John Kass telepathically steals my line this morning when he says
As he spoke, I hoped he’d soon experience multicultural diversity up close and personal in the federal pen.
I had tried to make a line like that work and it kept coming out as some weird allusion to prison rape. Rape isn’t funny so I didn’t do it. Kass worked it out just fine. Hence, Kass is paid for his writing.
What is more interesting is that Kass was there. I think it is safe to assume Patrick Fitzgerald or someone in the US Attorney’s office tipped him off. Kudos to them. While I am always suspicious of prosecutorial leaks to reporters, it is entirely fitting in this case where the reporter can relay the delusional mind of Hale and his supporters.
The news story includes Hale’s background as a likely terrorist.
I’ve written about Hale before in the context of terrorism and the sniper shootings last fall. I still believe it is true that all too often many in the blogosphere try and tie every violent act to Islamist terrorism. My belief is that tendency is due to people not wanting to accept the inhumanity present in even some good ‘ole average Americans. And that is what Hale is except for his raving hatred. He grew up on the border of working and middle class in the very respectable town of East Peoria. Other than being a huge crod and a racist, he wouldn’t stand out a bit. Having grown up near there, I would hate to think all Central Illinoisans would be painted with same brush as he is just as I would hate for all Muslims to face the same stereotypes. While there are cultural problems in Islamic countries that drive violence, we are different in degree, not in nature.