http://news.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBT0GLIH5F.html
Please don't misconstrue this as defending racism. On the contrary. I deplore racism. That is the entire reason I'm questioning this.
If a person hates police officers, and kills a police officer, it's a crime.
If a person hates black people, and kills a black police officer, it's a hate crime with a tougher penalty.
Both are crimes of hate, and in both cases, a person is murdered. Why is one given a harsher sentence than the other?
If I hate taxes and I go into the tax collectors office and murder someone, is this not a hate crime? If I hate my mother in law and I murder her, is this not a hate crime? If I hate my college professor and murder him, is this not a hate crime?
The motivation for a crime should only matter if the incident was accidental or deliberate. The precise motivation, be it racism, sexism, nationalism, or religious hatred, should NOT matter. Racists are cut from the same cloth as any other hate group.
2007-08-18 07:30:34 · 11 answers · asked by askthepizzaguy 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
It is true I'm stating my opinion on the matter, but I welcome the debate. Agree or disagree, but please no personal attacks, snide comments, or things of that nature.
2007-08-18 07:31:20 · update #1
As in "hate crimes"? I don't think it should. You kill someone, you should get the maximum penalty, it doesn't matter WHY you wanted them dead, it's the fact that you actually killed them. Whether you hate them because they are black or gay really is unimportant and doesn't make them less dead.
2007-08-18 07:35:35 · answer #1 · answered by smellyfoot ™ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Very good question, but committing a crime because of someone job such as a tax collector is different if it were merely motivated because he was black, white, or whatever. The same with your mother in law, yes you may hate her but it doesn't fit the requim for a hate crime---such as race, religion, creed, or sexual preference.
I don't think that just because you are ignorant and murder or commit a crime because of a bias it should hold a different sentence, Murder is murder, it is all wrong. People fear what they don't understand and igorance is what breeds hate.
2007-08-18 07:42:19 · answer #2 · answered by railer01 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The reasoning behind hate crime is legislature is that some crimes may "terrorize" or incite fear in an entire group, i.e. : The Matthew Sheppard (murdered gay) case supposedly struck fear in the entire gay community. This claim is patently absurd and intellectually dishonest. It is the first step on the slippery slope of governing thought. If you happen to not be a member of a "protected" group (gay,black,muslim,other minority) then crimes against you may yield a lighter sentence. i essentially agree with you : Laws and punishments for the crimes are already in place and adequate.
2007-08-18 07:46:28 · answer #3 · answered by skot302002 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am with you, crime is crime and does not need to be politicized. How can you tell what is on a persons mind when they commit a crime? Was it hate based and is that hate racially driven? If I kill a cop and he's black or Asian or Latino do I get a more harsh sentence? Will I be sentenced to death twice? This is just more political stupidity.
2007-08-18 07:39:47 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It should certainly affect the trial, since showing motive is an important part of proving guilt, and racism, if it can be established, can be a plausible motive. But, no, there's no reason it should affect sentencing.
However, a crime committed for such reasons could be part of a campaign of intimidation, and, if such a terrorist conspiracy existed and could be proven, that would be and /additional/ crime for which the culprit could be sentenced.
2007-08-18 07:37:01 · answer #5 · answered by B.Kevorkian 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Being the Racist Answer Man I feel uniquely qualified to answer this.
No.
There is no such thing as a 'race crime'.
There are 'racially motivated' crimes, but it is the crime that is punished, not the motivation.
2007-08-18 07:38:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Murder is a crime. Racism is not a crime.
2007-08-18 07:36:08 · answer #7 · answered by Ham B 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Crime is crime.
2007-08-18 07:59:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Killing is killing, assault is assault - I think you can't make feelings illegal. If somebody is a racist or not, the action needs to be made illegal.
2007-08-18 07:33:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Racism SUCKS and those who willingly show it SUCK even more.
2007-08-18 08:09:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋