Punching someone in a Nazi uniform is a bias crime

On a Community College campus -- an unidentified African-American, aged 18-22, punches a 52-year old student wearing a military-style helmet and a swastika armband in the face, dropping him with a single punch. Head of campus police says the county prosecutor's office told him it could be defined as a bias crime. College and county spokespeople are defending the victim saying the swastika was just an expression of free speech and violence against that type of free speech should not be tolerated.

Full story here:
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2011/09/cops_man_hits_mccc_student_wea_1.html


I didn't realize that Nazis were a protected group when it came to bias crimes.

 

Did you think we could just go up and punch anyone that offends us? Regardless of what kind of an idiot the older guy is, you can't go up and pop him because you don't like his views. Doesn't matter if he is a Nazi, NAMBLA member or even a Democrat.

 

Everyone should be a protected group. Or rather, nobody should be.

 

You obviously can't go up to someone and punch them in the face if their political views or beliefs offend.
I'm just surprised that Nazis (ie. a political party) are included in bias crimes (which are usually also referred to as hate crimes) against someone due to religion, race or sexual preference.

 

"I hate Illinois Nazis."

 

Why wouldn't they be?
I never quite understood putting hate crimes as a separate crime. I'm pretty sure every crime involves hate.

 

Not necessarily.

Someone steals a loaf of bread to feed his family. They're not doing it because they hate the shop owner. They're doing it for economic reasons.

 

It's a hate crime...they hate to be hungry. Duh.

 

If you do not care about the consequences of your actions, you can do whatever the hell you want.

 

Good point.
Most assaults involve hate then?

 

I wouldn't go that far. If a man mugs another man in order to buy drugs, the assault probably isn't personal. The mugger doesn't hate his victim. He just sees him as an opportunity.

Regarding this story, I don't think you can condone a random attack, even if it's against a Nazi. And the Nazi's rights should be protected. At the same time, I always thought of a hate crime victim's being a person that was targeted because of inherent characteristics, not choices or beliefs. Not sure what difference it makes, but that's just how I always saw it.

 

But in truth, hate groups and gays are the only ones these days with special protections. A violent crime is a violent crime, hate or not.