Couple gets prison time for racist threats at child’s birthday party

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

I think the sentences are too long.
It wouldn't take thirteen years to learn a lesson and not do it again.
Even five years would make other people think twice about doing the same thing.

Maybe there is the "making an example out of them" involved, so next time people will think twice(we all know there will be a next time). Those poor kids are going to grow up thinking they are second class citizens. Serves those rednecks well.

[LostLocke]

Threatening to kill someone, without any provocation or reason, is pretty bad on its own. Threatening to kill someone while pointing a gun completely capable of doing so at them is magnitudes worse.
I can't speak for Atlanta, but here in Chicagoland you do that and kill someone in the process it's automatically murder. If they did that and one of the partying people shot and killed him first, they'd spend a couple hours talking to police and then be home in time for dinner.
Those perps should be thanking whatever deity they believe in that they're even alive to serve any time.

[TaraJo]

I don't know how to feel about this.

I mean, on one hand, these are pieces of scum and the rest of society shouldn't have to deal with them.  So in that sense, prison is exactly where they belong.

On the other hand, I still really hate our prison system and I really don't like the idea of anyone going in there, especially when they're probably just going to come out worse.

Either way, I don't know if actual racists have been really bold or if people have just been doing a better job of recording them, but I've seen a lot of stunts like this lately.  I kinda wonder, if things like this keep happening, will people finally start to admit that the US has some serious racial issues to deal with?

[Kosh]

I don't know how to feel about this.

I mean, on one hand, these are pieces of scum and the rest of society shouldn't have to deal with them.  So in that sense, prison is exactly where they belong.

On the other hand, I still really hate our prison system and I really don't like the idea of anyone going in there, especially when they're probably just going to come out worse.

Either way, I don't know if actual racists have been really bold or if people have just been doing a better job of recording them, but I've seen a lot of stunts like this lately.  I kinda wonder, if things like this keep happening, will people finally start to admit that the US has some serious racial issues to deal with?

They've been emboldened.  The racist asswipes have always been there hiding in the weeds, but now they feel it's their time to shine since President Bannon and his lackey Trump are in power.  Given what they did, I would say that they wont come out any worse.

I agree with you that out prison/judicial system is a complete pile of steaming crap.  I worry about the non-violent offenders.  For them the potential is there to learn violent behavior.  They probably have to in order to survive incarceration.

[brewer]

I think the sentences are too long.
It wouldn't take thirteen years to learn a lesson and not do it again.
Even five years would make other people think twice about doing the same thing.

I seriously doubt they serve even half.

 I think it's great that they are banned from the county.

[c172]

I'm kind of surprise the sentences are that long, but I'm not against it. Hopefully they can take advantage of opportunities to change.

[Little lunch]

I've had a think about it and I realised that the damage they did was enormous.
Those children involved could be quite psychologically damaged from that incident.
Still, I imagine myself accidentally locked in my house (somehow) and the relief I would feel after a couple of days upon being rescued.
If I had enough food to last a year and that was how long it took for someone to notice I was missing, I'd be half insane by the time they found me.

Maybe I'm too sensitive but I just don't like the idea of a person suffering for so long.
They may be very bad people but their pain is the same as ours.

[c172]

well, they get an hour a day outside their cells, IIRC. As well, maybe there's opportunity for a job in the prison. Frankly, for me, if I were imprisoned, the worst thing for me would be 1) being watched by cameras and 2) dealing with guards' personalities (which might not even be as bad as it seems).

[account_inactive]

They should definitely be punished for what they did, but they should also be offered help to change. It may take time but the majority of extremists are capable of changing, eventually.

[Jackalope]

Frankly, in a country where we put away people for longer for victimless crimes, I have a hard time finding sympathy for people who threatened other people, children no less, with a deadly weapon over the color of their skin. Put the motherfuckers under the prison for all I care.