There's an interesting article in the Metro Section of today's New York Times. Just taking a quick look at the statistics for the five years 2000-2004, an interesting thing jumps right out.
35% of all hate crimes are Anti-Semitic, with the next most prevalent being Anti-Gay crimes at 16%. However, under "Physical Hate Crimes", Anti-Semitic crimes are only 7% of the crimes, while Anti-Gay crimes are by far the largest number at 38%.
So, apparently, the hate-filled among us who commit crimes of violence prefer to beat up gays. Now, before we all rush out and take martial arts courses, we're still talking about a very small number of such crimes, taking all categories into account (especially in a city of 8 million).
Still, what is it about homosexuality that makes the stupid and hate-filled among us tend toward violence? Not that this was meant to be politically focused, but, as I close this entry, I can't help but think that the Republican Party and their friends around the country haven't helped things. In fact, it would be hard to argue that they've done anything but fuel more hatred.
4 comments:
Well, maybe not Republicans as much as The Christian Right. And it just happens that they are very dominant in the Republican culture these days... So I can see your point...
I guess I know some Republicans that aren't hate filled. I can't same for the Christian Right...
Liberal Democrat(ically) Yours,
Mr. H.K.
Postcards from Hell's
Kitchen
And I Quote Blog
You both make good points.
Mr. H.K., you're correct that it's not all Republicans, but it's the overall direction of today's GOP. It's sure not the same party that it was when I was growing up, and, as a nation, we're all the lesser for it and what's happened to politics.
It's sad to see that such hate crimes against gays occur, but its more disturbing that in some places they are the law... http://direland.typepad.com/direland/2005/07/iran_executes_2.html
The current repulican administration does not seem to care or take into account that using the position of power to influence is constitutionally unjust. In Canada, our Prime Minister Paul Martin has made strong efforts to show the nation, that Church and State are separate and that the Churches influence should remain in the Church. A past Prime Minister Pierre trudeau once stated that the "The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation."
I am happy to see that many Countries, states, and provinces are now paying heed to human rights.
Thanks for that great post! :)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/series/trudeau/truman_oct06.html
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