# I'll be danged. Looks like I got a job (racist threats by text) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 10, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051 "2024-11-10T23:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/21 "2024-11-12T05:58:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even if the local department can’t do the full investigation on their own, they can still gather information, like who was targeted, and pass that on to the FBI. I.e., “following up” on it. That’s not how things work but ok. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/22 "2024-11-12T22:11:48Z")
Right, that’s why I specified a sane police department. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/23 "2024-11-12T22:52:19Z")
To put your mind at ease, and since another family member got the same text, My DIL called the sheriff’s department. She said the CID, laughed. He told her disregard the messages. Delete them. They were a joke. There you have it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/24 "2024-11-13T01:38:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Right, that’s why I specified a sane police department. Ok sure ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/25 "2024-11-13T01:44:40Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Right. And that’s pretty much the only people who could have a chance at tracking it down. But when someone says “police department” they aren’t talking about the FBI or the NSA. This feels like troll farm activity using information leaked to the dark web. Certainly nothing that can be handled lower than the federal level Plus, I’m wondering what municipal or state criminal offence is being committed that would fall into municipal or state police jurisdiction? I can see federal telco regulations, or maybe federal civil rights laws, but I don’t see a state issue? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/26 "2024-11-13T02:37:25Z")
I know I live in Hicksville, Redstate…With local, barely competent yahoos on the Sheriff’s department. He still should’ve just took a report, without my DIL having to press the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/27 "2024-11-13T02:54:24Z")
What criminal offence should he have taken a report on? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/28 "2024-11-13T03:05:01Z")
Are you implying that a police department that just ignores terrorism in the community they’re supposed to be serving and protecting is sane? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/29 "2024-11-13T03:18:37Z")
There’s ways to write up a report from taxpayers. There’s not an individual criminal. So no arrest warrant But if they take the reports, just like they do on Bigfoot sightings. Mark a file folder “Racist threats against citizens” a. Just like is happening allover the South. b. Print out of texts, incl. How hard is that? DIL already had the print outs in a folder. All he needed to do was add a label and write words on it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/30 "2024-11-13T03:59:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Are you implying that a police department that just ignores terrorism in the community they’re supposed to be serving and protecting is sane? See Brandenburg v Ohio: > **[Brandenburg v. Ohio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_v._Ohio)** > > Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court interpreting the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Court held that the government cannot punish inflammatory speech unless that speech is "directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action".: 702  Specifically, the Court struck down Ohio's criminal syndicalism statute, because that statute broadly prohibited the mere advoca Claren... What imminent lawless action is the text Beck got likely to produce? On the face of it, the idea of collecting people and putting them on non-existent plantations to pick non-existent cotton is ridiculous. Because it’s so out there, it makes any allegation of imminent unlawful action extremely unlikely. Creepy as hell, racist, unsettling, all those things. But likely protected speech. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/31 "2024-11-13T05:03:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Are you implying that a police department that just ignores terrorism in the community they’re supposed to be serving and protecting is sane? I think you are being very unrealistic. It’s not Beck’s neighbor. It’s most likely some troll farm overseas. Even if it’s happening within the confines of the United States they are using websites that anonymously assign temporary phone numbers. Those sites have no records to subpoena. They don’t know themselves who uses the numbers so you can’t get information from them even if they would respond to a local subpoena. It’s happened in 32 states. Do you think the FBI is interested in hearing about one other instance in Arkansas? Have you tried to talk to the FBI? I have. They aren’t interested in individual local cases. They don’t have the resources. The most you’ll get is a “we are aware of the issue.” The city of Atlanta has stated they are aware of the issue and aren’t investigating. If a big city department can’t do anything what do you think a small local department can do? Since this has received a lot of attention it wouldn’t surprise me if one of the alphabet agencies already knows where it came from. Probably beyond the reach of law enforcement. I’ve seen unsurprising reports of Eastern European origins. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/32 "2024-11-13T05:10:49Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > Are you implying that a police department that just ignores terrorism in the community they’re supposed to be serving and protecting is sane? > > See Brandenburg v Ohio: > > [Brandenburg v. Ohio - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_v._Ohio) > > What imminent lawless action is the text Beck got likely to produce? On the face of it, the idea of collecting people and putting them on non-existent plantations to pick non-existent cotton is ridiculous. Because it’s so out there, it makes any allegation of imminent unlawful action extremely unlikely. > > Creepy as hell, racist, unsettling, all those things. But likely protected speech. I don’t think Brandenburg fits. That was about political speech. These are disturbing messages sent directly to individuals in order to annoy or alarm. Pretty much the textbook definition of harassment. Certainly at least a misdemeanor ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/33 "2024-11-13T11:51:56Z")
Whoever sent these has, at the least, some sort of database which includes names and phone numbers, and at least some level of information (albeit partially inaccurate) about race. Any such database would very likely include addresses, too. If I get a message from someone who knows my name, race, and address, threatening to kidnap me, that’s not free speech any more; that’s terrorist threats. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/34 "2024-11-13T12:06:14Z")
What crime is committed when you burn a cross in front of someone’s house? This feels similar. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/35 "2024-11-13T13:06:57Z")
Cross-burning is protected to some extent by the First Amendment. Laws which make cross-burning an offence when done with the purpose to intimidate can be constitutional, provided the onus rests with the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was an intention to intimidate; intimidation cannot be inferred: _Virginia v Black_. A municipal law that made cross-burning an offence was struck down on 1st Amendment grounds in _R.A.V. V St Paul_. In that case a youth burned a cross on the lawn of a black family, but was acquitted when the municipal law was struck down. It’s arguable that a more specifically drawn law could withstand scrutiny, in light of the _Black_ case, but I’ve not found further cases on it. > **[Virginia v. Black](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_v._Black)** > > Virginia v. Black, 538 U.S. 343 (2003), was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held, 5–4, that any state statute banning cross burning on the basis that it constitutes prima facie evidence of intent to intimidate is a violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Such a provision, the Court argued, blurs the distinction between proscribable "threats of intimidation" and the Ku Klux Klan's protected "messages of shared ideology". In the case... > **[R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.A.V._v._City_of_St._Paul)** > > R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377 (1992), is a case of the United States Supreme Court that unanimously struck down St. Paul's Bias-Motivated Crime Ordinance and reversed the conviction of a teenager, referred to in court documents only as R.A.V., for burning a cross on the lawn of an African-American family since the ordinance was held to violate the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech. The Court reasoned that an ordinance like this constitutes "viewpoint discrimination" > **[Cross Burning](https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/cross-burning/)** > > Cross burning, which has been used as a form of intimidation against African Americans and Jews, has been defended in the courts on free speech grounds. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/36 "2024-11-13T13:30:12Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I don’t think Brandenburg fits. That was about political speech. These are disturbing messages sent directly to individuals in order to annoy or alarm. Pretty much the textbook definition of harassment. Certainly at least a misdemeanor What’s the line between political speech and annoying and alarming? If the sender of the texts testifies that their political vision is that set out by the Supreme Court in _Dredd Scott_, that slavery is a good thing, as set out in the Cornerstone Speech, that the 13th Amendment should be repealed, and these texts were sent out to work towards that goal, is that not political speech ? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/37 "2024-11-13T13:30:32Z")
I’ve changed the thread title, which wasn’t very descriptive of the content. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/38 "2024-11-13T14:50:39Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > I don’t think Brandenburg fits. That was about political speech. These are disturbing messages sent directly to individuals in order to annoy or alarm. Pretty much the textbook definition of harassment. Certainly at least a misdemeanor > > What’s the line between political speech and annoying and alarming? > > If the sender of the texts testifies that their political vision is that set out by the Supreme Court in _Dredd Scott_, that slavery is a good thing, as set out in the Cornerstone Speech, that the 13th Amendment should be repealed, and these texts were sent out to work towards that goal, is that not political speech ? If someone is posting to the internet about their beliefs that’s one thing. If I’m sending a text to Joe down the street I’m not making a political statement I am purposefully harassing Joe. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2024, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051/39 "2024-11-30T02:42:14Z")
Any further news on this topic? I’d love to see some rich person hire a PI to investigate this thing, then expose the perps to the light of day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-be-danged-looks-like-i-got-a-job-racist-threats-by-text/1010051.md?page=1)