Hometown News

Man cuts down tree allegedly bearing likeness of Virgin Mary. I hadn't heard about this "apparition" until I read the article via Amy Welborn's sit. In any event, read these facts:

But the Fresno County Sheriff's Department didn't charge Bill Gaede, who cut down the tree Thursday morning and allegedly screamed, "You Catholics! There's your virgin," because they have no victim. And with no victim, they have no crime, they said.
Detectives on Friday asked a circle of people praying around the felled trunk if someone would press hate-crime charges. All said no.

Now, let's think about this. The tree's owner chops down his own tree and he gives voice to his personal opinions about Catholics and/or the Virgin Mary. Where's the crime? Last time I checked, being a jerk is not against the law. Frankly, the scary thing is that the police asked the onlookers if they wanted to press "hate-crime" charges aginst this man's lawful exercise of his voice and his axe. The scary thing is that there are such things as "hate-crimes" in the first place.