Lately I've fired off angry letters to JetBlue, Senator Bill Nelson, and now CNN Headline News. I'm on a rant-roll!
Here's the letter I wrote after catching a moment of CNN Headline News' Prime News with Erica Hill (the quoted phrase at the top is from the list of suggested topics on CNN's complaint feedback form):
"Wrong information, editorial slant, information left out, etc." -- Exactly!
I did not see the original report concerning "pastors afraid of extending hate crimes to cover anti-homosexual sermons" but I can tell that, based on the "balanced" emails presented and your presenters reactions to them, you are parroting right-wing talking points.
The clip shown of a preacher whose face was blurrred out (!) was misleading and incendiary. It seems your corporation is determined to make its Headline News Channel into sensationalist "news" a la Fox.
For the rest, please click on "There's more..."
Continuing on with my letter to CNN:
The facts are that Hate Crimes laws, whether pertaining to gay bigotry or racism or anti-religious fervent, are targeted at violent and criminal acts. Speech in the U.S. is protected and not a crime. I am disgusted that neither your anchors nor any of the email viewpoints you presented were willing to point out the simple fact that "preachers afraid of being censored in their pulpits" are LYING in an effort to prevent progressive legislation from being enacted.
It is shameful and disgusting, and so was your coverage of the issue.
I know it is a little weak to say "I didn't see the report" but I was responding to the follow-up which I did see on TV today around 4:35pm. Now I see a link online to what is most likely the original report: Anti-Hate Crimes Pastors on CNN Headline News.
All I can say is that it is very wrong for the media to constantly present "2 sides to every issue" when one of those sides is a big fat fucking lie!!! I mean, unless pastors really want to go to their pulpits telling their congregations to beat up and kill homosexuals, I do not see how they are going to be running afoul of this law!
It makes me so mad I'd like to go out and commit a violent crime against the first religious fanatic I see, but of course I know that not only would I be guilty of whatever attack I might perpetrate I would also be guilty of targeting someone based solely on their religious views — which is of course a hate crime under existing law!
As it should be! Targeting someone for their membership in a class is disruptive to our ability to live together as a society, more so than random violence or individually-motivated acts of violence.
So, I'll forego the violence and just let off my steam by saying, FUCK RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST BIGOTS AND THEIR FUCKING INTOLERANCE AND LIES!!! I SOMETIMES WISH I COULD STRANGLE SOME SENSE INTO THEM, BUT I WILL NOT AND I NEVER WOULD.
And, even though religious membership is a protected class under current anti-hate crime laws in the United States I am in no fear that I am violating those laws above because
- I am not advocating violence,
- Free Speech is protected under the First Amendment, and
- I am not a FUCKING IDIOTIC NARROW-MINDED IGNORANT RELIGIOUS FANATICAL BIGOT ASSHOLE WHO IS EITHER TOO STUPID OR INTENTIONALLY DISHONEST TO RECOGNIZE THAT!!!
Thank you! Have a nice day!!
Crossposted from blogotomy.