The Christian-Newsom Murders, Racial Tension & Hate Crime Legislation

Here is more on the story: Media Blackout On Christian-Newsom Murders?

National Media's Refusal to Cover White Couple's Murder Suggests PC at Work

Rape, Mutilation and Murder

These murders are a terrible tragedy and those responsible should be punished to the full extent of the law, and I believe these people should be punished more severely because of the brutality of their crime.

It is unfortunate to think that political correctness has prevented this story from gaining national media attention, and it is difficult to argue with people who compare this to the Duke Lacrosse case to demonstrate that if the races of the victims and the perpetrators had been reversed, there would have been more media coverage. However, this story should not be used as a means to incite racial tension, which as exactly what happened with the Duke Lacrosse case. The difference here is that if the story had received adequate media attention, the story would have been the crime itself, which is what is important.

Now the story has been hijacked by racists and white supremacists, as CNN has reported. There is nothing worse for a good cause than for bad people to get hold of it.

It is also frustrating to see that CNN's story (unfairly) lumps conservatives in with racists and white supremacists.

It's all very sad.

There is so much evil and error in the world, and all of it is a result of Original sin and actual sin (sin we ourselves commit).

Whenever I hear people argue that they have the "right" to sin and the "right" to do as they please and that nobody can judge such actions because nobody has the "right" to determine the moral law (which essentially involves denying moral absolutes, or at least the ability to know them with certainly while, ironically, claiming to know with certainty that it is absolutely immoral to claim that certain lifestyle choices violate the objective moral law) I am saddened, because if people lived in accordance with the moral law, as taught by the Catholic Church (which is so violently opposed in the world) then much of the pain, suffering, and sadness in the world would be alleviated.

Moreover, the word "right" is frequently misused in society. Here is the definition of the word right: Right

The word right also means correct, as in rectitude, and there is a reason the same word is has both definitions: legitimate human rights have moral rectitude. They pertain to justice (which means to give to each their due).

The perversion of the word right comes when people claim the "right" to do what is wrong, which is to confuse rights with freedom and power.

The fact that people have the power to make free choices does not give them the "right" to abuse their freedom for evil purposes. A person can freely chose to commit any number of criminal acts, but that doesn't give the the "right" to do such things.

God made us free, not so we could do whatever we feel like doing and bask in our literally godlike power and become enraged at anyone who dares to question our choices, but rather because freely chosen actions can merit a reward, whereas forcing someone to choose the good would prevent people from legitimately meriting God's rewards by free cooperation with His grace. He made us free so that our love would be real love, not forced love (which isn't love at all). He made us free so we cold choose Him, not real or apparent created goods in place Him, Who is the Source of all goodness.

All of that being said, I don't believe there should be such a thing as hate crime legislation. If someone commits a crime, they can be punished for the crime they commit. Motives can be introduced as evidence to support convicting someone of a crime, but a motive isn't the crime. The criminal act is the crime.

I often wonder why people are surprised that criminals who assault them or destroy their property hate them. Criminal activity is not generally a charitable endeavor.

It seems to me that "hate" crime legislation is an attempt to make sure that criminals should always be indifferent about their victims, taking an, "It's nothing personal, it's just business," approach. I think the nature of a crime speaks for itself and its own nature should determine the merited consequence in the justice system. Criminal acts can carry serious penalties for the nature of the acts committed for without worrying about whether the criminal actively "hated" their victim during the commission of the crime.

Here are other reasons not to support "hate crime" legislation:

It is costly and difficult to prove hatred as a motivation.

Hate crime legislation sacrifices equality before the law by treating perpetrators of the same crime differently because they hold different beliefs.

Over time, hate crime laws and associated case law could evolve to the point that speaking out strongly against a particular group or its actions could be construed as a libelous hate crime, violating rights to freedom of expression, thought, religion (among others).

The danger of "hate" crime laws and "hate" speech laws is that they are being used to unfairly suppress religious objections to homosexuality (among other things) in this country and in other countries.

I believe "hate" crime legislation is essentially indoctrination that has been elevated to the status of law, and I do not want to live in a society where the government prosecutes thought crime.

Any thoughts?

Comments

[Subvet]

"I believe "hate" crime legislation is essentially indoctrination that has been elevated to the status of law,...."

You hit the nail right on the head there.

[Billy D]

"It is also frustrating to see that CNN's story (unfairly) lumps conservatives in with racists and white supremacists."

Frustrating, but not surprising. The only thing CNN and co. loathe more than conservatives are Christian conservatives. Any opportunity to throw the right under a bus is seized upon like a steak in a wolf pack. I admit, I was surprised FOX never grabbed hold of this story. Not Greta, not Geraldo... odd, that.

[Bernie]

Another double standard. My wife and me are sick and tired of the double standard that applies to others (Homosexuals, Blacks, etc.). My wife who is Black states that she is American and not African American. When will people be proud to be just American. Roman Catholic as well as other Christian faiths have to stand up and call a crime a crime no matter what color your skin is. My wife has been called white because she speaks proper english, educated, and being Roman Catholic. She often says that if that what white means them I'm white with brown skin.

[Caine]

Actually "hate crimes" are very easy to prove in our society. If a member of the majority does the crime against a member of a minority (however you choose to define those terms--religion, race, sexual orientation) then it is a "hate crime." If a member of a minority does it against a member of the majority then it is "a response against oppression."

[Mrs. PDS]

I agree with Billy D and his wife. A crime is a crime no matter who commits it. I am mystified as to WHY the media is so selective about the crimes they report...
I'd like to think they want to protect the public by not reporting such a crime in order to prevent copy cats,
but I seriously doubt that. Only if such a horrible murder happened to a top liberal reporter or politician would the media bring it to the attention of all.
We live in a SICK world. I am deeply saddened that this young couple died in such a brutal way, I am sure the criminals will want mercy shown them, though they gave none.