I have a few problems with the idea of “hate crimes.” The first is that it amounts to little more than thought-policing. After all, they didn’t ADD any crimes, they just made the punishment more severe if you believed a certain thing. You get more jail time if you’re racist and kill a minority than if you’re not. Makes perfect sense! This country has a strong foundation on the freedom of speech and thought, and these laws a) don’t really mesh with that and b) aren’t going to change anyone’s mind. The second problem is… well… where does it stop? If attacking a Christian because they’re Christian is a hate-crime… why not attacking a satanist? What’s good for the goose, folks, what’s good for the goose.
[Via Kristin.]
I DESPISE hate crimes laws. It’s your right to be an ignorant fucktard. If you want to be an ignorant fucktard AND kill someone, well - you’re getting it for murder, fella. I don’t care if you killed a green herm that f’d tadpoles in a mosque…you’re a murderer.
When we assign penalties thoughts/words/feelings, then all of us have fewer rights.
There’s a HUGE injustice going on right now in Philidelphia involving 11 Christians who were arrested for protesting a gay event. Five were charged with hate crimes (a felony with 47 year possible sentance) for READING FROM THE BIBLE. Get that? They didn’t attack anyone, or committ anything beyond civil disobediance, but READING FROM THE BIBLE at a gay event has deemed hateful.
Throw the misdemeanor book at them for not dispersing when police told them, but that’s civil disobediance. It’s certainly not a hate crime.
For better or worse, the whole thing was caught on video.
Google for Christian Hate Crime
Google for Philadelphia Christian Hate Crime
Article at KansasCity.com
Lifeissues.net
RepentAmerica.com
In short, any crime is a hate crime. The forethought and malice that it takes to plot the murder of a person AND the impetuous spur-of-the-moment robbing of a store AND the stealing of money from a corporation all boil down to hate.
Hate of the individual killed, regardless of skin color, ethnicity, gender or sexual preference. Hate for the fact you need money for drugs and will grab it in any way possible. Hate for the fact that your company makes gazillions and you don’t, so you deserve money at their expense.
Plain and simple, setting up a heirarchy of “hate” within all the crimes committed is pointless because they all boil down to that base point anyway.
You’ve struck a nerve with me this morning peteman. Thanks for the entry.