What's the hierarchy of individual worth?
This is outrageous enough ...
An 18-year-old man with a handgun and a hatchet critically injured three customers inside a lounge ...
... and this is pertinent to the case in explaining motive ...
... with gay clientele in New Bedford, Mass., late Wednesday, just after asking the bartender if he was in a gay bar, police said.
... but I do not accept that the violent, targeted bigotry of this case makes it any more egregious than it would be if the suspect had attacked three random people at a sporting event, rock concert, or poetry reading. It's instructive, certainly, but whatever tougher penalties apply because it's classified as a hate crime should be the standard for all such crimes, regardless of victim. It's a cliché, but all crime is a hate crime. It doesn't matter if the assailant hates gays and lesbians, ethnic minorities, or a poverty-fueled shortage of heroin. Government's job is to prevent harm to individuals, not determine which individuals are worth more to society.
Comments
Why was an 18-year old doing in an establishment whose primary purpose is the serving of alcohol and why was he served alcohol, twice, without an ID check.
Posted by: jim | February 4, 2006 09:08 PM
That's an excellent point. For whatever reason, I didn't make a mental note of that, but you're correct.
Of course, whether or not the 21-and-over law makes sense is worth debating. But another time.
Anyway, thanks for commenting.
Posted by: Tony | February 5, 2006 08:03 AM