Comments on: Support the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 http://www.outinleftfield.com/2009/07/08/support-the-matthew-shepard/ Award-winning columnist, mom, wife, speaker, advocate, and trouble maker. I'm on your side. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:30:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Gareth Young http://www.outinleftfield.com/2009/07/08/support-the-matthew-shepard/comment-page-1/#comment-14134 Gareth Young Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:30:24 +0000 http://www.outinleftfield.com/?p=2664#comment-14134 I am always troubled when our only solution is to legislate: as I wrote recently, this starts to feel a lot like "The Trees" by Rush. And I recently pulled together a pretty grotesque list of hate crimes, which new legislation would have done nothing to prevent. This is a horrible problem that doesn't want to go away, and I don't know what to do! I think the solution has to include awareness. I've just started a discussion group on prejudice, which I think of as a larger topic including hate crimes. And a couple of folks lived in my head until I gave them voices in The Grace of Guilt, and if you're interested, I'd like to forward you a pdf (it's actually available for download on my ning discussion group). But above all, I would love to engage in meaningful discussion about what to do to solve the problem. I am always troubled when our only solution is to legislate: as I wrote recently, this starts to feel a lot like “The Trees” by Rush. And I recently pulled together a pretty grotesque list of hate crimes, which new legislation would have done nothing to prevent. This is a horrible problem that doesn’t want to go away, and I don’t know what to do!

I think the solution has to include awareness. I’ve just started a discussion group on prejudice, which I think of as a larger topic including hate crimes. And a couple of folks lived in my head until I gave them voices in The Grace of Guilt, and if you’re interested, I’d like to forward you a pdf (it’s actually available for download on my ning discussion group).

But above all, I would love to engage in meaningful discussion about what to do to solve the problem.

]]> By: Quakerjono http://www.outinleftfield.com/2009/07/08/support-the-matthew-shepard/comment-page-1/#comment-11568 Quakerjono Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:57:20 +0000 http://www.outinleftfield.com/?p=2664#comment-11568 I have to say, I'm uncomfortable with this bill. Certainly, I'm also uncomfortable with the notion of Hate Crime Laws in general, but there's no need to rehash the general opposition to hate crime laws here. In particular, though, this is good intention leading to bad legislation. I'm uncertain of the necessity for expansion of federal authority far beyond its current limits. Further, the money that you mentioned is dependent on crimes being "hate crimes"...this may sound cynical, but suddenly there's an incentive to find a hate crime aspect to any crime. Again, I think the intentions behind this bill are good, but the bill itself not only doesn't solve the problem, but further misappropriates scant funds from other programs that could make better use (and more headway) in combating bias-based violence. I have to say, I’m uncomfortable with this bill. Certainly, I’m also uncomfortable with the notion of Hate Crime Laws in general, but there’s no need to rehash the general opposition to hate crime laws here.

In particular, though, this is good intention leading to bad legislation. I’m uncertain of the necessity for expansion of federal authority far beyond its current limits. Further, the money that you mentioned is dependent on crimes being “hate crimes”…this may sound cynical, but suddenly there’s an incentive to find a hate crime aspect to any crime.

Again, I think the intentions behind this bill are good, but the bill itself not only doesn’t solve the problem, but further misappropriates scant funds from other programs that could make better use (and more headway) in combating bias-based violence.

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