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?
Murk: But you're a God! The Sacred Glorificus! Glory: I'm a God in exile. Far from the Hellfires of Home and sharing my body with an enemy that stabs my boys in their fleshy little stomachs!
'Dirty Girls'
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.
javachik - Jul 16, 2008 2:47:12 pm PDT #8234 of 10003
Our wings are not tired.
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.
Jesse - Jul 16, 2008 3:03:09 pm PDT #8239 of 10003
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Philosophically, I am uncomfortable with the idea of thought crime. But then of course there are things like cross burning, so.
Sheryl - Jul 16, 2008 3:07:52 pm PDT #8240 of 10003
Fandom means never having to say "But where would I wear that?"
Timelies all!
My deepest sympathies on your loss, ND.
megan walker - Jul 16, 2008 3:10:40 pm PDT #8241 of 10003
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
But then of course there are things like cross burning, so.
I think cross burning is a special case because it has a specific historic context and meaning. Is it ever done not in that context?
beth b - Jul 16, 2008 3:15:31 pm PDT #8242 of 10003
oh joy! Oh Rapture ! I have a brain!
I don't think we prosecute just for thought -- it is action plus thought. and sometimes an action isn't enough to prosecute.
Calli - Jul 16, 2008 3:18:02 pm PDT #8243 of 10003
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
The Methodist cross has flames around it. Allegedly the flames represent the Pentecost. But the Methodists adopted this particular symbol in 1968, when the idea of burning crosses = anti-civil rights activity wasn't far from people's minds. I'm not terribly comfortable with it, even though I was raised in a church that had it printed on everything. Distance doesn't always make the heart grow fonder.