Bill could broaden state's definition of hate crimes
By Kelly House (Last updated: 07/29/08 10:42pm)A bill introduced last week in the Michigan House of Representatives seeks to expand the state’s definition of hate crimes to include intimidation of gays, lesbians and those with disabilities, as well as the use of symbols for the purpose of harassment.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, would allow law enforcement officers to charge an individual with a hate crime for burning a cross, hanging a noose or displaying any other symbol with “evil intent.”
It also would update the language from “ethnic intimidation” to “bias-motivated crime” to encompass a broader range of offenses against more groups, including homosexuals and those with disabilities, Condino said.
“The word should go out loud and clear that with this legislation in Michigan, if you have the intent to harass someone based on race, ethnicity or sexual preference … harassment against one individual is a crime against humanity,” Condino said.
The bill is under consideration in the House Judiciary Committee. Condino said he hopes to have it passed in the House in September and immediately handed over to the Senate for consideration. Michigan ranks third nationally in the incidence of reported hate crimes, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI. There were 739 reported incidents in 2006. Only New Jersey and California had more incidents, with 802 and 1,604, respectively. The Michigan figure represents about one in 13,600 people, while the New Jersey figure represents one in about 10,900 and the California figure represents one in about 22,700.
“This is an ongoing problem,” said Trevor Coleman, director of communications for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.
Condino said the bill was requested by law enforcement officers and civil rights advocates statewide who wanted more clearly defined boundaries for what types of offenses are considered hate crimes.
“This grew out of the event at Central Michigan University where four nooses were left, but (law enforcement) didn’t know how to charge it,” Condino said.
During the CMU incident in November, nooses were hung in a classroom and found by a CMU student. Another student later admitted to hanging the nooses, claiming the act was intended as a joke.
In addition to the CMU incident, several recent cases of bias-motivated harassment statewide have raised concern about the need for more clearly defined laws, including an April incident of homophobic graffiti painted in Lansing’s Old Town, Coleman said.
East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said MSU has never had a problem with hate crime, but he hopes the bill is passed.
“I would be in favor of anything that helps to further define what exactly is a hate crime,” Wibert said. “(Right now), it boils down to the opinion of the officer and the input from the victim.”
Gautam Santoki, a mechanical engineering sophomore, said he hopes the bill succeeds. Santoki said while he has never been a target of the current definition of a hate crime, he has been harassed because of his ethnicity.
“They saw us in our car and started shouting ‘do you have bombs in the car?’” Santoki said. “They might do it for fun or whatever their intentions are, but it’s not right.”
According to the Michigan State Police, there were two incidents of hate crimes at MSU in 2006, the most recent year for which records are available. There were no reported hate crimes in East Lansing during the same period.
If passed, the legislation will put Michigan on track with 31 other states with similar laws defining hate crimes, Condino said.
Originally Published: 07/29/08 10:31pm
Dan
07/30/08 6:35amMore and more freedom slips away by the hands of the elected.
Tim The Democrat Is Ignorant
07/30/08 7:31amHere’s the real haters —
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/07/14/2008-07-14_columbias_hustler_prof_gets_hustled_out_.html
“ .. Academics, by nature, are contemplative types, not activists .. unless it’s over a salary raise. Manipulative hustlers know them for the milquetoasts they are.
“These con artists have passed themselves off as scholars of ethnicity or of women, always falling back on color and gender if caught empty-headed, incompetent or inadequate while on the faculty.
“Madonna Constantine could not cover her intellectual thefts by shouting racism or sexism.
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Tim The Democrat Is Ignorant
07/30/08 7:35am“ .. No one should be allowed to hang a noose to intimidate ..”
EXISTING CRIMINAL CHARGES (CIVIL CHARGES SEPARATE) POSSIBLE —
Disturbing the peace.
Vandalism.
Incitement to riot.
Failure to obey police officer
And dozens of EXISTING LAWS that could be used, at the police officer’s discretion.
CIVIL CHARGES — $50,000,000 harassment lawsuit.
That is how the Klan was bankrupted in Mississippi.
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You are still free to do as you choose
07/30/08 7:40amDan if you still want to hate, discriminate, or punish individuals based on their race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc. that is your prerogative. You have free will and you can still act as you see fit. Ultimately, the choice is still yours. You are “free” to choose between respecting an individual or group as they are, or to choose to act on your hate and suffer the consequences.
Tim The Democrat Is Ignorant
07/30/08 7:53amTHE ORIGINAL HATE SPEECH
http://it.uwp.edu/gangsters/ice-t.cop.killer.html
Will Michigan’s law have time limits for prosecution?
Will the Democrats/Socialists/Commies have Ice-T visit?
Dang — that would be a “change.”
Tim The Democrat Is Ignorant
07/30/08 8:06amCMU CASE — NO CHARGES
http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/news/index.ssf/2008/07/prosecutor_drops_charges_in_cm.html
“MOUNT PLEASANT — Isabella County Prosecutor Larry J. Burdick said Tuesday he will not seek charges against the person who hung four nooses in a Central Michigan University classroom last November.
A forensic examination of the contents of the suspect’s computer indicated the nooses were not racially-motivated, Burdick said.”
Well .. that was $25,000 in FBI and local law enforcement funds well-spent.
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You Like Hate Crimes?
07/30/08 8:28am“Tim the Democrat is ignorant”,
You have some really poignant posts in which your ability to research the words “hate crime” on google show. The fact of the matter is that no one in their right mind would really give a damn about punishing hate crimes unless they performed/encouraged them. You are so adamant and bent on “the Democrats, Socialists, and Commies” being wasteful and useless, well my friend, I’m not sure exactly what party you prefer but I can tell you it gets no better on the other side of the spectrum.
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Tim The Democrat Is Ignorant
07/30/08 8:40am“ .. I will come across a news story about a State news blogger jerking off men for money behind local pizzerias.”
No — that’s in San Francisco, O Brilliant One. On a daily basis.
Good ol’ Nancy Pelosi on SNL
If you knew anything about statistics, you know that since an estimated 97% of males are NOT gay — you had a 97% chance of being wrong. Congratulations — you and Drew Winter should enjoy your Starbucks-gained unemployment checks.
Bill Lumberg
07/30/08 8:51am“You Like Hate Crimes?” this is one of the worst posts I have ever read: “The fact of the matter is that no one in their right mind would really give a damn about punishing hate crimes unless they performed/encouraged them.” Some people still believe in the First Amendment and believe that the government can’t and shouldn’t punish thought crimes. There are hundreds of millions of people in this country and the bottom line people are going to dislike others for all kinds of stupid reasons. Just because we ban expression of that stupidity does not mean we will get rid of that stupidity.
Tim The Democrat Is Ignorant
07/30/08 9:01am“ .. Some people still believe in the First Amendment and believe that the government can’t and shouldn’t punish thought crimes ..”
Excuse me — just thinking that, well, that’s a ‘thought crime.’
Go to MSU PD HQ and turn yourself in. Your “re-education” will be supervised by short-haired, mean-faced non-white non-males.
Barry
07/30/08 9:35amAfter this “vote for the incumbent” thing passes — could they also pass laws for free ice cream, free beer, and free pizza? That would be swell. Thanks!
H8not
07/30/08 11:39pmAmazing that folk have no problem mouthing off without bothering to even to actually read the bill to know what they are ranting against. Maybe it’s because they know the bill doesn’t punish thought. What the bill says is that if you commit a CRIME (yeah, something like assault or arson) AND if it can be shown that your motive for committing THAT CRIME was based upon your hate for someone because they aren’t enough like you, then you can be charged with the bias motivation.
Simply put: IF IT ISN’T A CRIME, IT CAN’T BE A BIAS MOTIVATED CRIME.
So go back to your ranting without bothering with the facts – your speech is still protected.