Matthew Shepard, you will not be forgotten. (homosexuals, blood, legislation)

[Dr. Nosophoros]

I've never heard of this story.

Then you should wonder why you never heard of it, it's all there, search for it.

[The Seeker]

Originally Posted by Dr. Nosophoros

Wow, and to believe that another story at the same time was suppressed that involved homosexuals asphyxiating a boy with his own underwear while it was duct taped into his mouth during "sex games" while offenders got a cheeseburger was ignored while politicians played up what they could, what else should one expect from this topical vomit inducing society? You disgust me.

This occurred back in 1999 to a boy named Jesse Dirkhising. Many conservatives were outraged that Matthew Sheppard's story got much more attention than this one. Conservatives claimed that the lack of coverage to Jesse's murder was due to the fact that the liberal media was gay-friendly and didn't want to expose the "dark-side" of homosexuality.

[The Seeker]

Originally Posted by Jaymes

There's miles of difference between someone beating up someone and someone beating up someone simply because they thought they were gay.

I've had things happen to me that wouldn't have happened otherwise simply because people thought I was gay. (But how do you know that, you might ask? My attackers calling me "lesbo" would probably be a big clue.)

I'm a black man, but I don't feel that I should get preferential treatment if someone beats me up because of my race. There are elderly people who get mugged or assaulted mainly because they are seen as weak and defenseless. Should they be covered under the hate crime law too?

[Jaymes]

Originally Posted by The Seeker

I'm a black man, but I don't feel that I should get preferential treatment if someone beats me up because of my race. There are elderly people who get mugged or assaulted mainly because they are seen as weak and defenseless. Should they be covered under the hate crime law too?

You seem to be missing the distinction between "beating someone up because they hate them" and "beating someone up because they're weak". To my knowledge, there's not a widespread hate of old people in society. If someone was beating up old people simply because they hate them, not because they were perceived as an easy target, I'd say they should be protected under hate crime laws as well.

[MaddLlama]

I don't know, I don't think hate crimes laws are a great idea. Why add extra punishment for something that already is a crime? Who is going to determine that the motivation from the crime is "hate"? Why single out "hate" as a "bad" motivation? Do we add others to that too? How does making something a "hate crime" help deter that action?

Instead of adding on extra punishment to something that's already a crime, why not just start enforcing the laws and get the law enforcement agencies to not give certain groups preferential treatment?

[Dr. Nosophoros]

Jessie Dirkhising , (I was too lazy too look this up) Thank you "The Seeker". Make your own opinions.

[The Seeker]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

I don't know, I don't think hate crimes laws are a great idea. Why add extra punishment for something that already is a crime? Who is going to determine that the motivation from the crime is "hate"? Why single out "hate" as a "bad" motivation? Do we add others to that too? How does making something a "hate crime" help deter that action?

Instead of adding on extra punishment to something that's already a crime, why not just start enforcing the laws and get the law enforcement agencies to not give certain groups preferential treatment?

My thought's exactly! Enjoy some frubals!

[Jaymes]

If you could try addressing my points, I'll post them again for you:

You know what disgusts me? People taking one example of someone from a varied group of people and making it out as though every person from said group acts this way.

That's downright disgusting.

. . .

There's miles of difference between someone beating up someone and someone beating up someone simply because they thought they were gay.

I've had things happen to me that wouldn't have happened otherwise simply because people thought I was gay. (But how do you know that, you might ask? My attackers calling me "lesbo" would probably be a big clue.)

. . .

You seem to be missing the distinction between "beating someone up because they hate them" and "beating someone up because they're weak". To my knowledge, there's not a widespread hate of old people in society. If someone was beating up old people simply because they hate them, not because they were perceived as an easy target, I'd say they should be protected under hate crime laws as well.

Take your pick.