Violent crime or hate crime?

A written law, by itself, is a no-brainer (sorry if this sounded insulting). It's how people interpret the law that gets us into trouble. Remove the interpretation, and you remove 90% of the problems.

If you steal, and are found guilty, you get 5 years hard labor. There is no "Why" in that statement...Let's add Winona Ryder's 'excuse' into the mix...

If you steal, and are found guilty, you get 5 years hard labor, unless you are under the influence of prescription drugs.

Now you have to state which drugs, which dosage, how long ago they were taken, etc. Remember personal responsibility? Chances are she knew the effects of her drugs. If the doctor doesn't tell you, the pharmacist will. Now, all of a sudden, she's not a thief...she's suffering from a drug-induced haze. Bullshit. If you know your medication is going to make you do stupid things, you stay home. That's the responsible thing to do.

One more question...If she was too zoned to know that stealing was wrong, how did she get to the store? DUI? She ought to be charged with that as well.
 
Ok i can agree to a certian extent, but the fact is that many laws allow for a certian degree of interpretation. I don't think misinterpretation is the primary disfuction of the law. I think a greater problem is a lack of common sense. When Bill Clinton(a lawyer) can sit before a court and redefine the word 'is', breaking it down until it's definition as a word means nothing, i think therin lies the major retardation of the law. Common sense will tell us that Winona Ryder stole because it was a rush. Common sense will tell us that Martha Stewart stole $40,000 and needs to do time behind bars.
 
I never bothered to read this thread, but I'm surprised it's gone on this long. Uhh, any crime is a hate crime. Just think about it, if you go over the speed limit, it's a hate crime against lame speed limit laws. If you step on the grass that says don't step on it, it's a hate crime against lawn treatment corporations. If you murder someone, it's a hate crime against yourself, because you hate who you are and you feel you must get that short orgasmic feel of power in order to feel like you're worth anything.
 
fury said:
I never bothered to read this thread, but I'm surprised it's gone on this long. Uhh, any crime is a hate crime. Just think about it, if you go over the speed limit, it's a hate crime against lame speed limit laws. If you step on the grass that says don't step on it, it's a hate crime against lawn treatment corporations. If you murder someone, it's a hate crime against yourself, because you hate who you are and you feel you must get that short orgasmic feel of power in order to feel like you're worth anything.
Click to expand...

Agree with Mitch on #1, I don't speed cause I hate the law, I speed cause I feel like I'm in a hurry, or I like the feeling of going fast.

#2, I walk on grass that says don't step on it becuase I disregard, not hate, the people that put the sign up.

#3 If I did kill someone, it would most likely be because I fear for my own life, or I hate the person I am killing, not because I want to get some cheap thrill out of it.
 
Oh damn, now I got involved, I guess I should answer how I feel about the topic at hand. I don't think that hate crimes should be punished any different than a crime. I know the motivation is different, but unless that motivation leads to a justification, the motivation does not matter, the crime is the same, the victim is just as hurt, and the perpetrator should serve the same punishment for said crime.
 
Correct, PT. The motive does not make the crime any better...or worse. The motive makes the person more, or less, likely to actually commit the crime, but that's all.
 
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