The level of hatred that pervades the Republican right never ceases to amaze me. This hatred seems especially intense among the sheeple who regularly pollute their brains with Faux Noise, the Republican Ministry of Propaganda. In this example, the response of Fox brainwashed Republicans is enough to boggle the mind.
Zerlina Maxwell is a feminist writer and frequent guest on Fox News. Last week, while a guest on Sean Hannity’s show, Maxwell argued that arming women is not a way to solve the problem of rape. Among other things, she pointed out that “if firearms were the answer, then the military would be the safest place for women, and it’s not.” You can watch her full segment below:
In the wake of her appearance, Maxwell was bombarded with harassing messages calling for her to be raped or murdered, often in explicitly racist terms. She provided ThinkProgress with screenshots of three examples:
These kinds of online threats are not simply cowardly and repulsive, they also may be criminal. In New York, where Maxwell resides, a person who “[w]ith intent to harass, annoy or alarm a specific person, intentionally engages in a course of conduct directed at such person which is likely to cause such person to reasonably fear physical injury or serious physical injury, the commission of a sex offense against, or the kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment or death of such person or a member of such person’s immediate family” is guilty of stalking in the third degree, and may be punished by up to one year in prison. At least some of the attacks on Maxwell also could qualify as hate crimes, which would lead to a higher sentence…
Inserted from <Think Progress>
For once, I did not find Hannity excessively offensive. I disagree with his opinion, but he fell well short of his normal level of disrespect. However, the problem is that the Republican Party not only celebrates such expression, but also, uses it to further their own political ends.
I do hope that the Republican in the top tweet is located and prosecuted.
24 Responses to “Republican Replies to Rape”
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Thanks for publicizing this, Tom. This is yet another nail in the GOP/'Faux News coffin. All decent people will be offended by the hatred generated here. I know I am.
…as I am, Angie.
Hannity was less offensive than norma but still offensive. He wouldn't let Zelina finish speaking because of his constant interruptions. The other woman needs her head examined too.
The neanderthals who tweeted should all be caught and prosecuted for inciting violence against women.
Patty, I agree.
I'm stunned at the sheer venom of the tweets against her. I know I shouldn't be after the last 4 years of the Tea Party. But I am. Ignorance and violence still stun me.
Good point, Blue.
Wow–was cruising along here and saw those words —caught my breathe and looked further—these people are really mentally disturbed—don't give them a gun–or knife—put them in a place where they have padded walls.
Amen to that, Gypsy!
What's truly sad is that this vile level of discourse has become so de rigueur among Repubicans, that some people are becoming inured to it.
Too true, Nameless.
The FBI cyber-spies should be on troll patrol to catch & Prosecute these cyber-bullies BEFORE they actually act out their vile fantasies! Every time I think "maybe there're to many prisons" – I read $hit like this & think "we Must build MORE & fill them with sicko RepubliCONs!"
Put Republicans out of power completely, and they will no longer be able to make hate socially acceptible, and folks like these will slink away and hide under their sheets and hoods again.
The very idea of response that the cyber – f-heads had to say – was so shocking to me — that I almost can't remember what the question was about — oh – yeah — guns – well I can't resond adequately – was Hannity really "right" in being so evasive, or was this poor woman who knew and prepared herself in every reasonable manner to defend herself from a vile attack, I believe in NYC – if attacked – you can only go so far to defend yourself – I've been attacked 3 times – I'm a bisexual guy – the first was in a park and the gu I was with was stabbed to death – I ran faster, the second and third times were by gun– yes a gun carries a lot of power – and I know you can't rely on the cops here, since moments after an armed robbery the cops were sitting across the street and disregarded my complaint – because the damn street was divided by sidewalk – I don't even know how to respond, but even through my experiences ( the 3rd – was russian roulette – and after the 3rd attempt by the offender, he let me go- –WHY?) — my response is the same as this victim – NO NO NO no guns! and I blame all of the unreasonable gun enthusiasts for every experience I encountered, and the experience this woman has – we need gun responsibility and gun regulation – cecause these MF'ers are everywhere – and if we can keep them disarmed we do ourselves a world of service — I want the 2nd amendment -'AMENDED'
Lww, I have no trouble with the 2md Amendment. Republicans interpret it irrationally.
to explain about the street division – one half of my street is presided by one precinct and the other – by another – I will never trust a god damned NYPD as long as I live – which wouldn't ever be something I could rely on those bastards for! The suspect in that case was still in view and running away — that's how F'd up the NYPD is — and sorry – I will do anything to protect myself from NYPD f'heads — I also witnessed a beating of a black guy by the NYPD – called out (cell phones at the time were not invented) and was chased – fortunately I outran those dman bastards — don't trust the god damned cops — they, at least here in NYC – are our enemy! At least from my experience – which is pretty exghaustive!
In NY, I had mixed experience with cops. On the lower east side, they pretty much left us alone, and we pretty much cooperated on major stuff. The treatment of demonstrators by the TPF was another matter.
Those tweets are beyond disgusting! I hope she pursues prosecution of the creeps who sent them. sad that we still have Fox on the air, to feed these morons their daily dose of hate.
So do I, Edie.
Ok, I'll agree Hannity wasn't his usual obnoxious self, but he was still offensive. As to the tweets, never have I seen such vitriol, hate filled racial vitriol. There is no place in a civil society for this. If this person (I use the term extremely loosely) in the first tweet is not thoroughly investigated, charged and convicted with at least stalking, then there is something definitely wrong with the American justice system.
When Hannity is merely offenceive, he seems almost angelic., Amen!
Sounds like both black and white women need to be armed because of Michael Shapiro. What a lunatic. Hope the FBI finds him before he goes completely overboard. I think a vacation in a padded room would be nice – for a few years.
I would prefer seeing Shapiro in an orange jump suit.
There's an episode of This American Life that proves that being court ordered into psychiatric residential treatment is like falling down a long dark hole in the ground. They can keep you forever no matter what your sentence was. You can behave as lucidly as you like, it will be interpreted as pathological in residential treatment. There's no parole. Just more medication and jackets with very long sleeves.
I object to that when used as a way to extend punishment. Should Michael Shapiro do whatever it takes to change and become a pro social, law abiding individual, no longer a threat, he should be released. I've seen many that started out like him and ended up more honest than 90% of Congress in my volunteer work.