"Rope." "What?"

I have an online conversational habit that I picked up from TJIC (who still isn't back to blogging, dagnabbit...)  Occasionally, I'll respond to a news story that's linked on Facebook or another site with a single word comment:

"Rope."

For example: a friend recently posted a story about a student who had two individuals approach him at a party and ask him if he were Jewish.  When he said that he was, they gave the Nazi salute, said they were with the KKK, and the proceeded to beat him, break his jaw, and then - once he was beaten unconscious - they stapled his mouth shut.

An update to the story noted:

East Lansing police said in a statement Tuesday the assault was "not likely a hate crime," and they are not investigating it as one.

Yes... you read that right.  "Not likely a hate crime".

My response?

"Rope."

A friend asked me what I meant by that, which led me to spend a few minutes trying to come up with a concise definition.  For the record, here's what I mean when responding with that singular word:

Rope :  a general declaration of disgust, directed at those whom we should be able to trust, but who have decided to betray that trust. Were this the old west, they'd be strung up for the lying, filthy, miserable weasels that they are. As we live in more enlightened days, instead of actually hanging corrupt officials, the best we can do is string up their careers - vigorously and with great enthusiasm.

Though I have to admit that sometimes, channeling the spirit of H. L. Mencken, I feel an overwhelming desire to leave off that last bit, and just... go buy some rope.