Horrific hate crime terrorizes the gay community in Puerto Rico

"that said,
i am trying to understand why the mass media has picked up on this specific homicide"

serenazulle, mass media never picked up this story. it was swept under the rug; most likely to make room for a runaway bride or the presidents daughters lunch menus.

"a man that hates women so much that he is compelled to unravel all his wrath upon a woman. what is the difference? why doesn't it classify as a hate crime... ???"

...that does count as a hate crime. it applies to gender as well as sexual orientation (amongst other things).

"maybe it's because it's Mexico, and our value system within our law does not apply there..."

this story did not take place in mexico, it took place in puerto rico which is part of the u.s. that shows that you did not even read the article. you also didn't read the other users' comments that already discussed what you wrote about above. it shows that you would rather speak than listen; you're a closed minded individual.

Good job, genius, but it's not another country. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is subject to US federal law.

How do you know what the guy's sexuality was? You made a grand assumption based on his transgendered appearance. Your comment is transphobic, and homophobic, because you've sexualized a nonsexual news article.

I'm flagging this!

but then what kind of hate crime is acceptable then?

You're suggesting that hate crime towards other people, to a certain degree, is acceptable... you think your god would want his followers falsely justified in believing that hating homosexuals is alright?

I'm sorry, but that's not a fair statement.

^that comment doesn't need to be flagged. so what if that person doesn't agree with homosexuality? being a homophobe isn't grounds for flagging.

Why are u guys putting words in my mouth?

"According to authorities, the investigation has shown that it is indeed a hate crime." I think that answers your concern. Unless you think it's a massive conspiracy by the police department in Puerto Rico to have a hate crime in their district...but I kind of doubt it.

AMEN! (Excluding our military ofcourse)

This is true.

Is this a rising phenomenon? When I was in Puerto Rico gay people seemed pretty accepted, but I guess that may just be my family.

Its always been like that especially with more feminine gays. The machismo culture despises any man who that it percieves as rejecting their own masculinity. Its even hypocritical, because unlike here both men engaged in a sexual act are not considered gay. The one who takes the active part is still considered to be a "man" while the recieving partner is the one who is gay...

So you see, it all revolves around the concept of machismo and homophobia... Being gay in Latin America means you are less of a man, which sadly leads to hate crimes.

UrbanGypsy your right! i see that in my own family too. especially my dad's side, the mexican side. there's this everlasting masculinity that makes them more uncomfortable with the idea of homosexuality. my dad's the only guy with the open mind and gay friends!!

on my last trip to PR, i didn't see many gay people, but i had this idea that they probably aren't completely accepted, i definitely saw a lot of masculine dudes who looked like they were gang members and such. i visited family, so i was in a real neighborhood with locals and NO TOURISTS, i wonder what i would have seen if i saw one of them and a flamboyant gay guy on the same street.

True, but doesn't a classification for a type of crime help for other reasons? For example, if you wanted to look at the rise in the level of crime on the basis of discrimination, you could look at the number of crimes classified as "hate crimes" in a given area.

I guess the name "hate crime" just sticks. We could call it something else if it offends people, but I just don't want people to believe that calling a "discriminatory crime" a "hate crime"is a way of demeaning the severity of other atrocious acts of violence whose motivations are not based on race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I'm fairly certain it's not meant to be taken that way.

Motive is actually important in determining the danger of the criminal and the damage to society they commit. For instance, premeditated murder requires a demonstrated ability to kill with calculated disregard for the law, while fatally hitting someone in the heat of an argument does not. Executing civilians to make a political point is a greater crime than going postal on your coworkers because terrorism is a crime not just against individuals but society itself. Yes, all of these crimes are terrible and immoral. But not all of the perpetrators are equally dangerous to society, or the damage they inflict equal in measure. Hence, different sentences are reasonable. So called hate crimes inflict damage not only on the individual or those otherwise directly affected, but to entire communities of people. Their crime goes beyond a personal grudge or rage and extends into violent bigotry towards an entire swath of society. That makes the individual more dangerous to society, which incurs a greater sentencing range. If you'd like to argue that all murders should be sentenced equally, do so. But I don't think it would make much sense to ignore the very real differences between these acts.

So if they are bring led by Satan then how is praying to God supposed to help? Can't we just take some responsibility for our own actions?

sounds like god isnt really good at his job then.

furthermore, whats so disturbing is this occurred right after a bold move towards equality by the 10-year-old, Will Phillips, in Arkansas. Its disappointing and enough to enrage.

Actually its a legal term. President Obama signed it rather recently that it is a hate crime, not a regular murder.

Technically speaking, it has been ruled a hate crime by the local authorities. And just as a side note, your declaration of wanting to kill someone for killing someone seems a little ironic, but the sentiment itself is understandable under the circumstances of this brutal act.

Motive is important in determining the danger of the criminal and the damage to society they commit. Hate crimes inflict damage not only on the individuals directly affected, but to entire communities of people. Their crime goes beyond a personal grudge or rage and extends into violent bigotry towards an entire swath of society. That makes the individual more dangerous to society, which incurs a greater sentencing range if convicted.

H3ADLINE

I understand the term 'Hate Crime'. I just do not believe in segergating criminal offenses of this nature.

If a crime takes place within my neighborhood it puts fear and terrorizes our entire neighborhood (straight, gay, black, white, jew, muslim, christian). Why give special priority to a certain group.

If we put in place tougher Sentencing guidelines across the board it will put these people away and out of the public domain no matter against whom the crime was committed.

its a hate crime because this is the third horrific violent crime done to a gay person in Puerto Rico (they have all ended in deaths)

That would be because it is. That's the definition of a hate crime, at least colloquially, if not literally.

Because it is so obviously a crime committed due to an unjust hate.

TO jcbeeno: OMG! So if one of your family was killed in the same manner, their head sliced off, their legs and arms pulled off and their body burned because they were left-handed and pissed a bunch of sicko's off one day, then you would say "give it a break", it's not a hate crime? You need some help, or were you one of those who participated? I noticed that you hide behind a fake web address and email...some day we'll all have to stand and answer for our actions and in-actions. Would you have stood by and watched while this happened to this young kid, laughed and said he deserved it because he was gay or different, walked away thinking "glad it wasn't me"...what would you do? By the way, I hate the color of the shirts you wear! Grow up, give everybody a break and have compassion for everyone who is "different"; you may find yourself on that "different" list just like the rest of us.

its a hatecrime when it happens to a white person for being white or when it happens to a religious person for their religion of a man or woman for their specific gender. A hate crime targets a whole community and terrorizes them sending them a message. As for the murder of a police man or woman there are other federal levels (with higher consequences) protecting them.

Thank you for bringing me up to date on the newspeak.

i hate you + murder = hate crime

Motive is actually important in determining the danger of the criminal and the damage to society they commit. For instance, premeditated murder requires a demonstrated ability to kill with calculated disregard for the law, while fatally hitting someone in the heat of an argument does not. Executing civilians to make a political point is a different crime than going postal on your coworkers because terrorism is a crime not just against individuals but society itself. Yes, all of these crimes are terrible and immoral murder. But not all of the perpetrators are equally dangerous to society, or the damage they inflict equal in measure. Hence, different sentences are reasonable. So called hate crimes inflict damage not only on the individual or those otherwise directly affected, but to entire communities of people. Their crime goes beyond a personal grudge or rage and extends into violent bigotry towards an entire swath of society. That makes the individual more dangerous to society, which incurs a greater sentencing range. If you'd like to argue that all murders should be sentenced equally, do so. But I don't think it would be unwise to ignore the very real differences between these acts.

"i hate you + murder = hate crime"

I think that's a concise and accurate definition of "hate crime".

But I don't agree with it.

You see, murder is a crime. Hate is not a crime. But when a murder is committed by a person who's motive is hatred for the victim, then society calls that a "hate crime".

The problem I have with this is that the notion of "hate crimes" effectively turns an offender's hatred into a thought crime.

So what's next? Will it someday be a crime to have hatred toward another even the absence of any other crime being committed?

I think we're on a slippery slope in supporting the idea of "hate crimes" (criminalizing hate when it occurs in tandem with a crime) and that it will only be a matter of time before full fledged Orwellian "thought crimes" are a reality.

Additionally, and relevant to crimes committed against homosexuals, one might be interested in these critiques of hate crimes legislation.
http://www.blackandpink.org/revolt/a-compilation-of-critiques-on-hate-crimes-leg...

"The problem I have with this is that the notion of "hate crimes" effectively turns an offender's hatred into a thought crime."

It is not against the law to merely think. There is a huge difference having a thought and acting on that thought. I can think all day and night about stealing my neighbor's car. That is not against the law. But when I act upon the thought and steal it, at least I can count on your support against the police wrongfully arresting me for having criminal thoughts. The crime itself does not matter if it was motivated by my thoughts.

What a bizarre world we would live in if that were true.

"So what's next? Will it someday be a crime to have hatred toward another even the absence of any other crime being committed?"

no

? what?

go fuck yourself

What?

WTF??

WTF indeed dude you need help!!

There is no death penalty in Puerto Rico

thank god for the death penalty? i rather have these people sit in a small jail cell for the rest of their lives so they can think of why they are in there.