On Hate Crimes, Threats, and "Speech"

[vulgarweed]

Links from dark_christian and DU.

House Passes Bill Adding Sexual Orientation to Federal Hate Crimes List. Good news, yes! BUT...there is expected to be another veto showdown, as Bush has promised his right-wing loon base (those loyal 29% dead-enders) that he will continue to respect their assaults, murder, and discrimination as "freedom of speech" and veto the thing.

And in other news, the Secret Service has deemed it necessary to place a Presidential candidate under its protection (in response to threats)--the earliest in the election season it has ever done so. Guess who? Hands up, everyone who's shocked. *crickets*

These two stories are connected. Terrorism is terrorism--just as much from homegrown cracker bigots as when it comes from Amurkan-flag-burning Ay-rabs.

Comments

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

I'd like to sit Dubya down and ask him (in front of witnesses and the Press) just where it says in the Bible that it's okay to beat on people. And just where in the US constitution it says anything about "freedom of speech" that includes expressing yourself with fists, baseball bats, guns, knives ....

Re: Obama -- I'm guessing they recognise him as a contender, and as a threat to a lot of violent redneck types ... Good for him. ;]

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

I think it's already well established that Bush values the Bible only as a source of propaganda slogans, and the Constitution only for its absorbency and gentleness against the Presidential anus.

Yes, Obama is the first African-American candidate widely thought to have a very serious chance at winning (though Jesse Jackson did win several primaries in '88) which means that he is Knuckledragger Target Number One. Gossip's had it for years that the reason Colin Powell never ran at the peak of his popularity is that his wife wouldn't have it, for that very reason.

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

I should add that as the first woman candidate thought to have a serious chance, Hillary Clinton is Knuckledragger Target Number Two. To tell you the truth, I knew assassination threats against both were inevitable, and I was wondering who would be first. Morbid, I know, but that's just the kind of country it still is. :(

[celandineb.livejournal.com]

Gotta love that attempt to put the elderly and police officers in there on the hate crimes list too. Um, hello, as far as I know, no one beats up on the elderly or on cops just because they are what they are and their very existence is deemed offensive.

[quantum-witch.livejournal.com]

Just thought the same thing. Wonder if the bill would have go through if they were included?

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

I liked John Conyers's response. "OK, we can add them. Now will you vote for it?" Oh, the backpedalling!

[celandineb.livejournal.com]

*rolls eyes*

I know that politics is the art of the possible, but I'm getting awfully tired of seeing principles thrown over for expediency Every Single Effing Time.

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

Conyers was calling their bluff. He knew exactly what the response would be.

[celandineb.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, that makes sense... but the fact that it was necessary is flipping annoying! The amazing lack of, I don't know, compassion? common sense? values? in these people that think it's okay to harass others because they are different. ARGH. And the failure to distinguish between (protected) free speech and (should NOT be protected) violent action -- double ARGH.

[persephoneflame.livejournal.com]

You forgot the new focus of terrorism scares: those sinister slanty-eyed Asian bastards. That VT kid was Korean!

Asian-American communities are already seeing backlash about this

As for the hate crimes bill, because of the possibility of veto, it's important that EVERYONE call his or her senator or representative and voice support for this bill. You can find out who to call and get some good talking points at http://www.hrc.org

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

Horrifying. I wish that were more of a surprise than it is.

I don't advocate hate crimes against anybody, but why isn't there an upswell of rage against gun dealers who sell shit to obviously mentally ill people?

Thanks for the link!

[persephoneflame.livejournal.com]

Post about a Chinese kid who was classified as a 'Level 3' terrorist threat because of a Counterstrike mod.

This really pissed me off.

Also, Virginia has some of the most lax gun control laws in the country, but I'm not seeing a lot of outcry about that. The VT shooter was clearly disturbed, had been in trouble with the law before, and made people feel unsafe. He shouldn't have had a gun.

[quantum-witch.livejournal.com]

That article says the Repulicans tried to get elderly, military and police put into the same category as gays? Since when do any of them get threatened, killed and maimed - as a group - as much as gays? Not to say that it doesn't happen, but it's not even on a par, to my knowledge. Seems the only way military counts is in a war zone.

Obama is a real threat to the status quo, and it makes me squee. I can't wait to see the primaries (and hopefully go dancing in the streets).

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

Someone at DU said they were all in favor of adding the military. Then Bush could be prosecuted--after all, who's killed more of them?

[quantum-witch.livejournal.com]

Oh, wouldn't that be the ultimate, delicious irony?

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Oh, for... We've had sexual orientation up there with the rest of them in Norwegian law for years, and our freedom of speech still feels healthy and fine, thank you. In fact, I just took it out for a walk.

But Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, warned that the true intent of the bill was "to muzzle people of faith who dare to express their moral and biblical concerns about homosexuality." If you read the Bible in a certain way, he told his broadcast listeners, "you may be guilty of committing a 'thought crime."'

No, it's looking to legally kick a bit harder in the ass those who thing 'moral and biblical concerns' make it okay to treat people like shit, discriminate, beat them up or maybe even kill them, you twat.

It's too bad my 'moral and Håvamål concerns' don't allow me to come plunder his house with a longboat.

[erunyauve-e.livejournal.com]

"Under this bill justice will no longer be equal, but depend on the race, sex, sexual orientation, disability or status of the victim."

What they don't get (or maybe they do) is that it's not about one group's greater likelihood of becoming victims of crime or about crimes against certain people being seen as more serious than crimes against others. Hate crimes are meant to intimidate people and subvert existing laws by making a whole class of people afraid to make use of the justice system and their legal rights. (And in any case, a white, heterosexual man who is attacked because of his race or sexual orientation is also protected by hate crimes laws.)