Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-08-30
SAYS JOE
SIMPSON
Richmond 5ustice

Richmond ponce Officers toWaiu
a sLaCe IN winch they can see
notning but black when making
an arrest IN a. case Wnere more
than one color is involved Is
SLOWLY, put surely, spreading TO
enormous proportions, ana we
teel that ii the pace that has
been set in the past few months
IS conUlnued, 1t Will have reacneo
the point IN a very short while
wneIe it must be stopped, or
there will likely be brought:
ABOUT a complete destruction OF
Inc ersrwnlle peaceful relations
mat were supposed to be extant
between the races here.
These conditions are readily
felt by thinking Negroes, ana
are observed by thinking white
people, Tor hardly a day passes
mat some poor Negro is not
made to suffer public lndlgnltles
at Inc hands OF some while man.
Inc latest OF these was an Incl
uent IN which three Negroes
were chased by an officer IN an
alleged stolen truck, the Negroes
IN uuesulon are alleged to have
damaged one or two cars IN
tnelr wild hight, attempting to
lose or out-ulstance the officer.
After the truck was brought
to a stop, being disabled by a
bullet from the officers gun,
these young men were set upon
and beaten by white men, one
OF whom offered as an excuse
for his actions, that the Ne
groes had damaged his car, the
other offered no excuse what
ever. I'VE ask, (which is the
greater crime, the violation OF
a mans personal rights, or the
violation OF his property rights?
These Negroes, if all reports
be true, had technically violated
the property rights of someone
IN sUeallng the truck, and had
accidentally violated, as was al
legged, the property rights OF
one of the white men, all OF
which by all legal precedents
should be settled in a court OF
law. Yet they were set upon
and beaten by one Of their al
legged victims, who was assisted
by one or more others who were
not concerned in the case, then
placed under arrest, from which
they will hardly emerge without
paying heavy fines or serving
time, while their antagonists
who violated their personal
rights, were allowed to go scot
free. We further ask, had the
causes been reversed, would the
resulting actions of the Officer
have been the same?
Who, in the face of these
facts will dare say that there
is justice in Richmond for Ne
groes? Usually when Negroes
get anything that smacks OF
justice here, it is in cases where
only members of their own race
are involved. Justice is supposed
to be blind, but it seems to us
that she has lately-in Rich
mond, at least-thrown her
hood-wink away.
We do not feel that these con
ditions represent the prevailing
sentiment of the better class o.
white people here. These PEG,
pie who have observed condi
lions in their drift f r o m
bad to worse, and who do moi
choose to be judged by the
shameful actions of this minor
ity, we feel sure, will come out
of their stupor and cause pres
sure to be brought to bear upo1
the proper officials for the ex
press purpose of alternating thu
shameful conditions existing
here today. u.
These good people must re
member that "silence gives con
sent" and that as long as they
are reluctant to do anything to
ward remedying this vile stat'
of affairs, that they are in tn
eyes of the world technically a.
guilty as those directly respon
sible. We have given the chal
lenge, what shall we receive
bread or a stone?