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NJ College Student found guilty of hate crime
...despite no evidence he did anything but be a stupid college student, or that he was was even biased against gay people.
While Mr. Ravi was not charged with Mr. Clementi’s death, some legal experts argued that he was being punished for it, and that this would result only in ruining another young life. They, along with Mr. Ravi’s lawyers, had argued that the case was criminalizing simple boorish behavior.
I think these laws are dangerous and unjust.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/17/ny...e.html?_r=1&hp
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Here's a case in Boulder from last year, where the "victims" acknowledged they were involved in "flippant smack talk" with patrons at a hookah bar, which may have been what caused the altercation with the "perpertrators" who came upon the scene. The "victims" also acknowledge they also said epithets back at the "perpertrators" prior to the fight. It looks like a bunch of drunken yahoos who should all spend a night in jail, but now the two whites only are labelled as having committed "hate crimes".
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_17775095
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And here's Boulder's local ACLU chief worrying about the above hate crime conviction for words only (for one of the defendants).
But, Golden said, he finds "somewhat disturbing" the notion that "words can be a crime," quoting prosecutor Ken Kupfner from his opening statement in Harris' trial.
"The ACLU would say that the government should err on the side of not criminalizing speech and speech alone," Golden said, adding that racial slurs aren't always used with the intent to harass or intimidate. "There are white rap guys who hang out with black guys who say that all the time with endearment."
And, he said, even if a person does make statements with hateful intentions -- like the infamous protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church who picket outside funerals -- they shouldn't be thrown in jail.
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_17965210
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A lot of the hate crime laws are political. I think people take some hate crime and rank it higher then others. Most of the stuff this kid was guilty of was stuff he did to cover up the crime. Can't argue with that. I think bullying needs to be taken seriously, but at the same time we need to teach kids that are bullied to deal with it until the law can take care of it. >>
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If it was a man and women he filmed and texted about and one of them killed themselves would it be a hate crime?>>
Born a Nebraskan, raised a Nebraskan, will die a Nebraskan!! Go Big Red!
Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” - Gamalie the Pharisee - Addressing the Sanhedrin regarding the new group called Christians
"I support collecting more in taxes from people with high incomes who choose to actually pay taxes at lower tax rates than use lawyers and accountants to avoid taxes at higher tax rates," he wrote. "Some tax revenues at low tax rates is a heckuva lot better than no tax revenues at high tax rates." - Art Laffer (on 999 plan)
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 Originally Posted by Huskermedic
A lot of the hate crime laws are political. I think people take some hate crime and rank it higher then others. Most of the stuff this kid was guilty of was stuff he did to cover up the crime. Can't argue with that. I think bullying needs to be taken seriously, but at the same time we need to teach kids that are bullied to deal with it until the law can take care of it. >
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If it was a man and women he filmed and texted about and one of them killed themselves would it be a hate crime?>
Agree with all, including the importance of a hard line against bullying.
I think there is mounds of reasonable doubt that he did anything for the purpose of "bias intimidation". So why did the jury convict on the hate crime part? Could it be that some jurors could be afraid not to convict on an allegation of hate crime for fear of looking "unclean" themselves. I hope not.
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