yeah I hear you, I was just pointing out that it’s motivated by hate. And if it was any sort of violent crime it would have a hate crime enhancer on it.

It’s not direct harm, but the intention is to erase queer lives and queer media, that queer people rely on to find their reflection in. Especially if they grow up places where they don’t get exposure to other folks like themselves.

It’s more than theft. Because intentions matter. But, there’s also no legal framework for the prosecution.

Civil disobedience is criminal by definition. It’s breaking laws with the intention of making society more moral or just (in your own view).

But I agree, the pastor is perverting the term. Because he’s acting as if they are mutually exclusive in order to evade consequences.

Intent matters. Losing a book isn’t theft. Checking one out with intent to keep it is. Normally this would be very hard to prove, in this case it’s not.

And yeah, if one of the members of the congregation did this and then sold the books. And then donated that back to the church, the pastor could be charged for running a criminal syndicate which is a class c felony in Kentucky.

But I would be really surprised if a Kentucky jury would allow the charges to stick. Even if a DA was willing to try and prosecute

But if three or more of them are doing it, then it’s criminal gang activity. If one of them sold the books and donated the money to the church, the pastor could be charged with a class c felony.

Stealing books alone isn’t a hate crime.

Targeting specific books because you hate a specific group of people, well maybe there’s no hate crime enhancer for theft. But it’s motivated by hate, it’s a hate crime.

“According to court documents, transgender military members diagnosed with gender dysphoria were more deployable than their cisgender counterparts who were diagnosed with depression.”

This is queer erasure. And you know it. Because you’re here to spread hate and toxicity. Not to participate in good faith.