Cross Burnings in Detroit Suburbs—Terrorism U.S. Style

Aug 29, 2005

In the early hours of an August Sunday morning, a cross was burned into the lawn of a black family in Dearborn Heights, a suburb of Detroit. The attackers also messed with the gas line running into the Davis family’s house, causing the pilot lights on the family’s stove to go out, then allowing gas to continue flowing.

This was the fourth blatantly racist attack reported in the mostly white Detroit suburbs in the last two months, including another cross burning in the suburb of Trenton.

Some people say it’s just a prank. A prank? Gregory Davis and his wife have to worry about their kids’ safety every time they leave the house. When they get home, they have to check the gas line to make sure the house won’t explode. They have to look over their shoulders to be sure they won’t be attacked.

This was no prank. It was pure and simple terrorism–aimed at keeping the black population from having full access to what the white population has.

Gregory Davis said he’s not going anywhere. He said, "We are here and we are not leaving. I’m not backing down from anybody."He’s right, and he can use the support of others, because the authorities certainly haven’t stopped the racist cowards from their night-time attacks.

There are many black people who can see the reason to support Davis and his family. But white workers should see the reason, too. Racism exists because it benefits the rulers of this society by dividing the working class.

There are white people in Dearborn Heights who know who did this terrorist act. They can track the perpetrators down and confront them, let them know they’re the ones who aren’t welcome. The ones who know who did it and do nothing are just as guilty as the racists themselves.