Do you think that it's an infringement on freedom of speach if hate crime bills are passed?

Question

Especially those concerning if I say that I think homosexuality is wrong.

I think that it's infringing on my constitutional right to free speach.

Then why are people being arrested for peacefully protesting homosexuality and being charged for hate crimes?

Check out this at www.family.org

Hey wooper, that guy James Dobson who you call a nut, has been working for years, to protect the sanctity of the family and teach how important the family is. Instead of letting the perversions in the world destroy the family.

Hey grumpyoldman, I totally agree with you. I think it's sad that some of these liberal groups want to make it illegal for pastors to preach from the pulpit saying that homosexality is a sin and is wrong. And calling it a hate crime.

People homosexuality is a sin, and Jesus can deliver from that sin.

Answer 1

All of this hate crime litigation is BS. Has anyone ever brought up that a heterosexual white Baptist can be a victim of a hate crime? No. So If a black, Hispanic,gay, Jew, Muslim or whatever kills my old @ss, because they don't like white Baptists, there will be no time added to their sentence. Seems sooooo fair to me.

Answer 2

It seems every question I choose "coragryph" has been there before me. Just an observation.
Hate crimes are a really grey area legally in my opinion. I mean if I beat the crap out of somebody just for being gay then got arrested for it? I could easily sing all day long that that person had done something ELSE to me and it was NOT that they were gay, see what I'm saying?
I understand the motivation behind these bills, I do.
In answer to the original question, I do not think that the passing of these bills is an infringement on our freedom of speech, no.
Maybe it will force some folks to choose words with a bit more respect when voicing an opinion and that's not a bad thing.
D

Answer 3

Hate crime legislation does not impact speech at all.

Hate crime legislation is a sentence enhancement to some other criminal act or statute. It only applies when you commit an action that is already a crime.

The reason hate crimes are considered worse is a function of the mental state involved. Just like intentional murder can be treated as more severe than reckless homicide (manslaughter) or negligent homicide. The more culpable mental state allows for a greater punishment, even though the physical act and result (death of a person) is the same.

Similarly, where a crime is committed based on racial or gender or religious or other prejudice (thus being a hate-motivated crime), the mental state is not merely a desire to harm one person. It's a desire to harm or destroy everyone who exhibits a certain trait. The victim at the time just happens to be one of many who exhibit that trait. Thus, the the victim was attacked not for anything unique to that individual (as in most other crimes) but because the victim was a representative of some larger group.

That different mental state compared to other crimes allows for the sentence enhancement.

People ask why all crimes aren't considered hate crimes. The answer should be obvious from the above definition. If you attack one person because they made you angry, that's hatred against the the individual you are attacking. But based on that same motivation, you would have no reason to attack a thousand other people, unless each one of them individually also made you angry.

Hate crimes are where you want to attack those thousand other people, because they all share the same trait (are all members of whatever group) that you hate. And this particular victim just happened to be the first one you came across. But your attack on them had nothing to do with them as an individual. It was your intent to attack an entire large group, and they just happened to be handy.

Answer 4

I doubt if you'll ever be prosecuted for saying homosexuality is wrong. And, of course, the 1st amendment stops at the point where someone else is harmed. And yes there wil be a gray area in between. That's what has to be ironed out.
You only need to be carefull about committing any kind of incitement and then claiming 1st amendment.

Answer 5

alright your an idiot. but most and worst of all a religious idiot.

If you really think homosexuality is wrong because of the bible. turn the page. where you should stone children for being disobedient. then turn a couple more where it condones selling your daughter into prostitution.

The constitution part depends on the bill i have not read it, but if it is against the act of violence towards homosexuals. No it is not. if it is against speech against them. yes it would be unconstitutional. Speech and action are two different things.
and also the constitution says quite a bit of not forcing beliefs on other too like...homosexuality is wrong.

Answer 6

You are distorting what hate crime legislation is. It places no restriction on what you say--if you want to be a racist or other trash, that's your business.

"Hate crime" legislation refers only to actual crimes--assult, threats, beatings,murder, etc. Those are illegal in any case.

However, decent people quite properly regard such crimes, if committed because the attacker is motivate by hate or bigotry against the victim because of race, etc.--as being more heinous. And so should be subject to addional penalties. In addition, this gives the govrnment additional tools to use in cases where local law enforcement may be inclined to look the other way--for example, as in the Jim Crow south when local "police" ignored lynchings. Such dereliction of duty is less common now--but still occurs.

Now, of course, the bigots will claim that they shouldn't be singled out for special punishment if they indulge their sick attitudes in the commission of a crime. the great majority of decent people disagree--and we want to send a mesage: the day for bigotry is past. It willnot be tolerated.

Answer 7

words have effects and there has in no way, in any society, existed finished freedom of speech. the belief is a fable. some human beings interior the u . s . has a wierd address freedom of speech. they think of they are in a position to particular their hatred straight away in the direction of the object of their hate, and on an analogous time be secure by the police from attack and battery. In 18th century France, in case you mouthed off, the indignant man or woman might project you to a duel, and additionally you may with out put off learn what it felt like whilst a sword gone by your intestines.

Answer 8

No, it is a tragedy that people even consider hate as an excuse to harm another, under any circumstances. Because a person is of a different color or a different religion or is merely different than another, that there could be reason to harm them.

Answer 9

No speech is not a hate crime, beating up someone because of their race, religion or sexual orientation is a hate crime. Who says homsexuality is a sin? There are large parts of that book that you call a bible that were destroyed because they didn't want them to get out. That book is bullsh.it! You do not legislate to me what is sin.

Answer 10

hate crimes have not a thing to do with free speech...homosexuals should have the same rites as everyone else. and absolutely nothing more that that. they feel as if people owe them something when in fact they should pass a bill to deport them and that's putting it nicely