Why do we need a separate law for every hate crime? I don't really get it. Before today it wasn't a federal crime to hate a person because of their sexual orientation. In the past,the Civil Rights Act was used to prosecute some who openly "hated" GLBT by doing violence . Now there is a specific statute that makes hatred of these and others a federal crime. Good. I think people that do these things should be prosecuted. By "these things" I mean openly act against someone because they are part of a group identified as deserving hate by someone. Take Matthew and Sean and James for example. Minding their own business when they were singled out for punishment for being gay. All were killed. Matthew was tortured first. James was dragged to death behind a pickup. Sean was beaten to death.
The part I don't get is this: Why do we need to list the categories of people you can't openly hate? Why can't we just have laws that protect us all from acts of hatred? Couldn't we define the acts that constitute hatred and then go after anyone that committed those acts?
I suspect that the hate crimes history has it's beginnings with religious hatred and racial hatred. But it doesn't make sense to me to be convicted "hate crime purp" for beating up a Jew and calling her a "dirty Jew", while beating up a Dodger fan and calling her a "Dirty Dodger fan" isn't . Or is it? Help me out here people.
Today the President will sign the Defense Appropriations bill which includes the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Look at the kind of crap that was used to try to kill the act:
"Vision America President Dr. Rick Scarborough commented: "We are urging Senators to join DeMint (R, SC) in filibustering this pernicious -- one might almost say 'toxic' -- legislation. As Values Voter leaders, we are saying this vicious assault on the Church and the First Amendment must not and will not be allowed to succeed." "
So, the true haters are unveiled.
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