“Hate Crimes are just that: Hate Crimes”
a sermon by Rev.
Kimi Riegel
delivered November 13, 2005 at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Church
This is horrific stuff. Hate creates fear. Hate
crimes frighten people into hiding. A hate crime is violence against a person,
organization or property because of the group to which they belong or identify
with. These are attacks on two levels for they injure persons and they are damaging
to one's very identity. I once heard Rev. Cornel West speak on the issues of
racism. He wrote the book Race Matters. In his speech he talked
of trying to identify with women; beginning to understand sexism. He spoke about
getting in touch with the fear that women feel walking the streets alone. He
talked about being unsafe at home, being dehumanized by popular culture, being
lesser just because of who you are. As he spoke I cried. I cried because he
put into words the fear we, women, walk around with all the time.
Now I try to transform that into an understanding of fear of being hurt because
you are black, because you are gay, because you don’t fit the stereotype
of a woman or a man. The fear is greater, because the possibility of violence
is greater. Women are half the population. Our chance of violence is great.
About one quarter of woman are victims of some kind of sexual abuse. But there
is a far greater chance that if you are black or gay you will be a victim of
a hate crime.
If you are a person who identifies as a potential target for such a crime your
life can be in real danger. This isn’t pretend fear but real statistically
based fear of those who hate you. In 2003, from statistics the FBI collects
there were over 9,000 incidents of violence related to hate. Race and ethnicity
related violence made up 6,000 of those cases. African Americans are most at
risk with about 12% of the population and over 30% of the violent crimes were
classified as anti-black. Religious and sexual orientation related violence
make up about 1,500 incidents a piece. Jews make up most of the victims. But
Muslim and civil liberties groups repeatedly warned that they would be the scapegoat
for the September 11 terror attacks. They were right. A recent report from the
L.A. County Human Relations Commission confirmed that hate attacks against Muslims
have surged in the past years. The FBI noted that there has been a noticeable
rise in hate violence against Muslims across the nation. And while gays and
lesbians make up approximately 10% of the population violence against them accounts
for 17% of all hate crime. These statistics do not include the numbers of crimes
committed against transgender persons. In part it is because often these crimes
go unreported or inaccurately reported.
Of course these statistics don’t tell the whole truth. Many crimes, such
as rape of woman, are not classified as hate crimes because for some reason
they don’t fit the definition. In other cases the defendants plea bargain
it to a lesser charge. In those states that have anti-hate crime laws they usually
carry harsher sentences so there is reason to avoid being charged with a hate
crime. Also victims of hate crimes often don’t report for fear of retaliation
or the very nature of the crime itself. It is hard to admit you are part of
a hated group.
Who commits these crimes? Again the statistics are sketchy. We envision this
violence to be committed by crazy “skin-heads” whose minds have been
distorted by hate groups. Extreme hate crimes, those that involve more violence
then would be necessary to end someone’s life, tend to be committed by
people with a history of antisocial behavior. One of the most heinous examples
took place in June 1998 in Jasper, Texas. Three men with jail records offered
a ride to a black man who walked with a limp. After beating the victim to death,
they dragged him behind their truck until his body was partially dismembered.
But in fact over 90% of hate crimes are carried out by otherwise law-abiding
young people who see little wrong with their actions. Alcohol and drugs sometimes
help fuel these crimes, but the main determinant appears to be personal prejudice,
a situation that colors people's judgment, blinding the aggressors to the immorality
of what they are doing. Such prejudice is most likely rooted in an environment
that disdains someone who is "different" or sees that difference as
threatening. One expression of this prejudice is the perception that society
sanctions attacks on certain groups. For example, Dr. Karen Franklin, a forensic
psychology fellow at the Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and
Training, has found that, in some settings, offenders perceive that they have
societal permission to engage in violence against homosexuals. Its as if they
believe it is OK to hurt people that “we” don’t like anyway.
This is in part the result of ant-gay legislation that has passed in the last
few years.
One of the more disturbing defenses in the gender and sexual orientation cases
is what is called the defense of “gay panic.” The rationale behind
the argument is that a non-homosexual person can become so offended or outraged
by a sexual or romantic interest that is perceived to be homosexual that he
or she is driven temporarily insane and commits an act that would not otherwise
be of his or her character. It is clearly a case of blaming the victim. This
is the defense that is common in murders of people who are transgender. The
murderer often had been sexually interested in the victim but then “panicked”
and murdered them out of fear. On instance is that murder of Gwen Araujo. She
was born biologically a male but identified herself as female. She was strangled
to death by three young men who had had oral sex with her several times. She
was murdered when they forced her to show then her genitals. The lawyers argued
based on the panic defense for manslaughter as that would be a lesser sentence.
Two of the three were convicted of second degree murder.
One of the most hopeful pieces of this appalling picture is researchers have
concluded that hate crimes are not necessarily random, uncontrollable, or inevitable
occurrences. There is overwhelming evidence that society can intervene to reduce
or prevent many forms of violence, especially among young people, including
the hate-induced violence that threatens and intimidates entire categories of
people.
The American Psychological Association, urged that Congress undertake the following
actions:
•Support federal antidiscrimination laws, statutes, and regulations that
ensure full legal protection against discrimination and hate-motivated violence.
These measures make it clear that society does not condone such violence. Thus
taking away the impression that it is OK to hurt people who are different.
•Support programs that offer training for police and victim-assistance
professionals on early intervention techniques that help hate crime victims
better cope with trauma. The curriculum could be similar to one developed by
the CRS.
•Encourage communities to launch educational efforts aimed at dispelling
minority stereotypes, reducing hostility between groups, and encouraging broader
intercultural understanding and appreciation. Specifically, according to Dr.
Franklin, it is important that school administrators, school boards, and classroom
teachers constantly confront harassment and denigration of those who are different.
Antibias teaching should start in early childhood and continue through high
school. Teachers must also know that they have the backing of administrators
and school board members to intervene against incidents of bias whether inside
the school or on the playground.
The Web site for Tolerance.org
offers 10 things that we can do to help prevent hate crimes. For now let me
concentrate on just five.
1 ACT
Say something, do something. In the face of hatred, apathy will be interpreted
as acceptance — by the perpetrators, the public and, worse, the victims.
We must learn to question the biases we here when we hear them. Set limits on
what is said around you.
2 SUPPORT THE VICTIMS
Hate-crime victims are especially vulnerable, fearful and alone. If you’re
a victim, report every incident — in detail — and ask for help. If
you learn about a hate-crime victim in your community, show support. Let victims
know you care. Surround them with comfort and protection.
3 CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE
Do not attend a hate rally. Find another outlet for anger and frustration and
for people’s desire to do something. Hold a unity rally or parade to draw
media attention away from hate.
4 TEACH TOLERANCE
Bias is learned early, usually at home. Schools can offer lessons of tolerance
and acceptance.
Sponsor an “I Have a Dream” and other speech contest. Reach out to
young people who may be susceptible to hate-group propaganda and prejudice.
5 DIG DEEPER
Look inside yourself for prejudices and stereotypes. Build your own cultural
competency,
then keep working to expose discrimination wherever it happens — in housing,
employment, education and more.
We are an important haven for people who are persecuted by others. People who
are gay, lesbian, black, female, or transgender are welcome in our community.
But not just welcome, not just tolerated, but celebrated, protected and enveloped.
It is up to us to spread that area of safety as far and wide as we can. Speak
up.
Namaste