Here in Connecticut and many other states there are hate crimes laws that protect LGBT people. Many people complain that the hate crime laws are wrong, murder is a murder, and assault is an assault.
In Michigan a lesbian was assaulted because she was featured in a newspaper on marriage equality.
In Michigan a lesbian was assaulted because she was featured in a newspaper on marriage equality.
Attack after same-sex marriage shines light on Michigan hate crime lawThe thing is not all murders or assaults are the same under the law, what divides them is intent. That is what makes a hate crime, intent. The intent to induce fear in the victim and not just to do bodily harm to them, and it also to induce fear into the community. When a person is attacked for their religion or nationality it sends a message to all the other members of that group that you are not welcome and that is what makes it a hate crime.
CNN
By Lorenzo Ferrigno
April 5, 2014
(CNN) -- Nine days after her same-sex wedding, a 28-year-old Michigan woman was set upon on her way home from work, knocked unconscious by three men who kicked and punched her while shouting anti-gay epithets.
"Hey b----, aren't you that f----- from the news?" one of the men asked, according to police.
The assailants in Monday's assault recognized her from local TV news coverage of her wedding, said Derrick Jackson, a spokesman for the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. She and her partner were among the many gay and lesbian couples to recently make their unions official after a federal court struck down a Michigan amendment restricting marriage to one man and one woman.
No one is safe.
ReplyDeleteRace, religion, sexual orientation, female or male, rich or poor. There are laws and regulations that govern everything from taking a person's life to spitting gum on the side walk. When a person has hate in their heart towards another person that is so strong they are compelled to harm them physically, they are not concerned with what law they are breaking or the consequence of their action.
A law governing hate crimes does not put a safety bubble around the person whom is discriminated. It will happen to anyone whom speaks out against the way things are to become easily recognizable through publicity. The safest thing for any person to do is to not draw attention to themselves.
Any legislation regarding gender identity and sexual orientation will do little to help anyone in a dark parking lot.
Hate Crime Laws are really tools for Law Enforcement to protect communities at the individual level. Its true that no law actually physically protects a person, that one person can murder another merely 'because'. Hate Crime occurs when 'because' isn't the 'why' but the real reason is 'hate'. These laws really got their start during the Civil Rights Era and were used to curb the on going violence in the south at the time. And, it worked! Once people saw that acting out against a person because of their hatred and only because of their hatred once found guilty the punishment was increased often doubled or even tripled. Did it help those that were harmed or killed? No, laws are used in reaction to events. Hate Laws are intended to move the public consciousness in to a more socially acceptable manner. I refuse to hide or cower, I'm not a nice person to start with and so far no one has even said 'boo' to me. Maybe its just because I'm LARGE and walk like I'm about to punch someone to start with... I dunno.
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