Comments on: AL House OKs bill to add sexual orientation to hate crimes law http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/ The Unpredictable Union of Pragmatism, Idealism, and Cynicism Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:09:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: wayne http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25995 wayne Thu, 08 May 2008 16:26:40 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25995 I agree Loretta. You should punish the act, not the motive. A lot of teh time too, it is hard to prove a motive. I agree Loretta. You should punish the act, not the motive. A lot of teh time too, it is hard to prove a motive.

]]> By: Loretta Nall http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25968 Loretta Nall Thu, 08 May 2008 11:18:02 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25968 I understand all the arguments Brian. I used them in my campaign in 2006. I don't like 'hate/thought' crime laws either. My feeling though is that if Alabama is intent on having these laws on the books then sexual orientation should be added. I, too, feel that the focus should be to get all the laws off the books and use existing laws to prosecute people. However, it is highly offensive to me that a church can be burned down and the perps prosecuted under a hate crime law but someone can kill a person because they are gay and they are not prosecuted under that same law. To me that says we care more about a building/structure than we do about a human life. That's pretty bad. I understand all the arguments Brian. I used them in my campaign in 2006. I don’t like ‘hate/thought’ crime laws either. My feeling though is that if Alabama is intent on having these laws on the books then sexual orientation should be added. I, too, feel that the focus should be to get all the laws off the books and use existing laws to prosecute people.

However, it is highly offensive to me that a church can be burned down and the perps prosecuted under a hate crime law but someone can kill a person because they are gay and they are not prosecuted under that same law.

To me that says we care more about a building/structure than we do about a human life. That’s pretty bad.

]]> By: Dan http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25915 Dan Thu, 08 May 2008 02:26:13 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25915 Sexual orientation is certainly something that meets the original intent of the law (people that are different). To your point, obese people aren't different anymore. Crimes against skinny people should be a hate crime. Sexual orientation is certainly something that meets the original intent of the law (people that are different).

To your point, obese people aren’t different anymore. Crimes against skinny people should be a hate crime.

]]> By: Brian http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25905 Brian Thu, 08 May 2008 01:06:27 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25905 Why stop at sexual orientation? What about obesity? Maybe we could make teasing fat kids on the playground a hate crime punishable by three months in the pokey. How about simply making any reason other than pure, wanton criminal intent a hate crime? Why stop at sexual orientation? What about obesity? Maybe we could make teasing fat kids on the playground a hate crime punishable by three months in the pokey. How about simply making any reason other than pure, wanton criminal intent a hate crime?

]]> By: Loretta Nall http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25892 Loretta Nall Wed, 07 May 2008 23:11:34 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25892 I was originally against the hate crimes legislation for many of the same reasons you mention in this post. However, if the state is going to have them for churches and race and so forth then why not add sexual orientation? I think they should all be repealed, but if they aren't then sexual orientation should be added. I was originally against the hate crimes legislation for many of the same reasons you mention in this post. However, if the state is going to have them for churches and race and so forth then why not add sexual orientation? I think they should all be repealed, but if they aren’t then sexual orientation should be added.

]]> By: links for 2008-05-07 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25888 links for 2008-05-07 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:34:40 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25888 [...] Flashpoint: AL House OKs bill to add sexual orientation to hate crimes law [...] [...] Flashpoint: AL House OKs bill to add sexual orientation to hate crimes law [...]

]]> By: wayne http://www.flashpointblog.com/2008/05/07/al-house-oks-bill-to-add-sexual-orientation-to-hate-crimes-law/#comment-25880 wayne Wed, 07 May 2008 21:21:06 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/?p=1547#comment-25880 The judge can certainly consider it now as a sentencing factor within the range, eg torching a house because victim is black may get a harsher outcome than torching one's house because victim spread lies about you or stole you car.... The judge can certainly consider it now as a sentencing factor within the range, eg torching a house because victim is black may get a harsher outcome than torching one’s house because victim spread lies about you or stole you car….

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