Roy Exum
In late April a self-described “terrorist” was protesting at Valdosta State University when he walked, mocked, and stomped on an American flag. Eric Sheppard shouted claims of racial inequality and spewed all manner of racist filth until he was confronted by Michelle Manhart, a former United States Air Force military instructor, who wrestled the flag away from Sheppard, telling him it “belongs to the United States.”
At the time, some protesters taunted the police, asking what they would have done if Mahart had been black.
Nearby police pounced on Manhart, a veteran, and led her away in shackles.
At the time, some protesters taunted the police, asking what they would have done if Manhart had been black. While the veteran Manhart was never arrested, it was decided Manhart – who is also a former Playboy model just to add a little spice -- was violating Sheppard’s rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution. She since has been banded from the college campus.
Shortly after the protest, police found a backpack containing a gun alleged to be Sheppard’s and he was subject to a manhunt until he was arrested last Thursday in Tampa by a team of U.S. Marshals where he was taken into custody without incident. On Friday he agreed to extradition and is believed to have been returned to Valdosta and the Lowndes County lock-up. But between the time Sheppard desecrated the American flag and he was captured in Tampa – without incident – his “manifesto” surfaced. Here we go:
* * *
Many still question the possibility of my surrendering to the people who call themselves "authorities". To Give you a Simple Answer,
No! I will Not Turn Myself Over to Any White Man and I will Ensure this With my Own Will to Self-Defend and To Annihilate those Who Come After Me. These same people who you all know as "legal officials/police officers/sheriff/detectives" or any other falsified label of 'authority' only know wickedness and devilish behavior.
You Cannot Escape this Divine Judgement. Warnings Had been Put Out by the Path-Layer Noble Drew Ali, Warnings Had been Put out by The Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Warnings had been Put Out by The Prophet Elijah Muhammad, The Generals Malcolm X & Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad, The Oracle Dr. Frances Welsing and of course our Great Guide The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
But the TRUE Supreme Court of Almighty A.L.L.A.H. will not be in a Building built by the Hands of White Men…Fires shall Consume Your Bodies, Heads Will Be Severed and Your Blood will Flow in the Streets.
I say, if they don’t get out of town, we kill the white men, we kill the white women, we kill the white children, we kill the white babies, we kill the blind whites, we kill the crippled whites, we kill the crazy whites, we kill the (expletive), we kill the lesbians, I say (expletive) we kill 'em all.
* * *
Sheppard had bragged he would commit these threats of violence at the Lowndes County High School’s graduation hosted last Saturday along with a protest over the death of Kendric Johnson, a 17-year-old black male whose body was found rolled up in a mat in the school’s gym last year that has been ruled as an accident.
Sheppard has freely admitted he is indeed a terrorist on several occasions. “I am a terrorist toward lies. I'm a terrorist toward liars. I'm a terrorist toward those that are wicked, so yes, I am a terrorist toward white people.”
At Friday’s extradition hearing, Sheppard was represented by Muwali Davis, an Atlanta attorney, who issued the following statement:
“Eric's decision not to fight extradition coupled with his peaceful surrender when arrested, confirms Eric is not a threat to the community. Unfortunately, what appears to be lost in the coverage of Eric's activism as a student is that he is merely a college kid trying to figure out life under some extraordinary stressful circumstances.
“Physically he is fine, but mentally he is exhausted from living under the constant fear for his life as a result of the death threats and the bounty placed on his life by self-proclaimed ‘white supremacist’ individuals and organizations. He does not wish anyone any harm and was reacting to the very aggressive and hostile threats of violence against him and the people close to him.
“Eric has never been arrested or in any trouble,” the attorney’s statement continued. “Even law enforcement authorities in Valdosta have dismissed statements they have made recently regarding Eric as a ‘publicity stunt.’ Eric and his family would like to thank everyone who has prayed for his safe return to Georgia.
“He looks forward to learning from this experience and having an opportunity to properly process and address everything that has happened after he exercised his First Amendment right by engaging in public protest and freedom of speech. He remains committed to being a positive agent of change and helping improve the conditions under which many people in our society continue to struggle in.”
Again, Michelle Manhart, a former Playboy Playmate, has been banned from the Valdosta State campus and, to date, Eric Sheppard has not. University president William J. McKinney issued a statement that read, “The American flag represents everything that is best about our country. As the Supreme Court has held, one of those things is free speech, which includes the right to disrespect even the symbol of our country. While I firmly disagree with the actions of the protester, I understand their right to protest.”
The Valdosta sheriff and the FBI believe Sheppard may have made some slanderous statements in his “manifesto” that “may have crossed the line into terroristic threats, and there may be more charges down the road.”
My point? There are some things happening in our country right now you just need to know about.
royexum@aol.com