Government Criminal Justice Bill hears from Evangelicals
Further to this story, today’s order paper shows that the Evangelical Alliance are speaking to the Committee this afternoon. As yet there is nothing from Jack Straw and the Justice Ministry on a proposed amendment to do with homophobic hate crime, so I refuse to comment (as some have asked me) on an amendment that I don’t yet know the wording of. Let’s deal with what the eventual Government amendment is, not what some are currently speculating (incorrectly I fear) what it might be.
Peter, you may not yet be ready to comment, but I will take the liberty if I may.
I’m over here in the USA where we also hear discussion quite often about the same issue: making new laws so that the punishment of so-called hate crimes will be more severe.
This is wrong.
ALL crimes are “hate crimes,” not just crimes directed at a specific group of humanity. I have never been beaten up for being gay, but I have suffered great violence in the past because I am female (and could very well again), even though this violence was already against the law at the time (violence which then went unpunished, I might add). Should I now support a law which makes the punishment for crimes against women much more severe than crimes against men? I think not.
I can well understand that those who have been targeted and beaten because of their orientation never want that to happen to another person again. I agree wholeheartedly with the purpose in that, but not the politics. We don’t need more laws. “Hate” crime is already illegal.
Kitty
Thanks Kitty – we’re probably very similar in our opinion on this. But yes, I shall wait to comment on the proposed amendment until it is actually published.