Abrignac wrote:Count me on the side of hate crimes being bullchit. WRGAF if someone commits a crime because of some idealistic reason. Since damn near every crime labeled as a hate crime in of itself carries either a life sentence or death does it really matter?
Besides last I checked idealism is a form of expression. So in a way it should be protected speech. Much adieu about nothing.
No offense to my Jewish brethren, but I don’t really see the need to have prosecuted the Nazi for crimes against humanity other than to call attention to the atrocities they committed. As it were the “actual” crimes they were found guilty of warranted a death sentence. It’s not like they could be put to death for genocide, revived and put to death again for crimes against humanity.
as for me, of course no offense taken. you know me well enough.
Anyway, I didn't take a personal position in my post that referenced the Nuremberg Trials. I was merely providing one example for rayr of how the concept of Hate Crimes is not a new liberal feel good thing.
Don't know if the data has changed over the years since I first learned it but I have long been led to believe that the vast majority of murders (and probably violent crimes) takes place between people familiar with each other...eg married couples, friends, family members...so yes, absolutely, virtually all of these crimes occur as sudden violent reactions to situations or depression/rage caused by life events or heat of the moment passion. Maybe rage?
A robbery of a random stranger gone wrong is obviously not an emotional state of mind toward the victim. Maybe panic?
Hearing voices commanding one to maim or kill...maybe mental illness?
I think you may be pretty close by saying at Nuremberg they were calling "attention to the atrocities". But those atrocities came from hatred of a defined group of humans, where the other categories do not seem to fit that definition...not of "hate", at least in my mind.
I guess I don't agree with the common belief that all murderers and violent perpetrators "hate" the specific victim.
Deep down I feel it's an especially repulsive emotion that motivates one to act out on their beliefs of other's races, religious beliefs, etc. This separates those despicable characters from the guy who "lost it" when he caught his wife cheating, or finally had it up to here with the idiot next door, or thought God told him to do it, or even needed money fast for drugs...
Despite all that, I'm really not even 98.2% convinced that we need an additional legal process for "Hate Crimes".
I'm really not sure. I'm totally open to all the opinions leaning that way above.
But, I just want to say, maybe due to personal religious history, I'm also not 98.2% sure that the guy dragging a human by a rope from the back of a pick up truck simply because of the victim's skin color doesn't deserve some kind of special acknowledgement for his actions, if only to "call attention to the atrocities" of such crimes and to keep that in front of the eyes of Society...?