With the ratcheting up of rhetoric, the quantum leaps to baseless conclusions, and plain old teabag infused and wingnut steeped xenophobia, is it any wonder that there are stories like this today:
Tampa police: Marine reservist attacked Greek priest he mistook for terrorist
As I said in the title, I fear more of this to come. I feared this before the Ft. Hood tragedy and I fear it even more since.
TAMPA — A Marine reservist armed with a tire iron beat and chased a man he thought was an Arab terrorist and even called 911 to say he was detaining the man, police said.
Let me make clear that I think this is rooted in xenophobia and ignorance, most likely fueled by too much right wing talk radio, and not the fact that the perpetrator was a Marine reservist.
I'm more concerned that we are going to see more of these citizens on parade as self appointed enforcers ( of what I'm not sure) as some people continue to feed the beast of stereotypes, assumptions, and scapegoating.
But the man he assaulted was actually a Greek Orthodox priest visiting from overseas who spoke limited English, police said.
A Greek Orthodox priest. A visitor to the country who did nothing more than stop to ask for directions. I've dealt with driving while black. Now tourists get to deal with driving while touristing.
The priest followed several cars into the Seaport Channelside Apartments on Twiggs Street. He got out of his car and asked Bruce for help.
Instead of offering help, Bruce struck the priest on the head with a tire iron, police said.
Because that's what we've come to? "Hi, welcome to America. BAM"
The story goes on to report how Jasen Bruce chased Father Marakis for three blocks, called the police to report he'd caught himself an A-rab terrorist.
The saddest part of all? There are people in the comments section of the story defending him.
Is this what we've come to?
Update 1: h/t to skeptiq for video of the suspect's attorney: (yes I know...it's a FOX affiliate but...)
Update 2: also from skeptiq's link:
Attorney Jeff Brown tells FOX 13 he is representing Bruce. He said that Marakis was trespassing and made a sexual reference toward Bruce, and grabbed his genitals. Brown said Bruce was defending himself.
OK so the lost Greek priest pulled off the highway in search of someone in front of who he could grab his man berries? No report whether this was a planned or spontaneous stop and grab.
"He's simply trying to get home when this bearded individual, long robes and a sandal, says something to him in a language he doesn't understand, and the next thing you know, he is grabbing his genitals. So whether police wanna say he was an Arabic [sic] or was not an Arabic, we don't know that," Brown said..
Judging from the way this attorney speaks ( "he was an Arabic" ) might he be a graduate of the Orly Taitz school of made up law?