North Carolina Republicans vote to make it legal to hit protestors with your car

North Carolina Republicans continue their campaign to turn the Tar Heel state into the embarrassing racist and homophobic cousin you wish wasn’t at your family get-together. Maybe realizing that the people have been pushed too far and are now activated and ready to take back their state, Republicans in North Carolina’s House of Representatives introduced a bill that would make it legal for vehicles to hit protestors. Approving House Bill 330 68-48 in a party-line vote, Republicans argue that this bill protects citizens from protestors who “are nuts to run in front of cars like they do,” according to state Rep. Michael Speciale as reported by the New Observer.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Justin Burr of Albemarle, said drivers wouldn’t be allowed to deliberately run over protesters.

“This bill does not allow for the driver of a vehicle to target protesters intentionally,” he said. “It does protect individuals who are rightfully trying to drive down the road.”

And while this all makes some kind of sense, Democrats point out that the bill is so vague that, not unlike “stand your ground” gun laws, this bill can and will be used to squash protest. State Rep. Speciale also said this amazingly dumb thing.

Speciale said drivers need protection, particularly if they’re trying to reach the emergency room. “I like protesting, I like stirring it up, but I do it within the confines of the law,” he said.

It’s easier to not pay attention at that point, I guess? If you make protesting illegal then that solves it all, right? You know what is still against the law? People attacking people in cars. So if protestors begin to do that you can totally arrest them and hold them liable. If not, then you can probably arrest them for obstruction? However, if you really want them to stop creating traffic jams you might want to take a whole minute to consider what and why they are protesting.