Cornell Lewis: Using the Petit Family Murders to stir up Hate. Shame!

As if the murders of the Petit family didn't already have us saddened and upset; we are left locking our windows, securing entry-ways, and staring down would-be assailants in our local Stop-n-Shop. Every parent now operates on higher sense of alert; checking every nook and cranny for the potential for danger. The plain fact is that this is the horrific story of three innocent people, one wife and two children, attacked, raped, murdered and burned, and a loving husband left for dead - staggering out of his smoke-filled house, fleeing for his life. What kind of monsters would do such a thing? We all know.

Yes, we all know that two sick villains, both white ex-cons, planned and perpetrated the murders, and were caught red-handed fleeing the scene. Now we are left with the pictures, the story, and the fear that this could happen to any one of us in the darkness of night. The slight shimmer of hope is that the two rotten monsters who are responsible for committing such wretched acts are on track to most likely never see the light of day again. With any hope, they will feel the intermittent pulse of a 10,000 megawatt electro-charge, and seize to exist on this Earth.

Unfortunately, the story, as told in all its horror, isn't enough for some. And it only took only a few weeks, but the creeps have come out in full force.

First there are the idiot conspiracy theorists, having little class and too much time on their hands in between watching episodes of mindless crime scene shows that fill cable TV schedules, have decided to try and pin the murder on the only surviving victim - Dr. Wiliam Petit. The clue that drives them to conspiracy? It's only that poor Dr. Petit survived. "Why did Petit live, and why did the others die?" I'm sure Dr. Petit has asked himself that question a dozen times. Sometimes probably wishing he had departed this plane of existence with his family instead of having to face the ghosts of great memories, and memories that will never be.

Leave the man be. It's hell on Earth for him as it is. Just leave him alone.

This is the thinking of the mad in our midst. The same losers hanging around in West Hartford Center who rally against troops serving abroad who are protecting our way of life. The same that see rap music songs that call for shooting police officers as a mild form of expression misunderstood. You know, the counter-culturalists among us that see right as wrong, and wrong as right. Those who's heads were screwed on backwards at birth or got in with the wrong crowd at college and learned to reject Western Civilization and their parents for having successful lives on the backs of Native Americans, or the Slave trade, Capitalism, the poor, etc, etc. You know the type.

Not to be outdone by wanna-be detectives, along comes an even bigger creep. It's none other than black political activist Cornell Lewis, and his gang of cronies, who instead of showing support and compassion for the victims, and affected community (which by now is all of us), have instead come out in typical racist-fashion to try and turn the horrific Petit murderers into a racial issue or some type of self-serving publicity stunt.

Eager to turn this tragic story to his advantage, Reverned Lewis decided that because the victims lived in middle class Cheshire, and the victims were white, that he'd heard enough about this story and questioned, "[IF this had happened in a black community, would it had received the same attention?]. I guess the question to be asked is what does Lewis and his band of trouble-makers hope to gain by floating racial-charged hypotheticals completely unconnected with the Petit case? What is to be gained by such classless behavior? What does he want? Riots in the streets? To stir up anger in his followers seeking scapegoats for their ills? Attempt to energize his base? What?

It's a pretty lowdown tactic by a man who calls himself "Reverend". The fact is that Lewis doesn't even have a point to make. It's pure hatred and racism on his part. He even pretty much admitted on WFSB Channel 3 that some would call his charges - racism. Yes, Reverend. This story is all about the hate and racism in your heart. Let's hope that the good people of Hartford see through Lewis' shenanigans to "stir it up".

I'm sure Lewis was saddened to hear about the news of the Petit murders. But sad chiefly because the story was about two white guys committing a crime against a white family in a middle class neighborhood. This story doesn't fit nicely into Lewis' warped view of the world. There was no opportunity for him to advance his ongoing assault of racism charges against Hartford Police for alleged profiling of victims, or claim some injustice for would-be-minority suspects against a system that he believes punishes minorities without cause. Nor did this story feed his claims that his community is unprotected and ignored by city officials - yep, no candlelight vigil in Hartford this time around. No black on black crime. No opportunity to spout statistics and point the finger at George Bush, Carl Rove, and a million or so responsible Republicans. No legs for Mr. Reverend Lewis and his agenda.

What Lewis doesn't understand is the horror of the story is that someone, not just a regular working stiff (like this writer), who spent his entire life serving, catering, and healing others in his community, has had a loss. And Lewis, the fact is when its someone who cares and serves, and loves like Dr. Petit and his family, we tend to see things differently. It's not because they are white, or live in Cheshire.

Reverend Lewis, like his followers, and the conspiracy theorists, has shown us all just how hollow he really is. And what's a shame is that the next time he might have a legitimate civil rights concern - he's hurt his credibility with those of us who may actually care. Because with someone like him standing up at a rally podium - the story will become lost in the memory of his self-serving ploy to downplay the memories of Dr. William Petit's family for his own self-serving need for public attention.

Get a grip Reverend Lewis. It's time for you to go back in your cave, and let the rest of us mourn for the Petit family in peace.

And shame on WFSB-TV Channel 3 for not knowing better than to fan the illegitimate flames of hate harbored by so called-Reverend Lewis and his band of cronies.

Cornell Lewis