Expanded hate crimes law needed

[Hazumu]

By Starita Smith, May 13, 2009

🔗 [Link: progressive.org/mpsmith051209.html/]

The federal government should be empowered to protect their right to live in safety in the diverse United States of the 21st century.

But as the U.S. Senate debates the issue, Republican conservatives have launched another one of their barrages of dishonest rhetoric.

Nicknaming the bill the Pedophile Protection Act, they wrongly argue that pedophilia is a sexual orientation and are trying to evoke the old notion that homosexuals are pedophiles who recruit young boys to increase their numbers.

[V M]

So how did they get homosexuals and Catholic Priests confused with each other? 

[tekla]

This stuff reaches a lot further than you think.  Try reading this.

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts05122009.html 🔗

Opponents criticize the bill for adding a second punishment to existing punishments for acts of violence. Assault, murder, rape are crimes regardless of motivation. The penalties are sufficient, or can be made so, without applying a new crime of motivation that creates specially protected classes, such as homosexuals and minorities. To commit a violent act against a member of a specially protected class will carry a heavier punishment.

How will a court know whether a violent act was committed because of hatred or because of sexual lust or the need for money? As case law is made, the likely direction will be to eliminate intent. The issue will be resolved by whether the attacked person is a member of a protected class. The mugger who beats as well as robs a victim who turns out to be homosexual or Jewish will have committed a hate crime.

be sure to check out the authors creds at the bottom, not just another pretty face.