Well, Sorcha, there was a very deliberate attempt to carve out a white homeland in the west, which you may also know of, and Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington (maybe Utah) were all considered part of that territory. I think it seems more intense when one is living in the place where Richard Butler had his compound, or where Matthew Shepherd died--but there have been similar atrocities in every state, so I guess I don't distinguish Wyoming from the rest.

I also believe the Constitution has been greatly attacked where civil rights and social justice are concerned. Just the changes in sentencing laws alone accomplished that. That's why I tend to believe that hatred and violence are currently seen as acceptable ways of behaving--or, maybe many of us are simply numb to the degree of bullying we put up with on a daily basis, and think it's normal.

Either way, it's as though we're all traumatized by it, and frozen out of fear, or guilt, or denial...I would like to think I've escaped, but alas, I'm as colonized as everybody else.

blt