-> > I can sympathize with your plight, but what would you have the
-> police > do when a woman simply claimed that she was being or felt
-> threatened?
-> Unless the police have some kind of evidence that harm was done, the
-> most they can do is tell the threatener to go away, and make a report
->
-> There's always the possibility of an unscrupulous woman using this as
-> clout for blackmail or revenge when no violence was ever intended or
-> done.
Exactly.  It happens all the time in messy divorces and custody cases.
If you want to see how it's done, watch night-time soap operas.
-> I certainly believe we need to protect defenseless women, but I do
-> have a problem with prosecuting a person for what another person
-> THINKS that person might or could do.  We should swiftly and severely
-> punish violent acts but not simple words.  Along the same lines, the
-> term "hate speech" is another crime of which can be abused.
But what if someone stands on the public sidewalk in front of your house
and yells out "I'm going to kill you asshole!"  Is he merely exercising
his 1st amendment rights?  How would you feel if someone were to do that
to you for just 30 seconds?  How would you feel if someone were to do
that for 1 hour every night?   That is not a violent act, those are
"mere words".   What if that person was also exercising their 2nd
amendment right to bear a firearm while uttering those words?
When does the threat become credible enough or severe enough so that
defense measures can justifiably be taken?   Or to the point where legal
measures can be taken?
What are you going to tell your wife or kids when someone is outside on
the sidewalk or on the street yelling death threats?  "Don't worry
honey, it's just words."  Come on, Mark.  At some point, words *do*
consitute a threat, because words convey *intent*.  If someone *says*
they are going to kill you, it is logical to assume they mean it.
Does one have a 1st amendment right to stand on the street in front of
your house trash-talking you and your wife with vile insults?  At what
point do you just ignore it, and at what point do you call the cops?
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