Hate speech
This horrible incident combine with some political adds running locally to result in this rant.
In the story, the cat had "liberal" painted on it.
In the ads, the democratic candidate is attacked for voting for tax increases. Ok, that's legit. But they also refer to her being "liberal" or "the most liberal" as if liberal is something horrible.
That's crossing a line. A line crossing that leads to things like that cat, and like the shooting of Mrs. Gifford.
And I think that we should consider that sort of thing as potential hate speech.
Go after someone for their *behavoir* and attitudes. that's mostly ok. But for their party, or general philosophy (liberal or conservative)? That's just fostering attitudes that are deadly to the political process. And to politicians.
In the story, the cat had "liberal" painted on it.
In the ads, the democratic candidate is attacked for voting for tax increases. Ok, that's legit. But they also refer to her being "liberal" or "the most liberal" as if liberal is something horrible.
That's crossing a line. A line crossing that leads to things like that cat, and like the shooting of Mrs. Gifford.
And I think that we should consider that sort of thing as potential hate speech.
Go after someone for their *behavoir* and attitudes. that's mostly ok. But for their party, or general philosophy (liberal or conservative)? That's just fostering attitudes that are deadly to the political process. And to politicians.