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Tea party leader calls vandalizing his car a hate crime
Yakima Herald-Republic ^ | March 21, 2012 | Mike Faulk

Posted on 03/21/2012 1:49:49 PM PDT by mdittmar

YAKIMA, Wash. — Standing in the lobby of the Larson Building with about 10 supporters, Central Washington Tea Party leader Kirk Groenig held a news conference to show pictures of his vandalized 1994 Jaguar XJ6.

Slashed tires, smashed windows and torn upholstery marred the vehicle, and Groenig said the graffiti in black painted on the outside prove the vandalism was a premeditated attack for political reasons.

"T-BAG," an alternate spelling for a sexual epithet commonly used by opponents to mock members of the tea party, was painted on the back hood and driver’s side doors. "RACIST" was painted on the passenger side doors.

Groenig called the incident, which occurred late in the evening Feb. 21 at his home on Badger Pocket Road in Ellensburg, a hate crime because his political positions are rooted in his Christian faith. He said the event occurred days after he made comments on the Yakima Herald-Republic website condemning the recently approved gay marriage law, and believes the two are connected.

"It appears I was targeted by members of the radical homosexual community for my religious beliefs and in particular my objection to homosexual marriage," said Groenig, who has been involved in the Referendum 74 campaign to overturn the state law permitting gay marriage.

Malicious harassment is the state’s hate-crime law, which makes it a crime to injure, make credible threats to injure or damage property because of someone’s "race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory handicap."

Although he reported the incident shortly after it happened, Groenig said he waited nearly a month to discuss it publicly because he and his wife feared further retribution.

"My wife felt very threatened," he said.

No shoe impressions, tire tracks, tools or paint cans were located at the scene, according to a report by the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office. The report also says neighbors did not see or hear anything unusual, and there are no known suspects or witnesses.

Kittitas County Sheriff Gene Dana said Tuesday the case is inactive until his office receives new information that would help identify who was involved.

Sustained high winds throughout the night possibly drowned out most noise from the incident, he said.

Groenig said the car was a "total loss."

The conservative activist has drawn criticism for his public positions. In 2010, his tea party group sponsored a float in a Naches parade in which a man wearing a President Obama mask cracked a whip over a youth pulling the wagon. Several people on the float carried signs critical of federal spending, Wall Street bailouts, tax increases and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat.

  Organizers of the Sportsman’s Days event said they received complaints that the float’s depiction of Obama was "over the top" and involved a racial stereotype from the slave era more than 150 years ago.

Groenig rejected the criticism at the time, saying the float had no racial intent.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: liberalviolence
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Our local Tea Party leader gets a visit from the "tolerant left".

1 posted on 03/21/2012 1:49:57 PM PDT by mdittmar
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To: mdittmar
It's only a hate crime if the victim was one of Eric Holder's people.
2 posted on 03/21/2012 1:56:13 PM PDT by Joe the Pimpernel (Islam is a religion of peace, and Moslems reserve the right to slaughter anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: mdittmar
I had my Ford Explorer vandlized. On my back hood, someone wrote, in permanent marker “I SUCK D**K”.

My gas station guy saw it, and seemed embarrassed to tell me, but eventually did, that some wrote “bad thing on my car”. I got out to look. I thought it was written in my “dust”, but when I went to wipe it off with the rag he gave me, I realized it was a permanent marker.

He removed it with gasoline.

3 posted on 03/21/2012 2:00:09 PM PDT by NoGrayZone (Jim "Firebrand" Robinson endorses Newt...with EPIC call to action!!)
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To: mdittmar

Unfortunately, in the eyes of those who determine what is and is not a ‘hate crime’, this may not be so much a crime as a public service. Hate crimes can only be committed against people of certain groups, and tea party people aren’t among them.


4 posted on 03/21/2012 2:07:17 PM PDT by jmcenanly ("The more corrupt the state, the more laws." Tacitus, Publius Cornelius)
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To: mdittmar
"race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory handicap."

I notice "political views" are not on the list so it's still A-OK to harass Republicans and TEA party members as long as you can show it's not for any of the other reasons.

5 posted on 03/21/2012 2:13:22 PM PDT by BitWielder1 (Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
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To: mdittmar

Leftist militants are terrorists, and creepy too.


6 posted on 03/21/2012 2:14:32 PM PDT by pallis
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To: Joe the Pimpernel
Yes; and that's why it's a shame that for personal property and PERSONAL protection, most REAL Patriotic Americans who don't have CCW Permits are afraid to put ANY non-Socialist/Progressive/Politically-Correct bumper stickers on their cars, EVEN DURING ELECTION SEASON. The State-Run-Media will ALWAYS proclaim (often through a surrogate) that "You see a lot more Democrat bumper stickers than you do Republican" and try to intimate that "more Democrats are energized/present" than there really are.

I make it a point to tell ANY Reporter or Reporerette that nabs me in an Exit Poll that I voted straight "D", and FOR all the Left-Wing Ballot Issues.....just so they can shove their Exit Polling up their asses, as far as "Accuracy" goes.

How many on FR are packing bumper stickers that are proclaiming Freedom, Constitution, or God-referenced slogans?

7 posted on 03/21/2012 2:16:15 PM PDT by traditional1 (Don't gotsta worry 'bout no mo'gage, don't gotsta worry 'bout no gas; Obama gonna take care o' me!)
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To: traditional1
"How many on FR are packing bumper stickers that are proclaiming Freedom, Constitution, or God-referenced slogans?"

I sport a Gadsden Flag sticker with the slogans "Live Free or Die" and "Don't Tread on Me" on it.

Oh, and I'm in CA.

8 posted on 03/21/2012 2:21:43 PM PDT by SZonian (Throwing our allegiances to political party's in the long run gave away our liberty.)
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To: mdittmar

This guy needs to get night time surveillance cameras, a couple of dogs and a shot gun.


9 posted on 03/21/2012 2:24:10 PM PDT by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
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To: SZonian

Having lived near Detroit for 30 years, I was always afraid of my bumper stickers becoming a come-on to deface my car. We did have a Viet Nam Vets decal defaced on our car recently in downtown lovable Asheville.


10 posted on 03/21/2012 2:33:18 PM PDT by Cordio
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To: mdittmar

No Fingerprints?..


11 posted on 03/21/2012 2:33:48 PM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole...)
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To: dragonblustar

And when he puts up his political yard signs, rub them well with poison ivy! Worked great for me. Neighbor kid showed up to cut my grass, covered in Calamine Lotion. I told him I needed the exercise, and would handle the yardwork by myself.


12 posted on 03/21/2012 2:37:07 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra

That’s a good idea. I’ll have to try that!


13 posted on 03/21/2012 2:40:47 PM PDT by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
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To: dragonblustar

“I’ll have to try that!”

Unfortunately, you still lose the sign,,,, but if you’re lucky you’ll spot a Calamine-covered neighbor, who you can then shun!


14 posted on 03/21/2012 2:50:09 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: Cordio

It’s a damn shame isn’t it?

The mere act of exercising one’s free speech via a simple sticker is so fraught with peril that it causes many rightminded folks to deny themselves their rights.

I’m sick and tired of it. I just want to catch one in the act, just one.


15 posted on 03/21/2012 3:00:48 PM PDT by SZonian (Throwing our allegiances to political party's in the long run gave away our liberty.)
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra

I was thinking of getting an offensive sign to liberals then covering the grass around the sign with dog crap, oily paint and some other stuff then hide it with some grass clippings. Video it and put it on You-Tube under the title, “Fishing for liberals”


16 posted on 03/21/2012 3:12:23 PM PDT by dragonblustar (Allah Ain't So Akbar!)
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To: mdittmar
Hey LIBERALS...

Sorry the days of us getting along with you CROOKS are over. Where is the RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH... you can't have it unless a RINO agrees with a MARXIST?

Sorry...now, when you MARXISTS vandalize a car, because the person DISAGREES with you...it is TIME we say SHUT THE F UP, YOU F***ING COMMIE BAST**DS!!

17 posted on 03/21/2012 3:13:50 PM PDT by ExCTCitizen (If we stay home in November '12, don't blame 0 for tearing up the CONSTITUTION!!)
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To: mdittmar

The left has become very emboldened by the Communist in Chief. They are pushing more and more. Personally I say ... Hold fast!


18 posted on 03/21/2012 3:29:47 PM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: SZonian
You have my prayers for your safety, and the survival of your vehicle.

Congrats on being there.....

19 posted on 03/21/2012 3:40:34 PM PDT by traditional1 (Don't gotsta worry 'bout no mo'gage, don't gotsta worry 'bout no gas; Obama gonna take care o' me!)
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To: Cordio

We have bumper stickers that say “Cut spending now!”
Americans for prosperity....on both vehicles. Recently in Terre Haute, IN we were driving along, a young guy with spiked hair, earrings, etc. honked and gave us “thumbs up”...now that was a surprise.


20 posted on 03/21/2012 3:58:31 PM PDT by GrannyK
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