The cases noted require special attention because it could be that in some parts of these United States, a jury of the accused peers just might find the lynching of a black American and the torture and murder of a gay college student acceptable behavior in their neck of the woods–so to speak. There are parts of this nation that have required Federal intervention to make sure that the law is applied equally to all Americans. And so it is today.

When people do the right thing and play fair, the government is invisible. When people of great power and wealth refuse to acknowledge that they stand on the shoulders of the farmers and shop keeper minutemen who fought for and founded this nation it is the role of the government: local, state and federal to make sure the law is applied equally to all.

It comes down to this: When American individuals decide once and for all that they will abide by the notions of common decency in a civilized society, the government will have no role to play but maintain the parks and keep the peace. However, Americans have proven time and again from generation to generation that individual accountability is for somebody else, not for them. And so we have to legislate to the lowest common denominator, not to the better angels of our nature.

1. Louie said about LGBT hate crime victims in 2007, “There were only 242 crimes where there was actually some — truly an assault.” He’s suggesting, then, that simple assault doesn’t truly count as assault. That’s the only way his number works, as you can see here.
2. The FBI gives us a man slapping his wife as an example of simple assault, the sort of assault Gohmert is suggesting isn’t truly assault.

There you go. It’s an inescapable conclusion of his testimony.

By the way, I’m being quite fair to Gohmert. He did in fact say that ““There were only 242 crimes where there was actually some — truly an assault.” This is an untruth, an untruth that he made a special effort to get into the Congressional Record. He’s either dishonest or incompetent.

1. Louie said about LGBT hate crime victims in 2007, “There were only 242 crimes where there was actually some — truly an assault.” He’s suggesting, then, that simple assault doesn’t truly count as assault. That’s the only way his number works, as you can see here.
2. The FBI gives us a man slapping his wife as an example of simple assault, the sort of assault Gohmert is suggesting isn’t truly assault.

There you go. It’s an inescapable conclusion of his testimony

Does he believe what he’s suggesting? I hope he’s just an incompetent legislator making a special effort to air false statements that he hasn’t confirmed but believes because they suit his bias and agenda. Yes, that would be giving him the benefit of the doubt.