Death threats force Parkland shooting survivor to leave Facebook
Cameron Kasky says he has received "graphic death threats" Photo credit Rhona Wise /AFP/Getty Images."
Who does this? What kind of sickos send death threats to a shooting survivor? Why did they send them to Kasky? I would like to find all of them and ask why. "What was your intention? What did you hope to accomplish?"
I think law enforcement needs to take death threats coming from gun owners more seriously.
Of course law enforcement has to answer the usual questions about any threats:
- What kind of threat is it? It is at true threat? (see Elonis v, United States)
- Where is the threatener located relative to the person they are threatening? A threat from someone nearby has more opportunity to act.
- What is their motive for the threat?
- Does the threatener have a history of threats? Have they acted on them?
- Do they have the means to carry out the threat? (Yes, I know, a gun is just a tool, like a hammer, "You can kill with a hammer too! Are you going to arrest all hammer owners who send death threats?" blah, blah, blah.)
Time for FBI Investigations of Death Threats
The FBI got criticized for not following up on gun owner Nikolas Cruz. This is a perfect time to redeem themselves in the eyes of the public.
I can already hear the all caps crying, "You people are targeting law-abiding gun owners who are just exercising their free speech!!" However:
1) Threatening speech is not protected speech.
2) Don't send death threats, you won't have a problem.
Gun owners should welcome the FBI tracing threats. In fact, actual responsible gun owners will turn in the ones that they know are doing this. Like in this story:
Last week, in Bellevue Nebraska, 18-year old Nicholas Scott threaten to shoot people who were going to walk out in support of gun control.
Based on the story, it looks like he had the means, motive and opportunity to carry this out.
High school student arrested for threatening to shoot those who walked out in support of gun control
I don't think anyone should be sending death threats, but that's my Vulcan side. But if it happens then we need to find them, verify it was them, and there should be consequences.
Sue people who send death threats
I've been pushing economic sanctions as leverage to weaken the gun lobby and force them to pay for the damage they do. This would be a way to pay for the psychological damage they cause.
We know the Las Vegas shooter was rich. He had money for expensive guns. If the FBI finds out that someone is sending death threats and they have money to pay for expensive guns, there needs to be civil lawsuits against these people in addition to criminal legal cases.
I would develop the cases for criminal charges first, then civil charges. I've suggested this idea to some lawyers and GVP groups. Maybe this could be my money making business that gets me off this planet!
Responsible gun owners shouldn't worry that they are being unfairly targeted by law enforcement because they are not sending death threats. Right?
If you are a gun owner and you are sending death threats to the Parkland survivors, we will find you, we will catch you, and we will sue you.
I always see this comment under stories about reducing the amount of guns, "Come and get them!" But with civil lawsuits there is no need for the sheriff, police or Obama to go to their location to take their guns. They can just go to the bank and take their assets.
We aren't coming for your guns, we're coming for your assets.
