In my career as a police officer stretching over 30 years, I encountered my share of evil people. I sincerely believe there are evil people in the world who don't deserve to live. I will discount my military experience because I'm not sure what's evil in a war. I've contemplated that and I can't put my finger on a complete definition. I'm sure there are those who get it, but I'm not one. Obviously, the Nazis leap to mind, but that's a given. When should soldiers kill?
I bring all this up to make a point. "Hate Crime" legislation is a feel good criminalization of thought and speech. I say this because those who harm people in a criminal manner should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The reason should not matter. If someone kills or injures another person, the reason doesn't matter unless it's self defense. The human in me has encountered several situations in which I felt empathy for the suspect, but the law is the law.
The person who is assaulted, for whatever reason, does not experience less injury because the suspect was just mad at the victim about a debt or some other disagreement. The person who is killed because of a domestic problem is still dead. The circumstances of murder are secondary to the act itself. I investigated many homicides in my career and dead is dead. If a murderer kills someone because of a prejudice of some sort is irrelevant. The murderer should be prosecuted to fullest extent of the law. Murder is murder. Does the reason really matter if it's done criminally?
This is another manifestation of the victimology of America today. Somehow what was in the mind of the murderer is more relevant if the victim was of a certain class. The criminalization of thought and speech is very troubling. Why? Well, who is going to decide what speech and thought is criminal and which is not? Think about it.
A word about the chicken crap move of attaching the "hate crime" legislation to a military appropriation bill. The Senate leadership who hatched this scheme are a gutless bunch of sissies who did this in the hopes that the president will veto it so they can go to their leftie constituents and say "I tried." I don't have a problem with cutting funds for the F-22, although it is an incredible aircraft. There are other planes out there and Americans can build almost anything. I find the Senate "leadership" guilty of gutless politics in the recent tradition of the last few congresses who have distinguished themselves with ineptness on a monumental scale. Shameful.
14 comments:
"gutless" and "shameful"...two PERFECT words for the American government these days..
Or, is it a HATE crime to even hint at that!?
I don't remember what it was, but the other day on TV I heard someone say "They're trying to figure out if this was a hate crime!" I thought "it was a terrible crime! Find the guy and punish him...Murder is a CRIME...END OF STORY!"
Apparently, not?
Z,
That's my point. Murder is murder. If it was a criminal act the person no deader because of the thoughts of the murderer. This is victimology pure and simple. No life is worth more than another. Thanks for the visit.
This is a topic that tends to tick me off quite a bit. I never understood it and still don't. What is the difference if you murder somebody because they stole drugs from you or if you don't like a person's race or religion, etc? Absolutely nothing. By making it a hate crime, you are giving a signal to gay's, minorities, (whoever it was against) that their life is somehow more important than any others. Isn't murder a hate crime anyway, for everyone equally? Murder is murder. Regardless of who is doing it and who it is getting done to.
Congress is doing through Legislation what Senator Boxer was doing to the African American man who what testifying the other day. He was a man who stood up to the trash she was trying to peddle. He told her he was an American and was insulted by her attempt at racism, because what they were talking about was economics and that wasn't black or white or whatever, It was an amercan problem, or everyones problem. The government seems to want to seperate men into different catigories and races....This legislation does just that. It'll do more damage to American freedoms than meets the eye, but that is what they apparently want to accomplish...keeps us divided then they, the elite will reach their objective of controlling the masses......stay well
Aren't all violent acts hateful?
Sheesh.
Jennifer,
Thanks for the visit. I can't get past the fact that acts of violence are acts of hate. I don't recall a time where a victim of violence said that the attack was accompanied by the suspect saying "I love you" while he was perpetrating the crime.
Tap,
I saw that video. I loved how she tried to skate around her pandering. The guy wouldn't let her off the hook. When he told her he was a veteran I loved it. He obviously wasn't intimidated by her. Thanks for the visit.
Brooke,
Violence=hate. Pretty simple. This is victimology gone wild. As you said, sheesh.
BTW, word verification for comment was "fogingly." Perfect.
Yeah, I do to. I know some public defenders who really hate them because the threat of trying something as a hate crime can force a defendant to take an unreasonable sentence in a plea deal.
Their primary value is letting prosecutors get some points with the peeps.
Not good.
You got this one LAOT. I concede.
Ducky,
Ohio has an ill-concieved law called Ethnic Intimidation. I had to enforce that beauty several times. Most of the time it involved an assault of some kind. Name-calling usually precedes fighting and alcohol usually precedes that. Bad combination all around. Your point is well taken. Thanks for the visit.
Truth,
Thanks for the visit. There is actually a good amount we agree on. You should definitely hide that from your nihilist brothers. It will ruin your reputation. Good day.
All crimes against a person are "hate crimes"....why should one or more "special groups" be singled out?
Meeting up with a blog buddy, the Fat Hairy One, tomorrow at the AF Museum.....
L&0, I think you particularly might appreciate my latest post by Mr Z and another German from Cologne..on German law and how they would be led, by LAW, on how to handle a huge bill like our health care package...xx
Pat,
Enjoy. I would think about going but I have soccer training all morning. Tourney on weekend. Good luck.
Z,
I'll be over. Thanks for the heads-up.
thanks for your comment, I really appreciate your coming by.
Z,
I enjoyed the post.
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