Yes, if your intent is to kill someone and by doing so create an atmosphere of terror within the Chinese community. A hate crime is twofold - the assault on the specific victim and the threat to the community s/he represents to the assaulter.
I'm sorry. You were going to ask me to choose, right? Did you want to finish?
Zoe ,'War Stories'
Natter 59: Dominate Your Face!
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Jessica - Jul 16, 2008 2:34:59 pm PDT #8229 of 10003
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
tommyrot - Jul 16, 2008 2:36:47 pm PDT #8230 of 10003
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Are they Chinese?
Heh.
javachik - Jul 16, 2008 2:40:18 pm PDT #8231 of 10003
Our wings are not tired.
the assault on the specific victim and the threat to the community s/he represents to the assaulter.
I am willing to be educated about the notion of a hate crime, but it's still very fuzzy to me. It's possible that the (hypothetical) Chinese community could feel a specific threat where none was intended.
megan walker - Jul 16, 2008 2:41:05 pm PDT #8232 of 10003
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
Sorry I couldn't resist.
But I don't want anyone to think I'm making light of violent crime. I really think all acts of violence are horrific and should be punished to the full extent of the law.
Trudy Booth - Jul 16, 2008 2:42:49 pm PDT #8233 of 10003
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart
Lynchings are a classic example. If you drag a black man through the streets because he allegedly did something you're making it very clear to other black men that things like trials and justice don't apply to them.
javachik - Jul 16, 2008 2:47:12 pm PDT #8234 of 10003
Our wings are not tired.
That's a good example, Trudy. But in that case, lynching a man should in itself earn the murderer(s) a full prison sentence, shouldn't it?
Trudy Booth - Jul 16, 2008 2:49:59 pm PDT #8235 of 10003
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart
Oh yes. And nowadays it generally does (though of course it didn't used to).
Lynching is the extreme example. Burning a cross on someone's lawn though... is it just property damage? Or is it a larger threat to a community?
beth b - Jul 16, 2008 2:51:43 pm PDT #8236 of 10003
oh joy! Oh Rapture ! I have a brain!
I think once it is murder--the additional charge of hate crime might not be useful. But in the case of beating or cross burning it can add time
javachik - Jul 16, 2008 2:52:57 pm PDT #8237 of 10003
Our wings are not tired.
The cross-burning is interesting. You're right, it's more than trespassing or property damage.
Trudy Booth - Jul 16, 2008 3:02:53 pm PDT #8238 of 10003
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart
And yet... I feel like maybe we shouldn't prosecute people for what is in their heads.