[freestyle]

That is embarrasing. My post was about how people (like you apparently) are unable to detect the sarcasim in that post.

(Hint: we both agree that this new law is NOT needed.)

But hey! Thanks for the name callin'!

[Clemenza]

What can I say, I rode the small bus to school. :-(

[Bush2000]

Hop aboard the clue train. Jurists and juries already examine the motivation and intent of the criminal in assigning penalties. Wilfull commission of crimes is therefore considered more serious than inadvertent commission of the same crime. This law merely increases penalties for any criminal that evidences motivation to target someone based on sexual preference or gender. We're all interested in seeing criminals pay for their crimes here. No one here is deprived of any right by this law when criminals get punished in a harsher manner.

As for "hate speech" being punishable on its own -- in the absence of a crime -- that's just plain fear-mongering. Hate crimes laws have been on the books for awhile, and nobody has been prosecuted for "hate speech". This may surprise you, but we have a First Amendment which guards even those who engage in "hate speech". A prosecution based solely on speech content is doomed to failure.

[Bush2000]

Hop aboard the clue train. Jurists and juries already examine the motivation and intent of the criminal in assigning penalties. Wilfull commission of crimes is therefore considered more serious than inadvertent commission of the same crime. This law merely increases penalties for any criminal that evidences motivation to target someone based on sexual preference or gender. We're all interested in seeing criminals pay for their crimes here. No one here is deprived of any right by this law when criminals get punished in a harsher manner.

As for "hate speech" being punishable on its own -- in the absence of a crime -- that's just plain fear-mongering. Hate crimes laws have been on the books for awhile, and nobody has been prosecuted for "hate speech". This may surprise you, but we have a First Amendment which guards even those who engage in "hate speech". A prosecution based solely on speech content is doomed to failure.