The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘Her Perceived Sexuality’? Occupy Oakland Protesters Accused of Robbing Lesbian, Stealing Her Obama Pin

Posted on | March 4, 2012 | 15 Comments

An Oakland Tribune report of a Feb. 22 altercation at an Occupy Oakland protest leaves us attempting to read between the lines:

Three Occupy Oakland protesters suspected of stealing an Oakland woman’s wallet and making offensive remarks about her perceived sexuality were charged Friday with robbery and committing a hate crime, both felonies, authorities said.
Michael Davis, 32, Nneka Crawford, 23, and Randolph Wilkins, 24, all of Oakland, were charged with the felonies by Assistant District Attorney Paul Hora. . . .
Police said that some Occupy Oakland protesters were demonstrating against a Wells Fargo Bank branch there when a woman across the street expressed her opinion about the Occupy movement and the way it’s being handled, Wingate said.
[Oakland Police Sgt. Randy] Wingate said a handful of protesters quickly surrounded her and prevented from leaving the area. Her wallet was taken from her purse, and protesters yanked a Barack Obama pin from her clothing, police said.
Wingate said she was also verbally abused, including making derogatory remarks about her perceived sexuality. A protester punched the woman, and she was bruised and scratched in the altercation.

The phrase “derogatory remarks about her perceived sexuality” is sort of a head-scratcher: Is the victim actually a lesbian, or did the Occupiers just call her something (e.g., “bull dyke”) because they wished to insult her? A report from KTVU — which has the Occupiers “calling her slurs based on their perception of her sexual orientation” — is no more helpful in determining the nature of the alleged hate crime.

Nevertheless, the fact that a woman wearing an Obama pin is not safe from attack at an Occupy protest comes as sort of a surprise. And I wonder if there might not be a 14th Amendment “equal protection” case to be made against this hate crime law: What if a heterosexual housewife wearing a Ronald Reagan T-shirt had been attacked by Occupiers who called her a “breeder”? Wouldn’t that also be a hate crime? If not, why not?

Also, what about “slut”? We know that Rush Limbaugh can’t say “slut” on the radio without causing a major controversy, and doesn’t that word describe a “perceived sexuality”? 

Finally, if “perceived sexuality” is to be so zealously protected, would the Oakland Police press hate-crime charges against protesters if they shouted “bitter old spinster” at Maureen Dowd?

Category: Crime

Comments

15 Responses to “‘Her Perceived Sexuality’? Occupy Oakland Protesters Accused of Robbing Lesbian, Stealing Her Obama Pin”

  1. Stop Robbing the Lesbians! Behave Yourselves!
    March 4th, 2012 @ 12:25 pm

    […] Stacy on “perceived sexuality.” […]

  2. DaveO
    March 4th, 2012 @ 12:38 pm

    Depends. Does MoDo wear a mullet?

  3. Rose
    March 4th, 2012 @ 1:03 pm

    LOL

  4. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 4th, 2012 @ 1:35 pm

    I linked you to this.  My goal is to out fluke Sandra Fluke and out link Camp of the Saints!

  5. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 4th, 2012 @ 1:42 pm

    I linked you to this!     Pretty soon these TOM links are going to be like Orcs falling to Legolas and Gimli!

  6. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 4th, 2012 @ 1:43 pm

    Bob, you are up.  

  7. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 4th, 2012 @ 1:43 pm

    She wears a wig like Carville when he goes out trolling for Republicans.  

  8. Adjoran
    March 4th, 2012 @ 2:49 pm

    You can have lunch with Mo Dowd, but remember not to give her nine tana leaves in her tea, mmmkay?  Bad things will happen.

  9. AnonymousDrivel
    March 4th, 2012 @ 2:57 pm

    Point of Order

    Did you have a falling out with Hot Air? I don’t see you linked in the “Hot Links” section.

  10. Bob Belvedere
    March 4th, 2012 @ 5:56 pm

    I love your spunk EBL and I’ve been admiring your utterly shameless blogwhoring [brought a Goddamn tear to my eye – my blog daughter!], but don’t poke this bear.

  11. DaveO
    March 4th, 2012 @ 6:59 pm

    She has been on a roll lately. Curious as to why RSM is no longer linked Hot Air.

  12. ThoughtsR
    March 4th, 2012 @ 9:27 pm

    scum, scum, and wait for it…scum. nuff said

  13. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 4th, 2012 @ 10:51 pm

    Did Gimli or Legolas really care about the count?  It was the joy of killing orcs that mattered.  

  14. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 4th, 2012 @ 11:15 pm

    And given I am a shameless blogwhore, I know one when I see one…Sandra Fluke I am of course referring to you!  But here is a hint, if you need money for contraception, just have a tip jar next to your bed and shake it.  That is the Stacy McCain way!  

  15. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 5th, 2012 @ 2:00 am

    Carville