...hate crime?

[Tipsy]

Does this sound wrong to anyone else?

"A 23-year-old man was arrested Friday on hate-crime charges after he threw a Quran in a toilet at Pace University on two separate occasions, police said."
Link

Arrested for throwing a book in a toilet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not endorsing throwing Qurans in toilets, but what the hell? Aren't we suppose to have free speech in this country? He's being charged with "criminal mischief" and "aggravated harassment." Charged with hate crimes for throwing two books in a toilet. Another win for hate crimes...who needs free speech.

 

[Ninja_Blue]

I didn't go to the link.
But possibly they were property of the University?
Destruction of public property or w/e?
And then they look into it, and yada yada yada.

 

[Tipsy]

He's being charged with a hate crime, not destruction of property.

 

[RoaCh of DisCord]

All I have to say is wtf..

 

[Ninja_Blue]

Was it his own personal copy?
Or did he take it from some random Muslim?

 

[N[U]TS]

wow so my entire post was messed up so lets try this again


Actions come with consequences. Did you expect them to say " oh no biggie, we can just print another" I do believe it is taken to the extreme with this hate crime bull crap. The man needs to be punished for destruction of property. Those who worship the Quran just need to take a chill pill on this whole hate crime stuff.

 

[Ninja_Blue]

Actually, there are many people who think all Muslims are Turban wearing fanatics.

But that isn't true, most fanatics are Shi'a Muslims, and still, that's not all of them. It's just a difference in beliefs. There are some Sunni Muslims who are fanatics, but most of the fanatics are Shi'a.

And not all Muslims wear Turbans or anything for that matter.
Some dress normally like everyone else.
Like this one guy Ron that goes to my High School.
You would not even know that he was a Muslim til you asked his religion.

 

[Tipsy]

The story doesn't mention whether it is his Quran or not, either way, it doesn't merit being charged with criminal mischief and aggravated harrassment; only destruction of property at most.

 

[CelestialBadger]

It really depends on how he did it. If he made it obvious and publicized the fact that he was throwing a Koran in the toilet, his intent was probably to piss people off, in which case, I can see some justification for charging him with a hate crime. That's the definition of a hate crime isn't it? It has to do with the motivation behind the act, not the act itself.

 

[RoaCh of DisCord]

It really depends on how he did it. If he made it obvious and publicized the fact that he was throwing a Koran in the toilet, his intent was probably to piss people off, in which case, I can see some justification for charging him with a hate crime. That's the definition of a hate crime isn't it? It has to do with the motivation behind the act, not the act itself.

So if you commit a crime with the intent of pissing someone off it's automatically a hate crime? Uhh...

Ok..so if I give some innocent person the finger..and call them a douche (because I want to piss them off)..it's a hate crime? It wouldn't simply be harassment?

 

[CelestialBadger]

So if you commit a crime with the intent of pissing someone off it's automatically a hate crime? Uhh...

No, it has to deal with racial/religious tensions as well. He threw a Koran in the toilet. A holy book. If he did it to show his contempt for the religion, then yes, I can see it being classified as a hate crime. And giving someone the finger isn't a crime. Don't be silly.

 

[Sogeking]

wtf happened to sucking it up?

 

[B~E]

The guy is charged with cloging the toilette. He was afterward chared with hate crime because of his motive for commiting this crime. Which would be hate. Am I right?

 

[Tipsy]

The guy is charged with cloging the toilette. He was afterward chared with hate crime because of his motive for commiting this crime. Which would be hate. Am I right?

Yes. Since it becomes a hate crime, it is no longer him having to pay for the plumbing (if there is any) and for replacing the book, but he faces two felony counts instead.

 

[B~E]

And where lies the problem?

 

[Sogeking]

the thing is, toilets arnt really a public display of anything....

 

[Tipsy]

And where lies the problem?

He faces jail time for this because hate crime laws raise this from what would be a misdemeanor to a felony. That's what my problem is with this.

 

[B~E]

Well, the original crime was cloging the toilet. Its a crime against the university, its vandalisme. A hate crime (hating a group) needs to be attached to a previous crime (clogging the toilet) to be valide.

So, basically, its a crime against the university, upgraded with apparent motives against muslims. Altough this is all debatable. But this is how I understand it.

 

[RoaCh of DisCord]

Ok if that's what a hate crime is..then the whole "hate crime" thing is retarded. If I burn a bible would I be charged with a hate crime? This is news to me..

 

[B~E]

Only if you commit a crime while burning your bible. The book burning in itself isnt a crime.