Thomas Autry was walking home from work the other night in Midtown Atlanta. Near the corner of 4th Street and Penn Avenue. (Link is to a Google Mapped Satellite image of the area.) Mr. Autry is a former Marine and was simply trying to live life the way any good American should. As he walked, he heard a car rev it’s engine. He thought it was a police car and the cops were going to tell him to get out of the neighborhood. Now why would he think that? Because he’s a Black man and sadly it seems Mr. Autry has fallen for some of the hype that evil White cops are out to get him. When in reality an incident with evil White cops is rare. Most cops are good and do their job to the best of their ability. But there is something bad that happens to Black men far more often. It is very common and the true source of many good Black mens’ problems in America. The problem for a good Black man in America is Black thugs that want to steal, kill and destroy anyone good that comes near them.

As a Black man, I don’t worry about the Klan. I don’t fear some racist cop trying to beat me like Rodney King. (Because I’d never do what Rodney King did to have cops after him in the first place.) When it comes to something that concerns me regarding myself or my family being harmed, it is Black thuggery! Blacks that adore the thuggism in Hip Hop and desire to do crime. Why does this concern me? Because every time I’ve been the victim of crime in the streets or in my home, or a member of my family has faced the same, or a Black friend of mine has faced the same, it has almost always been at the hands of some Black thugs. (I and the others I’m talking about all live in mostly White areas, but still it seems Black thugs prey on us!) God as my witness, if not for Black thugs I’d never be able to say I’ve ever personally been the victim of crime in my entire life. So when it comes to race and being treated badly, I have concerns about the same ones that have caused me and my loved ones strife our entire lives, Black thugs.

Sure thugs come in all colors, shapes and sizes, but what can I say, being Black I’ve found that the Black thug loves to try and prey on me. The White thugs, Latino thugs, Asian thugs and others leave me alone. I think things like “hate crimes” laws will keep people doing crime in their “own tribe” if you get my drift. So the “hate crimes” laws don’t help me at all and never did. Because the Black thugs that hate me don’t get any extra penalty under “hate crimes” laws. I’ve heard tales all my life of evil Whites looking to take me down, but all I’ve experienced are evil Black thugs tearing at me and my loved ones every chance they get. Black thugs have killed and continue to kill far more Blacks than racist Whites of the past ever lynched!

OK, now back to Mr. Autry. It turns out a band of Black thugs selected him for a mugging and possible killing. They chased him down the street. He ran yelling “fire” and after some running decided he was going to have to stand his ground. There were 5 thugs, armed with a shotgun, a pistol and a pair of brass knuckles. Mr. Autry only had a pocket knife. Guess who won? Mr. Autry killed one of the thugs (a female) and cut another (a male) pretty good. They had to give up and all 4 of the remaining living thugs are now in police custody! YEAAAA!!! Mr. Autry protected himself and saved a community from a band of thugs, that cops knew had been operating in the area for some time. Is he a hero? You better believe he is! But Mr. Autry and CNN don’t see it that way.

Notice how CNN acts as if saving a community from a thug is not a heroic act! And Mr. Autry is sad he had to kill someone. I can understand Mr. Autry feeling some remorse, but he should not feel sorry for what he had to do. He did the right thing. And it’s sad that CNN makes it seem that having to kill a thug is not an honorable deed.

The Gwinnett Daily Post has a different spin of Mr. Autry’s remorse, that is much more appropriate.

Maybe that’s why Gwinnett Daily Post circulation is going up, while the circulation of the Atlanta Journal Constitution Constipation is going down!

Here’s the details on the thugs.

…
The girl he stabbed, Amy Martin, 17, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The accomplice who was wounded, Christopher Daniel, 17, was listed in critical condition at Atlanta Medical Center, Abernathy said.
Daniel and three other youths involved in the robbery ? a 16-year-old and 17-year-olds Kendall Barksdale and Christopher Hayes ? were charged with aggravated assault and armed robbery.
…

You can see another local video report here. And a text report with far less details.

I don’t care what any says, Thomas Autry is a hero and he can walk the streets of my neighborhood any time he wants to day or night . We all need a neighborhood watch commander like him. And of course our soldiers fighting for freedom overseas are heroes as well. No wonder Mr. Autry served with them.

update 5/31/2006 9:12PM: Mr. Autry has done another interview where he mentions more in this video report.

And I think Mr. Autry has put this attack on his life in appropriate terms.

…
“That was a terroristic act. That was terrorism. That’s homeland terrorism. There isn’t any which way, ands or buts about it,” Autry said.
…

He also mentioned that he feels they should be tried as terrorists. I agree with that. Thugs like the ones that attacked him have had a reign of terror in some communities for far too long.

What makes matters even more insane, is that some of the kids in this band of thugs were living relatively good lives, outside of their lives of crime.

…
One of the teens, 17-year-old Kendall Barksdale, was due to graduate from Grady High School Wednesday night. The other, 17-year-old Christopher Hayes, has a job at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and no criminal record.
…

I’ve seen this far too often. Kids doing well join into the thuggism of the streets because of the crap culture they join into of their own free will. The crap that goes into their ears and they hear from other idiots inspires them to become idiots too. It’s an amazing sight to see, but I’ve seen it far too many times. This is why it’s important for parents to stay on top of their kids’ and know what they are taking in from the outside world. Kids that get into mess like this are not listening to much that is wholesome.

The daughter of Mr. Autry’s girlfriend said she knows the suspects and attended middle and high school with them. This is not unusual. Kids go to the same school and some choose to become thugs, while others do not. This proves that the idiots make the choice to lead a life of crime.

And to top it all off, Mr. Autry only had $8.00 in his pocket! I’ve heard of people being robbed, who did not have much money and the thug looking at them and saying “that’s all you’ve got” and then shooting them. Out of anger for the victim not having more money for their trouble.

Thomas Autry, terrorist fighter and American hero!