Public Favors Expansion of Hate Crime Law to Include Sexual Orientation

Gallup ^ | May 17, 2007 | Gallup

[mngran]

A substantial majority of the American public favors the expansion of federal hate crime legislation to include crimes against people based on their gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed such legislation, which is now being considered by the Senate. Republicans, conservatives, and religious Americans are slightly less likely than others to favor the expansion of hate crime legislation, but a majority of those in each of these conservative and religious groups favors the proposed legislation.

Favor Oppose

All 68% 27

Republican 60 34
Independent 69 27
Democrat 75 21

Protestant 65 30
Catholic 72 23
Other 74 23
None 74 25

[mngran]

Do you think Bush will still veto in light of these numbers, if they're accurate?

[JZelle]

I call BS!

[edcoil]

BS, the vast majority of people and states are passing laws so they cannot marry or get legal status.

[MPJackal]

This hate crime stuff is a bad idea. An assault is a crime, as is murder rape, arson....... The reason is irrelevant. But soon thing that were not crimes will be. Watch what you say or think.

[darkwing104]

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Bush will veto and this poll is bunk anyway.

[From One - Many]

total fabrication and a lie.....
Any states doing anything are doing the opposite.....
of what is supposedly supported.......
but this is America, 'gallup' can lie all they want.....

[oblomov]

Here is the question that was asked:

There is a proposal to expand federal hate crime laws to include crimes committed on the basis of the victim's gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Would you favor or oppose expanding the federal hate crime laws in this way?

I don't think that the question makes clear that these are additional federal laws on top of existing state and local laws.

In any case, how does the federal government have jurisdiction over a matter that is entirely the province of legitimate local government?

[laweeks]

So, let me get this straight. If a homosexual beats the snot out of me (and if I’m hetero=normal), it’s not a hate crime, and deserves less punishment.

But if I beat the snot out of a homosexual (and if I’m still hetero=normal), my crime is of a higher essence than his, and deserves MORE punishment.

So, homosexuals have MORE rights and deserve better treatment in court than non-homosexuals. Is that right?

When will this CRAP stop?

[jrooney]

One more poll by Gallup that shows me they have a definitive bias. They are lousy rats.

[Smokin' Joe]

Rii-ght. Does that mean the faggots will have to quit calling us “breeders”?

[tutstar]

that’s garbage...

[jazusamo]

This is BS and President Bush’s principles are not swayed by polls.

[muawiyah]

These polls are essentially meaningless since most folks have only the slightest idea what "gender identity" is all about. Fur Shur all the Mexicans the US Senate wants to let in to take care of their estates and mow the grass don't care what your "gender identity" might be.

That's why colloquial Spanish in North America has well over 500 different words for "homosexual" ~ (NOTE: and it's not because Mexicans approve).

[N. Theknow]

A Gallup poll.

Gallop is what a hose does.

This poll is also what a horse does.

Mushrooms anyone?

[untrained skeptic]

I oppose hate crimes laws in general on the basis that they are racist or discriminatory. They tend to simply be an excuse to punish those who hold views we disagree with more than those we agree with when they commit the same crime.

Let the punishment fit the crime.

Keep the laws simple. There is no need for special categories of hate crimes, or gun crimes for that matter. Why is murder more heinous if committed using a gun than with a knife? I know that is getting a little off topic, but it isn't really that different.

Liberals are pushing their own "politically correct" views on others by making it more criminal to commit a crime if you don't think like they do. That is an assault on free speech and freedom of expression even if it is an indirect assault.

[Dilbert San Diego]

I think this whole subject gets people confused. Nobody wants to be bigoted against minority groups, or the gay community, for example. I think people are thinking that they don’t want violence against certain people, not thinking that these are crimes anyway.

Bush was villified on this because of that black man in Texas who was dragged behind a truck. Bush pointed out that 2 of the 3 criminals in that case got the death penalty, and pointed out that making it a hate crime would not enhance the penalty that these guys received for their crime.

I think people don’t think it through when they answer poll questions like this.

[mngran]

Any states doing anything are doing the opposite..... of what is supposedly supported.......

Actually, of the 45 states that have hate-crimes laws, 32 of them include sexual orientation. source I'm wondering if the public isn't saying okay to hate crimes legislation, anti-discrimination measures, etc., but just drawing the line at marriage.

[the anti-liberal]

Yeah, I hear ya. My first thought on reading this was something like the following - sexual orientation includes hetero, right? so this should curb hetero-phobia as well as the intended 'homo-phobia', no?

Of course I wasn't born yesterday, and know that wasn't the intention, but equal status under the law would demand this be so. Perhaps the ACLU can be counted on to test that? (I kid).

[expatguy]

Now only if someone can come up with a poll that shows Americans want to be dhimmis and the WOT is over!!!

[the anti-liberal]

Sharia law would outlaw ‘queers’ completely, and painfully. I’m surprised they don’t realize this.

[wastedyears]

Ditto

[tutstar]

This is all an attempt to kill the teaching of the Bible. It has happened in Canada.

[PeterPrinciple]

More made up news.................

[PeterPrinciple]

I oppose hate crimes laws

We all use to be EQUAL before the law............

[Celerity]

When will we expand the definition of “Hate Crime” to include the emotion of Hate ? And then back it down when millions are spent in research grants to find out that a huge chunk of everything we do is based.. on hate ?

That’ll make getting up in the morning to go to a meaningless job to support an unappreciative family a “Hate Crime” :)

[Torpedogirl]

Did they take this poll in downtown SanFran? How many Catholics could they even find there? Pure and utter rubbish.

[mbynack]

I think we should include the definition of “hate crime” to include all violent crimes against anyone and make the criminals serve the full sentences.

[goldstategop]

All I can say is that its a sign of how much respect for traditional values has fallen in this country.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ZULU]

Me too. B.S.

My guess is most people don’t really understand the question or the issues involved here. And considering that Gallup is based in PRINCETON NEW JERSEY I quesiotn their impartiality.

[BoxTurtle]

Actually, the hate crime legislation in question was intentionally worded to provide the same protections for heterosexuals that it does for homosexuals. And according to the FBI website, anti-heterosexual hate crimes are, in fact, reported. Check it out: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2005/table4.htm

I’m not sure I like the idea of hate crime laws, but at least they’re not giving any one group of people “special rights”.

[Paperdoll]

Besides protecting Homosexuality, These sexual orientations would ALSO be protected by The Hate Crimes bill, H.R. 1592 !!!!!

Coprophilia - sexual arousal associated with feces.

Exhibitionism - the act of exposing one’s genitalia to an unwilling observer to obtain sexual gratification.

Fetishism/Sexual Fetishism - obtaining sexual excitement primarily or exclusively from an inanimate object or a particular part of the body.

Gay/Homosexual - people who form sexual relationships primarily or exclusively with members of their own gender.

Gerontosexuality - distinct preference for sexual relationships primarily or exclusively with an elderly partner.

Incest - sex with a sibling or parent.

Kleptophilia - obtaining sexual excitement from stealing.

Klishmaphilia - erotic pleasure derived from enemas

Lesbian - a homosexual female.

Lewdness - sexually unchaste; inciting to lust or debauchery.

Masturbation - erotic stimulation of one’s own genitals.

Necrophilia - sexual arousal and/or activity with a corpse.

[ckilmer]

bs

[ishabibble]

I don’t think many hetero people get a march for lies.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1827447/posts

Homosexuality is a mental and moral defect. There is no denying it.

[BoxTurtle]

Besides protecting Homosexuality, These sexual orientations would ALSO be protected by The Hate Crimes bill, H.R. 1592 !!!!!
...
Masturbation - erotic stimulation of one’s own genitals.

Cool. Now if someone gets called a "wanker" while being assaulted, he could file for a hate crime, right?

[Paperdoll]

You really got off on that one, huh? /s

If you want to protect people who perpetrate these acts, do NOT call your Congressman to vote no on this bill.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

They are not accurate.

[tutstar]

It just dawned on me that is such a small number of people polled that it is ridiculous to hint that it is representative of the nation as a whole.

[Altura Ct.]

I agree!

[little jeremiah]

Later pingout, and of course the poll is BS.

[massgopguy]

Former WRKO morning host Doreen Vigue explained that Homosexual Orientation was “added value”. She would pronounce “added value” slowly and clearly so us troglodytes could understand her profundity.

[little jeremiah]

Are these perversions actually listed in the bill, or otherwise implied? Please freepmail me about it and/or post on the thread.

[Paperdoll]

A reliable friend emailed the list to me the other day, saying it was posted on the DOD’s website.

[Sergei Andropov]

1,003 people is just about on par for a poll like this. Assuming α=.95, which is about average, the final accuracy is calculated to be ±3%. The reason for the 65-71% in favor may be that those surveyed did not understand the bill, but I am more inclined to believe that it is because, while people may believe homosexuality etc. is wrong, they disagree with those who believe violence against gays is justified.

[little jeremiah]

All I can say is - >$#%#>!!!&%&!!

and then a bunch of deleted words. Will ping later. If it’s JUST homosexuality, it’s bad enough. Bad enough to be roundly rejected. If all that other even more twistedly perverse and evil behavior is covered, it is so far beyond the pale that people should march to DC with pitchforks and burning torches.

[little jeremiah]

Au contraire, I’m sure it was a push poll with veiled terms, and emotionally loaded words, prepared by pyschologists to insure the desired outcome.

That’s how most polls are.

[Pinkbell]

I’m guessing a lot of Americans that aren’t hard core libs or conservatives don’t understand the specifics of this law. I believe most all crimes are motiaved by hate of the person they are done against. In most cases, thought has to be censored to determine or attempt to determine the motivations for a crime. I honestly believe one of the big motivations behind this on the sexual orientation side has to with going after Christians.