A small discussion on hate crimes

[dsc]

Lost in all the conflicting posts about the Snickers ad was a very real discussion about hate crimes. Instead of resurecting one of those threads I decided to post this thread.


First, some back round on hate crimes statistics. Sexual orientation wasn't even included in the federal statistics until 1990 when Congress passed a law mandating that such crimes be included. While inclusion is supposed to be mandatory, there isn't a real enforcement mechanism. Over half of all states still don't have a hate crime law which includes sexual orientation including such large states as Texas, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. Thus it is likely that hate crimes overall, and anti gay ones in particular, are under reported. To give one example. In 1998, the year Matthew Shepard was murdered, there were only 4 reported anti gay murders. Frontline later did a documentary about two others who were killed the same month as Matthew. Thus we are left to believe there was only one more such murder in the rest of 1998. Honestly, I find that a little hard to believe. All of that said, the official statistics are what he got.

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm (scroll down to hate crimes section and the links are by year)

In 2005, the latest for which there are records, there were 1171 hate crimes based on sexual orientation. In 2004, there were 1406 such crimes, including one murder. In 2003, there were 1430, including 6 murders. Let's assume that the total population in 2005 was 300 million. Let's further assume that 6% of that population was LGBT. That would make 18 million LGBT people. That means that 0.00065% (or about 1 in 1600) LGBT were victims in 2005. If one assumes this ratio is constant, in 30 years that would rise to about 1 in 53. Not exactly likely but not exactly the odds of winning powerball.

The simple fact is that anyone who is LGBT knows that we could have that happen to us. While we don't live our lives in abject fear, it is in the back of our minds. Can we kiss here? Should we hold hands there? The simple fact is a fairly goodly number of LGBT people are either the victim, or know the victim of a hate crime. Many of us, upon learning about Matthew Shepard, thought but for the grace of God, it could have been us.

I know that people can legitimately disagree about things like the Snickers ad campaign. I also know that it is a bit of a stretch to blame hate crimes on an ad campaign. But the attitudes shown by many here were disheartening to say the least. I don't expect every liberal on earth to agree with me. I do expect, at a liberal website, that the feelings of a minority who feel that the media has portrayed them poorly, wouldn't be so totally and visciously dismissed. There is a reason so many of us felt uncomfortable about that ad campaign. There is a reason so many of us have a huge problem with a same sex kiss being treated as an act so vile that it inspires violence.

I know that some of you will think I am beating a dead horse. I know this may stir up some emotion. But I also think that the statistics should shed some light. I hope we get more light than heat from this.

[JackBeck]

1. People think that living in NYC is like living in a bubble.

The "gay ghetto", as it's sometimes referred. I am but one of many in the GLBT community who have been attacked, not only verbally but physically. Thankfully, it was winter when I was attacked and my puffy coat protected after I was knocked to the ground, getting repeatedly kicked, while being called a "faggot".

It's an ingrained sickness in our society to pick on those we feel are less-than, whom we deem unworthy. Those statistics you discuss don't even represent the number of gay, closeted or perceived gay people who are attacked and don't report this attack because they are full of shame or scared or embarrassed. Where does that shame and embarrassment come from?

Having a political party use you as a wedge issue during an election year. The pulpit of many churches on Sundays. Not to mention, having a professional sports figure, someone you may have once looked up to, mock how you feel is the only normal way to express your love for another.

[dsc]

2. all true

and thank God for winter coats. Glad you are OK.

[JackBeck]

3. The 4 guys who did this

didn't even stick around. It was over before it began. One thing I learned was when I reported it to the cops at my Brooklyn precinct, they said that we should report ANYTIME we're CALLED fags. If that's the case, I should put them on speed dial.

[dsc]

4. I have to admit that I would have to do a bit of dialing myself

if that were the case. Again, glad you were OK.

[JackBeck]

5. Thanks.n/t

[Katherine Brengle]

9. My best friend lives in NYC...

her partner is transgendered - and even in the "Big City" there is trouble. This person has lost jobs, friends, avoided social situations... This in just a year or so of living there, after moving away from here hoping to find a more tolerant community.

I'm so sorry for what happened to you, and glad that you are okay.

[JackBeck]

12. That's horrible.

Many in the community seek refuge in big cities to feel safer. Next time you see you friends, although this won't solve anyhing, please give them a big hug from me, OK?

[dsc]

6. Big error and past the editting time

Actually big errors that somewhat cancelled each other out. Error #1, I divided by 180 million and not 18 million. That made me underestimate by a factor of 10 the percentage. Error #2, I didn't account for percent when I arrived at my 1 in 1600 figure. The real numbers should have been 0.0065% which would have translated into about 1 in 16000. That, in turn, should have, after 30 years, become 1 in 530.

Another error, this one smaller, I should have subtracted out the 23 hate crimes agaisnt heterosexuals that were included. That makes the 1171 into 1148. That makes the percentage 0.00637. That would still be about 1 in 16000. I had rounded up anyhow.

One hopes this is the last math related edit I need.

[ThomCat]

7. I don't think straight people realize how dangerous it is to be GLBT.

(With a few exceptions. A few straight people certainly understand.)

I don't think most white people realize how dangerous it is to be a racial or ethnic minority.

I don't think non-disabled people realize how vulnerable and at-risk people with disabilities are.

And very few men have any clue how dangerous it is to be a woman.

If it doesn't affect them, people just don't think about it. :(

[Katherine Brengle]

8. It is very very easy to ignore things that don't

directly effect you as an individual.

I think the whole discussion here this week highlights that fact. For instance, at first glance I didn't understand the uproar over the ad OR the comments of Joe Biden. Neither of those things even popped on my radar at all.

It wasn't until someone framed it using an issue that hit closer to home that I was able to step out of my own shoes for a moment and into someone else's that I "got" it.

Even when you belong to an oppressed group it can be difficult to understand -- I can't imagine being a white heterosexual male in this country -- without serious effort to educate yourself, it would be very hard to simply "see" things as they are...

[dsc]

10. I honestly don't know what it is like to be black or female

and thus often defer to them when they tell me what it is like.

[nam78_two]

11. K&R.nt