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

[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.