| Show 10A Saturday May 22 1999 Opinion Standard-Examine- Standard-Examin- r SERVING THE TOP OF UTAH SINCE 1888 r Scott Trundle Publisher Don Porter Editorial Page Editor Ron Thornburg Managing Editor stood in jm UNEF0RN1HE OUR VIEW H3URST0GET TICKETS WD v”j romiKEKr Existing laws could fe handle hate crimes "Ilf1 I m BOUGHT $Z85W0KIH0F sv&ms- £1 TCY5?V- f -- The need for increased federal hate-crimlegislation is not necessary as long as states prosecute under extant statutes week Ogden played tion to take Most people like to a national the idea of enhancing punishon hate crimes ments for those vile creatures For two days hundreds of who victimize others because of their skin color their reliparticipants conversed on the betfor advocated and subject gion their sexual preference S' WJ es I This ter education and more federal laws Recognizing the problem exists and inoculating our children against it is a must More federal laws however simply aren’t needed Here’s the reason: Prosecu- tors and judges already have it within their power to mete out severe punishments for laws already on the books and if parole boards would hang tough with convicts who have not only committed crimes against individuals but were motivated by racism andor bigotry the perpetrators would be removed from society via lengthy maximum This is not a popular posi- - or what have you This m&mym Sotfcwwa! im- pulse is rooted in a sense of compassion that is commendable indeed these kinds of crimes are especially troubling in the United States a nation founded on the freedom to pursue individualism As Bill Lann Lee acting assistant attorney general for civil rights and the conference’s keynote speaker said hate crimes assault our most vulnerable citizens and “damage our collective spirit” Truer words have rarely been spoken But we don’t need additional laws on the state or federal level to punish assault homicide rape arson or any other crime committed by the criminally intolerant among us nw® was ' -- j-v swsfl ft SWR& VfcWnfc- - ffit vew MMKsesc&tfc rafflWSt ANOTHER VIEW 1'U M£Ne Dropping crime rates CocK r- - f J) 3 Serious So why are so many Americans here and elsewhere convinced that crime is on the rise? In two words: media inundation This week between 7 pm and midnight Angelenos could view 59 network or cable television shows in which serious crime sometimes including murder is an element e These shows include real-crim- prime-tim- e newsmagazines police dramas and murder mysteries Even forensic pathologists have a show airing these days And yes we count among these Sc& iiae VNC SofAie TKiaP vJcXXML Til I II to A &- so NFPo? CAtJ NCMe not WT 6CT x serr jv A CA& ‘is-- 4 - Nightly news broadcasts almost always include a crime story Add to that an endless succession of televised police freeway chases Once a year everyone is told that crime is way way down and is told why The other 364 nights Americans go to bed dreaming of crooks at the door in much the manner that children fear the bogeyman under the bed Reality is far better than that totfoenOaoLcom hnpaMnteLOoUDmbtMoan - Los Angeles Times Campaign finances is The cynical plot to scuttle serious campaign-financunder way in the Congress once again reform e House (Republican) now says it be willing to bring campaign finance reform to the floor by the end of July instead of waiting until September That sounds like a meaningful concession to the reformers who seek an early vote But in fact it’s not It means they may bring up the bill just before the August recess instead of shortly after ate may well have the full agenda of competing business which will make it easier for the Senate leadership to deflect the bill as it twice did in the last Congress The question is whether the moderate House Republicans who profess to favor reform will take this heel of a loaf they are now offered In neither case assuming their names to the discharge Demopetition that 190-plcrats already have signed — The House passage as everyone does would it get to the Senate until fall By then the Sen- - They have the ability to force the bill to the floor right away They need only to add us - The MnyRMIMlMl u ee-o-t- AH o- hfrtjezxrnarST A - INSMBAMCe Uooser TWtsV X may think crime is on the rise but the truth of the matter is that crime rates are headed down shows a few in which the murderers are vampires ghosts demons extraterrestrials and the occasional ancient pagan sociopath A fejr X CJSA You crime has declined seventh straight - Washington Post i pfc A |
