Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mac Con Ulaidh who wrote (5353)	2/11/2001 2:42:47 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 82486

There are places, and times, when it has not been okay to beat your neighbor up, if they were like you, but you could beat a gay and not be prosecuted. You could beat a black and not be prosecuted. In those places and times the problem is that the law is not being fairly and effectively enforced not that there is a lack of hate crimes laws. Hate crime laws would need to be enforced as well. If you can ensure that they would be enforced then why not just enforce the regular laws against people who beat up gays or blacks or other people that they hate. Maybe I think it is my "right" to walk without fear of being beaten because a bunch of kids have come with baseball bats looking for someone like me to bash. Maybe I'd like society to say that I have that "right". I would say you have a right not to be beaten up by a bunch of kids looking for some one to bash. I'm not sure I could say you have a right not to be afraid. If one where to assert such a right I'm not sure how it could be enforced. If someone had no intention to beat you or otherwise harm or threaten you but you felt afraid of him would he then be charged with violating your rights? I'm also not sure how hate crime laws keep people from being afraid more then fair and just enforcement of regular laws would. but ask any woman, at least any over 40, and ask if they weren't warned about not going out at night, and not going to places that men thought nothing of going to. I'm not sure why hate crime laws have to do with this unless you define rape as a hate crime. If an area has low crime and good police protection and fair enforcement of laws that would probably make women over 40 (and everyone else) feel safer. If an area does not have these things then I don't think hate crimes laws are going to change this fear. In fact if the fear goes away merely because of hate crime laws and the area has poor law enforcement and a very high level of crime, then the now fearless woman is likely to expose herself to danger more then she should. Tim