A small black noose was left hanging from the door of the Santa Ana office of Equality California Thursday night. Mel Distel, a 25-year-old volunteer, called the cops:

When the police arrived, two officers spoke to Daniel and myself outside. The male officer dominated the conversation. There was nothing they could do, of course, there was no suspect and no crime had been committed. The officer said “what it is, is a string on a door.” My vision got blurry, I was embarrassed and felt stupid for making the call. I took a deep breath and said “Do you see any correlation between the fact that this is a gay office and there was a noose left on our door in the wake of all of these teen suicides?” The officer said, “Sometimes you just have to live with being a victim,” and proceeded to mention that his car had been broken into before. As if that’s the same. As if having your stereo stolen is anything like the message “You should kill yourself.” As if random theft is anything like an act meant to convey hate and stir up fear in the heart of a minority group.

Apparently Mel got it wrong. The cop, too. It looks like a crime has been committed:

P.C. 11411 – Terrorism of owner or occupant of real property. Placement or display of sign, symbol or other physical impression without authorization, engagement in pattern of conduct, or burning or desecration of religious symbols.

David Neiwert catalogs the rise of right-wing threats and violence. They’re mad as hell and not going to take it any more. They’ll lose in the long run. The question is just how far away that it.