The Views and Handling of Hate Crimes
In the eyes of the United States court system, hate crimes are simply an enhancer. What that means is when someone is convicted of a particular crime, they receive a just sentence. However, if there is solid evidence to prove that he or she was motivated by hate, bias, or prejudice, their punishment would be modified appropriately (hence the word enhancer). While this may seem like a relatively successful process, it is sadly, more often than not, ineffective. So, in order for society to ensure that hate crimes don’t go without the due penalty, the United States court system needs to better enforce the law against these felonies by immediately responding and enacting harsher punishments against the perpetrator(s). …show more content…
The golden rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) has been broken, beaten, and stripped of its value many times throughout the course of history. In the article, “Buoyed Show of Love in the Face of Hate” from the Sydney Morning Herald, many people provided their input on how religion motivates bias against others-- specifically against homosexuals. The quote, “... there is a ‘seed bed’ of hate towards gays amongst the political Christian right” (4), supports this idea. By some, the violence against gays is viewed as a just punishment, and therefore should not be further pursued by law enforcement. However, in spite of religion and personal beliefs, violence against anyone is reprehensible. Another piece by Steve Biddulph, “The Trouble with Men” has a different take on how hate crimes violate the morals of society. Biddulph states, “Sexism-- the discrimination against and mistreatment of women and girls with its most severe form, misogyny, manifesting as domestic violence, murder, and rape” (1). Here he shows that the ferocity towards females is completely and utterly inexcusable. If one believes that women are inferior, they will treat them as such. This leads women to feeling humiliated and devalued-- once again breaking the rule that is meant to bind society together. Overall, hate crimes are immoral to the utmost fashion. The United States court system needs to be modified to the point where any crime …show more content…
In the piece, “There ought to be a law against hate” from the New York Times, the author explained the severity of hate crimes and how it has developed an new wave of supremacy and violence. A quote from this article, “South Carolina is home to six neo-Confederate groups, four white nationalist organizations, two factions of the Ku Klux Klan, and three Neo-Nazi groups” (15), gives a small fraction of the organizations that are accumulating across the nation, and ultimately across the world. The Orlando shooting, the Charleston Church shooting, and countless other crimes prompted by hate all have an influence on the future. In another article, “Islamophobia” by Elizabeth Manar, the author provides in depth detail on a new form of hate-- Islamophobia. The quote, “The September 11, 2001, attacks resulted in an increase of Islamophobia and hate crimes directed towards Muslims” (10), examples how one event can trigger a reform of views against a specific group of people. Because of the 9/11 attacks (more of terrorism-- however still motivated by hate), people have developed negative stereotypes against Muslims, and are in turn, emotionally and physically abusing those who belong to that religion. Whether it be the upcoming organizations that fuel the hate of the population, or the new phobia causing a rise in bias, they must be put under better control in order to
In the eyes of the United States court system, hate crimes are simply an enhancer. What that means is when someone is convicted of a particular crime, they receive a just sentence. However, if there is solid evidence to prove that he or she was motivated by hate, bias, or prejudice, their punishment would be modified appropriately (hence the word enhancer). While this may seem like a relatively successful process, it is sadly, more often than not, ineffective. So, in order for society to ensure that hate crimes don’t go without the due penalty, the United States court system needs to better enforce the law against these felonies by immediately responding and enacting harsher punishments against the perpetrator(s). …show more content…
The golden rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) has been broken, beaten, and stripped of its value many times throughout the course of history. In the article, “Buoyed Show of Love in the Face of Hate” from the Sydney Morning Herald, many people provided their input on how religion motivates bias against others-- specifically against homosexuals. The quote, “... there is a ‘seed bed’ of hate towards gays amongst the political Christian right” (4), supports this idea. By some, the violence against gays is viewed as a just punishment, and therefore should not be further pursued by law enforcement. However, in spite of religion and personal beliefs, violence against anyone is reprehensible. Another piece by Steve Biddulph, “The Trouble with Men” has a different take on how hate crimes violate the morals of society. Biddulph states, “Sexism-- the discrimination against and mistreatment of women and girls with its most severe form, misogyny, manifesting as domestic violence, murder, and rape” (1). Here he shows that the ferocity towards females is completely and utterly inexcusable. If one believes that women are inferior, they will treat them as such. This leads women to feeling humiliated and devalued-- once again breaking the rule that is meant to bind society together. Overall, hate crimes are immoral to the utmost fashion. The United States court system needs to be modified to the point where any crime …show more content…
In the piece, “There ought to be a law against hate” from the New York Times, the author explained the severity of hate crimes and how it has developed an new wave of supremacy and violence. A quote from this article, “South Carolina is home to six neo-Confederate groups, four white nationalist organizations, two factions of the Ku Klux Klan, and three Neo-Nazi groups” (15), gives a small fraction of the organizations that are accumulating across the nation, and ultimately across the world. The Orlando shooting, the Charleston Church shooting, and countless other crimes prompted by hate all have an influence on the future. In another article, “Islamophobia” by Elizabeth Manar, the author provides in depth detail on a new form of hate-- Islamophobia. The quote, “The September 11, 2001, attacks resulted in an increase of Islamophobia and hate crimes directed towards Muslims” (10), examples how one event can trigger a reform of views against a specific group of people. Because of the 9/11 attacks (more of terrorism-- however still motivated by hate), people have developed negative stereotypes against Muslims, and are in turn, emotionally and physically abusing those who belong to that religion. Whether it be the upcoming organizations that fuel the hate of the population, or the new phobia causing a rise in bias, they must be put under better control in order to