| Show Political Bu Bull f f. f By Christian Staff Writer f B BI I had to shake my head as I read about a recent debate held at the University of Utah in which the panel members were discussing fe the the need need to bolster Utah's hate 0 crime laws 1 Among the panel members members members mem- mem bers were Attorney General Mark Rep David Litvack D- D Salt Lake City and political consultant consultant consultant cont con- con Jim Gonzalez I did not t I 1 J 1 shake my head in disdain or contempt con contempt con con- tempt it was rather a feeling of sorrow actually considered considered consid consid- i ered cred and passed legislation 1 r 1 affording special protections to l specific groups based on sex race or religion 4 f There is no need for hate i i crime laws when we already have laws in place making it illegal to willfully hurt maim or kill another person Such legislation has the potential to become a source of resentment and division as it does not afford equal protection under the law When someone perpetrates perpetrates perpetrates a crime against another person person person per per- son they are breaking the law with little or no regard for the sanctity of their victims victim's well being they are driven by hate h harboring harboring har har- r- r boring malice in their hearts and must face the consequences of their actions I have to agree with panel member James Evans who said Any victim of violent crime suffers suffers suffers suf suf- fers ill effects If a person is assaulted because they belong to a certain group and sustains the same abuse as a person who is assaulted for being in the wr wrong ng place at the wrong time what is the difference Should not the punishment be the same To punish one instance harsher than the other leaves one victim with unequal justice In my book that does no not spell out fairness fairness fairness fair fair- ness at all We have laws in place to punish those thos who would harm hann others to increase the penalty of those laws vs based on the circumstance circumstance circumstance circum circum- stance of the victim is preposterous ous and raises questions about J- J equality ty When we begin to lift certain groups of society above others othes and grant them favor I fear we embark on a journey leading us not towards equality but division We have come a long way in the thelast thelast thelast last forty years hate crime legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion is divisive and tive A d |
