Ahnuld Better Veto This Atrocity

As if it isn't bad enough that people can already be charged and convicted of a "hate crime," the liberal Brownshirts in the California Legislature are trying to further expand its definition.

A section of the proposed law reads as follows:

Speech alone is not sufficient to support an action brought [under this law] except upon a showing that the speech itself threatens violence against a specific person or group of persons; and the person or group of persons against whom the threat is directed reasonably fears that, because of the speech, violence will be committed against them or their property and that the person threatening violence had the apparent ability to carry out the threat.

Penalties for violating SB 1234 include criminal prosecution and fines of $25,000.

Sponsored by lesbian State Senator Sheila Kuehl, SB 1234 has already been passed by the Senate and could be voted on by the Assembly as soon as today (Wednesday). Opponents of the bill are not optimistic about the Assembly vote and expect the measure to move along to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for his signature before the end of the month.