New York: Steal the Baby Jesus, that's OK, Kick the Menorah Go to Jail

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07010902.html ^ | JAN. 7, 2007 | LIFE SIT

[CANBFORGIVEN]

Tuesday January 9, 2007 Printer friendly version Email to a friend

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York: Steal the Baby Jesus, that's OK, Kick the Menorah Go to Jail

NEW YORK, January 9, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Sunday, the New York Times ran a story about two 20-year-olds, and an 18-year-old, who were arrested for stealing statues of baby Jesus from nativity scenes over the past two years. They hit the New York-suburban communities of Suffern and Haverstraw several times in 2005 and 2006. The police said they will not charge them with committing hate crimes; each is being charged with 14 counts of petty larceny.

Also on Sunday, WNBC.com reported that a 20-year-old was arrested for kicking a menorah in the New York suburban community of St. James. He is being charged with a hate crime and could face seven years in prison. He is being charged with a felony.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented saying, "This is so interesting. The reason the menorah is allowed in New York City public schools is because the authorities have branded it a secular symbol, and the reason the crèche is barred is because the same authorities have branded it a religious symbol. Yet when a 20-year-old man vandalizes a menorah outside New York he is charged with a hate crime and may spend seven years behind bars for his felony, while three others of the same age who vandalize several crèches outside New York-over a two-year period-are given a slap on the wrist."

Donohue concluded, "We have long maintained that hate-crime laws evince a bias of their own. This proves it."

[sonsofliberty2000]

Bill Donohue is right.

[weegee]

Political correctness is not about tolerance for diversity. Hate crime laws are not equally applied. The ultimate proof is that while sexual beliefs (beyond just religious beliefs) are protected, political beliefs are not.

[John Philoponus]

I just wonder how much s*** Christians will put up with before they explode. Jam a Crucifix in a bottle of urine or paint an image of the Virgin using elephant dung, it's art. Flush a koran, it's a hate crime. Someone should forward this to Bill O'Reilly.

[Caipirabob]

I just wonder how much s*** Christians will put up with ...

Pretty much all of it. Don't worry, I read the end of the book. We win. ; )

[SwordofTruth]

The reason the menorah is allowed in New York City public schools is because the authorities have branded it a secular symbol, and the reason the crèche is barred is because the same authorities have branded it a religious symbol. Yet when a 20-year-old man vandalizes a menorah outside New York he is charged with a hate crime and may spend seven years behind bars for his felony, while three others of the same age who vandalize several crèches outside New York-over a two-year period-are given a slap on the wrist."

If the menorah is designated as a secular symbol then how the heck can it be a hate crime to kick it? Is it a hate crime if you kick a stop sign? What's up?

[mewzilla]

The police said they will not charge them with committing hate crimes; each is being charged with 14 counts of petty larceny.

So why doesn't the state or the Feds do it?

Paging Gov. Spitzer....