Woman Gets 'Terroristic' Easter Basket (dead bunny and note inside)

[The Straight Story]

Woman Gets 'Terroristic' Easter Basket
Basket Contains Dead Rabbit, Threatening Card

UPDATED: 11:07 am EDT April 19, 2006

SHAWNEE, Kan. -- A woman found a sinister surprise inside an Easter basket, and police are calling it "terroristic."

In addition to chocolate treats, candy and plastic eggs, the basket also contained a dead rabbit.

The basket, which police call "criminal," was found outside a Shawnee landscaping business Monday morning. Police said it was delivered sometime over the weekend.

"The bottom line is, the person who got this package was threatened by it and it caused her to be fearful of her life, which makes it a terroristic incident," Capt. Ron Copeland said.

A threatening card was also in the basket. It had a woman's name on the envelope, but the card wasn't signed.

http://www.local6.com/news/8824297/detail.html

Now I can see it as causing someone terror - but that word is used so much I fear more and more things will fall under it's definition and the government will use that to their advantage. No trials, just grab and toss into a cell. Worrisome to me, but maybe I am just paranoid...

[niyad]

1. so I guess "fatal attraction" was about a terrorist?

[Taxloss]

2. Sinister? Yes. Criminal? Yes. Sick? Yes. "Terroristic"? NO!

So anything that unlawfully causes fear is terrorism? That's insane!

[rucky]

9. Now the NSA will start bugging our easter baskets. n/t

[LostinVA]

13. Yes -- terroristic

This term was being used by law enforcement way before 9/11... and it's a great thing. "Terroristic threat" laws were passed in some states specifically for women against stalkers and domestic violence. Before, there wasn't any serious charge the cops could charge them with.

Again -- this is a positive thing.

[Taxloss]

18. What's wrong with "threatening"? Or "intimidation"?

Or any other number of effective words without the terror loadng?

[LostinVA]

21. Again, this was started way, way before the 9/11 stuff

My Aunt charged an ex husband with this over 15 years ago.

And, it IS terroristic... which comes from terrorism, which means: "The systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion." That's what stalking, etc. is. I refuse to let the Bush cabal hijack the meaning of words.

[Taxloss]

25. The term "terrorism" was coined in the 1790s

to refer to the random violence used to maintain control during the "Reign of Terror" in France after its Revolution. It still means "random violence used to control a population".

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Capt. says" Yeehaw! We can spend those Homeland Security $$" n/t

[Ezlivin]

4. Just In: Changing channel from Fox News is terrorist act

It makes the asshats at Fox have fear over their ratings.

[havocmom]

5. Causing fear and making people fearful of their lives = 'terroristic"?

So, that means the whole bush administration, most media talking heads....

Yep, I like that logic.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. Watch out, Coulter! You too, Limbaugh, Hannity, O`Lielly! n/t

[BlueEyedSon]

6. Certainly a hate crime against bunnies....

:(

[LiberalEsto]

8. Oh no, not the sinister Bunny of Death!

Are they sure it wasn't meant to be a live bunny? Maybe it ate some of the Easter junk and got sick.

[noneofmybusiness]

10. yeah, maybe the card was ambiguous too

Was the bunny boiled?

[tularetom]

11. Olielly was right there is a war against Easter

This proves it! Secular librul hate groups are trying to turn christian amurkins against easter by sehding them baskets with dead bunnies inside. How do all of you that made fun of Bill feel now huh?

[Ecumenist]

12. Oh, now, that's just wrong on so many levels...

YUCK, JUST YUCK. However, I hardly think that this arises to the level of terrorism. It's going to get to the point where rolling one's eyes at someone will result in a free flight and all expense paid stay at Guantanamo.

[LostinVA]

14. Terroristic threats does not equal terrorism

Please read my other post. It is a serious charge against stalkers,e tc., and has been on the books in many states since way before 9/11.

[Ecumenist]

17. I understand and agree with what you're saying...

I've been stalked. I was simply saying that there is a difference between actual terroristic threats and some people sick senses of humour. You'd be surprised at what some pre-adolescent, teenage and young adults think is a innocent joke or prank. I just think that people shouldn't jump to conclusions because sometimes, however sick, it's just a horrible sense of humour.:hi:
No insult intended...

[LostinVA]

19. OKay, I gotcha!

[Gormy Cuss]

26. But would it have been reported that way pre-9/11?

'Terrorizing' is the way I recall it and it was used in direct reference to statute, not as a shorthand adjective. At one point I had the job of categorizing crimes for UCR (crime stats) and that's my point of reference.

These days 'terroristic' invokes images of foreign terrorism and the dead bunny incident is going to ring false because this incident, while likely terrorizing, is not linked 'terrorism' in the geopolitical sense. I do believe that such incidents are reported now as terrorism (as opposed to 'stalking' or 'criminal threatening') because it allows local law enforcement to report their efforts against terrorism, and the politicians get to report it as if it's part of the Global War on Terrorism. In other words, I think it's intentional framing.

I hope it was a prank by a teenager. If an adult did this that's not behavior to be taken lightly.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. Actually I think there IS a specific crime of making 'terroristic' threats

that has been on the books many if not most places for YEARS if not decades before shrub ever took office.

It has to do with making threats of violence etc. to cause fear in the victim. Example, disgruntled abusive ex husband making threats to kill his ex wife etc. I remember reading news reports of people being charged with this under such circumstances.

Perhaps DUers with knowledge of law or law enforcement could comment.

[Lars39]

20. Hopefully the sentencing is steeper for such a charge.

[LostinVA]

23. It is -- that's why they passed the laws

Like how targeting someone because of race can have a stiffer sentence in some areas.

[LostinVA]

22. I've posted that on this thread twice

They were laws states passed to help victims (usually women) of stalking and domestic violence.

[LostinVA]

16. This really isn;t funny -- I don't know why people are joking about it

[Ecumenist]

24. Thank God that California is one of them

I was able to get some help for a psychotic ex some years ago because of the stalking law. I have to admit that if such a law hadn't been in place, I would have had to take matters into my own hands and, well, let's just say, you'd be reading about it...:grr:

I am no shrinking violet and I think that these statutes are as protective for the nuts that stalk, harrass and terrorise as they are for the victims. Time was when older brothers, Uncles and fathers took care of problems like this outside of the law.