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In reply to the discussion: Senate GOP Blocks Domestic Terrorism Bill [View all]crickets
(25,896 posts)12. Excellent article. It's unreal that DHS allows this to continue to fester.
DHSs caution or avoidance, as its critics claim, may partly stem from worries that aggressive intelligence operations could be seen as civil liberties violations. A DHS official explained that unlike international terrorism, there are no designated domestic terrorist groups. Subsequently, all the legal actions of an identified extremist group leading up to an act of violence are constitutionally protected and not reported on by DHS.
There is a certain point past which the Constitution does not protect hate speech. Regarding the purported hesitance to monitor and report on these groups - oh, please. It's insulting to pretend there aren't umpteen government agencies monitoring and reporting the hell out of all of us.
https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/criminal/does-the-first-amendment-protect-hate-speech.html
The First Amendment doesnt give people the right to make direct, personal threats of immediate violence. This can include intimidating symbolic actions like burning a cross that are meant to make specific victims fear for their lives, even if the cross-burners dont actually plan to carry through with the threat (Virginia v. Black, 538 U.S. 343 (2003)). [snip]
As the law stands now, government (including public colleges and universities) generally cant bar hate speech unless its direct, personal, and either truly threatening or violently provocative. At the same time, laws against hate crimes dont violate the First Amendment, because theyre based on actions rather than expressions of an opinion (Wisconsin v. Mitchell, 508 U.S. 476 (1993)).
As the law stands now, government (including public colleges and universities) generally cant bar hate speech unless its direct, personal, and either truly threatening or violently provocative. At the same time, laws against hate crimes dont violate the First Amendment, because theyre based on actions rather than expressions of an opinion (Wisconsin v. Mitchell, 508 U.S. 476 (1993)).
As for the lack of designated domestic terrorist groups, it's well past time to start designating them. The SPLC could help out with that.
https://www.splcenter.org/issues/hate-and-extremism
The SPLC is the premier U.S. organization monitoring the activities of domestic hate groups and other extremists including the Ku Klux Klan, white nationalists, the neo-Nazi movement, antigovernment militias and others.
We track more than 1,600 extremist groups operating across the country. We publish investigative reports, train law enforcement officers and share key intelligence, and offer expert analysis to the media and public.
- Hate Map: There are 733 hate groups currently operating in the US. [snip]
- Extremist Files: A database on prominent extremist groups and individuals
- 100 Days in Trump's America: A report on white nationalists and their agenda to infiltrate the mainstream
- Terror From The Right: A synopsis of radical-right terrorist plots, conspiracies and racist rampages since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. It includes a roster of murdered law enforcement officials.
We track more than 1,600 extremist groups operating across the country. We publish investigative reports, train law enforcement officers and share key intelligence, and offer expert analysis to the media and public.
- Hate Map: There are 733 hate groups currently operating in the US. [snip]
- Extremist Files: A database on prominent extremist groups and individuals
- 100 Days in Trump's America: A report on white nationalists and their agenda to infiltrate the mainstream
- Terror From The Right: A synopsis of radical-right terrorist plots, conspiracies and racist rampages since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. It includes a roster of murdered law enforcement officials.
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Testicle Tanner Tucker called White Supremacy "a hoax" after El Paso massacre.
Kid Berwyn
May 2022
#6
There are things Schumer could do to those two. Take them off their committees, stop sending cash
librechik
May 2022
#9
The GOP needs violent white males to act as foot soldiers in their war against America.
Irish_Dem
May 2022
#8