Thursday, September 23, 2004

Come to Berkeley CA, where we hate everybody

Interesting breakdown of incidents classified as hate crimes in and around the UC-Berkeley campus by what appears to be a UC student. My favorite is from exactly a year ago:

"September 23, 2003, from Berkeley Daily Planet police blotter: 'Police were called to the 2600 block of Dana Street Tuesday when a resident spotted a stuffed gorilla wearing a red and white San Francisco 49ers jacket with the words "I’m Gay" written on the back. Police have not determined if the incident will be classified as a hate crime.'"

I lived in Berserkely for more than two years, and hung about the Cal campus a bit, so I've seen lots of protests and protesters, and been harrassed by any number of earnest young kids about heavy issues around the globe, and even had candid political discussion with what must have been avowed liberals there, but I don't remember experiencing hatefulness even in the most spirited debate, or seeing the kind of overly defiant (and to my mind counterproductive) protest that surrounded the Republican Convention in NYC. Frankly I was amazed how thoughtful and reasonable the most flaming of liberals usually was, even when I poked them a little. Then again, Clinton was elected right when I got there, so maybe that explains some of it.

Poached from Res Ipsa Loquitur (blogspotting, like me)

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