Here's some mind-numbing irony from the far right.
I had intended to write my third and final diary about an alleged hate crime that took place recently in Champaign, Illinois, after the case had been adjudicated. The defendant, Brett Vanasdlen, 18, of Minooka, Illinois, goes to Court on May 6th. However, since last night when I posted part two of my series of diaries on the April 12, 2008 incident, the Brett Vanasdlen case has spread further around the blogosphere with increasing vitriol directed at the victim, Steven Velasquez, a gay man who suffered some head trauma in the alleged hate crime that took place near his school, the University of Illinois. (And if you don't want to read my diary, but I hope you take a short break from all the election-focused diaries and check it out, then please take the poll).
Last night I reported that hate-monger and anti-hate crime activist, Rev. Ted Pike, who is the director of the National Prayer Network, a "Christian" neo-conservative watchdog organization/hate group, picked up on the Brett Vanasdlen case and is loudly protesting that the hate crime charge has been "trumped up" by the left-wing Champaign, Illinois police department. He has urged the public to call the mayor of Champaign and the District Attorney to "demand" that the "trumped up" hate crime charge be dropped. Since last night more hate-mongers have joined the chorus. Have a listen:
At the racist, white nationalist Stormfront website we hear this from a poster who calls himself Marlon Brando (he wishes):
This is why it is imperative that you stay clear of the fags. Walk WAY around them. Treat them as a disease, because they ARE one. And please, Move out of the cities, counties and states that back the queer and his word up! Even women who "like" other women disgust me.
Wait a minute; wasn't Marlon Brando bisexual?
And never mind that the Anti-Defamation League has said nothing about the Champaign, Illinois incident, we here this from "I Spirit Warrior" (with my clarifications in brackets):
What we need to do is gather under the banner of Civil Rights and march at the court house on this one. Rent busses like the Negroes that rolled into Jena La.
No symbols and WN [white nationalist] flags and no rhetoric and the such. I wonder how many closet conservatives we could gather in minnion just under the banner of equality because this case REEKS OF FOUL CORRUPTION AND WE HAVE ANOTHER YOUTH DOWN! Screw that we need to mobilize at some point or sit idle.
This case is insane. This could be my son or yours! I will not give my opinion of the ADL [Anti-Demation League] as the very sensitive nature of my opinion is best left unsaid. I'm not Christian, but the ADL wishes to tarnish and foul ALL THINGS Germanic, both ancient and modern.
The more I type the angrier I get about this news. We should march. We should rally ALL Christian YOUTH groups and conservatives. Outrageous!
Not to be outdone are the posters at political hotwire.
Here is what "bla bla" wrote about the case:
If hate were really a crime all the Lefties in America would be behind bars for what they have said about Bush.
"Hate speech" laws, just like other "right think" constructs, are just ways to attack who you want when you want.
And this from "Libre":
More ridiculous laws. I love knowing that if I get killed, my life isn't worth as much under the law as a (insert minority here).
Finally, there is this beauty from "justoneman" who cannot bear to humanize the victim in this case by using his name (Steven Velasquez), intead he refers to him as "the homosexual":
This hate crime stuff is not a two way street. Maybe the homosexual hates straight people. Who is to say who hates who? What should matter is who assaulted who first. That will only come out in a court case.
I have heard many say that blacks and gays cannot be convicted of a hate crime, that it can only go the other way!! Well then there is a law that is racist and sexist.
Ok, I've heard from the far right. Now, I'd like to hear you.