Hate Crime Legislation Attached to the Defense Spending Bill

Flopping Aces ^ | 10-30-09 | Wordsmith

[Starman417]

Louvon Harris (L) stands with Betty Byrd Boatner (2nd R), both sisters of James Byrd, Jr., as Boatner embraces Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard during a White House ceremony following the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Shepard was murdered in Wyoming in 1988 because he was gay. Byrd, an African American man, was dragged behind a pickup truck to his death in Texas the same year. Saul Loeb-AFP/Getty Images

Matthew Shepard's death was a tragedy. But I think it's a shameful political hoax to make him the poster boy for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

President Obama signed this into law Wednesday:

This year, with enlarged majorities in Congress, Democrats attached the hate crimes law to a $681 billion defense spending bill this month over GOP objections. House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said the approach put "radical social policy" on the "back of our soldiers."

The legislation extends provisions first passed in 1968 that make it a federal crime to target individuals because of their race, religion or national origin. Under the law, judges can impose harsher penalties on crimes that are motivated by such animus, and the Justice Department can help local police departments investigate alleged hate crimes.

I truly do not understand the redundancy of hate crime laws- especially at the federal level. Why punish the thoughts behind crimes rather than just the action of the crime itself?

[geologist]

This method of adding unwanted and unrelated clauses to wanted and need legislation is deplorable and worse.

It allows all sort of earmarks, and unwanted items that slip through unfairly. They make the rules ... and the rules are against the people's good; and it is intentional..

Father help us in our day, in Jesus name,amen.

[Sergio]

Why “Hate” crimes legislation does not provide equal protection under the law.

Two people are killed. One murder is deemed to be a hate crime, the other is not. Two suspects are arrested and convicted of the crime. The person convicted of the hate crime get a much longer sentence than the person convicted of the other murder.

Now, how do you tell the grieving family of the the regular murder that the death of their family member is not as important as the death of the “protected” victim.

As an aside, with regards to “hate” crimes, will someone tell me of the crimes done out of “love”.

[TXDuke]

As an aside, with regards to “hate” crimes, will someone tell me of the crimes done out of “love”.

I think that would be all of the “post-partum depression” murders. You know, the ones where the mother gets away with brutally murdering her kids because she “loved” them so much and wanted to “protect” them from Satan/the dad/the world (you name it)...\s

[TLI]

So, I am driving home next week after working late and the gubermint time has switched back to “normal” and it is dark. I got some bad gas from the station down the road run by the Nigerian brothers and the car dies deep in the east Dallas barrio. I get jumped by five “residents” for being on “their” street and I can’t speak spanglish and they dang sure don’t speak English. They get in a few good licks before my .40 cal breaths free air and the five “residents” decide they have not had their daily jog… away from me. But not before being extensively photographed at the 7-11 they just walked out of before inviting me to a “ethics debate.”

Cops grab the video and four of the “residents” are immediately recognized and arrested within the hour. DNA testing of (my) blood drops on their clothing later prove they are the attackers.

ACORN “volunteers” along with lawyers from members of LULAC claim that the five “residents” were threatened by me and acted in self-defense as they had ditched their weapons by the time DPD got there.

Hate crime? And against whom? Me or them?