E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSView more videos at: http://nbcmiami.com.
MIAMI -- Bishop Ivory Wilson on Sunday gazed on the shattered window of a building that serves as a church on the weekend and as a day care during the week.
There is the charred cafeteria where children would eat their snacks. A roof is now blackened with soot. It's just feet away from where students learn and play at the day care center.
"We worked hard to make this,” Wilson said. “The kids love us, the parents love us and we love them.”
Director Sandra Wilson said: “This just broke my heart, I couldn't stop crying -- couldn't stop crying.”
They say they believe the fire was deliberately set, given the vandalism spray-painted on the walls: three large red swastikas.
The owners of Little Leapers Childcare center in Fort Lauderdale say it’s a hate crime. In the last few weeks, employees say they also have been on the receiving end of a verbal threat.
Three weeks before the fire, an anonymous someone phoned “and threatened us,” said Joyce Bryant, lead schoolteacher. The caller told staff to pack their bags and get out, Bryant said.
When that call came in, the bishop and his wife contacted police. Sunday, instead of singing and praising in the auditorium, they're tallying up items that were stolen: Cameras, music equipment and flat-screen TVs used to live-stream sermons.
"Here we've got parents that won't know where to take their kids tomorrow morning," Wilson said.
They've been present in the community now for more than four years. They can’t understand why they’ve been attacked.
"We think everyone should be able to run their own business without anyone trying to run them out," Bryant said.
The bishop said vacating the building is the last thing they'll do, unwilling to let hatred win.
"We're not going to run,” he said. “Whatever game they're playing doesn't frighten me.”
Leave a Comment:
Ah the nazi flag flying proudly next to the confederate flag...its florida
How do you know it was a White group that did this? Were you there? Shooting off your mouth and you don't know all the facts. Crawl back in your hole.
youdon'tknowjack how about the organised christian hate groups (churches ) that go to Uganda to support & lobby the gov. for the death penalty for all gay people. ?
Don't let the morons win. Stand your ground. As communities, we need to stand up to stop this sort of ignorance. When we witness someone committing crimes, report them right then. There's no reason to make the criminal aware of you doing this. No longer keep silent.
The liberal and progressive agenda is spurring ever more virulent and violent hate against religion. Just scroll up through the comments, many of them collapsed, and take a gander at all the bigotry.
I'm not a religious person, but the extreme hatred of liberals and progressives is palpable in society today against religion, you can't not notice it.
The media and the democrat party is in an all out war against anything perceived as conservative or religious. Don't believe this?
Here's the best example. I read a news story recently where someone was charged with a hate crime for saying something nasty to someone who belongs to a certain group. Yet, in the same city, the mayor allowed a plaque to be placed in city hall saying MUCH worse things about ALL religious people. When two people in a personal argument becomes a hate crime when one is a liberal, and hate speech against an entire group of people is endorsed by government, THAT is state supported bigotry.
Again, I'm not religious, but in this country there shouldn't be this kind of media and government backed bigotry and hate. The violence will only grow as long as the media and the politicians encourage bigotry.
Micheal-
I think you've been reading my mind. These last 2yrs I've watched and read as people when posting the most vile hate filled comments, cloak themselves in the First Amendment.
Except, they do not extend the same protection of free speech they all spout to anyone who disagrees with them, and hence the comments start to disintegrate into name calling, why are you here, you fascists,liberal, far right wing, etc, etc.
By this very act these people are actually trampling on the right of the free speech they hold so dear. Actually if people would read the First Amendment it says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
No where does it read that the people themselves have the right to tell others, that they cannot say this or that. It's just something that has soaked into America's consciousness as fact. The only way certain speech can ever be changed or banned is by the (people) getting that said speech outlawed by a vote.
Which is where the Hate Speech laws have come from and even now those cases are still being brought before the Supreme Court to interpret.
I've found it laughable that people's definition of free speech has actually been restricting others, either through ridicule or accusations of you must hate: please feel free to fill in what ever group comes to mind.
I don't know if it's a product of the education system and people have lost the ability to disagree intelligently, or it's better to pander with the rest of the masses because of fear or because people have given up, or what.
A quick check of the Broward County Clerk of courts records reveal that the "Bishop " Wilson and his wife are kinda creepy....old records of drug abuse, evictions ( alot !), domestic violence, pending slip and fall ( twice in a 30 day period in two different locations)....not to mention...ummm....the neighborhood is bad...really bad...no self respecting neo nazi would be caught in that part of town without a posse..and that would have been definately noticed there...I really have to suspect something fishy here....
After reading some comments and now yours I would investigate fraud.
Almost every post on this story is full of hatred trying to breed more hatred. just sounds to me like a bunch of hoodlums (any color) that want attention. Stop - please stop with all the hatred or we will all end up like nazis - do something productive or positive for every race and everyone stop thinking that their race is either the best, the most discriminated, etc.
Wait wait wait a minute. Why when ever something like this happens it's Automatically assumed that a White person did it?? Don't Blacks know how to make a Swastika?? And why is it ONLY White people are accused of a "Hate" crime? Crimes against White people by Blacks, Mexicans, and the rest of the "Minorities" are Never considered "Hate" crimes. Why is that?? Of the thousands upon thousands of Black crime against Whites none of them are considered Hate crimes. Why??
No matter the race here, the sign was sprayed reversed. Ignorant people don't even know the right way to put one. Uneducated and Ignorant. They should learn 1st how to draw it right.
If the Swastika is in reverse then it would seem to me it was someone other than the KKK that did this. Or doesn't the KKK know how to make it's own Swastika? See, people jumping to conclusions. The KKK are blamed for a lot of things they never had a hand in.
Maybe Jim Bob first Swastika to make, you think?
I noticed the reversed sign. But did not think insurance fraud. Ignorant vandalism or planned fraud? This world is coming down to having cameras put all over by the public to protect any businesses if you are a bus. owner and especially for homes. I have been planning cameras for my own home safety/security. Down the line I might just have to install a camera on my head. Those real big ones from the 80's that way people will surely know they are being recorded.
The swastika is a very ancient symbol with many variations in it's world wide usage. This symbol in it's many forms goes back to very ancient times and is thought to have many variations in it's meaning and purpose. The Nazi's of WW II did use several different versions over a period of time but mostly settled on the right leading 45 degree form. Most Neo-Nazi groups take their symbol very seriously and do not use any but the right leading, upright form. I would believe that the left trailing version here is an attempt by low knowledge individuals in an attempt to mislead police.
The American public is vulnerable to believe the words of all of its law enforcement agencies and so much so that we nod our heads in agreement every time an officer asserts his or her position on a matter like this. That absolute and uncompromising faith in that officer can lead us to believe that a circumstance like this is only caused by a hate group.
But, I'm telling you now to consider something else. And you are not going to like what I say.
I have been a witness to racist acts in hate by police officers. These things are usually suppressed and concealed. And when it is solicited by the police associations in the United States, often there will be something like this done to distract the public attention away from the conduct of the officers involved in the suppressed and concealed crimes.
The press doesn't report on concealed crimes committed by public officials very often because they, too, are threatened with death by corrupt officers that carry hate crimes out.
Persons that are solicited will do something like this so that the belief prevails that officers are always the first on the scene to report to the press what allegedly took place and be the forever hero in our hearts and minds.
It is not that simple.
Too many law enforcement agencies are invaded with minds that hate blacks, Jews, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians.
These same officers that hate know that society will see a swasticker and react believing there is some secret society of people that caused it.
Usually and increasingly police are involved in the hate crime.
That is for the record because I would never speak something that I could not back up on matters such as this.
I would investigate my local police department first, before looking anywhere else as being the principle of the crime in this likely solicited act of arson
I will not say anything more on this so your replies will be ignored every bit as much as American society ignores my assertion above as fact.
I told you that you would not like this comment.
Do not harm the messenger.
Looks like the works of kids, or a gang. I thought the swastikas looked funny, so I looked it up and they are backwards.
ok hate me for this....but I think it is the work of an ignorant assed self educated "preacher" with a failiing ministry and daycare .....there I said it....just my own opinion...freedom of speech and all.
Keep in mind that most of these spray paint "hate crimes" are usually done by the people who were "victimized" themselves in order to garner support for failing programs etc. Case in point, I dare say that although stupid, neo-nazis would probably not draw their own symbol backwards.
Well, the vandals must not have been real Nazis -- the swastikas are backward. But then, so must be the brains of these louts.
Anyone notice the the swastickers are going the wrong way? Looks like a cheap cover for your common garden variety street thugs.
It was those damned Buddhists. The Nazi swastikas are clockwise, so these are buddhist swastikas.
From the looks of those "swastikas" me thinks insurance fraud. "Oh nos! Nazis burned down our daycare" (snicker,snicker)
ding ding ding...we have a winner!!! I agree with you.
miami and most of southern florida is going to the dogs with all the immigrants that are there...so sad...
Florida....from Orlando down...is like a third world country...I live in Hollywood...near Miami...I swear that sometimes I feel like a visitor in my own country. I think a border fence should be erected just North of Orlando and just let the Central and Southern end of Florida go....
well one thing is for sure it wasn't Nazis or the like those swastikas are painted backwards and if their is one thing those puds know its how to paint a swastika.
Anne Stewart you are a stupid bi**h! So I guess they would have garnered your sympathy if they were white? Somebody investigate this cu*t cause she may have been involved!!!!
Why is she possibly involved ??? Because she does not agree with you? Because she is speaking her mind and is not drinking the liberal media kool aid, view of America?
Understand, not everyone in life is going to think like you, like the same people you like, or sit quiet when they have something to say. Her opinion is just as valid as yours....
only God knows what happened..but i must say its a strong 50/50.
Oh yeah right, I'm not surprised MSNBC was fall for this since there is a very strong anti white racist agenda on this sick propaganda network but it's more likely a black or a jew painted those swastikas. It's one of the oldest yet most transparent tricks in the book. Commit a crime and then throw somebody elses label on it, yeah that hasn't been done before.
Like that obese female thing a couple years back that hung a noose on her own office door and then claimed a white man did it. Left wingers dropped that story FAST once the security cameras came out with WHO actually did it. Boy did that story die quick.
Christopher: You got that right. Sometimes you have to wonder who the real Racists are. Remember Tawana Brawley and then the Duke football players thing? Boy Jesse and Ole Al sharpton were all over that. But when they found out it was all a lie, they ran for cover. But NEVER an apology from either one of them did I hear. Seems to me the ones who are always pointing their finger at someone else are the real racists.
but this IS florida were talkin about.
The Nazi Swastika faced right and sometimes was rotated 45 degrees up. To those of us who were alive at the time and lived through WWII, all ancient representations of the Swastika are meaningless. Hitler made the symbol completely his own, and it symbolized absolute evil. It was the symbol responsible for 50 million deaths in WWII. It was joined by the skull and crossbones worn on the soft hats of all Nazi officers. For those born after WWII you are mistaken to trivialize the symbol and the complete evil it represented.
Although I see this as an appalling act I do't think we are getting the whole story. The real story is being glossed over for some reason. But then it is being covered by CNN.