These four had been promoting the march that occurred on Saturday and would likely have attended had they not been otherwise, well, busy.

And while we are happy that these men are facing the consequences of their actions, we do find ourselves saddened by this brief article as well:


Court case delayed for men accused in crimes motivated by hate Updated: Thu Mar. 17 2011 15:14:11
ctvedmonton.ca
There will be a two-week delay in the court case for four men accused by police in crimes motivated by hate that occurred on Whyte Ave. last month.
Thursday was the first scheduled court appearance for the four accused, James Andrew Brooks, 25, David Roger Goodman, 18, Jason Anthony Anderson, 32, and 32-year-old Keith Virgil Decu.
The accused are believed to be associated with the Calgary white supremacist group known as Blood and Honour. Only three of the men showed up to court Thursday morning.
Three people were physically assaulted and others were harassed by a group of white supremacists on Whyte Ave. in February.
The charges against the four men come after the accused were seen handing out flyers to strangers about a white supremacist group. Police allege the men were involved in assaulting three people and directing racial slurs.
In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."
Charges against the group of men range from criminal harassment to assault.With files from Bill Fortier
When we read this, we were particularly moved by this pathetic plea:

In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."
Goodman is an adult. He made his choice and no one is responsible for that choice but him. But we can't help but think that it could have been so different. Imagine if Goodman hadn't gotten mixed up with these people.  Imagine if he had made better choices? Imagine if someone might have been able to show him there was another way?

In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."
This is one of the reasons we do what we do. Of course we try to do what we can to shine a light on the perpetrator of hate-based violence, but we also want to try and prevent young people from entering into a world for which there really is no future. Goodman, and perhaps other three men in this case, had families who cared for them. Many of these families either had no idea their loved ones were involved in this movement, or else they tried to delude themselves into believing it wasn't true. Now, we have a family bond that is broken because of the thoughtless, stupid actions taken by this young man who now feels he has no place to turn.

They cycle continues.

In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."  
We know there are people Goodman's age and younger who are in the movement and who read this blog. We ask you to think about the people who have been involved in the movement for a long time. What do their lives look like? How many of them are unemployed or underemployed (working dead-end jobs with no real hope of advancement)? How many of them dropped out of school? How many of them spend their time drinking and getting into fights? How many of them have criminal records? How many of them blame their own failings on Jews, immigrants, or any other of a host of scapegoats when the real authors of their own misfortune stares back at them everyday in the mirror. How many of them are estranged from their families and former friends?

In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."

Is this really the life you see for yourselves? Really? A life that, when you do get yourself into trouble, and you know deep down that you will, your family might be so hurt by your behavior that they may not want to have anything to do with you. A life that when the shit hits the fan, you really have no where else to turn other than the people who brought you into the dead end life you are now leading.

In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."
We know there are other stories too. Of kids from abusive households who are looking for someone who will accept them, and who believe they have found that in some racist gang. They call these groups their families, but how long lasting are these families? Again, think about the people you have known in your short time in the movement who, perhaps only a few weeks ago were called, "brother" or, "sister" by your compatriots, but who have been tossed aside since then? Think about the violence perpetrated by the people you now associate, both against others outside the group and the members of the group. Is that the family you want to be a part of?

In court, 18-year-old Goodman asked the court for permission to stay with the co-accused telling the judge, "because of the stuff on the news, my family won't talk to me no more."
Is this your future? It's not to late to change it. Hell, it isn't too late for Goodman, or Brooks or any of these men and women to change the direction of their lives. It only takes courage to look deep within one's self and realize that there is something not right. There's a reason why you don't want to see yourself on this blog. It isn't because you're afraid you'll be attacked by anti-racists, no matter how much you tell yourselves this or how much you're told that is a danger. The reason is because you don't want others to know about the beliefs you've embraced because you know that it is wrong.

It isn't too late to change, but it becomes much more difficult to get out the longer you are in the movement.

Give it some thought.