| Re: Two cyclists attacked and beaten in Portland
In article <Hqtrh.8837$Wz.7307@trndny06>,
Stephen Harding <smharding16@msn.com> writes:
> Chicago Paddling-Fishing wrote:
>
>> Prosecutors had considered charging the teens, who are black, with hate
>> crimes after one of them said Ryan was attacked because he was a "goofy
>> white kid."
>>
>> Milan said the spirit of the hate crime laws is to increase misdemeanors
>> to felonies.
>
> I have to say I think the "hate crime" laws are ridiculous.
As I understand it, "hate crime"/anti-hate laws were drawn-up
to deal with KKK rabble disturbing peaceful neighbourhoods,
incitors publishing & distributing propaganda with intent
to stir-up hateful passions, vandals destructively targeting
and desecrating places of worship & religion-specific cemeteries,
and violent gay-bashers.
I don't think that's ridiculous at all.
What /is/ ridiculous is to invoke those laws at
the drop of a hat.
It's almost as ridiculous as to cry "racism" at the
merest suggestion of a single, anti-[insert label here]
epiphet possibly being uttered, such as in the
incident described and cited in the Original Post.
cheers,
Tom
--
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