Matthew Shepard was NOT a hate crime

[JohnnyLingo]

But, what if some guy looks at your girl while you're out, and he bumps shoulders, shoves you, and then you open a can of whoop ass on him, and in the heat of the moment, while you're beating him, you yell some kind of slur at him.....what then? I don't think this is a hate crime, but I'd worry that any time anyone says something as a slur that it could be considered a crime.

Stalking Matthew Shepard is one thing, calling someone an epithet while fighting is another thing. Even if you come back and kill the guy later, it's more out of hatred of him than his ethnographic classification. Because of the complexities and ease with which justice could be miscarried in these circumstances, I'm opposed to hate crime laws.

I'm with you 100%... I was merely supplying a situation where prosecutors have used a specific incident to attempt to prove a hate crime. From what I understand it's fairly common, even if I disagree with it, for the reasons you state.

[TheAzzuri]

I'm with you on this.

I'd just like to hear the thoughts of someone who supports hate crime legislation so I can better understand how they can see the hatred more clearly.

I think a lot of people would. Unfortunately, I think the dialogue is hindered by the fact that it is so emotionally charged.

[TheAzzuri]

Hate crime laws are premised on the idea that stiffer penalties will deter crime better than lighter ones. All people deserve protection from violence, but some people, because of targeted hate, need more protection than others. Stiffer penalties equals better deterrence equals more protection. At least that is my understanding of it.

I don't buy the deterrence argument. A lot of those same arguments could be made or the death penalty.