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I said nothing as to what I think about hate crimes laws. yew Send a noteboard - 24/10/2009 06:47:51 AM
I get it, you think it's a good idea to make it a federal crime for harsher penalties or whatnot, but can't we make assault a federal crime without specifically punishing people for the thoughts they have while planning or committing a crime?

The supposed intent behind them--to reduce or eliminate violent crime based on bigotry--is good, but you can't legislate that away. Harsher penalties probably don't do much to deter crime, regardless of the motivation.

As has already been mentioned, the only real result is that by framing it as a 'gay rights' victory politicians and advocacy groups get to pat themselves on the back without actually doing anything to equalize the legal rights of the minority group in question.

I'm not really sure what's a good idea.
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Matthew Shepard act passed - 23/10/2009 07:54:07 PM 780 Views
Meh - 23/10/2009 08:06:22 PM 371 Views
Federal punishment is usually harsher then state law - 23/10/2009 09:27:49 PM 356 Views
I honestly don't care that federal law is more harsh - 24/10/2009 01:04:16 AM 346 Views
68-29, eh? Party line division? *NM* - 23/10/2009 08:25:07 PM 137 Views
More or less - 23/10/2009 08:35:10 PM 355 Views
All hate crime legislation is stupid..... - 23/10/2009 10:15:02 PM 372 Views
I'm sure Orwell would be intrigued by his own prognosticative abilities. - 24/10/2009 12:52:24 AM 381 Views
Didn't we already slice crimes by degree of intention (e.g., murder vs. manslaughter) pre-Orwell? - 24/10/2009 05:23:56 AM 358 Views
Not sure I agree there - 24/10/2009 02:29:13 PM 328 Views
So it's inherently worse for a gay man to get beaten up than a straight guy? - 24/10/2009 03:45:43 AM 314 Views
Doesn't there have to be an indication ... - 24/10/2009 04:33:49 AM 336 Views
Doesn't matter, Same crime, same punishment, with no extra preference given to anyone. - 24/10/2009 04:48:22 AM 324 Views
It does matter to what you were saying, though. - 24/10/2009 06:32:32 AM 390 Views
One factor in this I don't like though - 24/10/2009 01:54:53 PM 326 Views
Correct - 24/10/2009 04:55:43 AM 332 Views
All orientations are protected. - 24/10/2009 05:17:55 AM 333 Views
Isn't killing or assaulting someone already illegal? - 24/10/2009 05:50:15 AM 331 Views
As per my reply to you above: - 24/10/2009 06:42:24 AM 348 Views
I said nothing as to what I think about hate crimes laws. - 24/10/2009 06:47:51 AM 338 Views
yes and how many black men are sentenced for attacking white men? - 24/10/2009 02:00:26 PM 307 Views
Couldn't say, Ray. - 25/10/2009 04:43:12 AM 469 Views
I don't support that anymore then I support hate crime laws. - 25/10/2009 02:33:27 PM 347 Views
they need to throw out all of the thought crime laws *NM* - 24/10/2009 02:04:30 PM 122 Views
Minor point. - 24/10/2009 04:46:25 PM 355 Views
Yeah I saw that and kind of scoffed as well - 24/10/2009 07:57:23 PM 353 Views
well since almost everything he said turned out to be BS why not that too? - 25/10/2009 02:36:25 PM 340 Views
That's my main objection, yes. - 25/10/2009 10:50:49 PM 339 Views

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