There's little to like about hate-crime laws

Los Angeles Times ^ | December 3, 2006 | Michael McGough

[Zakeet]

ACCORDING TO the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, 10 black teenagers broke the law by attacking three white women in Long Beach on Halloween. But rather than simply charge all of them with felony assault, the D.A.'s office made an unusual decision: Eight of the 10 — seven girls and one boy — were also charged with a "hate crime enhancement" for adding insult to injury with utterances such as "I hate whites."

Reading about the Long Beach case (which I wouldn't dare to prejudge even if the facts weren't so murky), I felt a twinge of vindication.

Four years ago, I wrote that Pennsylvania's hate-crime law — which, like California's, is a "piggyback" statute allowing for extra punishment for crimes deemed to be motivated by bias — could have unintended consequences.

For one thing, I believed, such laws could end up giving extra punishment to ordinary criminals who, while committing a run-of-the-mill crime, engaged in some racial trash talk — and that's not the kind of bias-motivated crime the law was intended to go after. For another thing, it is possible that such laws could end up punishing blacks who commit violence against whites — which is a far cry from the historical experience that inspired hate-crime statutes.

[Zakeet]

The author goes on to present a rather lengthy argument against hate crime statutes. In the process, he raises several points which have been discussed in this forum for years. However, I suspect the author's real motivation for doing opposing these laws, as well as that of the newspaper, is contained in the last line of the excerpt.

[D.P.Roberts]

The real "hate" in hate crimes laws is what the proponents have for America.

[BenLurkin]

"For another thing, it is possible that such laws could end up punishing blacks who commit violence against whites . . . "

As if that -- by itself -- is somehow wrong.

[depressed in 06]

Now that Republicans are in the minority, can Keith Olbermann be charged with a hate crime?

[sig226]

The good news is that New York will have no part of prosecuting blacks for hate crimes against whites.

<vomit>ggggaaaaacccckkkkkk</vomit>

[Sam Ketcham]

I hate the DNC, is that a crime?

[Archon of the East]

Not yet but January is coming up quick

[ecurbh]

[Farmer Dean]

Not now,but give 'em a little time.

[Savage Beast]

"...it is possible that such laws could end up punishing blacks who commit violence against whites — "

Obviously this McGough character is oblivious to the fundamental and ghastly immorality of his words and the thought processes behind them.