This, Unfortunately, Isn't The Start

.....it's simply a continuation of what is already germinating in America.



Talking Points Memo has more details:

According to NY1, the cabbie managed to lock the passenger in the back seat while he called 911. Then both cabbie and crazy deranged passenger were taken to Bellevue Hospital, a few blocks away. According to NY1 -- and sort of incredibly -- as of late last night, the crazy deranged passenger had not yet been charged. No word on the condition of the cabbie at this point, either. Right now, NY1 appears to be the only source for this story (and their source seems to just be the police).

Okay so: Anyone else sadly not surprised at a Muslim hate crime in New York City these days? The anger that flared up at the anti-Mosque protest on Sunday sure looked like it could have led to something scary. Anti-Muslim invective is not a new phenomenon -- Glynnis MacNicol reminded me how after 9/11, many Muslim (and Indian) cabbies put American flags in their windows, to signal their patriotism. It's not just in New York, either: In San Diego, a cabbie was attacked in May after taking a pit-stop to pray. In Chicago, cabbies are now driving around with anti-Islamic ads on them, sponsored by a group called "Stop The Islamization of America." on Open Salon, a contributer wrote about hearing the 9/11 stories of cab drivers, particularly one Muslim man.

Hate crime, or opportunity for conservatives? If you guessed both, you're right - but that's not a good thing.

The apparent anti-Muslim assault on a New York city cabbie by a man shouting “Assalamu Alaikum. Consider this a checkpoint" produced an immediate round of recriminations over its connection to opposition to a New York Islamic Center and an apparent rising tide of Islamophobia.

But as often at the intersection of politics and violent crime, the story doesn't appear to fit any easy stereotype: The alleged assailant, Michael Enright, is — according to his Facebook profile and the website of the left-leaning media organization Intersections International — a student at the School of Visual Arts and a volunteer for Intersections, which recently produced a statement of support for the Park51 project and is funded by the mainstream, liberal Collegiate Church of New York.

Intersections did not respond to two messages, and the group does not appear to be picking up the phone. Enright did not respond to a message through his Facebook account.

But this appears to be the same man: Police described Enright as a resident of Brewster, 21 years old, and an employee of an "Internet media company who had recently spent time with a combat unit in Afghanistan filming military exercises until this past May."

While both Fox"Nation" and Politico play the "friend of a friend" game with this, it's rather easy to see through this paper-thin facade.

While the reactionary Right will claim that since this man was affiliated with Intersections, that THAT is conclusive proof that he is a leftist. That's a pretty sad argument to make, as people that want to break into visual media - particularly cinematography - will take on almost any available job that would grant them access to shoots that will boost their portfolio and hopefully garner them a position where they truly desire to be. Where you work doesn't directly reflect your political outlook. I worked for almost 5 years for a hydraulics firm packed with racist, Right-wing Palin worshipers and I'm definitely not aligned with them.

But then we are most certainly to see the "but he volunteered with them" argument that will be used to paint a portrait of "lefty-sympathy". It all wreaks of the continued conservative clamour to try and prove that it's the liberals/progressives that are the violent ones.

Exit question: Michelle Malkin's already got this man's name and place of residence, so why didn't she check his voter registration status like she has done so many times before to prove a point? Could it be that she wouldn't get the answer she wanted?

Redefining Hate

This isn't surprising, considering conservatives take on recently passed "hate crimes" legislation.

The Mojave Desert War Memorial, which was saved temporarily by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, was torn down by vandals sometime Sunday night. Liberty Institute, which represents longtime memorial caretakers Henry and Wanda Sandoz, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), The American Legion, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the American Ex-Prisoners of War, is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the removal of VFW property.

“This is an outrage, akin to desecrating people’s graves,” said Kelly Shackelford, president/CEO of Liberty Institute. “It’s a disgraceful attack on the selfless sacrifice of our veterans. We will not rest until this memorial is re-installed.”

Fox Nation is framing this in the context of a hate crime, purportedly to back up their claims that it would stifle religious speech. And while there is no evidence to suggest who did this or what the motivating factors were, fringe right-wingers are running with this narrative.

I'm going to mention this again, as it rightfully should be pointed out - this whole notion of victimhood has become so ingrained within the conservative mindset that it continually amazes me that they claim that it is the liberal/progressive movement who play the victim role.

Ann Coulter had an entire book about this. Apparently she hasn't been paying attention to the conservative movement sine January 2009.

This Is How It Starts

Yeah, conservative rhetoric and draconian immigration laws would never lead to violence against innocent people.

On April 17th, the Seattle Police Department’s gang unit responded to a 911 call made by a man who claimed that he was robbed by four Latino men with a machete. One of those officers who responded to the call detained a Latino male suspect, threatened to “beat the [expletive] Mexican piss out” of him, and kicked him in the head. The suspect was later released after police confirmed that he had nothing to do with the alleged robbery.

Think Progress has more.

And while the officer has issued an apology ( was he fired? ) and the US Department Of Justice is investigating, it's this type of scenario that is likely to occur again once the Arizona immigration law goes into full effect.

It will never cease to amaze me when I hear conservatives claim that they are a "peaceful" grouping of people and their words and deeds never lead to violence against anyone. I wonder how many of them have seen this video?

Haters Of Understanding

Far more often than people are willing to realize, conservatives will do and say things that speak against their better judgement. This can be seen in a variety of ways. From healthcare reform, to ensuring that information flows freely throughout the internet from all ISPs, and even protecting every American citizen - regardless of sexuality, conservatives have consistantly shown that they are the party that they continually rail against.

But today, there was a fantastic victory for not only the Obama administration, but for the oppressed in modern society.

President Obama signed major civil rights legislation on Wednesday, making it a federal hate crime to assault people based on sexual orientation, gender and gender identity. The new measure expands the the scope of a 1968 law that applies to people attacked because of their race, religion or national origin. The U.S. Justice Department will have expanded authority to prosecute such crimes when local authorities don't.

The provision, called the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is attached to a defense authorization bill. It is named after Matthew Shepard, a gay college student tortured and killed in 1998, and James Byrd Jr., a black man who was chained to a pickup truck and dragged to his death the same year.

Hearing conservative Republicans shriek and moan against Hate-Crimes legislation not only solidifies that they are willing to be against anything that Democrats, liberals, and progressives are fighting for, but it creates the image that conservatives are more than willing to say that people who aren't straight, who "aren't like them" are people of lesser value, that their lives aren't as equal as others. By and large, this aspect of conservativism is filled with abject ignorance and hatred of its own.

The very idea that conservative Republicans were willing to distort the very clear and understandable meaning behind this legislation to claim that freedom of speech would not only be stiffled, but punished, is another example of how they are willing to accept the death of people like Matthew Shepard so that their places in the socio-political landscape is preserved.

Oh, GOP, Why Do You Hate The Troops So?

Glenn Thrush reports that select members of the Republican party are willing to vote "no" the current funding bill for troops in Afganistan because Hate-Crimes legislation is attached to it.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) are voting against the House/Senate fiscal year 2010 defense authorization bill — because it contains hate crimes provisions designed to protect gays and lesbians.

Boehner, speaking at his weekly press conference Thursday, said the inclusion of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in the defense bill was "an abuse of power" by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that sought to punish offenders for what they thought — and not what they did.

He accused the speaker of pursuing her social agenda "on the backs" of the troops.

While adding on select bills to legislation that is being voted on is in no way a new practice, the actions of Boehner and Pence are nothing more than political posturing. But you knew that anyway.

While conservatives are more than willing to use the American military as sticks to beat people with, they have a complete lack of understanding when it comes to hate-crimes. Do people like Boehner and Pence not see that crimes against people sexual orientation are not only wrong but pervasive in this country? Are they willing to ignore the opressed and ridiculed in society in favor of funding a conflict in Afganistan that they understand even less?

Exit question - and since conservatives are so concerned in this area: who's going to pay for Afganistan funding?

Life, Liberty, And The Persuit Of Happiness - Unless You're Gay

( h/t to Ed Brayton @ Dispatches From The Culture War for this nugget of crazy )

Christian News Wire, as stated by Ed, is a great place to check out the Fundamentalist-Christian-Craziness. Here's a great example:

"America will learn the hard way that you cannot make straight what God has called crooked, or tolerate what God deems intolerable, or turn moral wrongs into civil rights, and thrive as a people." Rev. Rusty Thomas, Director, Elijah Ministries

"This bill seeks to shut down the message of hope and deliverance from the chains of homosexuality through Jesus Christ. It criminalizes Christians who reach out in the love of God to save those trapped in sexual perversion." Michael Marcavage, Director, Repent America.

Don't you just love how these alleged "Christians" are selective with what they say the bible calls "wrong" and "right".

So do we have to re-write the the Declaration Of Independance now?

Equal Protection For Gays Not In GOP's Best Interest

Many within the GOP, including their primary media outlet are railing against the new "hate crimes" legislation that is making its way through both chambers of the House.

With rampant speculation, fear, and ignorance, they are claiming that the bill, if passed, will stiffle speech, thought, and even go after religious organizations.





Many claim that hate-crimes laws are facsism, that it would target pastors and churches, and stiffle religious freedoms:



But Republican Congresswoman Virginia Foxx takes it a step further. Why does this not suprise me?



The House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 by a margin of 249-175. Only 18 Republicans voted in favor. Another shining example that the GOP is completely out of touch with America.

If you would like to contact Rep. Virginia Foxx, here's how you can.

Phone: (202) 225-2071
Phone: (336) 778-0211
Phone: (828) 265-0240

It should also be pointed out that Rep. Foxx is not the first to postulate this.

More from Think Progress

No Room For Hate - Unless You're Michelle Malkin

Michelle Malkin seems to think that people should have tolerance for hatespeech:

If you want your kids to go to a university that teaches tolerance for dissent, respect for free speech, and the ability to debate ideological opponents without screaming at them and waving ferrets in their faces, do not — I repeat, do not — send them to the University of Massachussetts....

Malkin is refering to a speech at The University of Massachusetts given by conservative pundit, writer, and blogger Don Feder.



His abreviated speech, specifically tailored to insight anger amongst many in attendance, focused primariy on the following:

Hate crime laws are fascism, fascism in the guise of protecting minorities.

Excepting laws against libel and slander, we have the freedom to spread lies and disinformation, the freedom to spread lies that are hurtful and even hateful, we have the freedom to say things that would enrage those who would suppress speech in the name of tolerance

Ah, the "fascism" bit. How original.

From the start, this event was doomed to end and be a nice little talking-point for people like Malkin.

Granted, there were verbal interuptions ( and someone was escorted away that had a ferret, but there was no mention of it being waved in someone's face ) but Feder seemed ready to end his speech before he even started.

While disrupting a speech is a rather poor way to show that you disagree with a speaker, it's almost expected when you have a someone like Feder who is doing the speaking. It's people like this - as well as Ann Coulter and David Horowitz - who provide nothing to advance the national dialogue on specific issue, but prefer to "shock".

So, the question to Malkin would be - are you advocating hate-speech?

When someone compares his audience to Nazis, I don't really see that there is anything to gain from their words.

Republican Club vice president Brad DeFlumeri, who organized the event, had this to say:

...the leftists who did attend made it quite clear quite early that they intended for the event to be shut down, that they intended to infringe upon Don Feder’s first amendment free speech rights.

Was there intent on their part?

It could easily be argued that Feder gave-up his free-speech rights because he realized that the audience had no desire to accept his hatred.

The Last Ashley Todd Post, I Promise

Let's put aside the fact that this is not suprising.

Let's also not forget that there are people out their crazy enough to literally attack people for their beliefs.

But, this is just sad.

Michelle Malkin says thinks it's all about her now:

Can I say I told you so?

I’ve covered hate crimes hoaxes long enough to know one when I smell one.

Those of you who trashed me in comments might want to think twice before doubting my instincts next time.

And those of you on the left who are now so interested in debunking despicable hate crimes might show a little more skepticism yourselves next time when similar narratives hit the news pages involving politically correct hoaxers who share your politics.

And boy, her followers sure do line-up fast to lick as much of her ass as they can. This is a mass digital rim-job not soon to be outdone.

Typical.

Also typical are some of the responses on her blog that are already whining like children who've had their toys taken away. They are upset that this is going to be reported:

On October 24th, 2008 at 3:56 pm, Brian72 said:
What do you wanna bet that this hoax will now suddenly be a HUGE story that will be flogged for days on end, and reviving the “ugly republican” line from last week.

Now that it’s fake, it’s going to be news. If it had been true, no one would care in the MSM. No one cared that woman with a McCain sign was assaulted in the face and injured by an Obama person. Nothing to see here move along.

Some one may or may not have yelled something that may or may not have been offensive in a crowd or 15,000 people!

The whole Republican Party are hatemongers! Film at 11

Some are even postulating that this was all some Democratic scheme:

On October 24th, 2008 at 3:56 pm, rightwingrocker said:

I still wouldn’t be surprised to find that the Donks had planted her there and set this all up trying to make the Republicans look bad.

Not saying they did, but they certainly have the potential and the mentality for it.

RWR

Regardless of the stories outcome, it is relevant because of the atmosphere it was perpetrated in.

You Won't Hear About This From O'Reilly Or Hannity Tonight

Turns out that Ashley Todd did it to herself.



SilentPatriot @ C&L is a little kinder to the conservative bloggers for how they approached this than I was:

This story was fishy from the start, and while it's sad that anyone would go to such lengths in order to fabricate a political story, I'm glad the truth has come out. This is probably the only time I'll ever say this, but kudos to Michelle Malkin and the some of the more reasonable right-wingers out there who called foul from the very start. Another interesting facet of the story: John Moody, executive VP of FOX News, is on record saying that, if true, this story could sink Obama. If not, says Moody, McCain is done. We're awaiting your update, John. Jon Perr adds: "Joe the Plumber" has been replaced by "Ashley the Fraud."

This story, regardless of its outcome, was going to be bad.

It will be interesting to see how the press plays this out over the weekend.

:UPDATE:

Here's what Fox Executive VP John Moody had to say about this last night on his blog:

this incident could become a watershed event in the 11 days before the election. If Ms. Todd's allegations are proven accurate, some voters may revisit their support for Senator Obama, not because they are racists (with due respect to Rep. John Murtha), but because they suddenly feel they do not know enough about the Democratic nominee.

"If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain's quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting."

Passing Judgement Both Ways Just In Case

Some bloggers are feeding at both ends of the trough in regards to a story of an alleged assault on a female college Republican in Pittsburg:

PITTSBURGH -- A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, apparently because of her political views, Pittsburgh police said.

Ashley Todd, of College Station, Texas, said she was using an ATM at Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when a man approached her and put a knife to her throat.

Police spokeswoman Diane Richard said the robber took $60 from Todd, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim's car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using a dull knife to scratch the letter "B" into her face, Richard said.

"She further stated that the male actor approached her from the back again and hit her in the back of her head with an object, she doesn't know what the object was, causing her to fall to the ground where he continued to punch her and kick her and threaten to 'teach her a lesson' for being a McCain supporter," Richard said.

More here from Pittsburg station WTAE Channel 4.

What is interesting to note is that the lunatic-fringe Right are at each others throats trying to hash-out a way to use this. It's either a brutal "hate-crime" or it's a "hoax".

There's a predictably obtuse sense of "they really want this to be true". Not in-so-much as they have any overt sense of empathy or sorrow for what happened to this girl - whether she was attacked or she did this to herself - but it is so close to election day that any weapon to turn the tied in their favor would be welcome, no matter what the cost.

As far as I'm concerned, this situation reveals much about people on the Right.

This isn't to say that they shouldn't have their opinions, their theories of what might have or might not have happened. But, to be actively cheering on some level that this is true is beyond pathetic.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, these same people are keeping just enough distance from saying "Obama supporters did this" so they can back-peddle without catching too much flak.

It's a very think line that they are walking. But, some of these people make a fairly comfortable living like this. They spew hatered and divisiveness only until they sense they are about to cross that point where the eject-button won't work.

This is one of those moments.