Hate crime laws

[Frugality]

Originally Posted by Quick Enough

Hate crime legislation is only PR for politicians so they can say, "I care".

If I kill you, what does it matter why I killed you?

So you don't think there should be different between 1st and 2nd degree murder??

[jackmccullough]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

But why is it only a "hate crime" if a white person is the one committing it ?

It isn't.

Show me the law on the books that proves me wrong.

[jackmccullough]

I keep hearing the same bogus lines from conservatives about this:

"All crimes are hate crimes."

"Hate crime laws are only used against white defendants."

"A crime is a crime no matter what the motive."

In fact, long before hate crime laws were even proposed the criminal law made distinctions based on the degree of culpability, often based on the state of mind of the offender. Someone who commits a homicide through negligence is punished much less harshly than someone who commits first degree murder.

In addition, criminals who are believed to pose a greater likelihood of reoffending, or posing greater harm to society, are often punished more harshly. For instance, we have habitual offender charges or a higher charge for someone who commits a murder for hire.

It is entirely legitimate for society to conclude that a defendant who assaults someone because he has a bias against the group of which the victim is a member is more dangerous to society, and more destructive of the fabric of society, than someone who gets into a fight in a bar.

Should the federal government require all states to adopt hate crimes legislation?

On what provision of the Constitution would such a requirement be based?

[TrapperJohn]

No. Repeal them all.