Wednesday, December 4, 2013

It's Criminal

I was watching the local news yesterday and the lead story was about some asshole who painted KKK on a number of buildings and school buses, including a Jewish women's center. The graffiti included the symbol for anarchy, and a bull's eye on each location. Yes, it's a pain in the ass for the people who have to clean that up. Yes, it's scary for the people who it was targeting. Yes, the moron who did this should be found, arrested, and made to pay both financially and punitively. Here is the only problem I have with what the police spokesperson was saying. She said it was being considered a "hate" crime, and the person who did, if caught, would be charged with the extra crime of hate. I have never understood this. Hate is an emotion. How can you make an emotion illegal? I don't see it as any different than making love or desire a crime. The crime here was vandalism. Now if it is vandalism to intimidate certain people, say so. Make that the crime, not hate. A lot of people have killed their husbands, wives, and lovers out of hate. Does that make it a worse crime? Is the person more dead because hate instigated it? Unfortunately Americans are a simple minded people in many ways. Look how easy it was for the W. Bush administration to talk us into war. We are burdened with horrible politicians because of our simple mindedness. We can't handle nuance, we vote for good looks, good speeches, and for what seems cool to us. Making laws that call one thing a hate crime and another vandalism is simply politicians pandering to the gut instinct. It's as stupid as calling stalking somebody you are obsessed with, a 'love' crime.

5 comments:

  1. This post bummed me out. Can Alicia do this in a public service announcement to help the delivery? Either that or have Bette shred a Nazi flag...

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  2. Sorry Hostess, Christmas time puts me in a dark place. All the avarice, and greed involved makes me sad. I especially find distasteful people like Sarah Palin bitching about a "war on Christmas". Because the Christian religions have been so oppressed in the United States. And then there is the false premise of Christmas being a time of joy and love.... Okay, okay. Tomorrow I'll have an Alicia video along with Bette biting a full sized photo of Ted Cruz on the balls.

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  3. It's exactly like the "war on terrorism". That's a tactic. You cannot declare war on a tactic. Just another country.
    That being said, I agree with Hostess. I would have loved to have seen Bette shredding a nazi flag...or peeing on it... or both.
    Also, Avast still is popping up all alarm bells telling me a threat has been detected when I go to your blog. It only happens with yours :-/

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  4. Avast you varmit. Arrrrgggh! I've deleted the counter from the blog matey so's your anti-virus might not scare you anymore. Arrrrgggghhh!

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  5. Christmas is just a lot of pressure.....haven't enjoyed it since I was a kid or had little kids! I get together with those I love on my own timetable not because it is a "holiday".

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