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Senate passes gay hate-crimes bill

by 158 | October 22, 2009 at 04:56 pm

428 views | 32 Recommendations | 13 comments

A bill to make violence against gays and lesbians a federal crime cleared the Senate Thursday and is headed to the White House for final approval.

The 68-29 vote was a victory for civil rights groups that have been fighting for years to expand the federal hate-crimes law beyond attacks motivated by bias based on religion, race, national origin or color

I am totally against violence

against gay people but I do

not think criminals should be

punished for why they did something

but should be punished for what they

did. A murdered gay man is just as

dead whether killed by an anti gay bigot

or by another gay man.

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albertacowpoke

at 17:14 on October 22nd, 2009

We have a hate crime bill in Canada, which is all inclusive.

158

at 17:27 on October 22nd, 2009

I understand the idea behind this but I still think all violence should be equal.

I just do not agree with a hate crime law for anyone.

albertacowpoke

at 18:15 on October 22nd, 2009

A hate crime doesn.t necessarily include violence. A hate crime could be by inciting hate against a certain group or person. It has to be defined within its limits. As an example you could be encouraging people to pick up arms and go after a certain ethnic group.

It is normally very hard to get a guilty conviction on it. It has to be a specific act.

158

at 20:40 on October 22nd, 2009

This could debase freedom of speech.

If taken to the logical completion it could end most political debate.

nanute

at 09:46 on October 23rd, 2009

I think all violence should be equal. Really, How about crimes committed against children as opposed to adults? Same penalty, no exceptions?

Roy C

at 18:52 on October 22nd, 2009

ACP, encouraging violence is already a crime here.

Frankly, I don't see the need for hate crimes legislation, either. Assault and incitement are crimes, whether I do them because you are different than me politically or sexually or racially.

It makes the assault of a gay man more important than someone assaulting me. What reason could there be for that?

albertacowpoke

at 19:45 on October 22nd, 2009

Canadian Hate Crime Legislation is broad in its applications and is not just to protect one group. It applies to anyone.

I see your point about the U.S legislation passed today as it is group specific. Assault is assault regardless who it is directed against.

Without seeing the text of the legislation I can't comment on it. In my comments above I was merely pointing out what the Canadian law is. It has been used against people promulgating hate against jews and advocating that the holocaust didnt happen. I.m not a lawyer so I can.t tell you what the specific criteria is to prove that a crime is a hate crime.