vision2020
Re: Alleged Wyoming hate crime
The differentiation of a "hate" crime would be important. Recall when the
domestic violence laws were defined and enacted; perhaps defining hate
crimes will bring increased awareness, and hopefully some
semblence of protection to those
who are targeted by such acts of inhumanity and small minded stupidity
We need to analyze and understand why hate crimes occur.
On Thu, 15 Oct 1998, Briana LeClaire wrote:
> >It does suggest that Mr. Probasco's question might
> > deserve further analysis and discussion.
>
> Well then let's analyze and question it further. Professor Goble?
> Linda Pall? Any other lawyers out there? Explain to Professor
> Probasco and me why we need hate crime legislation when assault,
> battery, slander and murder are already crimes.
>
> Maybe lawyers are the exact wrong people to be asking, but I'll chance
> it. I'd address this question to Tom Trail (a lawmaker) too, but to
> my knowledge he's out of the country.
>
> Thank you -- Briana LeClaire
>
> curley@cypher.turbonet.com wrote:
> >
> > Yes, I think most of us would say that Civil Rights legislation
> > of the '60s made a significant difference in the opportunity
> > for members of minority groups to participate in many of the
> > social and economic and personal benefits to which they had been
> > previously denied. Unfortunately it did not necessarily change
> > the hatred or vile conduct.
> > I understand the issues that prompted Mr. Probasco's question to be
> > (a) how making it a "hate crime" to commit an act that is already a
> > "crime" will more likely deter the conduct or increase enforcement,
> > and (b) whether federal involvement makes more sense than
> > encouraging or demanding individual state legislation--assuming that
> > additional legislation makes sense. There have been instances of
> > hate crime legislation being written such that conduct that none of
> > us reasonably wants to be forbidden, ie. criminalized, has not only
> > been within the ambit of the statute, but was also enforced at the
> > insistence of some allegedly aggrieved party.
> > None of those observations is to say hate crime legislation is
> > inappropriate. It does suggest that Mr. Probasco's question might
> > deserve further analysis and discussion.
> >
> > Mike Curley
> >
> > Date: Wed, 14
> > Oct 1998 11:48:17 -0700 To: vision2020@moscow.com From:
> > Robert Hoffmann <escape@alt-escape.com> Subject: Re:
> > Alleged Wyoming hate crime
> >
> > At 11:11 AM 10/14/98 -0700, you wrote:
> > >While I deplore the sorry event in Wyoming, I do not perceive how
> > >including the federal government would have changed anything.
> > >
> > >Wyoming already has laws against assault and battery (and murder).
> What
> > >difference would another layer of legislation have provided?
> > > Bob Probasco
> > >
> > >
> > >On Wed, 14 Oct 1998, Scott Dredge wrote:
> > >> I believe that we should enact federal legislation to uniformly
> enforce
> > >> punishment across the nation in cases involving hate crimes.
> >
> > What difference did Civil Rights Legislation of the 1960's make?
> > Robert Hoffmann 115 N. Jackson St., Suite D
> > Alt-Escape Adventures Moscow, ID 83843 USA
> > http://www.alt-escape.com Phone: (208) 883-0642
> > Fax: (208) 883-8545
> >
> > Mike Curley
> > reply to: curley@turbonet.com
> > 208-882-3536
> >
> >
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