gmeyers1944
Diamond Member
- Thread starter
- #21
The problem I have with that is that it seems that on any occasion that I hear of a white person being charged with committing a crime against a black person, he is automatically charged with hate!If you don't understand why a crime is termed as a "hate" crime, then try to educate yourself instead of using the same tired whine that garden-variety racists put out after every racial or sexual crime is committed. Otherwise, you, too, will be lumped as a right-wing nut.
Here is the definition of a hate crime
Hate
When used in a hate crime law, the word "hate" does not mean rage, anger, or general dislike. In this context “hate” means bias against people or groups with specific characteristics that are defined by the law.
At the federal level, hate crime laws include crimes committed on the basis of the victim’s perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.
Most state hate crime laws include crimes committed on the basis of race, color, and religion; many also include crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability.
Crime
The "crime" in hate crime is often a violent crime, such as assault, murder, arson, vandalism, or threats to commit such crimes. It may also cover conspiring or asking another person to commit such crimes, even if the crime was never carried out.
Why have hate crime laws?
Hate crimes have a broader effect than most other kinds of crime. Hate crime victims include not only the crime’s immediate target but also others like them. Hate crimes affect families, communities, and at times, the entire nation.
Learn About Hate Crimes
A hate crime is a crime motivated by bias against race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. Learn more about hate crimes in the United States.www.justice.gov
In other words, when crimes are committed, the perps of course have to be punished. But this punishment should also serve to deter future crimes.
As an example, let's say a black guy and a white guy get into an agrument over a parking spot. One thing leads to another and they come to blows and some one is injured. Would it be termed as a "hate crime"? Most probably not. Unless it can be shown that either one came expressly to commit violence against a person of the opposite race.
But if it can be shown that it was racially motivated and even if no one is killed, because it is a racial crime, whatever sentence the perp receives, he is liable for additional sentencing in the hope that it deters others from committing the same crime.
That, in a nutshell, is the reason "hate crime" laws exist. The prosecutor still has a high bar to establish that it is one but the whole idea is to deter future similar crimes.