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Hate Groups in America

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Hate Groups in America

Abstract

This essay will be exploring hate groups that exist in America, and some of the victims that have been a target from these groups. Hate groups commit violent crimes against people because of their demographics or the organizations that they represent. A hate crime is a violent criminal act that is not justified; it is committed to inflict pain and suffering. While hate groups exist in America, the crimes that are committed are not acceptable, and could be solved with communication.

“We hate some persons because we do not know them, and we will not know them because we hate them”-Charles Caleb Colston

Hate Groups in America
Hate Groups have been increasing in America, and they are surged by a feeling of hate toward another group because of their race, national religion, sexual orientation, status and anything that one will find to hate another. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment. Americans have freedoms to form groups that they want to and if it violates the law it will be looked into, and although the crimes that these groups commit against others is wrong, the hate groups that have formed are not illegal, and are growing in numbers. The SPLC extremist groups are against our federal government, and have made comments about our president, Barack Obama stating that he is a Muslim and causing our country to go downhill, they have also stated that he is from Africa and not an American citizen, and the reason behind the hate of these groups is that some think they will lose their majority in America as of 2050. There was a case where a father and son shot two police officers in Arkansas in 2010; four Georgia militiamen are also charged with plotting to bomb federal buildings and throw deadly acid on to people in their cars; Four Alaskans in a group called the peacemaker Militia are also accused of plotting to murder judges and law enforcement officials. (Gzedit. 2012, Apr 03). Hate groups: The Charleston Gazette) There was also a case in Alabama, that involved a truck driver by the name of Nick Stokes who was assaulted by a black motorcycle gang called the Alabama outcasts. “The Adamsville, AL police department not only failed to question or detain any of the gangsters, but, outrageously, also told Stokes that they “don’t mess” with the Outcasts” http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/birmingham-news-drops-the-ball-on-black-on-white-crime/. What kind of world do we live in when the police that are sworn in to office to serve and protect, do the exact opposite? We can ask ourselves this question, but the real problem is how dangerous the world has truly become when the police officers are scared to confront a hate group. Let us examine a case involving David Ritcheson. He was invited to a party and under the influence of drugs, and alcohol was attacked by fellow youth he thought were his friends had beaten, burned, and sodomized him for four long hours and were also shouting racist slurs regarding his Hispanic ethnicity. (Paige Hewitt and, B. M. (2007, Apr 17). He was one of the few individuals who went public about this crime committed against him to Congress. Congress passed a bill for the abuse this gentlemen suffered, “the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007” http://books.google.com/books?id=5sx5-wqJockC&pg=PA2474&lpg=PA2474&dq=%E2%80%9Cthe+Local+Law+Enforcement+Hate+Crimes+Prevention+Act+of+2007+david+ritcheson&source=bl&ots=mBlBEXcdyb&sig=6ErvC-2dUozCw8k1eBUjdVa2o5A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=AT5iUdmDEOab2wXb64D4Ag&ved=0CHAQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9Cthe%20Local%20Law%20Enforcement%20Hate%20Crimes%20Prevention%20Act%20of%202007%20david%20ritcheson&f=false. Ritcheson was only 18 when this abuse happened, and sadly, after he came to the public to give his testimony of the events that occurred. He committed suicide by jumping off a cruise ship while vacationing with his family because of the horrific attack. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-03-teen-suicide_N.htm Let’s also examine the hate crime committed against Michael Sandy who was a 28 year- old homosexual man, who was on a chat room looking to meet a guy that he thought was homosexual as he was, and what tuned out to be a late night activity of fun for Mr. Sandy, turned into three young men robbing him of his cash, and running him over with their car. (http://search.proquest.com/docview/93086154?accountid=35812O) The injuries that he suffered that fateful night landed him in the hospital with a coma and Mr. Sandy eventually passed away due to the injuries that he sustained during the attack. The teens involved in this case were charged with felony murder and one was charged with attempted robbery as a hate crime (http://search.proquest.com/docview/93086154?accountid=35812O) All of the hate crimes that have occurred in history and that may be occurring now could have been prevented if one did not understand another; they could just sought answers instead of committing these heinous and vicious crimes against these individuals all because they are not like them. Hate crimes start from one individual feeling that just because another individual is not like them; they need to create havoc and chaos toward the group that is different from them. This escalation of hate could start with verbal threats, and increase to physical violence toward another as previously mentioned within this paper of the events that have taken place in history all because one person could not accept the differences of another group of individuals. This hatred tears down and separates whole communities. The crimes that were committed have punishment that dealt swiftly to those that want to partake in these shameful acts of arrogant violence to others. Congress has worked hard to establish the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, a bill that will help those that have been victims of crimes. The victims that came forward to tell their stories are what have helped pushed this bill into effect to help future victims and those that are attacking others. The hate crime bill will even help protect citizens against individuals shouting racial slurs. The Hate crime law specifies that all forms of hate crimes rather physical or verbal are unacceptable, and will be punished to the toughest extent of the law possible. Every victim of a hate crime is affected, as well as the family, the community, and those involved in gathering evidence; from the police, to the attorneys, and judge that prosecute these cases in court. The victims are not different, the only thing different was the fact that the individuals responsible for these crimes committed different acts of violence based on their need to fuel their hatred toward these people. It is a sad thing to say but the hate groups continue to become more creative, and increasingly disturbing of the way the crimes are carried out. It has been stated that the crimes that have been occurring against others; the laws are only made to deal with crimes that have been punished, not those that will be occurring or that have. We can ask ourselves if it is the victims fault for being so entirely different, or just the closed minded person who feels hate or a bias toward a group of people because they have been conditioned to, maybe their family is hateful toward others, or the individuals they hang around are and they feel the need to be accepted or to fit in and so act upon this rage. I would like to close this paper and add that we all bleed red, have feelings that can be hurt, bodies that can be tarnished when inflicted with pain due to being so different from others, from a religious stand point, god would not want individuals to fight amongst themselves, he would have wanted everyone to treat themselves as they would want to be treated, and to honor and obey the laws of our country. The hate crimes not only ruin our communities, they destroy the very existence of what America has fought for and that is equal rights and liberties to all.

References:
Paige Hewitt and, B. M. (2007, Apr 17). Moving on and trying to shed 'victim' label: Teen testifying in D.C. for stricter hate crimes laws after brutal attack. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/465196226?accountid=35812

CONFESSORE, N., & BAKER, A. (2006, Oct 15). From crime to arrest, by way of computer. New York Times (1923-Current File). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/93086154?accountid=35812 Gzedit. (2012, Apr 03). Hate groups: The Charleston Gazette. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/963699716?accountid=35812

Cornell University Law School: (August 9, 2010) The First amendment to the constitution.
Retrieved from: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment

Canada free press: (April 12. 2012) Black on white crime. Retrieved from http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/birmingham-news-drops-the-ball-on-black-on-white-crime/ USA Today: (7/3/2007) Hate-crime survivor's death stuns family
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-03-teen-suicide_N.htm

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