Dead Black Bear Wrapped In Obama Signs on North Carolina campus

[bigtree]

Cullowhee, N.C. -- The carcass of a black bear that had been shot in the head was found wrapped in Barack Obama campaign signs on a North Carolina campus on Monday.

Western Carolina University Campus Police Chief Tom Johnson said that officers were called about a dead bear on campus at about 7:45 a.m.

When the officers found the bear carcass, they said it was covered with two campaign signs that had been taped together.

Johnson said he has "no idea" what the motive for the killing or putting the signs on the body would be.

read: http://www.wyff4.com/news/17764161/detail.html

[Donnachaidh]

1. the nutjobs are becoming unhinged. n/t

[malta blue]

2. that is just so sad

:cry:

What is wrong with people?

[melody]

3. I have no words

No words

Just kicking it and reccing it. Jesus fucking Christ.

[tekisui]

4. Damn, they are killing "Bears for Obama", who's next?

[Heather MC]

49. Isn't killing large animals, the sign of a budding serial killer?

[tekisui]

57. A lot of regular people hunt bears, legally, here in Western NC.

I don't know when they are in season, though.

[DS1]

5. I heart my town

[sickinohio]

6. The sheriff has

"no idea" what the motive was? Alrighty then.

[melody]

13. Oooh, he's gonna make detective with that fine legal eye

[Are_grits_groceries]

50. Call Sheriff Andy Taylor!

He and Deputy Fife along with Aint Bee, Opie, Goober, Gomer, and Otis can figure it out!

[VeraAgnes]

7. Time for a good Forensic Team!

That poor bear and what sicko's to suggest death to a Presidential candidate! :wtf: They can catch them if they try.

[ForrestGump]

8. Wasn't Palin recently in North Carolina?

Do you think she brought her guns?

[demo dutch]

10. She's been there non stop!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Members of the Dick Cheney/Sarah Palin Gun Club making a subtle statement.

No doubt the Great White Huntress has housewifey tip for removing bloodstains from white sheets.

[madrchsod]

11. remember the " black bear scene" in "ghost dog" ?

[TroglodyteScholar]

32. I was wondering if anyone would mention that...

Great scene

[mrbarber]

46. remember the " black bear scene" in "ghost dog" ?

First thing I thought of when I read this.

This is a hate crime, pure and simple.

[snappyturtle]

12. Campus police...there you go. This Johnson guy ought to take a

battery of tests and see if he's truly suited to be a police chief. He can't imagine what the motive is? I would guess metaphors and analogies are not a strong point of Chief Johnson's.

[lonestarnot]

15. Sounds like Chief spitball is a real fucking Dee Dee Dee.

:puke:

[snappyturtle]

48. I just found this....Asheville,N.C. Citizen-Times...a different slant...

"It looked like it had been shot in the head as best we can tell. A couple of Obama campaign signs had been stapled together and stuck over its head,” Johnson said.

University police called in N.C. Wildlife Resources officials to remove the body and help in the investigation. Bear season is currently under way in Western North Carolina.

“This is certainly unacceptable,” Johnson said. “Someone was wanting to draw attention to the election. If we find out who they are, we’ll make sure they’ll get some attention themselves.”

"Western Carolina University deplores the inappropriate behavior that led to this troubling incident," said Leila Tvedt, associate vice chancellor "We cannot speculate on the motives of the people involved, nor who those people might be. Campus police are cooperating with authorities to investigate this matter."

[lonestarnot]

51. Well at least he is making an effort to "sound" encouraging. That is a surprise.

Thanks for posting snappy! :)

[VP505]

27. Johnson? You sure

his name wasn't Barney?

[snappyturtle]

47. Thanks for the laugh! nt

[Solly Mack]

14. "no idea" uh? Course not

Sick demented fucks

[jpak]

16. Republican Dumbasses never fail to deliver stupidity and violence

assholes

[kestrel91316]

17. I'd be calling the Secret Service about this latest implied death threat

against Obama. Because you and I and everybody else knows damned well that's exactly what this is.

[Dennis Donovan]

19. In the mob, this would be called "sending a message" similar to wrapping fish...

...in a flak jacket.

"It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes."

[Hekate]

18. The chief has "no idea"? What a great mind. nt

[wellst0nev0ter]

61. "I Dunno How That Negro Beat Hisself, Shot Hisself, And Dump Hisself In The River"

god, the more things change. . .

[Triana]

20. How damn cruel!

:mad:

[FLyellowdog]

21. I graduated from WCU and I am appalled!!!!

But understand that some of the local people there are the types who helped hide Eric Rudolf (1996 Atlanta Olympics bomber)in the caves of WNC and believe in nothing more than Bilble-lore, guns, and keeping women pregnant in the summer and barefoot in the winter. It's probably not true that all their DNAs are the same, but it's not far off.

Sooooooo sad.

[City Lights]

22. ...

:wtf:

:cry:

:scared:

[katty]

23. another disgusting example of re-THUGS-sick a-holes

[marions ghost]

24. I would imagine killing a bear

would be illegal in western NC? But maybe not.

As for dragging it onto a campus with Obama signs on it, wouldn't that fall under the same laws as cross-burnings? I'm looking for legal avenues. There may be none.

---------------------

Here's something about cross-burning laws vs first amendment rights in Virginia ca. 2003:

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1048518258780

"Ruling in an important First Amendment case, the U.S. Supreme Court said Monday that states may outlaw acts of cross burning that are intended to intimidate. The Court recited the long history of cross burning as a virulent "symbol of hate" in upholding most parts of a Virginia law that bars cross burning on public or private property.

"When a cross burning is used to intimidate, few if any messages are more powerful," wrote Justice Sandra Day O'Connor for a majority in Virginia v. Black.

But the Supreme Court also said that under some circumstances, cross burning could be a form of expression protected by the First Amendment. So, by a separate vote, the Court struck down a part of the Virginia law at issue that said jurors could presume that anyone who burns a cross intended to intimidate.

Justice Clarence Thomas, the Court's only African-American member, dissented, arguing that the First Amendment was not even a factor in evaluating the statute.

"This statute prohibits only conduct, not expression," wrote Thomas. "Just as one cannot burn down someone's house to make a political point and then seek refuge in the First Amendment, those who hate cannot terrorize and intimidate to make their point."

But because Thomas saw no constitutional bar to Virginia's law, he can be counted with the majority that said states have the right to pass such a law. Thomas added that even if the First Amendment is implicated, the presumption of intent to intimidate included in the Virginia law "presents no constitutional problems."

The ruling appears to be a retreat from the 11-year-old precedent R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, in which the Court struck down a similar cross-burning statute as impermissible discrimination based on the content of the speech. First Amendment advocates expressed concern that Monday's ruling could lead overzealous legislators to use the intimidation rationale to outlaw other forms of controversial speech, from swastikas to flag burning. While some expressed hope that the Court was creating an isolated "category of one," inhabited only by cross burning, others feared the Court was opening a significant and potentially unlimited breach in First Amendment protection."

[rebel with a cause]

41. The article says it is bear season.

"Although it is bear hunting season, to dump a bear's carcass is considered "wanton and willful waste of wildlife."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4274942

Colbert is from North Carolina, no wonder he is always talking about the bears and going bear hunting. Someone should send this to him. Maybe he would cover it tomorrow since it is his home state. :shrug:

[marions ghost]

53. But is there any enforcement?

Seems like killing a bear at all should be "wanton and willful waste of wildlife." Black bears are "shy and reclusive" but are killed by poachers as well as seasonal hunters apparently :cry:

This site has good info about the bears in North Carolina:

http://www.wildwnc.org/education/animals/black-bear-ursus-americanus

Excerpt:

"Regulated sport hunting is not a threat to the black bear population but there is a major problem with illegal hunting. Many black bears are killed by poachers for a variety of parts including the teeth, claws, and especially the gall bladder which is sought after as an aphrodisiac. One gall bladder can be worth several thousand dollars on the black market. This illegal trade in black bear parts is one of the biggest threats to their existence today."

--------------------

Well dunno if Colbert would cover this since it had the Obama stickers on it. He might not want to go there.

[Dragonmoose]

55. ..and a cub none the less.

It was a 75 pound bear cub...and I bet they have a Jesus fish emblem on their pickup. The hypocrisy is dumbfounding.

[rebel with a cause]

64. "The hypocrisy is dumbfounding."

Almost anytime you find self righteousness, you will find hypocrisy because no one can live with the pious ideas they put forth. So they scream about the little sins while they commit the larger ones. It is like Jesus said...'You gag on a gnat and swallow a camel'. I guess they don't understand the bible and the teaching of Jesus.

:evilgrin:

[depakid]

25. Interesting Demographics- these folks are dirt poor.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $19,688, and the median income for a family was $36,538. Males had a median income of $26,161 versus $16,607 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,017. About 25.2% of families and 41.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.3% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullowhee

[HEyHEY]

26. Time to do something similar with McCain signs and a pig

[Dragonmoose]

28. This makes me very sick...

I live in this community - and this is an obvious suggestion that Obama should to be assassinated. I am going to call WCU tomorrow to ask how the hell Johnson "is wondering what this means" as well as the Jackson County Sheriff's department.

Another note, I went to the Democratic office in town (Bryson City, NC) today and was shown a picture of an Obama sign with "Nigger F U" spray painted in red upon it. He also informed me that several people have told him that they are afraid to post Obama flyers and stickers on their car in fear of retribution. I am infuriated. I am also infuriated that the police force and the FBI haven't come out to make a concerted effort to find these people.

This has been fostered by the Republican's party new-speak and obvious white supremacist attitude. There is NO excuse for this and this should be ALL over the news. I've already emailed FOX, I doubt very seriously they'll give it a second.

I am sickened beyond belief.

[appal_jack]

31. welcome to DU Dragonmoose

Sad that this is the occasion of your first post, but glad that another Carolinian is fighting the good fight. Never give up!

-app

[Dragonmoose]

54. Thanks...

...for the warm welcome on a cold subject! Education is the key, it really is. I get so frustrated because we have access to ALL of the best universities on this planet. I certainly understand differences in opinion on issues such as taxes, education, and health care, but prejudice continuing in this country like in the'50's/60's can't be tolerated. (love and compassion, love and compassion, love and compassion!!!)

Nice to meet you, I'll be back!

[hootinholler]

35. The SS should be all over this.

Welcome to DU :hi:

-Hoot

[marions ghost]

39. good

local people and people in NC need to speak up and demand that local law enforcement take this seriously.

:thumbsup:

[Dr Fate]

29. What was the point in harming forest animals?

Sick.

[PatSeg]

30. Oh my god

They are becoming more and more deranged every day. That is sick.

[bertman]

33. Being a Tarheel, I can vouch for the fact that there are LOTS of people in the state who

probably wish they had thought of that idea.

Let's hope that the rest of us go out and vote for Obama and send a message to those inbred hillbilly pigfuckers.

Right now it's looking good for Obama in North Carolina.

[Hekate]

34. Someone please tell me that the FBI has been called in to fingerprint the signs at the very least...

Christ on a Trailer Hitch. What's next? The head of a horse in someone's bed?

Hekate

[fascisthunter]

36. oooooo.... scary... maybe we should all become too scared to vote

fucking scumbags

[TheWatcher]

37. The other side is going to get violent.

It's something we should all be prepared for.

They are going to regret crossing that line.

[riverdeep]

63. Your last line should be emphasized.

The idea that all liberals are pacifists and have no experience with firearms or the willingness to use them is wrong. And if they choose to cross that line (to violence), they will find out it is not just wrong, but dead wrong.

[autorank]

38. McCain's legacy ... what a sad case he is.

He had no business running for Senate let alone president.

Why aren't those Republicans who've gone on record speaking up now - the ones with the stories
of his strange temper and rage? They need to speak.

[jillan]

40. Why would they do that to a bear?

That is heartbreaking.

[rebel with a cause]

42. It is bear season. They kill bears there in season.

I am not saying anything negative about that, because in Illinois they also have hunting seasons for deer and other animals. I'm not a hunter so the only one I am sure of is deer, and that is only because it is such a big deal that kids get out of school for it. The school doesn't close, but if you want to go deer hunting you are excused.

Okay, looked it up and we have dear, turkey, small game, waterfowl and migratory game birds seasons.

Small game includes squirrels, and I got to say that no body better touch the squirrels that I buy food for every winter. I live in town so I think they are safe. We also have rabbits that come around with the skunks, possums and raccoons. Pheasant and quail are not in our neighborhood. ;)

[rebel with a cause]

56. deer is misspelled. I know how to spell it.

really I do.

[ClayZ]

43. ARGH!

[DearAbby]

44. That is a threat...I hope they are on this like a duck on a June Bug

I am serious. BLACK bear KILLED with Obama signs....THREAT! Jesus how much more plain can it be?

[SalmonChantedEvening]

45. Sick.

A useless killing by even more useless people.

[Bluebear]

59. These people are not not human.

[Orsino]

52. I guess this proves that Obama is associated with terrorists.

x(

[TexasObserver]

58. dyslexic second amendment advocate on his right to keep and arm bears

then the bear wanted to see other people

[bertman]

62. . . . and the dyslexic couldn't bear it. Right?

[earth mom]

60. A message from Sarah Palin supporters is what this sounds like...

Palin doesn't give a damn about bears or wolves or any wildlife for that matter...

:yoiks: