Ken Germana, a racist yokel from Idaho, put up a sign on his yard that advertises "free public hanging" of Barack Obama, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi and Al Sharpton in what he calls a "political statement." Barack Obama's name was written the most prominently.
The local sheriff has referred to offending buffoon to the Secret Service. Christine Holbert, president of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, did not believe this was protected speech:
"Everyone has the right of free speech, unless it advocates the killing or hurting of someone or incites violence, which violates the doctrine of human rights...
Holbert called the sign "hateful" and said its content is not protected under the First Amendment.
"I would not want to be in this man's shoes when the Secret Service interviews him," she added.
I wouldn't want to be in the Secret Services' shoes with idiots like this run amok. According to the Associated Press, Obama’s election has sent the bigot scum scurrying from under their rocks, resulting in an alarming increase of race threats and crimes. The AP reports:
Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting "Assassinate Obama." Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.
Incidents around the country referring to President-elect Barack Obama are dampening the postelection glow of racial progress and harmony, highlighting the stubborn racism that remains in America.
From California to Maine, police have documented a range of alleged crimes, from vandalism and vague threats to at least one physical attack. Insults and taunts have been delivered by adults, college students and second-graders.
The article goes on to discuss disturbing incidents occurring across the country. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the increase in these incidents could be the result of a white supremacist mentality perceiving a loss of racist privilege. A director at the Southern Poverty Law Center explains:
Potok, who is white, said he believes there is "a large subset of white people in this country who feel that they are losing everything they know, that the country their forefathers built has somehow been stolen from them."
Adding to these unsettling reports, another article today by the AP reports that Obama has received more threats than any President-Elect before him. According to that article:
Threats against a new president historically spike right after an election, but from Maine to Idaho law enforcement officials are seeing more against Barack Obama than ever before. The Secret Service would not comment or provide the number of cases they are investigating. But since the Nov. 4 election, law enforcement officials have seen more potentially threatening writings, Internet postings and other activity directed at Obama than has been seen with any past president-elect, said officials aware of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue of a president's security is so sensitive.
I really hate to say it, but these hatemongers have a part of me hoping that they’re being monitored under warrantless wiretaps.