Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

(1) This is terrible. If evidence of this incident being deliberate is shown (which seems likely) then this counts as a domestic terrorist attack and a civil rights issue.

If you don't know who #MatthewShepard was, google the name. TW: Violence.

Then talk about #PrideMonth.

https://twitter.com/GinaMBenitez/status/1406403749799735301

(2) Wilton Manors (adding that here to assist Twitter searches.)

A lot of folk see the term civil rights as a racial thing. It's not only that.

You, me, and all of us have certain civil rights, according to what our country has adopted over time.

justice.gov/crt

(3) In the US, the DOJ is responsible for enforcing "federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status."

(4) It's important to remember that what counts as a "protected class" of civil rights is determined by the courts, and not the media, survivors, family, the accused, or public opinion.

Deliberate crimes can be considered domestic terrorism, too.

(5) During the Trump administration I followed as many DOJ civil rights cases as I could. There were cases of violence against people from the L, B, G, or T communities, they just didn't make national headlines.

So I don't see a big difference depending on who is in office.

(6) Granted, there have often been changes in some of the policy direction of the Civil Rights Division's emphasis between R and D administrations, but that doesn't mean groups were left unprotected.

Presidents are required to enforce the law, & that's a whole 'nother issue...

(7) For now, I want to show respect for the direct and indirect victims of this latest incident. Terrorism aims to intimidate sections of the public, and government officials, from exercising their freedoms and fulfilling their duties.

That's why it's so important to fight it.

(8) Also important to mention the Pulse Nightclub attack in Orlando, FL on June 12, 2016.

At the time I wrote about it extensively. All manner of issue hijacking and conspiracy theorizing ensued.

At heart, the attacker hated LGBT people. And the club had inadequate security.

(9) The direct victims of terrorism lay in their graves, or get around with mobility equipment.

The indirect victims are everyone else, whose freedom is reduced a little each time.

Government can't guarantee your safety everywhere. But it can, and must, protect your rights.

(10) People go on pride marches for several reasons. One is to reclaim a bit of public space from those who try to push marginalized groups out of it. As such, they're "protesters."

If a protester then breaks the law, they're a rioter, or a suspect, or a defendant, for example.

(11) I make the point about protesters and rioters because in 2021 there's a lot of willful confusing of the two.

Gov De Santis (R-FL) signed a law about vehicle collisions with protesters. That's being talked about a lot after the Wilton Manors incident.

(12) We who seek an @AccountableGOP will not stop talking about 1/6 bc the continued violence is predictable. We're trying to sound the alarm, as we did before 1/6.

Certain office holders have a duty to address the recent past, to prevent loss of life.

https://twitter.com/OliviaTroye/status/1394994793747566594

(13) People on both sides* are getting killed. Democrats must make use of the power they currently have to bring all perpetrators to justice or things will only get worse.

*I mean everyone, not just LBGT people as if they're all Democrats. They're not. But they are targeted.

(14) The number of far right and far left zealots willing to carry out political violence has increased in recent years, and on the far right it's been exponential.

Source: fbi.gov/file-repositor…

(15) I give zero fucks about the lame responses the MAGA crowd always trot out when I talk about this issue. I've studied the evidence and can expose the flaws in their assertions very easily.

I am #ExMAGA so I know all the assertions they are taught, and how to counter them.

(16) It doesn't matter what today's perpetrator has said or will say about his motive for murder. The overall temperature has been rising for some time, and office holders on both sides have ignored some of the steps they needed to take. That has real world consequences.

(17) And like clockwork, those who encourage, enable and condone terrorism have already crawled out of the woodwork to claim that even the Matthew Shepard case was not what it seems. Le sigh.

Facts:

matthewshepard.org/faq/

(18) So this Wilton Manors incident has provoked a lot of political discussion and debate, which I see as a good thing.

It has not yet been confirmed by law enforcement whether they are treating it as homicide or accidental death.

At least one witness claimed it was homicide:

(19) Ft Lauderdale Mayor @DeanTrantalis says he saw the incident and he is sure it was a deliberate attempted attack, on Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL):

https://twitter.com/IanMargolWPLG/status/1406389374888120322

(20) The alleged driver of the car is likely a member of the local LGBT community, as the choir president has confirmed.

However, some observers have made a ton of assumptions about this, for which we lack evidence, for now.

Source: local10.com/news/local/202…

(21) It is conceivable that the truck accelerated by accident, which often happens if a driver presses the wrong pedal by mistake. We've all done it. Also, mechanical failure can cause this. The suspect has a right to use such defenses if he is charged.

(21) It's also conceivable that he intended to accelerate his truck at that moment. We will have to wait & see.

Eyewitness testimony carries a lot of weight, but there will be other kinds of evidence. If the Mayor was mistaken or jumped to a conclusion, he will have to fess up.

(22) Continued in Thread #2:

https://twitter.com/FreedomFriesInc/status/1406837281445478401