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Here's my research paper final. plz read it! comment on ur thoughts and views/opinions on the subject i'd like to here from everyone!
Jackie Visger
Mrs.Edsall
Language Arts
17 March 2005
Michigan’s Hate Crime Law
“We need special policies for hate crimes because they have a special impact on the victims and the victims community,” once said by Greg Herek, a psychologist (Mjoseth). At the moment, Michigan’s hate crime law excludes sexual orientation (“Hate Crimes Fact Sheet”). In fact, Michigan is still using the 1969 hate crime law (Robinson). Where as today, the definition of a hate crime is a crime committed by an offender because of the victim’s race, ethnic background, religion, or sexual orientation (“Hate crime”). If the definition of a hate crime includes sexual orientation, what is taking so long for homosexuals to be added as a protected group in Michigan’s hate crime law? Some say it is not the biggest priority right now. What about protecting a citizen is not a priority? Everyone is born with the right of equality. Each and every person should be treated equally, as the core democratic value of equality states. Why should homosexuals be denied protection? When are homosexuals going to be treated as equals? How long does it take for the state of Michigan to update there hate crime law, protect those hundreds of victims that have recently been abused or traumatized, and prosecute those bias offenders? Although, some believe sexual orientation should not be added to the Michigan hate crime law, crimes against homosexuals should be punished.
Some believe sexual orientation should not be added to Michigan’s Hate Crime Law. To start, Michigan has many different beliefs on the meanings of “sexual orientation” and “fundamental beliefs”. There has not been a compromise to have an agreement over one main idea for both terms. Meanwhile, some believe adding sexual orientation as a protected class grants special rights to gays (Robinson). In fact, all forms of violent crime are hatred towards others. Why add more punishment if a victim is in a protected group? Similarly, hate crimes are individual acts; they do not represent the views of a particular group (Minch). Lastly, Bush opposes the extension of gay rights. Bush, being our country’s representative speaks for a large portion of our nation (Robinson). In conclusion, a portion of Michigan’s population does not want sexual orientation added to Michigan’s hate crime law.
On the other hand, sexual orientation should be added to the Michigan hate crime law because acts of this kind are rapidly increasing. First of all, crimes against gays and lesbians are the fastest growing hate crime in the United States (Roleff 80). Acceptance of gays has increased, even though hate crimes are still well spread (McCollum 15). Not to mention, a total of 41% of gay, lesbian and bisexual adults reported being a hate crime victim after the age of 16(Robinson).Meanwhile, at least 40% of Michigan’s crimes take place at or around gay parades and other places where suspects sought out gays (Durbin).Equally as important, sexual orientation is the third largest category of committed hate crimes, following race, then religion (Robinson). In conclusion, due to the rising number of hate crimes, sexual orientation should be added to the Michigan’s hate crime law.
Also, without adding sexual orientation as a protected group in the Michigan hate crime law, it is limiting equality of Michigan citizens. First, the definition of equality states, the quality and state of being equal (“equality”).Secondly, the FBI doesn’t even have to investigate hate crimes based on sexual orientation, unlike any other protected group (LAMBDA organization). Equally important, 49% of police will not even listen to gay hate crime complaints (Palmer and Hay). Similarly, in order to prosecute hate crimes based on sexual orientation, in other states, the victim must be exercising a federally protected activity, for example, serving jury duty or mailing a letter at a post office (LAMBDA organization). As a result, adding gays to the Michigan’s hate crime law would help increase equality in Michigan.
Again, adding sexual orientation to the Michigan hate crime law will help protect victims of hate crimes based on sexual orientation. Firstly, victims of hate crimes already have higher levels of psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anger, than other crime victims (Mjoseth). Likewise, hate crimes against gays tend to be more severe than any other minority group (Robinson). Similarly, hate crime victims need an average of five years to get over the emotional distress, rather than non bias crime victims, who take about an average of two years (Mjoseth).Moreover, studies have shown hate crimes have psychological effects both on victims’ and communities, than any other type of crime. Furthermore, hate crimes send a message that certain groups are not welcome and are unsafe in a particular community(“Hate Crime and Hate Crime Prevention Act: HCPA”). As we have seen, adding sexual orientation to the Michigan hate crime law would help improve the victim’s health and communities’ morale.
Although, some people do not believe homosexuals should be added to the Michigan hate crime law, crimes against homosexuals should be punished. Regarding hate crimes, a young college student went out to have a drink at a local bar, he confided in two men that he was gay. Later, those two men lured the young man outside. Afterward, both men stripped and brutally beet that boy because he was gay. Soon after beating the young man they tied him to a fence and left him out to die. Un-clothed, brutally beaten and tied to a fence in sub-zero weather, the young man was found a day later as by a bicyclist, who was riding by and mistaken the male, college student as a scare crow. That boy died six days later in intensive care, the male victim’s name was Mathew Shepard. Mathew Shepard’s story is a hate crime that has touched the nation, although his case was a vicious crime, crimes like this do go on in the world today. Just hearing the cruel reality that bias feelings or thoughts have resulted in such violence makes you think if hate continues where society is going to end up? Similarly, hate crimes are growing, especially those based on sexual orientation, so why are citizens of Michigan going to have to wait to get justice? By adding sexual orientation as a protected group, in the Michigan hate crime law, will help advance the state of Michigan. Now, everyone band together and stop a world of hate.
Works Cited
Durbin, Dee-Ann. "Discrimination, Hatred, & Even Violence: 6.Michigan-Crimes
against gays and lesbians jump 12% in state." Detroit News 4 Mar 1998.
"Fact Sheet: Hate Crime Laws." Mar. 1999. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. 11
Mar. 2005 <www.lambda.org/ngltf_hate_facts_9903.pdf>.
"George W. Bush on Civil Rights." 10 Feb. 2005
<www.issues2000.org/2004/George_W_Bush_Civil_Rights.htm>.
"Hate Crimes." Gay and Lesbian Task Force. 10 Feb. 2005
<www.thetaskforce.org/theissues/issue.cfm?issueID=12>.
"Hate Crimes." The Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. 8 Feb. 2005
<www.center4civilights.org/hate%20crimes.htm>.
"Hate Crime." The World Book Encyclopedia. ed. 1999.
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Rights Campaign, Equality Colorado, Federal Bureau of Investigations. 9 Feb. 2005 <www.qrd.org/qrd/www/orgs/avproject/facts%20hate.htm>.
"Hate Crimes & Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA)." 5 Mar. 2005
<http://www.prideatwork.org/hcpa.html>.
"Hate Crime Legislation." Youth Act. 14 Mar. 2005
<http://www.youthact.org/glbt/legislation.html>.
"Hate Crime Statistics 2003." Nov. 2004. Federal Bureau of investigation. 11 Feb. 2005
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“Hate Crimes Today: An Old Age Foe in Modern Dress." 1998. American Psychological
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"LAMBDA Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP)." 2003. LAMBDA. 21 Feb.
2005 <www.lambda.org/hatecr1.htm>.
McCollum, Sean. "Can You Outlaw Hate?" Scholastic Update 14 Dec 1998: 15.
Minch, Dr.Kevin J. "Hate Crimes." 18 Feb. 2005
<www.debatebase.org/details.asp?topicID=237>.
Mjoseth, Jeannine . "Psychologists call for assault on hate crimes ." Jan. 1998. American
Psychological Association. 22 Feb. 2005
<http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan98/hate.html>.
Palmer-Mehta, Valerie, and Kellie Hay. "The Anti-Gay Hate Crime Storyline in
DC: Comic’s Green Lantern." April 2003: 3.
Robinson, B.A. "Homosexuality: Are homosexuals a protected class in hate crimes and
human rights legislation? Should they be." 2004. 11 Mar. 2005
<www.religoustolerance.org/hom_prot.htm>.
Robinson, B.A. "U.S. Hate Crimes: Definition and Facts." 2003. 8 Feb. 2005
<www.religoustolrance.org/hom_hat3.htm>
Robinson, B.A. "U.S. Hate Crimes: Ethical & Civil Rights Concerns." 2001. 14 Mar.
2005 <www.religoustolerance.org/hom_hat5.htm>.
Roleff, Tamara L. Hate Groups : Opposing View Points. San Diego: Greenhaven Press.
Inc, 1999.
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