WBAL.com

In the wake of this week’s beating of a black fisherman in an apparent hate crime, a leader of the Jewish community says hate speech becoming more acceptable.

Speaking at a City Hall news conference with Mayor Sheila Dixon and clergy leaders on the beating of James Privitt, Art Abramson said that he’s heard hate speech at the recent town meetings on health care reform..

The executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council said he is bothered by comparisons of various health care reform plans to Nazi atrocities.

“Identifying this health care plan as a Nazi like plan shows how quickly we are accepting out there these comparisons…comparisons that are wrong as these people have no idea of what happens when we begin to see Nazi like plans,” Abramson said.

Abramson says as hate speech becomes more acceptable in conversation, incidents like this week’s beating will increase.

“This environment out there can ultimately lead to people getting hurt,” Abramson said.

“Not that long ago these issues can translate into reality, and more an more we’re accepting it and legitimizing it.”

Previously:
Sex offender arrested in Ft. Armistead Park attack

Baltimore Sun

Washington County sheriff’s Capt. Peter Lazich said the sign also read, “Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids.” He said Secret Service agents took the unidentified 51-year-old man into custody after deputies detained him.

The Herald-Mail

Someone called in a report about the signs between 12 and 1 p.m., Lazich said. The man had been standing at the Hagerstown Community College entrance on Robinwood Drive, he said.

[...]

Barbara Golden, special agent in charge at the Secret Service’s Baltimore office, confirmed that an agent from that office was in Washington County Wednesday to interview the man.

[...]

The Secret Service did not take the man into custody, Golden said.

But it’s an ongoing investigation, said Golden, who referred other questions to the Secret Service’s public affairs office.

UPDATE: WHAG has a picture of the sign.

Other bloggers:
Below the Beltway
HuffPo
DCist

WBAL TV

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Hagerstown Community College campus security are gearing up for a town-hall style meeting on health care reform hosted by Sen. Ben Cardin.

The event discussing the hot-button issue is being held at the college’s Kepler Theater on Wednesday.
At similar meetings around the country in recent weeks, members of Congress have faced heckling from their constituents. Cardin was booed and jeered throughout a meeting in Towson on Monday night.
About 500 people were allowed inside Tuesday night’s meeting, where frayed tempers often interrupted the debate. Cardin had to stop speaking several times because the crowd was so loud, but he still called the event a success.

[...]

A spokeswoman for Hagerstown Community College said police and security personnel are prepared to enforce order if necessary on Wednesday.
She said demonstrators must sign waivers of liability and follow the college’s demonstration policy.
A Cardin representative said signs won’t be allowed inside the theater.

@juliemore will be posting Twitter updates again live from the town hall.

Related:
Baltimore Sun

Baltimore Sun

They began arriving four hours early, ignoring triple-digit heat-index levels for a chance to hoot and holler at Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin’s health-care town hall meeting Monday night.

WBAL.com

Cardin was booed and jeered repeatedly throughout his 25-minute presentation and the question-and-answer period. The crowd had to be asked to calm down to allow him to continue.

Cardin said how to pay for the bill has not yet been worked out, a comment that prompted even more derision from the audience. Some shouted, “Taxes!” and others shouted, “Spend, Ben, spend!”

At one point, four police officers strolled down the two aisles of the auditorium at Towson University and stood in front of the stage.

Cardin defended the health bills, saying they would provide more choice, and that there would be more people, not fewer, with insurance.

[...]

He said the bill would be neutral on abortion; there would be no change from current policy.

But Cardin had to stop speaking several times because crowd was so loud.

Another questioner: “Yes or no?” on whether Cardin would enroll in whatever bill passes. Cardin began to answer twice, and each time the questioner asked him “Yes or no?” prompting a deafening roar from the crowd.

Cardin finally said, “I turned 65 this year. I’m in a public plan. It’s called Medicare.”

The protests continued even after the meeting with people shouting on the road outside of the hall, waving flags and placards.

More than 200 boisterous but peaceful protesters turned out before the meeting.

Protesters chanted and carried signs that read, “No socialized medicine”; “Public option is no option”; “Health care can’t wait” and “Health care is a right.”

More coverage and videos below the fold.
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Real Clear Politics has the video here.