University "journalist" threatens the President's life.
December 5, 2000 3:30 PM Subscribe
posted by dhartung at 4:47 PM on December 5, 2000
posted by baylink at 4:48 PM on December 5, 2000
You promised you would release him during your presidency, and, well sir, I believe your eight years is almost up, and the lame duck is about to be shot. Ha, ha, ha; I mean it, literally.Is this what you're getting all hot and bothered about?
posted by rcade at 4:49 PM on December 5, 2000
posted by sugarfish at 5:13 PM on December 5, 2000
If so, I'd say yeah, the SS would move on that; they're not known for having a sense of humor.
posted by baylink at 5:13 PM on December 5, 2000
Free Republic had a copy of the column in a thread, but I can't find it again.
posted by rcade at 5:15 PM on December 5, 2000
No. There was a much more specific threat in the original article. Anyway, the piece is now gone entirely. The link goes to a blank page, and the rest of the site shows no sign it ever existed.
Which is a good thing, because it was one of the most singularly horrid pieces of writing I've ever seen make it to publication, even by the low standards of college newspapers. And that's before we even get to the death threat. Well, the specific threat was something about shooting the president in the elbow (???) if he didn't pardon Leonard Peltier. And she didn't even get to that until halfway through her rant, which tells you something about her journalistic qualification. I mean, burying the lead, sheesh!
Whoever this girl is, she was never going to be a journalist or a professional writer of any sort anyway, judging from this piece. Now, the paper's editors, that's a different story. They are definitely in need of a few serious whacks with The Career-Defining Clue Bat.
Free Republic had a copy of the column in a thread, but I can't find it again.
I just looked for it; it's gone too. My guess is some idiot probably responded with a vague Clinton threat of his own somewhere in the thread; that spells instant deletion of any FR thread, since the software there can't handle deleting single posts.
posted by aaron at 8:57 PM on December 5, 2000
posted by jia at 1:08 AM on December 6, 2000
posted by andrew cooke at 1:33 AM on December 6, 2000
posted by donkeymon at 8:15 AM on December 6, 2000
posted by straight at 8:20 AM on December 6, 2000
[Connection Dropped]
posted by andrew cooke at 9:08 AM on December 6, 2000
Simple rules for comics shooting scenarios:
Elbow, funny.
Throat, not funny.
Ass, funny.
Gut, not funny.
Isles of Langerhans, funny.
Groin, not funny.
Scalp, nape of neck, collarbone, unclear (best avoided for standard comedy purposes).
posted by rodii at 9:37 AM on December 6, 2000
posted by thirteen at 9:48 AM on December 6, 2000
* I don't have the actual quote in front of me. If you have the actual quote handy let me know if I erred.
posted by ethmar at 1:42 PM on December 6, 2000
posted by youhas at 2:35 PM on December 6, 2000
posted by holgate at 3:00 PM on December 6, 2000
Is the action taken by the Secret Service in this case really "massive"? Clinton's making his first presidential appearance in Nebraska on Friday, and my guess is that the Secret Service has to check out this stuff, no matter how dopey.
If the student writer ends up going to jail or something equally absurd, then I'd be worried.
posted by bilco at 3:34 PM on December 6, 2000
posted by lagado at 7:05 PM on December 6, 2000
Was that a serious question, lagado? If so, *you* go do the job without SS protection, and can I have your car?
To Mr. Cooke: yes, it is a federal felony to threaten the life of the President, VP, their families "or certain other persons under the protection of the Secret Service".
We did this a month or two back; someone cited the statute number in the thread. It's also a federal crime to make a joke in an airport or on a plane about bombs, or hijacking.
Personally, I don't know exactly where I stand on these issues. I'm not one for zero tolerance laws... but I don't wanna be on the plane with the guy making bomb jokes either.
The airport security people are reputed to be *even less* amused by this sort of stuff than the Secret Service peopler are; I've heard stories of strip searches with armed guards present.
posted by baylink at 8:08 PM on December 6, 2000
calls to overthrow the monarchy by violence would be an offence." The Human Rights Act is starting to kick into effect.
posted by holgate at 5:33 AM on December 7, 2000
« Older Is V2_OS the next Linux?
| Sony's latest ad campaign Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
Well, at least she can take solace in the idea that while it likely ended any career plans she may have had, at least it was poorly written. Way to go!
posted by Skot at 4:01 PM on December 5, 2000