Are hate crime laws really necessary? Or do they just promote double standards?

Question

Think about it: If someone commits a crime against another person, is that not a crime in itself? That person broke the law and should be punished. But if someone attacks someone else simply because of his/her race suddenly it's a "hate crime". Why? They already committed the crime of attacking somebody, why does race have to play a factor? If someone vandalizes a government building because he hates the government, should that not count as a hate crime as well because of his hateful emotions? If a man kills his wife because he hated her for cheating on him is that a hate crime too? He felt hate.

Basically, should the MOTIVE behind someone's crime really affect their OUTCOME in a trial?

So what do you think? Are hate crime laws just a bunch of legal double standards? If someone assaults another person it's a crime, but if different races are involved suddenly it's a "hate crime" and it's considered much worse.

Everyone is ALREADY protected under the law as it is without the need of special hate crime laws. So why does society find them necessary?

Answer 1

Just becuase they call them hate crimes that doesn't mean that they are crimes against people acting out of hate, they are crimes against people acting out of racism. If I attack someone of the same race it is a crime but if I attack someone of a different race it's a hate crime. I can see how that in itself is racist by making a distinction between race in the beginning but when the laws were set up they were really just trying to defer persecution against minorities (mostly black) back in the days when racism was a big issue. I guess the government figured that people might leave minorities alone if they though they would get into more trouble. Are hate crimes right for the society of today - no, but do they have a point - yes.

Answer 2

You're absolutely right, a crime is a crime. It was politicians pandering to special interest groups. It shouldn't matter why you did it, the penalty should be the same

Answer 3

As if there is such thing as love crimes! If a black guy kills a black guy it is not considered a hate crime. So what is it? If a black guy kills a white guy is understood as frustration at the Man who keeps him down. If a white guy kills a black guy it is motivated by hate and deserves a more serious punishment. It sure sounds like a double standard.  

Answer 4

Yes.  You are way deader if someone kills you because of race, gender, or sexual orientation than if they kill you for your Starter jacket or sneakers.

Answer 5

The notion of "hate crimes" is a plastic bone thrown to pacify members of minority groups who are victims of behavior that was already criminal long before the hate-crime laws were enacted. It's an arbitrary way of saying some people need more protection from people unlike them than others (whether it's because they're assumed to be more helpless, I don't know. I do know they seem to be selective.). It's basically the legislature meddling in law enforcement for no good reason.

Anything that is a crime is no less criminal because it happened to someone who was not in one of the protected groups named in hate-crime laws.

I think that a murder is a murder is a murder, regardless of the relative race/sexual orientation/ etc. of the two parties involved.

If someone takes a life, should the punishment hinge on whether the victim was in a minority class? I'm white and heterosexual. If someone kills me, why should my death be treated as less a crime than anyone else's?

Maybe it encourages more minorities to come forward. That's the only possible thing I can think of. The only problem is that the laws were not enacted by the police, or even the prosecutors.

What really bothers me is that it seems to focus on the motive, and not the deed. If someone is dead, does it really make any difference why someone else killed him? He's not any more or less dead than if someone killed him in the course of robbing him.

It's like the law is saying that some murders are worse than others, depending on the "group" to which the victim belongs.

That isn't true.

In short, hate crime laws are an empty gesture.

And committing a crime against a person is committing a crime against THAT PERSON, period. There is no such thing as group victimhood in penal law. You can't even LIBEL a group. The court won't even entertain it.

Answer 6

I think it's silly to call something a hate crime.

I doubt someone would kill because they loved.

That's psycho.

Answer 7

To deter racist? What making assault illegal DOESN'T deter people but adding time WILL? I want some of what that person is smoking. I am against hate crimes. If you think adding time will help then add time to the sentence guidelines, don't make it an extra crime.

Answer 8

Hate crimes are an important protection in society.

Motive is very important in determining how to charge an offender.  Example: If I am careless and speed into a shopping area, killing and injuring people, but without intending to do so, my culpability id different than if I aimed my car at an intended victim.

In the same way, a person who assaults someone to get his car is dangerous to society, but a person who assaults someone because of the victim's gender or race is extraordinarily dangerous.  Any person of that class of persons is a potential victim.

You should research the meaning of hate crime before expressing opinion on the subject.  Some of your examples indicate a lack of familiarity with the subject.

Answer 9

Annie how could you be so hateful and mean spirited. The answer is hate crimes are a joke. If I shoot a man because he is hispanic why should it be worse than if a rob a black man and shoot him dead.

Answer 10

The term "hate crime" was invented by the Clinton's because they didn't understand all crimes are based on HATE.  Isn't that crazy. Just like he couldn't tell the difference between a biological, chemical, or explosive weapon so they were all named "weapons of mass destruction" (h**l a Marine is a weapon of mass destruction!)  It is the need to make everything PC, to say "hate crime" can be interpreted to mean anything depending on how they want it used.  It's BS not PC.

For the "racist" only crowd, if I'm white and I kill another white did I do that for any other reason than hate?  If I killed a member of somebody else's family because I "loved" them would that make it alright?   You seem to lump everything based on racism, yet you don't even know the definition or differences between racism, prejudice, or bigotry.  If a black man kills a white man is that racist, hate, or justice?

Answer 11

hate crimes are the worst......cowardly bullying

lets say you are Mexican, and I hate Mexicans, so I get about 12 of my Mexican hating buddies and we all kick the c**p out of you and leave you for dead, because you are Mexican.

Substitute the word black for Mexican, now substitute the word White, now g*y, now oriental, or Italian with an accent, or Jewish......get this idea...

what should the law do to me?

Answer 12

Yeah, it really doesn't make a lot of sense

Answer 13

a hate is not directed towards the person but towards the persons race or beliefs. you are not attacking just one person but a whole group,  

Answer 14

they are necassary to deter racists.

Answer 15

Every crime is a hate crime in my opinion because if you love your neighbor as you love yourself then you want commit crimes against them.

Answer 16

were all equal i thought. i guess not :(.

but say i punch or hit a guy. isnt that a hate crime to? i mean you obviously hate them

Answer 17

...........................................

Answer 18

well a hate crime is usualy when someone is being racist or doing

somthing just to hurt you so yes

Answer 19

hate crime laws are nothing more than laws used to appease the liberal pc crowd.

Answer 20

Motive is an element in a criminal determination. Given this country's history, its not surprising that these laws were developed.

Answer 21

bunch of legal double standards my generation is still all about race its just flipped now.