Does anyone think that we should have Tougher  Hate Crime Laws where we live why? Doesnt matter where you live
339299
No. I don't think "hate crimes" laws should even exist. When someone takes action against someone else and assaults, batters, injures, or kills another, the punishment should be severe. The government has no business becoming thought police. Believe it or not, you have the right not to like someone or some group in this country. Even though racists are the scourge of this society, they have the right to hate.
674751
Work to change the law like California. Put the shoe on the other foot for a moment. If you made a mistake,error in judgment,got caught,served your time,got released and no one gave you the opportunity to build a better life,where does that leave you? I believe that they shouldn't be near schools and such yet they do have to live somewhere.Putting them all in the same area is not wise.Children live all over except for senior  only communities.What do you do that respects the rights of all?
897093
Maybe you are not equal.\n\nMost of those laws have exceptions for the death of a law officer.\n\nIf it were up to me they'd all get the ax.
344488
I believe that it does.  Even in states where there are a ton of ethnicity's like New York it happens.  I also be live that there is profiling against teens.  I am also not sure that this profiling is just black.  I believe that more and more people of middle eastern back-round have been experiencing profiling.  I would hope that many police do not do it on purpose while I know many do.  Ignorance is bliss and I believe that these people of authority need to be enlightened that there are many different people in this nation... . That is what makes this the USA.  Perhaps some training on a bi-annual basis would help, but I do not think it is something that will ever be eliminated.  Sad as far as I am concerned!
704250
I think that trying to make Hate Speech and Hate Crimes synonymous is a mistake.\n\nA Hate Crime is a crime which is designed to intimidate or threaten a group of people that goes beyond just the act itself.  For instance, burning a cross in someone’s front yard would be considered a simple act of vandalism if you just looked at the act by itself.  It becomes a Hate Crime when you look at the message behind the act\n\nHate Speech is the act of speaking out against a group of people.\n\nMaybe I am just uninformed but I don't know of any legislation against Hate Speech itself, just Hate Crimes.  Which is the effort to treat those crimes aimed at intimidating a group differently than just a crime against an individual?\n\n\nTo address your Added Details:\nA Hate Crime, first and foremost, is a crime.  Hate Crime legislation was put into place to put emphasis on crimes that were intended to be felt far and beyond just the actual act.   If the act was not a crime, then there is no way for the Hate Crime Laws to be brought into effect.\n\nThere is a chance for abuse, there were some instances where it is debated whether the crime should be elevated to 'Hate Crime Status'.  Plus there is the belief that only crimes AGAINST minorities are considered Hate Crimes where the crimes BY minorities against the majority are not.  There are efforts to keep things applied evenly, but there will be hiccups.\n\nYou are, of course, free to express your opinions, but only in legal acceptable ways.  If you dislike a particular segment of society (religious, racial, orientation) then you can demonstrate or speak out.  If you decide to attack someone or commit a crime in order to threaten or intimidate that segment, then they should throw the book at you.  I never want to hear that some police officer assumed that a kid painting a swastika on a synagogue was just a 'simple act of vandalism'.  The crime goes deeper than that and it is an insult to the sensibilities of anyone involved to believe differently
614424
I see where you are going with this (after re-reading it like five times) \n\nI think that often yes, we do spend an awful lot of time defending laws against things that don't really have a clear victim. But you need to trust that those laws are there to deter worse crimes. Drugs breed violence, think of all the murders that happen over drugs.\n\nI can't answer this question with any authority, perhaps you should take an associate justice class at your local community college. I'm sure they cover all of these issues.
93235
Please note -- the greater majority of crimes are local crimes, not federal crimes.  It's not the duty of the federal government to make sure that state and local laws are enforced.
1076947
we are too liberal!\nwe need to punish our criminals harder.\nkill anyone who commits murder, deals drugs, is a gang member.\nmake the kids go to school 6 days a week.  stop being political correct in school.  teach them the real history.
897292
This is an interesting question in light of the laws that punish some people more severely than others because of their opinion, even when committing exactly the same act. I am referring to "Hate Crime" laws that enhance a criminal offense because of the person's opinion/rationale for committing the crime. So, if one person kills another person because he hates that person’s ethnicity or religious views then he will receive a harsher punishment than another guy who kills without hate, simply because he enjoys killing. The point is, you may be entitled to your own opinion, but you will be punished for your thoughts and NOT just the act.
446204
In a ideal situation we should remove the laws that restrict posession by law abiding citizens.\n\nBut more importantly...\n\nENFORCE the laws we already have.
914533
If we are going forward as a country with the notion that punishment should be heaped on punishment, and crime should be heaped on crime, then yes.  \n\nMy true belief is that we should just stick to the original crime and enforce the laws that are already on the books.  Yes it is horrible if a homosexual man is assaulted because he is homosexual, but when you boil it down, is it any more terrible than the little old lady that is assaulted because someone wants to take her purse?\n\nMy belief is our courts only need to enforce the laws on the books, but our politicians believe that more laws (justifying the politicians job) equal better life.  It is so not true, I doubt one victim has been saved because a criminal thought, "man, if I kick this guys a**, I'll get a year in jail, but if this guy is (insert race/gender/sexuality/religion) I'll get another year so I won't do it. \n\nThat just doesn't happen.
398398
This country like any other has it's problems.  But America is like no other place in the world.  We have freedoms here that others can only dream about.  We have the will and strength to over come anything.  This country needs a strong moral center which it seems to be lacking on the west and east coasts.  There are the exceptions to that comment but most of the really liberal,(freedom w/o restrictions or consequences) crowd seem to live there.  I think we need to overhaul our social security system, our tax system and our education system.  If we take care of these basics then i believe we will be back at the top of the world in no time @ all.
869321
No. Around here a big deal crime is drunk driving or petty vandalism. Around the nearest big city it is drive-by gang shootings setting new highs in the murder rate.
1085942
Yes.  You see it wherever you go in the US.  Also there are places like Hayden Lake, Idaho where white supremest have an encampment.  Though we are getting better, racism will exist as long as people teach their children to be racists.
248949
Even though I am an American I have to agree with you.  So many people in this country take what we have for granted.  The south has always been labeled as an area of high discrimination..but I have been all around this country and trust me..it exists just as much in the north and out west as it does here..I think its the American philosophy of me me me..and if you are not like me then you are against me..its a sad thing but luckily not all Americans are like that!
630605
I am not surprised.  You break one law.  Who cares after that.  I see alot of crime in my city.  96% hispanic.  It is heartbreaking.  The neighborhoods look like slums.  If they are so great with housekeeping and lawns, why don't they take care of their own.  Better yet why don't they just go home.
624224
You said it! I agree with you completely. There is not enough room in this world for hate- It has caused too many problems already. Illegal immigrants are only trying to improve their lives, their children's lives. I'm not going into a debate on the issue, but the hate and anger need to stop. What happened to America that we act like this?