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If you want to see my real time hot takes on the house hearing regarding felonizing blocking highways, follow this thread.
The person introducing the bill said that it wasn't about race, or opinion, but about protester safety. He kept saying that the bill is not meant to be sneaky or have other implications.
Fortunately, two reps pointed out that felonizing this will have really harmful impacts on people. A felony means loss of housing, employment and other such resources.
Another rep, who is a former cop mentioned that we need more tools in the arsenal when enforcing the law.
The bill sponsor also said that maybe we can roll back the felonies for two offenses, but that we should def felonize the third.
Spoiler alert, when has two protests been sufficient to build a social movement.
Before hearing the rest of the testimony on this bill, we are hearing the other non-controversial bills, so stay tuned
I'm the meantime, I'm gonna do some stress pushups.
So they are talking about a bill that criminalizes hitting a biker. @j_f_batista mentions that we shouldn't add more ways to be a criminal. He is right and this logic should also be applied to the protest bill.
I agree with him and I've been hit by cars twice. Do not create more ways to criminalize things.
People keep talking about discretion (in reference to other bills). Discretion leads to differential enforcement by race, socioeconomic status, etc. This is why we need to de-criminalize and de-felonize
Anytime someone says, "in my humble opinion" it sounds massively condescending. Just say, I disagree with you.
The fact that we still need legislators to solemnize marriage is so upsetting and draconian. Anyone should be able to solemnize a marriage
Honestly, not allowing anyone to solemnize marriages makes it harder for queer people to get married. So like, please stop this 300 year old practice
