{"id":195,"date":"2009-06-20T14:47:04","date_gmt":"2009-06-20T22:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joesuttle.com\/blog\/?p=195"},"modified":"2009-06-20T14:47:04","modified_gmt":"2009-06-20T22:47:04","slug":"government-to-solve-hate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joesuttle.com\/blog\/?p=195","title":{"rendered":"Government to Solve Hate?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Other day, stumbled across THOMAS, the web site for the Library of Congress. Someone had sent me a link about something that had been voted on and wanted me to read the bill. Checked out the issue, and then did not even bother to bookmark the link. Got an email today about the "new" Hate Crime bill being considered by the Senate – turns out the House has already passed it, so…off to find "THOMAS" [http:\/\/thomas.loc.gov\/]<\/a> to check out SB909. <\/p>\n

Seems to me that a crime against a person is a crime. Will this new law mean that a person who hates my ideas and kills me is not committing a "hate crime"? That is the way the bill is written.<\/p>\n

Kinda ticks me off [more]that even though the law is being written to "assist" State, local and Tribal law enforcement, there is an OR<\/em> that says the Feds can come in, even if there are no convictions and "the verdict or sentence obtained pursuant to State charges left demonstratively unvindicated the Federal interest in eradicating bias-motivated violence; or…a prosecution by the United States is in the public interest and necessary to secure substantial justice."<\/p>\n

What was that?<\/p>\n

Why talk about helping get State, local or Tribal law enforced, when what you want is "your" idea of settlement. So, if you just happen to beat me up for some reason) and get charged with a felony against me (a senior, straight, African-American male), under this law, even if I forgave you and did not press charges, the Feds could come after you.<\/p>\n

You don't have to believe me – read it yourself! S.B. 909<\/a> <\/p>\n

SB 909, under consideration in the Senate says "Whoever…willfully causes bodily injury to any person…because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person–". Then follows the Federal penalty for the crime. So, what do you perceive me to be? And then you got mad at me.<\/p>\n

Better to do the crime over ideas or thoughts. Wait a minute, aren't thoughts part of our perception<\/em> about someone? Wait, if you beat me because you think or perceive me to be a male and you hate males, does that become a hate crime? Whoa!<\/p>\n

What a waste of taxpayer money. I've thought that all along when it comes to "Hate Crime" laws. Why do we single out crimes against certain people, when they are the same crimes. Murder is murder, Rape is rape. Assault is assault. Okay, so why not put stiffer penalties in existing laws for those crimes if that is what you really want to do.<\/p>\n

To top it off, the bill may sound like it has some financial limits – currently set to $5 million over 2 years for "Grants", but there is a big hole where they allow "to be appropriated to the Department of Justice…for fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012 such sums as are necessary to increase the number of personnel to prevent and respond to alleged violations of section 249 of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 7 of this Act."<\/p>\n

How much of your money is that? Just like the Government – set up a program and have no idea what it is going to cost. Where do those employees go after 2012? The law does not end then, but will go on and on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Other day, stumbled across THOMAS, the web site for the Library of Congress. Someone had sent me a link about something that had been voted on and wanted me to read the bill. Checked out the issue, and then did…
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