"Emos" now protected by "hate crime" laws

[El Kabong]

Yes they dress and act like assholes. Also where's the line? When does someone start being goth or emo as opposed to just some person who is wearing black?

shouldn't complain lyle, it's the same law that would protect you when you sport your neckerchief, smoking jacket and monocle.

I remember back when there was 1 set of laws. I'm a white heterosexual male who is a Christian....anyone who attacks me won't be charged with a hate crime

[Youngblood]

Yes they dress and act like assholes. Also where's the line? When does someone start being goth or emo as opposed to just some person who is wearing black?

shouldn't complain lyle, it's the same law that would protect you when you sport your neckerchief, smoking jacket and monocle.

I remember back when there was 1 set of laws. I'm a white heterosexual male who is a Christian....anyone who attacks me won't be charged with a hate crime

[Youngblood]

Where and when exactly do you think it was Lyle, that you changed over from the guy with a set of conservative beliefs, to a walking talkin typin caricature of yourself? I mean, it definitely happened. Just wondering where and why.

[El Kabong]

Where and when exactly do you think it was Lyle, that you changed over from the guy with a set of conservative beliefs, to a walking talkin typin caricature of yourself? I mean, it definitely happened. Just wondering where and why.

Is this law not odd in the slightest way to you? Does it not display the idiotic nature of hate crime legislation? Assault is assault, murder is murder the WHY of crime is not relevant! If I kill an emo because I hate them vs if I kill an emo just because I don't care for this one kid who happens to be emo the end result is the same the emo is dead, what's hate crime legislation going to do then? Kill me twice? Incarcerate me for more than my life?

When did everyone lose their common sense?

[Kirkland Laing]

Yes they dress and act like assholes. Also where's the line? When does someone start being goth or emo as opposed to just some person who is wearing black?

shouldn't complain lyle, it's the same law that would protect you when you sport your neckerchief, smoking jacket and monocle.

I remember back when there was 1 set of laws. I'm a white heterosexual male who is a Christian....anyone who attacks me won't be charged with a hate crime

You know what this is Lyle, son't you? It's discrimination! Because you're not part of a minority you're being discriminated against. Again! It's just the latest case of a litany of endless discrimination against white Christian folks, especially white Christian males. You guys have had everything against you for centuries now. Blacks, gays and other "persecuted minorities" like emos should walk a mile in your shoes so they can really understand what it's like to be the victim of discrimination and prejudice.

[El Kabong]

You know what this is Lyle, son't you? It's discrimination! Because you're not part of a minority you're being discriminated against. Again! It's just the latest case of a litany of endless discrimination against white Christian folks, especially white Christian males. You guys have had everything against you for centuries now. Blacks, gays and other "persecuted minorities" like emos should walk a mile in your shoes so they can really understand what it's like to be the victim of discrimination and prejudice.

So these laws are about reparations then? Its about learning what its like to be a minority AFTER someone has attacked or killed them....brilliant as always

Also with this new law I can just up and decide to be punk/emo/goth ...I am wearing black today

[Kirkland Laing]

You know what this is Lyle, son't you? It's discrimination! Because you're not part of a minority you're being discriminated against. Again! It's just the latest case of a litany of endless discrimination against white Christian folks, especially white Christian males. You guys have had everything against you for centuries now. Blacks, gays and other "persecuted minorities" like emos should walk a mile in your shoes so they can really understand what it's like to be the victim of discrimination and prejudice.

So these laws are about reparations then? Its about learning what its like to be a minority AFTER someone has attacked or killed them....brilliant as always

Also with this new law I can just up and decide to be punk/emo/goth ...I am wearing black today

No, they're about trying to protect people from being picked on, and in some cases killed, by ignorant dumb-as-shit members of the majority.

[El Kabong]

No, they're about trying to protect people from being picked on, and in some cases killed, by ignorant dumb-as-shit members of the majority.

So prior laws did not protect those classes of people then? Murder, assault, those things just didn't cover minorities?


Damn...we could have all been out killing emos....FUCK! We fucking missed our golden opportunity!!!

[Andre]

No, they're about trying to protect people from being picked on, and in some cases killed, by ignorant dumb-as-shit members of the majority.

So prior laws did not protect those classes of people then? Murder, assault, those things just didn't cover minorities?


Damn...we could have all been out killing emos....FUCK! We fucking missed our golden opportunity!!!

We could have an open season.

[TitoFan]

"A hate crime law is a law intended to prevent bias-motivated violence. Hate crime laws are distinct from laws against hate speech in that hate crime laws enhance the penalties associated with conduct that is already criminal under other laws, while hate speech laws criminalize a category of speech."


Got this out of Wikipedia, 'cause I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding hate crime laws. Let me make the disclaimer that I'm not looking for confrontation on the matter with this post, but rather try and throw some objectiveness into the subject.

Note that hate crime laws look to "enhance the penalties associated with conduct that is already criminal under other laws." So basically what I take this to mean is that, yeah... murder is murder. But intent is taken into account.

If a white man murders a black man, it's not automatically considered a hate crime. That would be ludicrous. But.... if a white supremacist gang goes out and lynches a black man... that is a hate crime. It's motivated by hate based solely on race. If there was a militant black group, and these people went out and killed a white person.... I would imagine the same thing would apply. If not, then the law is flawed.

I'm not defending the laws as they are now. I'm sure they could be improved and are probably very flawed. But hate based on race, ethnicity or religion is very wrong... and lawmakers can't be blamed for wanting to legislate to make penalties tougher.

[Beanz]

Hate Crime legislation exists in the US and has for some time too but I am not going to comment on the legal ramifications in a system with which I am not familiar. I have worked for the criminal justice system in the UK though and have seen the real impact that the drafting of and prosecution using such a law can and has had.

Hate crimes are not thought crimes. You are entitled to your opinion however bigoted, ill informed and ignorant it may be.

Motive is, and always has been, an important factor in criminal prosecutions and pretending that it is irrelevant, is not a good enough argument. The simple difference between manslaughter and murder is probably the most striking and obvious, but motive and intent are often crucial in securing a conviction. E.G


Someone smashes a window.

Should everyone who smashes a window be treated equally?

A kid who accidentally hits a cricket ball through his neighbours window ?

A person with previous history of breaking into properties breaks a window of a shop intent on stealing what is inside.

A heavy user of Class A drugs who sustains their habit with burglary knowingly breaks the window of a pensioners house intent on stealing personal belongings to sustain their habit

A rapist breaks the window of a young single women he has followed home

A jealous and harassing ex husband breaks the window of his ex-wife on hearing her and her new man are inside

A prominent member of a holocaust denying anti-jewish group breaks the window of a synagogue..............yet again

The crime in all these cases barring the accidental cricket ball is criminal damage but the intent and it's intended consequences are very different.

So intent is important but so is the fact that we live in democratic societies in which the judgement of people purely on their birth characteristics or choices in life is recognised as being discriminatory.

The victim of a crime should not be made to feel that the fact that they were picked on merely for being disabled,the wrong race, religion or sub-culture is irrelevant when the perpetrator has made it abundantly clear that is the motive for the attack. The message the law is supposed to send it is pretty clear in it's wording. HATE CRIME is often premeditated, planned and concurrent. The offender needs to know that the rest of society does see a difference between having a fight when a couple of parties have had too much to drink and going out looking for a victim because they are in a wheelchair, are wearing a kippah, have a different skin colour to you, are gay, a goth, morris dancer whatever.

Sections of society should not be living in fear of unprovoked violence. Hate Crime laws are there to try and deter the proliferation of patterns of violence toward those minority groups. You can not in all seriousness suggest that a gang beating the shit out of someone and saying " take that you fucking nigger, emo, yid, spazzy,morris dancing homo" is not going to make the victim and those in the vicinity think that they are not being singled out for another layer of verbal assault on top of the violence to add to their reticence and fear when next going out in the neighbourhood?

[Spicoli]

Stateside I'm weary of legislation directed at a dress in the same similarity to race and sexuality. Its a slippery slope. You cannot compare to the shit history of this country in regards to race and the level of violence perpetrated. I don't know what a emo is but something tells me they aren't running with people I and others had associated with back in the day. Cops were often siding with the dipshits jumping us, and a couple times the dipshits were wearing badges. There are always roving tribes of assholes claiming to represent the 'majority, or a way of life' who take pleasure in lashing out, verbally and physically, at those they don't feel fit in. I don't live across the pond and I have no idea the level of 'gang' violence or targeting of sub cultures today but its nothing to be justified or dismissed. It has to be high or they find some organized intent to target sub culture. Just as quick as some kid...goth, punk, skater, whateva, and thats mainly who we're talking about...gets pounded on by some insecure mental midgit trying to impress his boys because 'the weirdo' has half a head of hair, that kid is plotting payback. It happenes everyday, in every State and we've watched it play out far too often.

[Kirkland Laing]

No, they're about trying to protect people from being picked on, and in some cases killed, by ignorant dumb-as-shit members of the majority.

So prior laws did not protect those classes of people then? Murder, assault, those things just didn't cover minorities?


Damn...we could have all been out killing emos....FUCK! We fucking missed our golden opportunity!!!

They're being picked on because they're a distinctive minority. The justice system is now going to use the power of the courts and the press to persuade the mindless thugs who attack them for (whatever reason) not to attack them. And that's a good thing! I think we're all in favour of no young kids getting smashed up, brain damaged or worse just because of the way they look. Right?

They're being afforded the protection that the law also gives to other vulnerable groups, ethnic minorities, gay people and so on. To try and prevent violence and death brought upon a group of people for no other reason than they offend the sensibilities of a number of violent idiots. What part of this don't you understand?

[El Kabong]

They're being picked on because they're a distinctive minority. The justice system is now going to use the power of the courts and the press to persuade the mindless thugs who attack them for (whatever reason) not to attack them. And that's a good thing! I think we're all in favour of no young kids getting smashed up, brain damaged or worse just because of the way they look. Right?

They're being afforded the protection that the law also gives to other vulnerable groups, ethnic minorities, gay people and so on. To try and prevent violence and death brought upon a group of people for no other reason than they offend the sensibilities of a number of violent idiots. What part of this don't you understand?

OK, that's fine they are a minority and they are being picked on well the authorities in charge of protecting 100% of their citizens should be aware of this and offer protection. Not in the form of discriminatory laws, but just by enforcing the laws currently on record....are the laws broken? Why isn't assault being charged if someone is beaten up? Why isn't murder being charged if someone is killed?

Ethnicity & sexual orientation aren't "choices" (I guess, I mean I'm not gay so I don't understand how people come to the conclusion that they are...not an insult, I'm just saying I don't know how the process goes). Being emo/goth/punk is a CHOICE....do we see how that might be stretching these already discriminatory "hate crime" laws a bit thin? What's next "Oh, it's a hate crime if you don't invite me to your birthday party because I have low self esteem"? Or "It's a hate crime for you to have peanut butter in your lunch because I'm allergic to peanut butter...how could you, you soulless bastard?!?!"

But hey I'm a white, Anglo-Saxon, heterosexual, Christian, male....so what have I got to worry about, I mean it's not like anyone hates me