Believe it or not, there is a prejudice against the mentally and physically disabled. Prejudice is a great accelerator for hatred, and hatred is a great accelerator for crime.

Oh trust me, I know that. I work in the field. It's just curious that the mentally disabled sort of got lumped into this bill and no one seems to care about them; all the focus is on the homosexual community.

I think it is good that the disabled are covered by the bill, but to be fair, I do not think the conservative christians in question oppose the inclusion of the disabled.

Previously the disabled were not covered, Their inclusion simply coincides with the inclusion of the GLBT community.

Right, that's what's kind of f-ed up. I don't think anyone is going to oppose legislation for the disabled, but now their protection is also on the chopping block because they are included with the homosexual community? Obviously I think everyone should have protection from hate crimes, but it seems odd to me that these groups are being put together.

Can't we just have one big piece of legislation that covers protection for EVERYONE?

The Bible promises his return, but it will not please most of us. I continue to be amazed at the ill-informed and poorly researched comments regarding the Bible, particularly the comment regarding Jesus writing names in the "Book of Life". Our names and yours were written before our birth, take it or leave it. Read the Bible it is a great source of wisdom, widely needed by Current people.

A sampling of "wisdom" found in the bible:

don't think for yourself:

Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

Don't eat animals that die of natural causes - instead, feed it to foreigners:

Deuteronomy 14:12: "Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk."

Kill people of other religions:

Deuteronomy 17:2-17:7 "If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:
Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die."

Homosexuality is an abomonation:

Leviticus 18:22 "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

... and the most relevant to this news item, homosexuals should be killed:

Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Given these passages and many more like them, I do not think that this type of "wisdom" is needed by anyone at all.

@noxidereus

I understand your point, but all of these excerpts come from the Old Testament. The New Testament's message is that of salvation, forgiveness, and compassion. Whether it's true or not, the followers of Christianity have fallen off their target.

I agree that the New Testament is not as bad so I understand your point too, and I know there are some nice passages in the bible too. I'm only demonstrating that it isn't the perfect source of wisdom that some claim it is. I am not attempting to condemn Christians, only a literal translation of the bible. If you take a loving, peaceful interpretation of the bible, or even a different interpretation of the passages I quote below, then I think that's fine. My parents are born again Christian and they don't demonstrate any of the hateful things mentioned in the bible, so I don't lump all Christians together.

Here are a few samples from the New Testament that don't really display much compassion or forgiveness:

This basically amounts to saying that people who disobeyed the old testament died without mercy, but that it will be much worse for people who disobey Jesus:

Hebrews 10:28-10:29 - "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

10:31 - "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Jews are liars who should be silenced:

Titus 1:10 - 1:11 - "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake."

One of god's punishments is to deceive people into believing the wrong thing, damning them (to hell, I assume):

Thessalonians 2 2:11-2:12 "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Although unclear and up for other interpretations, I take this to mean that gays (among other types of people) will not go to heaven:

Corinthians 1 6:9 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind"

Jesus speaks in parables to confuse some people so they will not hear the word of god and thus will not be saved:

Mark 4:11-4:12 "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them."

When will you people realize that it's just a book? It's simply a book. Ugh...

@cravingchange - yes that is exactly my point. That it is just a book, and not an infallible source of wisdom. Thanks.

But many of the leaders of the Christian community do. And considering the amount of influence these people have over their churchgoers you can just imagine how many of those 70% feel the same way.

Alot of these churchgoers think the way their church leaders tell them to think. All religion is inherently intolerant. As an atheist you should know that...

Don't remind them of that dirty little fact Morgan. They think we're all atheists and Muslims.

Don't remind them of that dirty little fact Morgan. They think we're all atheists and Muslims.

It's not just the Christians.

...no, it's basically just the christians.

This site alone is proof that idiot Non-Christians exist in great numbers.

For someone with such enlightened views on most things, you sure do love your blanket statements.

Yeah yeah yeah, everyone is an idiot. What a productive conversation.

that means if a minority kills a white person BECAUSE they are a white person than it's a hate crime and vice versa.

really, you already know that john, stop trying to confuse the issues with nonsense.

someone else already noted that we have laws that differentiate between types of killings, manslaughter, 2nd degree first degree etc. this is used to more accurately define the reason for the killing. that's all this is.

really john

"John", you are on target. There is no reason define any crime against an individual, as being different from another individual. The U.S. Justice Dept. crime survey states that a white man is 6 times more likely to suffer violent crime at the hands of a black attacker, than the opposite. Of course you and I know this to be accurate. If Justice is to be served, every black robber, rapist, should be charged with a hate crime, if committed against a white person. I do not expect justice from this failed gov't. The biggest bunch of weinies ever put on Earth! Next to the Labour Party in Britain!

@JohnA and MoonLoon

Everything you see is black and white and sometimes reversed. Let's put it simply for you. If there is a large organized group of black people who wear black robes and attack or openly endorse the attack of white people because they are white, or if a group of homosexuals savagely beat up heterosexuals because of their sexual orientation, then you can complain about the unfairness of being a white straight guy. Get over your minority envy already.

P.S. I'm sure that you would get the additional prosecution funding that this article refers to if you were attacked by a mob of black homosexuals because of who you are. I will fight for your rights at that time. No thanks necessary.

I will get back to you WAP, I am busy eating ice cream right now. When I come back get your facts together. Bullshit and rhetoric hold no water with me! A big mouth and a small brain is the hall mark of ignorance! By the way, check out my facts on Black on White crime. Then maybe, you will be qualified to discuss hate crimes.
You propose to Wake Up People? So do I. Not to lies and liberal agendas, but too facts supported by factual information.

Finish your morning ice cream and your cartoons and then we'll talk. Try also to consider poverty levels, and crimes of desperation once you get passed the black and white thing. See if you can factually prove that all of the black on white crime is hate-crime.

I don't believe all black on white crime is hate-crime. But I also don't believe white on pick-your-minority is hate-crime. Their are poor and desperate white people and sometimes bad things happen do good people of any race/religion/orientation/etc.. The law is the law and should be applied the same to all. That's why they have the blindfold on the statue of Justice, justice is, or should be, blind.

No crimes are assumed to be hate crimes just because it's white on minority or minority on white crime. C'mon people.

In order to attain extra sentencing you have PROVE that the crime was committed specifically because of the person's race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Just like everything in law, you have to PROVE YOUR CASE. If a white man commits a crime against a black man that doesn't make it a hate crime; the lawyers would have to prove that the white man went after the black man BECAUSE he was black. This might be proven by actions during the crime like using racist terms or if the white man has a history of going to white supremacists meetings or something like that. If you are just talking about a "poor and desperate" white guy who robs a black guy, it's not going to be considered a hate crime just because of race.

I completely agree with you, instead of examing what they are saying they want to keep saying it, regardless of the consequences.

ummmmmm.. darling if somebody beats the living snot out of a christan for being a christian that IS the definition of a hate crime.

Remember Ancient Rome? Is that the best you've got? Only learned History from a dime store preacher I take it.

Xtains have been the most intolerant bunch known to History. Odds are when a HATE crime has been committed over the last few centuries it was Xtians behind it.

Apples and Oranges there!

lol

Mal, that is a little harsh and judgemental, don't you think? Will you be trapped in the same web with them?