Just Sickening - VA Massacre Used to Thwart Hate Crimes Bill

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 1:12pm

http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=18279547&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=6

"Just when it was thought that the hate crimes debate had hit rock bottom, some pro-family organizations opted to capitalize on tragedy and politicize the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech to score political points."

"'Under this legislation, the crimes at Virginia Tech, which some are calling one of the deadliest rampages in U.S. history, would not be punishable to the level of these so-called "hate-crimes",' wrote Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council (FRC), in an email alert sent out to FRC supporters. Perkins' analysis, however, was far from over."

"Explaining why the hate crimes bill is not good for America, Perkins wrote, 'If the House approves H.R. 1592 and the Senate follows, a homosexual would have more federal protection under the law than the 32 victims of last week's massacre.'"

"Words cannot describe how disheartening such a comment, from a man who champions the values of Christianity, is.
While parents, siblings, students and staff mourned the senseless killings of 32 members of the Virginia Tech community, Perkins thought it was an opportune time, and perhaps even an exercise of his Christian duty, to exploit the tragic situation to aid in the manufacturing of a 'homosexual agenda.' This is not only degrading to Virginia Tech and to the gay community, it clearly prostitutes any notion of family values."

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 1:39pm

I have to type it out loud right here, right now. I'm not a fan of hate crimes legislation. It's constitutionally murky and plays right into the tired identity political strategy of saying "my oppression is WORSE than yours." I know that's how Americans are bred to think, that their team HAS to have the upper hand, or in such a case, the WORST situation... but I don't think it works in the long run.

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 2:29pm

I am disturbed on so many levels

[lildogs]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 3:22pm

Think you're way off base, here, Namo--hate crimes legislation is essentially concerned with WHY a person is attacked or killed. The WHY? clause is present in every part of the judicial system, from wives who kill abusive husbands, self-defense...hate crimes laws are about just that--the mitigating circumstances under which a crime is committed. If you kill a man simply because he's gay, you SHOULD be punished more severely than someone who's killed an intruder.

Didn't someone say that a society should be judged on how it treats the least of its people?

I also can't wait until the racial profile of this country changes and whites are no longer in the majority--watch how fast that legislation goes through then.

Perkins also likens two dissimilar events: the actions of an obviously disturbed person against the actions of someone who's looking to hurt someone of a different race, religion, etc. Cho was mentally ill and would be tried a such--a prosecutor wouldn't dream of trying Cho for hate crimes, when his defense would have certainly been insanity. Cho no more committed hate crimes than the kids at Columbine or Littleton--unfocused rage--the complete opposite of a hate crime--which is highly focused rage.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 3:30pm

Nicely put, lildogs.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 3:54pm

"The poster states that Christ is 'wanted for revealing the truth about homosexuality in 'The Bible' and encouraging his followers not to offend God by committing such behavior.'"

I guess it's useless to point out to these people that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality in the Bible.

[lildogs]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 3:59pm

It's been my experience that it's useless to point at anything with these people.

And lord knows I'm not any kind of expert on the big J, but he was cool with the hos, why not the 'mos?

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 5:06pm

Quick correction, lildogs: Columbine HS is in Littleton, CO. There weren't two seperate shotings. Thank God...

[lildogs]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 5:09pm

Okay, Columbine and UT-Austin then...

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/30/07 at 6:20pm

"If you kill a man simply because he's gay, you SHOULD be punished more severely than someone who's killed an intruder."

Wait. I think you're comparing the proverbial apple to orange. Killing an intruder tends not to be "punishable." Murdering ANYBODY does. Convicted murderers of anybody at all should be punsished severely. We're not talking self-defense. We're talking murder.