(UPDATE #1):On the floor of the House last week, Virginia Foxx (R-VA) had this to say on the hate crime legislation that bore Matthew Shepard’s (the gay Wyoming teenager who was robbed and beaten to death by a couple of methed-out savages back in ’98) name:
"The hate crimes bill was named for [Shepard], but it's really a hoax that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills,"
Oops. Not quite a public image-enhancing move, Ms. Foxx.
This utterance was seized upon by the usual suspects with the predictable ferocity and Foxx was compelled to apologize, saying “hoax” was a poor choice of words. Apparently, though, slipping up in one’s terminology was not the real wrongdoing – merely harboring sentiments that run counter to the legislation’s M.O. is the real crime.
Here’s Matthew Shepard’s mother:
Mrs. Foxx has been "apologizing for semantics, but not her sentiment, her insensitivity or her ignorance," Mrs. Shepard told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. "Everyone knew Matthew's murder was a hate crime, but it couldn't be prosecuted as a hate crime. We couldn't call it a hate crime. Getting this bill passed in the House brings gay rights up to the level of equality."
With all due respect to Mrs. Shepard, she gives evidence to more mis-interpretation of that term “equality” as in, how does the “gain of new federal protections” above and beyond other groups translate to “equality”.
And whether or not the murder of Matthew Shepard was actually a hate crime is up for some considerable debate as linked article details.
The two murderers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson are currently serving life sentences for their crime.
Exit question: How would’ve hate crime legislation altered the ultimate outcome and results of the trial and sentencing beyond what it was and is?
(here endeth the update)
… at least in the eyes of the House of Representatives.
Gay victims of violence would gain new federal protections under a revived and expanded hate crimes bill passed by the House on Wednesday over conservatives' objections.
Hate crimes - as defined by the bill - are those motivated by prejudice and based someone's race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
Thought crimes, pure and simple because “motivated” when used in this context can also be translated as “what you happened to be thinking”.
These so-called hate crime laws would also appear to be in violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment as it elevates the status of gays above other groups.
And proving what passes for logic here’s Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who voted in favor of this legislation, chasing his own tail:
"We in America have said we believe all people ought to be treated equally. If America stands for anything it stands for equality under the law."
...and some just a little more equally than others.
But, wait… it gets even better:
The bill, which passed 249-175, could provide a financial bonanza to state and local authorities, with grants for investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. The federal government could step in and prosecute if states requested it or declined to exercise their authority.
A freaking financial bo-nanza! Hot damn!
Let’s just call this stimulus through thought crime prosecution. Nice to see we have a tax-payer funded cottage industry that will spring-up as a result of this bill.
Your little po-dunk town doesn’t have the resources to prosecute hate crimes? No problem, here’s some money to gin-up, err…. investigate that little incident a bit further to help you achieve the desired results. Better yet, just let the Feds come in and do it for you.
We commend Congress, though, for packing a boatload of stink into a single piece of legislation. Feats like that do not happen by accident but are achieved, rather, by years of disingenuous and intellectually lazy thinking.
Embrace the hatred of hate crime laws.
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