Crime and Punishment

DallasBlog.com | Caroline Walker:

“Clearly there are deeds so vile that they constitute an affront to civilized society and demand commensurate punishment: I just don’t think that creating a special class of victims represents a step in the right direction. It’s just plain delusional to suppose that mankind will cease committing atrocities if only we would implement a national program of sensitivity training.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

The event that triggered these thoughts was the execution of the man convicted of the torture-slaying of Amy Robinson, a mentally challenged 19 year old woman. Ms Walker's remembrance of Ms Robinson is but a convenient hook for her to criticize what she calls "the diversity racket." The Amy Robinson murder is only background for her denunciation of laws against hate crimes.

Hate crimes target individuals or groups because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. Blacks are given no more protection than whites. Jews are given no more protection than Christians. Gays are given no more protection than heterosexuals. You don't "get more points for your homicide if you’re black or gay." It's not the color of your skin that differentiates a hate crime. It's the motivation behind the murder. Murder is still murder. But targeting the victim because he is black or gay, or white or straight for that matter, should be a crime as well. We're all protected equally.

Ms Walker recognizes that there are some "deeds so vile that they constitute an affront to civilized society and demand commensurate punishment." Hate crimes meet this standard. The horrific murders of James Byrd, Jr (motivated because he was African-American) and Matthew Shepard (motivated because he was homosexual) are examples. The horrific murder of Amy Robinson (a mentally challenged woman) is another. But where society sees deeds so vile, Ms Walker sees only a "diversity racket" aiming to "implement a national program of sensitivity training." For whatever reason, she just doesn't understand.