Investigation Underway into Racist Text Messages Targeting Black Americans

Authorities are currently probing a series of racist text messages that have alarmingly targeted Black Americans across various states, instructing recipients to report to a plantation for forced labor. The messages emerged shortly after Election Day, raising concerns about their timing and intent. Recipients include school and college students from states such as Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The FBI is aware of these deeply offensive communications and is coordinating with the Justice Department and other federal entities regarding the ongoing investigation.

The anonymous messages reportedly began circulating on Wednesday, with some containing references to the Trump campaign, which has categorically denied any involvement. A spokesperson for the campaign emphasized that there is no connection between the campaign and these vile communications.

Disturbing Content and Reactions

One particularly troubling instance involved a 42-year-old mother in Indiana who shared a message her high school-aged daughter received. The text claimed that her daughter had been “selected to become a slave” and would be picked up in a white van. The mother described the messages as “extremely alarming,” noting how they made her feel “really vulnerable.”

Another recipient, Hailey Welch, shared her experience with a local student newspaper at the University of Alabama. Initially dismissing the messages as a joke, she quickly realized many of her peers were also receiving them.

Welch expressed her feelings of stress and fear due to the uncertainty surrounding these messages.

The wording in these texts varied but generally instructed individuals to report to a “plantation” or prepare for pickup in a van, invoking slave labor references.

Broader Implications and Responses

Civil rights leaders have decried these messages as part of an alarming trend in racist rhetoric across the country. Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, stated that such actions reflect an increase in hate speech emboldened by recent political events.

Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), condemned the messages as unacceptable and emphasized that they are taking this targeting very seriously.

Authorities from several states are urging residents to report any similar communications they may receive. In Nevada, officials are investigating potential sources of these robotic text messages. Louisiana’s Attorney General reported tracing some messages back to a virtual private network based in Poland but noted that their original source remains unidentified.

As discussions continue regarding potential foreign involvement in spreading division within America, one Indiana mother expressed concern that even if foreign actors are behind it, it does not lessen the threat posed by such hate-filled rhetoric.

As investigations unfold, this incident highlights the urgent need for vigilance against hate speech and its implications for community safety and cohesion in America.