Friday, April 27, 2007
The very fascinating hate law criteria
If the faculty at OSU Mansfield are reasonable people, Mr. Savage’s mere suggestion that freshmen read conservative books would qualify as a “hate” crime under Washington law, and perhaps under New Jersey law. And if H.R. 1592 were to be construed to permit federal prosecution of non-violent state or local “hate” crimes, he could be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney General for suggesting the reading list in Washington or New Jersey.
Criminalizing thought - pure and simple.
For example, New Jersey law makes it a “hate crime” to communicate in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm.
Annoyance? In what way, exactly? I don't feel like looking up the law or existing cases, if there are any. But annoyance?
