We Need Hate Crime Legislation Essay -- racism, prejudice

Hate crime is one of the biggest issues many people face today. Whether or not they should be legislated against has been highly debated and continues to be a hot topic. This essay will explain the ideas and opinions of several authors including Charley Reese, Michael Lieberman, Helen Dodge, Gregory S. Parks, Shayne E. Jones and Samuel Francis. It will also elaborate on the topic of why hate crimes should be legislated against, with supporting information. The phrase â€Å"hate crime† is generally referred to as a criminal act against a person, a group, or property because of one’s race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation (Civil Rights- Hate Crimes- Overview). A person who experiences a hate crime may be threatened, harassed, physically harmed, or even killed. In order to ensure protection, laws have been established by society against those who commit hate crimes. There is a lot of debate among the general public about laws that should not punish people more harshly based on the motivation of their crime; instead, a criminal should only be punished for the crime committed. However, the motive behind a crime is often more significant than the crime itself. For example, if a black family moves into an area where the majority of the people are white and a group of white teenagers vandalize the property, they would be charged with vandalism. However, if after vandalizing the property they spray paint the word â⠂¬Å"nigger† on the garage door, they would most likely be found guilty of some sort of racial hate crime involving vandalism. While both of these actions are considered crimes, the motive behind the racial crime should be taken into consideration when the punishment is issued. One might say that the motive was ... ...on | Education Book Publishing | Academic Textbooks. Web. . â€Å"Hate Crime† Laws Change the Law (Francis 141 & 142) Keyes, Jere. "Hate Crime Legislation: An Essay | Blind Prophecy." Blind Prophecy | Jere Keys Online. 11 Feb. 2009. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. . "About Hate Crimes." Homepage. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. . "State Hate Crimes Laws." Human Rights Campaign. 1 June 2009. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. "List of Hate Crime Laws." Homepage. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. . "Declaration of Independence." National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. .