In 2003, a mentally challenged African American named Billy Ray Johnson was brought to an east Texas "pasture" party by a group of teenage whites, given liquor, made to dance and taunted, before being beaten by four Redstate thugs. He was taken to a dump site, and thrown unconscious on a mound of fire ants. He suffered permanent brain damage as a result. Yesterday, an east Texas jury found the four thugs liable for $9 million in a civil suit (the earlier criminal case resulted in aquittals for two, and light sentences for the other two for "injury to a disabled individual by omission"). Representing Johnston was the iconic attorney from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Morris Dees. Dees, who has spent a lifetime fighting right wing racists such as the Klan and Aryan Nation, successfully argued that this was a race crime, not merely assault. It's people like Morris Dees who should be getting the Medal of Freedom these days, but they certainly won't be getting it from Dubya. (photo: Morris Dees)
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