If I am not a member of a protected minority, is my life worth less?
Who decides if it was hatred that motivated a crime... should we prosecute people for thoughts now? How can we be certain?
2007-06-21 13:46:06 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Absolutely not. The crime itself is the crime. If we start enhancing punishments for thought crimes how long until we start criminalizing the politically incorrect thoughts themselves? And who gets to decide what you're allowed to think? The founders of this once-great nation would be spinning in their graves.
2007-06-21 13:55:37 · answer #1 · answered by gunplumber_462 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hate crimes can be commited to anyone by anyone. You do not have to be in a minority group at all. Everyone is subject to being the focus of a hate crime. More unlikely if you are not a minority group yes but still possible. For instance imagine if you are a white guy living in a mostly black neighborhood and your house is burned down and there is a doll of a white guy in KKK robes burning in your front yard. That most certainly would be considered a hate crime.
As far as prosecuting someone on hate crimes generally the few times i have heard of it happening it is pretty clear that it was a deep hatred for a certain race or whatnot that motivated the crime.
We definantly should never prosecure anyone for thoughts. There is a huge differance between thinking about something and doing something. I dont care much for my boss some days but however i am a grown up so i know what to act on and what not to act on. Maybe it seems twisted but personally i think thoughts of hatred and thoughts about what you would like to do to someone because they angered you are a bit of a release and are probably normal and healthy. Obsessing over them and makeing them ever consuming thought and daydreams is not healthy.
This also would fly in the face of personal freedom and liberty if we ever prosecuted someone based on there thoughts. I would definantly move to canada if that ever happened where a mind reading machine was used to judge if you had ever thought bad thoughts and therefore are guilty.
2007-06-21 13:57:18 · answer #2 · answered by hmeetis 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No your life is not worth less and there is no protected minority in the hate crimes bill. Hate crimes bill stats that if you are attacked because that person hated your race, religon, sex and so on. Then they tried under a different law, instead of assault if they assaulted you.
Melissa, this bill came about because there was a reason for what happened. If somebody is mad at you and punches you for it is one thing. If somebody hates you because of you skin color and punches you, that is a whole nothing thing.
2007-06-21 13:54:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes. If your murder was based solely on the fact that you were a white male it would be considered a hate crime.
Take Matthew Shepard for example. Hate crimes can be BLATANTLY obvious.
2007-06-21 13:49:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe a crime should be punished the same no matter who the victim is.
2007-06-21 13:54:34 · answer #5 · answered by missy1976 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋