"It is too bad that your mama is an ugly communist whore."

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Gabriella Borter
@gabriellaborter
The note was sent to Loudoun County school board member Brenda Sheridan's child. The family read it around Christmas. It threatened death unless Brenda quit.
We documented >200 threats & harassing messages to US school board members @josephax @jtanfani 👇 https://reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-education-threats/…
Image
6:34 AM · Feb 15, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-education-threats/

This story contains text, images and audio clips with offensive language.

The letter came to the home of Brenda Sheridan, a Loudoun County, Virginia school board member, addressed to one of her adult children. It threatened to kill them both unless she left the board.

“It is too bad that your mother is an ugly communist whore,” said the hand-scrawled note, which the family read just after Christmas. “If she doesn’t quit or resign before the end of the year, we will kill her, but first, we will kill you!”

School board members across the United States have endured a rash of terroristic threats and hostile messages ignited by roiling controversies over policies on curtailing the coronavirus, bathroom access for transgender students and the teaching of America’s racial history.

Reuters documented the intimidation through contacts and interviews with 33 board members across 15 states and a review of threatening and harassing messages obtained from the officials or through public records requests. The news organization found more than 220 such messages in this sampling of districts. School officials or parents in 15 different counties received or witnessed threats they considered serious enough to report to police.

*snip*


Must read....

[gratuitous]

1. Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions

What was the intent of the writer? Did he (and I'd bet a shiny nickel it's a "he&quot really mean for the Sheridans to be terrorized or feel intimidated? Maybe he's economically anxious. Or he's really, really sure he's right. Or he got brainwashed by Fox or OANN. Has there even been a crime committed here apart from the Sheridans publishing the writer's private letter?

[dchill]

6. It's always a good idea to be measured and fair.

[Whiskeytide]

26. I think it's a woman from the handwriting and tone. n/t

[ForgedCrank]

38. I think

you may be right. But I can also see that it appears the handwriting may be forced in order to try disguising it. It's odd to have random letters capitalized like that. The word momma is also a tell, something most men wouldn't use, or at least I don't think they would. Men generally have terribly sloppy handwriting too (don't shoot the messenger here!).
One thing is for sure though, a vile person wrote this note.

[70sEraVet]

42. I'm confused by your last sentence, gratuitous.

Yes, A crime HAS been committed, and NOT by the publishing of a private letter.
The letter was sent to someone living in VA.

"A threat must be communicated in writing, including electronically via email for it to be a crime. The charge must include a threat to kill or do bodily injury to a person or a member of that person’s family. The threat must also put that person in “reasonable” apprehension.

What is the Penalty for Issuing Threats of Violence?
Issuing a threat of harm is a Class 6 felony under Virginia criminal laws, which carries with it a penalty of 1-5 years in prison."

https://www.vacriminaldefenselawyer.com/threats/

[gratuitous]

44. The entire post is opposite-land nonsense

Of course I think the writer has committed a crime, and the standard Republican dodge of "But the criminal has to have criminal intent when he perpetrated his crime, and if you can't prove he intended his actions to be criminal, they aren't! Checkmate, libs." Naturally, the "intent" component is invoked only on those crimes Republicans and their ilk commit. A hungry person stealing a loaf of bread is entitled to no such consideration.

[70sEraVet]

52. Thanks. Glad to know we're looking at this from the same angle.

[magicarpet]

2. What a nasty thing to do.

[Nevilledog]

4. Adult child.....but still

[ornotna]

7. It was an adult child

Still nasty AF. These people are sick and evil.

[multigraincracker]

3. Be too bad for the author

if the FBI was to catch the person that sent it. Guess who's going to jail for a very long time.

[Rebl2]

10. Was thinking the

same. It’s time for the President to come out and say to all those threatening teachers, members of school boards and principals the FBI will be looking in to each case. This is out of control.

[onecaliberal]

21. The same FBI that failed to investigate credible allegations of rape against a Supreme Court nominee

[multigraincracker]

22. Good point.

[Rebl2]

27. true

[gab13by13]

30. I listened to Merrick Garland a month or so ago,

give a speech to a Senate committee where he said he was going to stop violence against school board members and election workers.
Then every GQP Senator bashed him for stifling free speech and Garland backed down. he then said he would work with local law enforcement.

[gab13by13]

31. Are you aware that Wray and Kavanaugh

were acquaintances in law school? Are you aware that both Wray and Kavanaugh are members of the Federalist Society?

There is no record that Merrick Garland is a member of the Federalist Society, but he did participate in 10 or 11 Federalist Society events.

[onecaliberal]

34. I am aware. It's the reason for my sunny disposition.

[czarjak]

40. Just a bunch of good old boys. Ask 'em.

[70sEraVet]

43. Don't forget election poll workers.

[maxsolomon]

20. You are quite optimistic.

I wish I could feel the same.

[hadEnuf]

28. Maybe if the author knew that if they even attempted to harm any of the people they are threatening

they would immediately be rendered physically incapable of doing so now or in the future, they wouldn't be so frigging bold.

Just sayin'

[dchill]

5. A gargantuan intellect with commensurate courage!

Let us all genuflect!

[Evolve Dammit]

8. Drumpf enabled and encouraged this shit. It was infrequent before 2015. Not now.

[paleotn]

9. Loudon County. Oh dear.

Surprised they could actually write.

[phylny]

36. Loudoun County is one of the wealthiest

counties in the U.S., and has an excellent school system.

[paleotn]

46. Loudon County, VA. Sorry, I naturally thought of Loudon County TN.

where something like that note would not be out of character at all.

In my best Roseanne Roseannadanna voice.....Never mind.

[phylny]

47. I'm old enough to

remember!

[hippywife]

11. They have nothing good or worthwhile to contribute to their communities...

so instead they threaten people to get their way...their backwards, redneck way.

[bahboo]

12. my guess is that Brenda is neither ugly, a communist nor a whore...

the writer is however, a flaming asshole....

[colorado_ufo]

15. I like your style!

[LoisB]

13. Not brave enough to sign that sh*t.

nt

[orangecrush]

23. THIS

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

49. I don't know why but reading this made me think of Henry Aaron.

And he didn't get just one of these kinds of letters, either. They had even worse comments if that is possible. How he managed to put up with what he did for such a long time is unbelievable.
Getting back to topic, I hope they are able to somehow identify who was responsible. And then arrest, try and punish them.

[LoisB]

50. Yeah, Hank got some nasty ones. Unless the person told someone or admits it, identifying them

will probably be near impossible. I hope somehow law enforcement can though.

[Lonestarblue]

14. We need new domestic terrorism laws that make threats like these a crime.

Republicans seem to sink to new lows every day. Most of the. Are filled with hate, anger, and just plain stupidity. I would hate to live like that.

[Brainfodder]

16. I believe in the death penalty for these assholes, caz once you execute a couple and publicly....

That shit ends quick, so kill a few to save many..... all this racist hate BS, same thing, kill a few for the crimes that deserve it, and swiftly, none of this 30 years of appeals CRAP, then it goes away shortly, rinse repeat for whatever is out of fucking hand!!!!!!!!

We are soft AF on criminals, I am for actual deterrents.

Of course none of this will go down caz this mayhem is profitable for the $/power mad idiots of the world, this is just about sharing resources ultimately, so in my mind humans are just too stupid overall and haven't evolved enough still, to handle this properly, and apparently I was born 100ish years (my guess, but probably more like 200 more needed) too soon?

[IronLionZion]

17. Absolutely no terrorism here

if the perps are white, then they can't possibly have any political agenda

[keithbvadu2]

18. Think of the AZ repub candidate who publicly 'shoots' Mark Kelly.

And Palin who put a bullseye on Gabby G.

[Hekate]

19. KnR

[Busterscruggs]

24. I think communists

Are some of the most generous and kind people throughout history. Whoever wrote that was a fool and needs to be more worldly, like my good friends here!

[L. Coyote]

25. Distinctive handwriting. Run some newspaper ads in the area to identify the writer.

[concretebluetwo]

29. Some thoughts:

Is it time to start arming teachers, school board members, city council persons, etc of all parties. And have very public training sessions?
And do it with tax dollars very loudly, tying the expenditures directly to these threats, in order to alert/alarm/activate the general public to these "people", and to swing the general public squarely on the side of civilization?
EDIT: Bad spelling.

[live love laugh]

32. Very distinct writing. Should be traceable.

[dalton99a]

33. Normal standard legitimate political discourse for the cult

[AZLD4Candidate]

35. good people on both side. One side protests cops murdering unarmed black me

one side threatens children with murder.

[Diablo del sol]

37. I thought this was going to be a thread about.......

a threat someone made to Baron Trump.

Regardless, uncalled for. Now if Don Jr. or Eric was a child of hers, then it would be acceptable.

[czarjak]

39. "Any means necessary" They mean it.

[struggle4progress]

41. Judge warns against threats

Neal Augenstein
December 6, 2021, 2:57 PM

The .. judge overseeing .. effort to recall School Board Chair Brenda Sheridan .. said she expects the .. civil action will not devolve into threats.

In October, Leesburg representative Beth Barts resigned from the board during a similar recall proceeding ...

“I oversaw Ms. Barts’ matter, and I understand she resigned because of threats,” Judge .. Irby said ...

Irby set a three-day trial, from March 21 through 23. Sheridan’s attorney said she would ask for a bench, rather than a jury trial ...

https://wtop.com/loudoun-county/2021/12/judge-warns-against-threats-in-loudoun-county-school-board-recall-hearing/

[KS Toronado]

45. Meanwhile, FQX blames Antifa for this

[11 Bravo]

48. Sounds like more "legitimate political discourse".

[IcyPeas]

51. the little circles instead of a dot on some of the letter i indicate:

Circle-shaped dot: The circle stops the rhythm of writing. It does not allow it to flow, expressing difficulty in adaptation. Depending on the graphical context, it can have different interpretations. With rigid writing, it can point out obsessive tendencies that turn around an idea o concerns. Desire to provoke a sensation of extravagance, egocentrism, snobbism, pedantry. According to Roseline Crepy, with a disordered, spaced and varied in slant writing, denotes an individual that seeks to free himself from inner conflicts. In graphisms of young people: Narcissism, vital anguish, oppression, oppositionist tendencies. In other cases it may reflect fantasy, search for originality, in response to juvenile protest.

https://www.handwriting-graphology.com/letter-i-in-handwriting-analysis/