FBI: Hate Crime Down in 2007, But Anti-Gay Crime Up

[David Zephyr]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Hate crime incidents decreased slightly last year, despite a surge in crimes targeting gays and lesbians.

The FBI reported more than 7,600 hate crime incidents in 2007, down about 1 percent from last year. The decline was driven by decreases in the two largest categories of hate crimes — crimes against race and religion.

But prejudice against sexual orientation, the third-largest category, increased about 6 percent, the report found.

The data released Monday is consistent with previous years. Racial bias remained the most common motive, accounting for more than half of all reported hate crimes. Blacks, Jews and gays were the most frequent victims of hate crimes, the report found.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081027/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/hate_crimes

[Connie_Corleone]

1. What's the difference between hate crime and anti-gay crime?

I thought they would be the same.

[MadrasT]

3. I was wondering the same thing

but if you look at the article:

The FBI reported more than 7,600 hate crime incidents in 2007, down about 1 percent from last year. The decline was driven by decreases in the two largest categories of hate crimes — crimes against race and religion.

But prejudice against sexual orientation, the third-largest category, increased about 6 percent, the report found.

Race, religion, and sexual orientation are all subcategories of hate crime.

Overall, hate crime went down, but of all hate crime the proportion of anti-gay hate crime was larger.

Or that's how it reads to me.

[liberalhistorian]

7. That's what I first thought, too, when

reading the headline.

[amber_86]

2. It's still a hate crime

They hate them because they are gay so it's call a hate crime duh.

[madmom]

4. Wait a minute..didn't someone over there say that they wouldn't pass a

bill making anti-gay violence a crime because it was a hate crime and they already have that on the books?So :wtf:

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

5. I think that list is BS

No numbers add up with this administration!! They always list lower numbers.

[DrZeeLit]

6. So... crimes targeting GLBT... are NOT HATE CRIMES? Am I reading that correctly?

Hell, that has sooooo got to change!

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

10. I don't think you are reading it correctly.

I think they are saying there was an overall reduction in hate crimes despite an increase in crimes targeting GLBT. I could be wrong though.

David

[bluesmail]

8. * probably snuck it into one of his infamous signing statements.

Just to make it unrelated. OK Head hurts.

[shadowknows69]

9. WTF!!! Well thanks for clearing that up for us FBI

I did not realize there was a difference. :wow:

[litlady]

11. Federal hate crimes are only for race, religion, color, or national origin.

Crimes against gays are not counted as hate crimes federally though they can be considered such at a local or state level. The bill HR 1592 would have extended the hate crime category to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. The White House threatened to veto the legislation and it passed the House. (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1592) The Senate version of this, S. 1105, (the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act), would have passed the Senate. (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-1105)They attempted to attach this bill to another but this failed and the bill never made the President. It would have been an important piece of legislation.

Many conservative groups oppose this legislation because they fear free speech against gays by religious groups would be deemed a hate crime. Some of these groups also doubt that there is enough crime against gays to justify legislation. However, the statistics indicate that there is more crime against gays than hate crimes based on ethnicity or national origin, a federally recognized designation. Some of the religious group discussions are quite extreme with one site saying Democrats are trying to "push the homosexual agenda" (http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=3113). Either way, the bill is dead for now.

It is no surprise that crimes against gays occur considering they are not equal legally and there has been widespread prejudice against them for decades.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. Blacks, Jews and gays were the most frequent victims: The 60%'ers

Crimes based on race: 69% are against blacks
Crimes based on religion: 69% are against Jews
Crimes based on sexual orientation: 61% are against gay men

Overall: 35% of all hate crimes are committed against blacks, 13% against Jews, and 10% against gay men.

Incidentally, crimes against blacks also increased, as did for Jews (though only 2 more incidents). Offenses and the numbers of victims also increased against African-Americans. Crimes based on ethnic origin also increased.

[midnight]

13. This generation is poised to end this discrimination.....