On May 13, 2021, 29-year-old Ali Alaheri (allegedly) defaced a statue of Jesus and set fire to an American flag at St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn, NY. He was charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime. This same man faces Federal arson charges for a fire set at the side of a Jewish school in Brooklyn on May 19th. Oh yes, he is also accused of stealing a bicycle and punching a visibly Jewish man. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force helps with investigations of violence such as this that is increasingly taking place in NYC.
FACT: There has been an increase of assaults on both Asians and Jews in the United States over the past year.
FICTION: Recently passed hate-crime legislation, such as the so-called anti-Asian-hate-crime bill will reduce violent attacks against Asians and other minorities.
62 Republican members of Congress voted against the above legislation. It is possible, though highly unlikely, that one or more of them are bigots who enjoy seeing Asians beaten up. More likely, they are the minority who understand, and whose constituents understand, that this legislation along with calls against anti-Semitism and anti-racism, are fronts for politicians and organizers to amass money and power. The legislation will be misused, abused and politicized to strip Americans of their freedom of speech and thought. It will not make citizens safer. The crocodile-tear-shedders promoting this legislation actually don’t care what happens to the man and woman on the street no matter their race, ethnicity or religion.
I am familiar with St. Athanasius church. I grew up a few blocks away from it and while I attended synagogue rather than church, my friends and neighbors were parishioners. I exchanged greetings with the nuns when we passed on the street and sometimes met them at my girlfriend’s home when they visited with her mother. I’m also familiar with synagogues and Jewish schools in the neighborhood, such as the one where the arson took place. And, like you, I cringed when I saw the footage of a hulking thug attacking an Asian woman on a Manhattan street while the security guards in a nearby building amorally ignored her suffering.
Assault is a crime that should be treated seriously. So is arson. While they may be on a different level than bicycle theft, that crime too needs to be addressed. Defunding the police and letting more criminals out on bail while talking about how bad hatred is, as the mayor of NYC has done, is hypocritical. Ignoring inner city violence because the perpetrators and victims share a skin color or pretending that honor killings aren’t taking place in the Moslem community is unconscionable. Any energy spent on deciding that attacking a white Protestant male is more acceptable than attacking an Asian woman, or that mugging a Jew is worse than looting a store, benefits the elite while encouraging divisiveness among citizens. Divide and conquer is a tactic of the Left and too many good-hearted but easily manipulated Americans are easy prey.
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I LOOK AT THE CRIME, IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT RACE IT IS. EVEN THOUGH I THINK PPL ARE GROUP BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE, AND THE CERTAIN CRIMES THAT ARE COMMITTED. I BELIEVE AS IT IS IN 1ST SAMUEL CHAPTER 15. EVIL HAS TO ERADICATE FROM THE WORLD.
Has anyone bothered to find out why this up tic in violence towards Asians an Jews are taking place? What are they watching or reading to incite this violence? Is there a connection between dem and rep states and counties? I’m willing to bet the government is not. I look at all the problems in the country and I can’t help but wonder why I pay taxes.
Oh, Shawn, you are assuming that the news media and politicians want to know the truth. The truth is so inconvenient when you are pushing an agenda.
A significant degradation of the American legal system occurred when “hate crime” legislation was passed. There is no such thing as a “hate crime”. There is either a crime or there isn’t a crime, period. If I punch you because I’m angry it’s no different than if I punch you because I “hate” X people. My emotions have nothing to do with whether a crime was committed or not. My emotional state might be considered as part of sentencing but should not be considered in determining if a crime was committed. When laws start being crafted based on emotions then “law” no longer means anything. Because then everything is a function of how one feels at the moment. In fact, what happens then is that the law becomes a potent weapon that will be used to punish those one doesn’t like. That’s not the basis for a valid legal system. Laws need to be as objective as flawed human beings can make them, not subjective. “Hate Crime” legislation needs to be expunged from our legal system, pronto.
Mark, the gap between “one law for all people” and different treatment according to whether you are on an “approved” list seems to be growing wider every day.
“…what happens then is that the law becomes a potent weapon that will be used to punish those one doesn’t like.”
When one uses the law to punish those whose whom said one doesn’t like, is that not in itself a “hate crime?” If I attack you because I don’t like you – your race, color, creed, lifestyle, actions, etc. – I’m punishing you for those things I don’t like about you: according to the law, a “hate crime.” If you then punish me for a “hate crime” because you don’t like me – my race, color, creed, lifestyle, actions, etc. – what’s the difference? Where does it end?
Excellent point, Sonia.
I don’t support the creation of statutes that combine policy on illegal actions with specific motives of any kind. To suppose that “hate” describes some aspect of statute law is plain goofy. It is speculative and irrelevant, with an added aspect of confusion that opens the door for the defense to claim mitigation. Let us leave the presentation of motives to the prosecutors and their applications to the juries. I do support the review of existing statutes on unwarranted assault (without a weapon) to ensure that whomever commits such an act faces severe consequences in a court of law. The level of violence apparent in the few examples of random attacks I have observed on the evening news could merit a punishment based on those assaults as worthy of a charge of attempted murder. In other cases, the consequence of such an attack has been murder itself.
Let the punishments fit the crime!
Richard, I agree that fists and bodies can be deadly weapons in and of themselves. There doesn’t need to be a gun or knife for attempted murder.
Well done Susan! No man can know another’s heart nor is he fit to judge it! So then we must always focus on the actions. I have always had an instinctive aversion to this concept of “hate crime” because it just seemed so illogical. Does anyone mug, rape, or kill someone out of love? It’s interesting that while mainstream media blames the increased attacks on Asians on White people, it does not seem to be the case in most events you can see right there on video, and social media is riddled with these attacks on video. Indeed this is divide and conquer by trying to stir up racial resentment when the races of man should forgive each other – in a collective sense if that’s even possible.
-Jason
Jason, there is a Leftist narrative and there is the truth.
I recall how plenty of statutes of law already exist whereby we can insist there be indictment for what is done now.
As in text of the Torah too, how we need be carefulness with the foreigners. The basis in idea of one law for all people.
Not too late to apply I think.
Yes, Al, the laws on the books are ignored while more and more laws are written.
Thank you! It really bothers me how our thoughts are becoming increasingly criminalized! And, as you point out, that real crime goes largely unpunished.
Peggy, let’s hope that more Americans wake up.
Mrs Lapin
I agree with you completely. In the state I reside in we have Felony Hate Crime Laws along with Federal Civil Rights Laws. Passing more laws would only satisfy a Political Agenda and not reduce those types of crimes. Several years ago a prominent person in my state finally got Cruelty To Animals increased to a Felony. The result was more reporting on the news of the horrible things that people do to animals but there is no Minimum Sentence and I believe it has not slowed down the cruelty. Many violent criminals started out with being cruel to animals.
The News Media only reporting certain crimes reinforces stereotypes of both the criminal and the victim. Over the holiday weekend I watched the movie Hope In The Holy Land. It was so refreshing to see interviews with both Palestinians and Israelis to see their different perspectives along with many wanting to live together in peace. The news media is so one sided! If they only saw how Palestinian children are brain washed from birth with completely false information and Israelis believe Hate is wrong.
I firmly believe most Hate Crimes are committed out of ignorance by people who do not care about the truth. Perhaps we could create “Anti Ignorance Laws”
Matthew, the news media is truly one-sided. Sensationalism and hatred raise ratings. They also aggravate unbalanced people as well as lead many people to be filled with hate.
In reference to recent events, keeping with how we need quick justice, we can use long list of laws already on the books.
Application too, of what was reinforced by the voicing of Martin Luther King Jr. is not out of line with such case as seen in our time.
And much like you stated is, “You shall have one Law for native born and immigrants amongst you.” (My paraphrase of idea found in the Law,as commandment of the Tanak. )