Punching someone in a Nazi uniform is a bias crime

This also applies to the Westboro nutties, but they are still afforded protection.

 

Why do I get the sense that the same folks who normally would take a hard-line stance on crime get all soft when it comes to harsher sentences for so-called "hate crimes?"

Why not just enjoy the harsher sentences whenever you can get them?

 

Yes. Yes, it does.

 

I dunno where I stand on prison sentences. On the one hand, it's super expensive to lock people up and there's little evidence that longer prison sentences helps lower crime rates. On the other hand, most people who commit crimes that would earn prison sentences are going to be habitual offenders no matter when you let them out.

I'm reminded of this Dilbert line:

dilbert: I oppose putting career criminals in jail for life. There’s no evidence that longer sentence reduce
crime.
dogbert: So your theory is that when career criminals are in jail, other peoplr commit more crimes to
keep the average up. . .
dilbert: Statistics don’t lie, dogbert.
dogbert: Unless bad statistics went to jail—then the others would lie.

 

Punching someone in the face is a way of expressing an opinion as well. Shouldn't that be protected?

 

No, it isn't, and no, it shouldn't.