I don't think the term is legit at all. The whole idea behind hate crime legislation is that (a) some crimes (if they are crimes) are worse than others because they are targeted at a specific minority and (b) something offensive can be classified as a crime (i.e. harassment or intimidation) if it is targeted at a specific minority. I think that's BS. If it's an actual crime, like murder, then it's a crime, and it shouldn't be considered worse if the victim is, for example, gay rather than straight. I don't care if the murderer killed the victim because he was anti-gay or because he wanted to rob him or because he was just in a bad mood. The death is the same, the crime is the same, and by making one type of victimization 'worse' society is basically saying that another type is more acceptable. As many folks have said -- "'Hate' crime? As opposed to a 'gee I like you lots' crime?" The vast majority of violent crime has something to do with hate... it's just that some types are less-PC than others.
*steps off soapbox*
This is a great discussion, by the way!
Aww thanks :)
:D I wish the media was brave enough to actually talk about this stuff instead of just plastering it all over the news.
Discuss? No way. Then someone in the audience might accidentally think, and we can't have that! Go back to your Obama infomercial and shut up, pleebs!
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Date: 2008-10-30 01:12 am (UTC)*steps off soapbox*
This is a great discussion, by the way!
Aww thanks :)
:D I wish the media was brave enough to actually talk about this stuff instead of just plastering it all over the news.
Discuss? No way. Then someone in the audience might accidentally think, and we can't have that! Go back to your Obama infomercial and shut up, pleebs!