Liberal Cohen: Folly of Hate-Crime Laws
Liberal Cohen: Folly of Hate-Crime Laws
Washington Post's Richard Cohen Attacks Hate-Crime Law
(Quote) James von Brunn,,......., proves the stupidity of hate-crime laws. A prime justification for such laws is that some crimes really affect a class of people. The hate-crimes bill recently passed by the Senate puts it this way: "A prominent characteristic of a violent crime motivated by bias is that it devastates not just the actual victim . . . but frequently savages the community sharing the traits that caused the victim to be selected." No doubt. But how is this crime different from most other crimes?
..........The real purpose of hate-crime laws is to reassure politically significant groups -- blacks, Hispanics, Jews, gays, etc. -- that someone cares about them and takes their fears seriously. That's nice. It does not change the fact, though, that what's being punished is thought or speech............ (Unquote)
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/03/AR2009080302222.html?hpid=opinionsbox1