California to make attacks on homeless a hate crime

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy

* Posted on Friday, May 7, 2010

California to make attacks on homeless a hate crime

By Jim Sanders | The Sacramento Bee

Californians' civil right to be homeless would be given new legal protection under legislation approved Thursday by the Assembly.

Basically, the measure would deem violence against homeless people or their property as a hate crime for civil litigation.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal said her proposal would crack down on beatings, stabbings and shootings that target an extremely vulnerable population.

"There is just a tremendous amount of violence perpetrated against homeless people because they are easy prey," Lowenthal said.




Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/07/93712/california-to-make-attacks-on.html

[slackmaster]

1. Homeless people need shelter, health care, food, and jobs

Not an empty promise of "protection" that won't do anything to keep them from being victimized.

[OhioChick]

2. Exactly. n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. All else being equal, having this law is much better than not having it.

You say it like it somehow hinders assistance.

[slackmaster]

8. All it can possibly do is give harsher punishment to offenders after the fact

It's not going to "protect" anyone. It's not going to prevent any crimes from happening.

It means more state money being spent on police, prosecutors, public defenders, and prisons; which means less money available to provide real aid for homeless people.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. So there shouldn't be harsh punishments for heinous crimes because deterrence never happens?

Just following your logic there.

[slackmaster]

10. Punishment for violent felonies should always be harsh no matter who the victim is

I'm saying it's a waste of state money to treat one criminal differently than another for the exact same crime, based on some characteristic of the victim.

People who assault people should go to prison for a long, long time.

End the War On (some) Drugs, and don't prosecute people for victimless crimes.

[Walk away]

3. The Pukes must be freaking out!

They Hate the Hate crime laws as it is and they despise the homeless. This will send them on to cable news in droves.

[slackmaster]

4. Do you think this new law will prevent any acts of violence?

Do you really believe that someone who is out looking for a person to beat up will think twice about choosing a homeless victim because he might get in TROUBLE, because of this law?

Is there any verifiable data showing that any "hate crime" law has actually lowered the incidence of violent attacks against any "protected" group?"

Does the California legislature really have so much free time on its hands that it can work on meaningless feel-good legislation?

Will this law accomplish anything other than political posturing and pandering?

:crazy:

[cliffordu]

5. Cheaper than housing and feeding and helping them....

jesus.

[CLANG]

6. Should Parakeet owners be protected under hate crime laws?

If groups of people start to single them out for destruction simply because of their dislike of parakeets, then you betcha!

[Vidar]

11. About time.