I think he meant to have "and" between each of the three characteristics, rather than just being hispanic being enough to label someone a terrorist in Oklahoma. But if the problem is gang violence, why limit the penalties to just hispanics? Also, the punishment seems a little over the top. No jail time, no fixed financial penalty, just everything they own? Almost like this was poorly thought out performative legislation rather than an attempt to fix a problem. Outrage as Oklahoma Republican’s bill labels Hispanic people ‘terrorists’ An Oklahoma lawmaker is facing backlash for proposing a discriminatory bill that deems people of Hispanic descent as “terrorists”. The Republican state representative JJ Humphrey introduced the bill, HB 3133, which seeks to combat problems in the state, such as drug and human trafficking, and lay out punishments to those who have committed these “acts of terrorism”. The punishment for such a crime would be forfeiting all assets, including any and all property, vehicles and money. In addition to “a member of a criminal street gang” and someone who “has been convicted of a gang-related offense”, the bill defines a terrorist as “any person who is of Hispanic descent living within the state of Oklahoma”.
While that is on its own appalling, the use of "terrorism" as descriptor is pretty out of control now days too. Like gang violence and trafficking can be a problem without calling it "terrorism," I'm not sure what that accomplishes.
It means those I disagree with, nothing more. I honestly don't know how "terrorism" persists, since the military of just about every country in the world is constantly striking at "terrorists". "Trafficking" is also misused
The other definitions are not much more precise. Local police often say that just about everyone they arrest is part of a "gang", based upon clothing, tattoos, hand signs, etc. Most times, they are just making it up.
This is what governance has so often become particularly among state level politicians who are hoping their performances will boost them onto the national stage.
Oklahoma Republican Half Apologizes for Racist Bill Designating Gang Members Only of Hispanic Descent as Terrorists
Apologies are hard. We make our kids practice how to apologize, and when times arise for them to make an apology, if they don't do it right, we make them do it again. This apology is spectacularly terrible.
