- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
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- Libertarian
Just out of curiosity do you think any of the nations monuments or national treasures should be afforded extra protections? Do you believe hate crime legislation should exist?
Yes I think national treasures should be protected but that has nothing to do with the OP. No, I don't think hate crime should exist. Intent is often used by the justice system to determine the level of criminality and I've always been uncomfortable with that because intent is within the individual. Murder should be treated as murder, for instance, regardless of intent. There should not be degrees of murder. Murder is simply murder in my view regardless of what the perpetrator intended. Yes I know the legal system disagrees with that belief.
I should also mention that I don't believe the kid in the OP committed a hate crime, or any crime for that matter. He committed a stupid, childish prank. If he damaged the statue then he was guilty of malicious destruction of property, a crime. If he didn't then no harm done.