Boise State's interracial football couple marry amid death threats

[Pierre the Great]

Boise State's Johnson, Popadics wed amid racial threats

For the biggest day of his life, Fiesta Bowl star Ian Johnson isn't taking any chances.

Since receiving more than two dozen verbal and written personal threats, the Boise State running back, who is African-American, has retained several off-duty police officers and security guards to watch over his wedding tomorrow to a white cheerleader.

Johnson, who scored the winning points in the Fiesta Bowl, made headlines when he proposed to girlfriend Chrissy Popadics on national television.

Soon after the Jan. 1 proposal, he started receiving hateful phone calls and letters mailed to the school's football office from people angry at his interracial relationship.

"There are a lot of ignorant people out there, and to this day, some people still haven't advanced in their beliefs," Boise State football spokesman Todd Miles told ABCNEWS.com. "They were hateful letters, with racist language, most of them from people out of state."

Records of the phone calls and letters were passed on to the Boise Police Department, which is conducting an investigation. A spokesman for the police department wouldn't describe the investigation but did verify that several officers would provide security at the wedding.

Full Story:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3422740&page=1

[RobRock]

"They were hateful letters, with racist language, most of them from people out of state."

one part anonymity + one part geography = one big Klansman.

I wonder how many letters were written in crayon.

[Pierre the Great]

yeah these people are disgusting. Then again interracial marriages were illegal in most states up until the 70's. But who knows when those laws are going to come back, the more conservative the supreme court gets the more they believe in 'state rights' which is exactly what was the problem before the legalization of interracial marriages.

But yeah it is pretty bad here in MO. You get looks if you date someone who "ain't your colour".

For example I didn't tell my farm country side of the family that I like asian girls for a couple years. (along with not telling them about Canada either didn't tell them that until the letter of acceptance came)

[Trizzak]

I hope they last.