ways.
Does that mean that overt white supremacy is a culturally relevant reality? No, I don’t really think it is. But I do believe that racism and prejudice exists today, and can sometimes be non-trivial. We’ve come a long way as a culture, and I don’t think anybody is truly held back the way they were in our country’s past. But that doesn’t make the whole thing go away either.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Creating racism? Of course it happens….manufactured racism? Obviously Mr. Hart proves that. But to say it does not exist is crazy. Do I think race should be a factor in politics or everyday life…no. But thats just not reality. Opinions on this subject can differ from person to person based upon upbringing, perception, where you live, what race you are and multiple other factors. Thats why its difficult to talk about and sometimes easy to say it don’t exist cause thats the comfortable thing to do.>>>FLYMONKEY…It’s funny how liberals can’t see the blatant race bating in this case yet racism was their first reaction to the Detroit car chase story. You people embarass yourselves.”>>>Guess you didn’t read my post…I only referred to race in regards to that swastica that was painted on the sign. All you people on this sight said it had to be a set up and my opinion is it wasn’t. You don’t know I don’t know…but of course since you don’t think racism really exist you say it was a set up. And since I KNOW it exist in many forms I say it’s definitely a possibility. Like a true righty you read something and twist it into something that benefits the point you want to make. “the stolen vehicle wreck story” I will say again I thought it was funny how you tied Obama into that story stating crime will only get worse due to Obama messing up the car industry…That was hilarious!! Never miss an opportunity to blame everything on a president that has been in office for what 7 months now….bush /cheney was there the last 8 years…Now who is to blame???
August 15th, 2009 at 4:01 am
“I consider myself fairly open-minded, but if pressed I would have to admit that I have preconceived notions when I meet people from groups different than mine.”
That’s called prejudice Rhayader. Racism is the belief that one race is superior to another. I just don’t see that in today’s society.
br8dybunch, what the hell does a swastika have to do with racism. It is not being used as a threat as in ‘the Nazis are going to get you,’ It’s defining the Democrats acting like Nazis. I could pull up dozens of instances when the swastica, nazi references and photo shopped pictures were used to define Bush.
August 15th, 2009 at 6:05 am
Does racism exist? Of course it does…and it will always be there. Is it endemic in the United States? It will be as long as certain people can continue to make a comfortable living off it. We don’t know if this idiot is an Obama supporter, but he knows “Rules for Radicals”. Look at how the race card gets tossed whenever things get difficult. Sotomayor’s race and gender was tossed into every detractor’s face. Funny, I don’t remember Barney Franks rushing to defend Miguel Estrada when he was nominated for the Court of Appeals. I do recall the Attorney General of the United States dropping the charges against the night-stick wielding ‘New Black Panther’ standing outside a Pittsburgh polling station.
We live in a nation that has a great number of successful people of all races. For Heaven’s sake, is not the Obama story in and of itself a testimony of what is possible in America? Perpetuating the cult of institutional racism allows people to blame ‘the man’ for significant, self-inflicted social and economic issues. It’s easier than taking responsibility.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:43 am
“Perpetuating the cult of institutional racism allows people to blame ‘the man’ for significant, self-inflicted social and economic issues. It’s easier than taking responsibility.”
Citizen, I couldn’t have said it any better. Can’t keep hiding that 800 pond gorilla in the closet.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Rhayader,
I just wanted to say, you seem to have one of the most objective, well thought out and logical views of any person on this forum. I agree with you almost completly.
August 17th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I read all of the posts on this page, I don’t know if there are any other, but based upon reading the commentary, I think it is fair to say that everyone commenting here is Caucasian. I am an African-American woman – a double minority – and I find that the discussion of race from the perspective of Caucasians, at least in this country, comes from a lack of knowledge, i.e., ignorance. The word ignorance in and of itself is not bad, but I do have a problem with people who choose to remain ignorant. “Ignatius Reilly,” and “flyingmonkey” are examples of people who have not engaged in a dialogue with people who are on the receiving end of racism. You are examples of the typical, standard reaction that Blacks, Latinos, and other under-represented groups get from uninformed, socially unaware white Americans, “I have black friends, so I’m not racist.” When was the last time you sat down with a person of color, particularly African-American, and discussed openly and objectively their experiences in this country? When was the last time you watched a program about African-Americans or Latinos in this country, say CNNs “Black in America”? What do you know about the thoroughly rich and varied contributions of African and Native Americans in this country that are thought too trivial to be included in school textbooks? Do you really think that all we contributed to this country is being enslaved or Martin Luther King? When was the last time you read about someone or something other than what pertains to the European-American experience in this country? How can you discuss what is or isn’t based on a lack of knowledge, i.e., ignorance? You only serve to negate your argument when you don’t know about issues like the Innocence Project which helps wrongly convicted inmates use DNA evidence to prove their innocence. Of 241 inmates who have been exonerated 143 were black, only 70 were white. Studies have shown that people are less able to recognize faces of a different race than their own. That statistic is important because at least 40 percent of these eyewitness identifications involved a cross racial identification. People tend to identify only with their experiences and experiences of those that look like them. Most of you commenting hear give away the fact that you don’t socialize outside of your communities or with people of different backgrounds or politics. I just happened to come across this “blog” if you can call it that. But don’t worry I, as a liberal, Independent – both in politics and thought – world-traveling citizen of the world who embraces most peoples culture, foods, language and alternative lifestyles won’t dare stick around to promote the idea of knowledge as power. That seems to fly in the face of your politics, comfort zone and entitled placement in the world…
August 17th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
A double minority. Are you left-handed too? Maybe we can boost your credentials.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Hey ‘Roman…’
If we Whites and our unfair system are so bad…why haven’t you fled to be among your caring Black kin? I bet I can guess…lol.
Does anyone else find it hilarious that a person of a particular color, a color which has never created a system like the American legal system, which is based on ancient Anglo-Saxon law and ideas of liberty…they don’t think our system is good enough for them? Well, ‘Roman,’ I propose we without delay throw out our ancient system, and instead substitute the African system that ensures legal equality/justice…what is the name of it again? Double lol.