toldailytopic: Hate crimes. Should acts of hate be criminalized?

[Lighthouse]

I think rebuking should be illegal

You would.

Leviticus 19:17
Proverbs 15:31, 17:10, 19:25, 25:12, 27:5
Ecclesiastes 7:5
Luke 17:3
2 Timothy 3:16, 4:2
Titus 1:13, 2:15

 

[kmoney]

I've asked this before but does anyone here find a difference between spray-painting "Knight was here" on a Synagogue, or spray-painting a swastika and "Jews in this town will die!" on a Synagogue. Both "just" vandalism. Yet I don't see them as the same. Nor do I see "People in this town will die!" the same as "Jews in this town will die!"

Would you punish those crimes in different ways?

As Rusha pointed out, painting that people will die can be seen as a threat of violence or murder, which adds something to it beyond just racist rhetoric. What if the scenario was "Knight was here" vs. "Jews are scum" or "I hate Jews". Then the threat of violence isn't there; the only difference between the 2 is the racist motive behind it.

 

[Town Heretic]

I've asked this before but does anyone here find a difference between spray-painting "Knight was here" on a Synagogue, or spray-painting a swastika and "Jews in this town will die!" on a Synagogue. Both "just" vandalism.

I don't agree they're the same. The first is vandalism. The second, well, vandalism would be a lesser charge, as it appears to be an attempt to put a specific group of reasonable people in fear for their safety. That elevates it to assault, given the specificity and placement.

:e4e: