[quote=6packscaredy]”Nonsensical” is a little strong.
Let’s say we were back in the 1960’s and rage against blacks was still strong in the south. Would it be “nonsensical” to punish crimes against blacks a little stronger, in order to achieve the desired social goal of a society where people of all colors can be safe and secure?
Probably not.
reasonable people can disagree about who should be protected a bit more when to further which societal goal, or even if it shoudl be done, but it’s not irrational.[/quote]
Yes, it would be nonsensical. ALL people have the right to live in a safe environment, whether they are black or white. If the crimes are the same, the punishments need to be the same. No one category of victim should be exalted above the others. A crime against a Jew or a black person is every bit as bad as the exact same crime against a white person, and vice versa.
We cannot control how people think; we can only hope to control their actions. Their thoughts will not be changed by “hate crime” laws. If anything, these laws reinforce their beliefs that certain people are receiving unfair advantages, and that might justify in their minds the desire to punish people from this particular group even more.
EVERY victim needs to be protected equally, and the punishment for these types of crimes should be equally harsh, no matter the color, religion, background, etc. of the victim. I do not believe that people who commit random, violent crimes against whites (or women and other unprotected groups) feel any less “hate” than the criminals who commit crimes against any of the groups protected under “hate crime” laws.
