Quote:
Originally Posted by WarChild
Hey don't get me wrong, I don't support PWL or Donny Long. I just don't see how under current laws in the USA this could qualify as a hate crime. I don't see where the necessary "crime" part is filled? It's not illegal to call somebody names in the USA.
On places like Canada, most of Europe and much of the so called Civilized World, hate speach IS a crime. As it stands though, hate speach is still protected under freedom of speach in the United States.
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Not 100% accurate
A hate crime is usually defined by
state law as one that
involves threats,
harassment, or physical harm and
is motivated by prejudice against someone's race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity,
sexual orientation or physical or mental disability. Laws vary by state and if hate crimes are provided for by statute, the defintions of hate crimes and penalties imposed vary. States that have hate crime statutes provide harsher penalites for such offenses.
The underlying criminal offenses that are designated in hate crime laws
include, but are not limited to, crimes against persons like harassment, terroristic threats, assault and crimes against property like criminal trespass, criminal mischief and arson.
From the Dept of Justice:
Hate crime is the violence of intolerance and bigotry, intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religious, sexual orientation, or disability. The purveyors of hate may use explosives, arson, weapons, vandalism, physical violence, and verbal threats of violence to instill fear in their victims, leaving them vulnerable to more attacks and feeling alienated, helpless, suspicious and fearful.
Of all crimes, hate crimes are most likely to create or exacerbate tensions, which can trigger larger community-wide conflict, civil disturbances, and physical assaults against specific people groups.