Foxxes and Hoaxxes

In the news, as a footnote to the passage of the "Matthew Shepard" Hate-Crimes Act in the US House of Representatives, we've been treated to the sight and sound of the Republican Representative from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx, calling it a "hoax". It was a stupid and uninformed thing to say but, oddly, she refuses to apologize.

Regardless, the bill passed. To mark the occasion, Rachel Maddow interviewed Judy Shepard and talked a bit about Republican Representative Virginia Foxx's "hoax" remark. (I watched it at Joe.My.God.)

As an introduction, Maddow took a moment to explain, with unusual clarity amidst a wave of confusion and willful distortion by the self-righteous who oppose anything that might limit their expression of hatred towards gay and lesbian people. Here is my transcription of those remarks:

The concept behind [hate-crimes legislation] is often misconstrued, but here's the deal as I understand it.

The idea is that the Federal Justice Department can get involved in a case to help local authorities, or even take the lead on a case if need be, in prosecuting individual, serious, violent crimes and murders in which the victim was selected on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, the idea being that crimes like that are intended not only to hurt or murder an individual, but to terrorize an entire community.

And so, there is a national interest in insuring that those crimes are solved and prosecuted, particularly if local law enforcement doesn't want to because they are blinkered by the same prejudice that led to the crime in the first place.

[Rachel Maddow, The Rachel Maddow Show, c. 30 April 2009.]

In additional Virginia Foxx news, Jim Burroway of Box Turtle Bulletin ("Another Hoax From Rep. Foxx?", 1 May 2009) relates:

After Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) was roundly criticized for describing Matthew Shephard’s hate crime murder as “a hoax” (in the presence of Matthew’s mother, no less), Foxx’s staff began floating rumors that Rep. Foxx has become the target of death threats.

The problem with that? The Capital Police say they are unaware of any threats and there are no ongoing investigations.

What happens when the foxx cries "wolf" one too many times?

Posted on May 1, 2009 at 11.04 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity

3 Responses

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  1. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Saturday, 2 May 2009 at 13.19
    Permalink

    For the record, Olbermann reported, that same evening, I believe, that Foxx had offered a lame excuse for an apology. You know, "If my remarks offended anyone, I'm sorry. . ."

    Olbermann rightly pointed out that if you're sorry, you're sorry; it's not dependent on whether someone somewhere was offended or not.

    As for death threats against Foxx, the making or making up of such charges is a recurring theme/meme for the hard right. It seems to be an ongoing campaign to characterize those outspoken in their disagreement with homophobes, racists and right-wing nutballs as intolerant, potentially violent people themselves.

  2. Written by jns
    on Saturday, 2 May 2009 at 17.26
    Permalink

    Foxx's pseudo-apology paraphrased: "If I offended anyone, I'm sorry I chose that word…" […to express what I was thinking anyway.] It's the classic, Republican, Nixonian pseudo-apology: "I'm sorry I got caught." As Judy Shepard pointed out, Rep. Foxx sort of apologized for a bad choice of words, not for the thought that she expressed quite clearly enough–too clearly for her own comfort, perhaps.

    But perhaps we're too forthright calling Foxx a stupid, uninformed homophobe and we should say we're sorry: "Rep. Foxx, I'm sorry you're a stupid, uninformed homophobe."

  3. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Tuesday, 5 May 2009 at 00.12
    Permalink

    Well said, Jeff, well said.

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