Georgia Archives – Page 4 of 14

Georgia is one of only four states without a hate crimes law. Wonder why?

Above: Georgia House candidate Mokah Johnson’s campaign focuses on hate crimes legislation If Gov. Kemp hates crime so much, why doesn’t he hate hate crimes? By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman Brian Kemp hates gangs. In 2018, the self-described “politically incorrect conservative” promised he would “protect Georgia families by crushing street gangs.” Now, his second year in office, the governor has unveiled his anti-gang legislation. One bill, the Nicholas Sheffey Act, would authorize stiffer penalties for gang violence, even though Georgia already has a tough anti-gang statute and Sheffield’s killer was sentenced to life without parole plus 675 years. Under Kemp’s plan, “In murder cases involving gang activity, defendants would automatically be eligible for the death penalty,” the AJC reported. “The death penalty can…

If Gov. Kemp hates crime so much, why doesn’t he hate hate crimes?

By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman Brian Kemp hates gangs. In 2018, the self-described “politically incorrect conservative” promised he would “protect Georgia families by crushing street gangs.” Now, his second year in office, the governor has unveiled his anti-gang legislation. One bill, the Nicholas Sheffey Act, would authorize stiffer penalties for gang violence, even though Georgia already has a tough anti-gang statute and Sheffield’s killer was sentenced to life without parole plus 675 years. Under Kemp’s plan, “In murder cases involving gang activity, defendants would automatically be eligible for the death penalty,” the AJC reported. “The death penalty can already be used in a wide range of cases that could include gang cases, though capital punishment is becoming less common in recent years as…

Georgia’s most famous runaway slaves became famous abolitionists

By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman I remain appalled at the “content” (or rather, the lack thereof) taught in Georgia’s 8th grade classrooms about the state’s history—and especially the short shrift its deep and rich African-American history receives. Of course, the same can be said for the nation’s classrooms during Black History Month. (Why February? Comedian Chris Rock once said, “Because it’s the shortest month.”) There would be no need for such a thing as Black History Month if African Americans’ story had been told properly and effectively all along, but that didn’t—and hasn’t happened—so here we are. Well, here’s something. When I worked on my father’s book, this story—which I’d never heard before—jumped off the page at me. I was so enthralled by…

Take that, Scarlett O’Hara: The tale of Tunis Campbell is the true story of Georgia Reconstruction

Tunis G. Campbell, Sr. Georgia Black Reconstruction Leader By Jonathan Grant @Brambleman In 1861, a 49-year-old black abolitionist named Tunis G. Campbell, Sr., walked into a recruiter’s office in New York City and attempted to enlist in the Union Army. Like all African-Americans in the war’s early stages, he was rejected as unfit on the basis of his race. Campbell, a well-educated restaurateur, baker, and published author, didn’t give up. He wrote a letter to President Lincoln outlining a self-improvement plan for freed slaves after the war. As a result, he was sent to Union-occupied Hilton Head, S.C., to work with General Rufus Saxton. In 1865, Campbell—a tall, imposing man who dressed formally and wore spectacles—was appointed military governor of five Georgia…

Brambleman, the Forsyth County saga

Winner, IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award Reviews “Extremely well-written.” — Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White “… (Grant) keeps the suspense building throughout the entire book. There’s no way to guess how it will end since you never know what each turn of the page will bring.” — Maria Miaoulis, Reading for Pleasure “Grant perfectly caught the complexity of the people of Georgia.” — Katy Sozaeva, Now is Gone “This book was a wild ride through history as well as a wild ride through the present … I recommend this book to people who love historical fiction, as well as people who love action/adventure, mystery, books about books, about African American History, books about conspiracies, good human interest stories and a simply thumping good read.” — Melinda’s…

Brambleman

Georgia politics, history, and other stuff

Tag: Georgia

Georgia is one of only four states without a hate crimes law. Wonder why?

If Gov. Kemp hates crime so much, why doesn’t he hate hate crimes?

Georgia’s most famous runaway slaves became famous abolitionists

Take that, Scarlett O’Hara: The tale of Tunis Campbell is the true story of Georgia Reconstruction

Brambleman, the Forsyth County saga

Take that, Scarlett O’Hara: The tale of Tunis Campbell is the real story of Georgia Reconstruction