Oklahoma Capitol Briefs

The proposal by Sen. Russell to "water down" the new additions to the federal hate crimes law was mentioned in the Oklahoman yesterday and now there are a few more details. So the good senator thinks Oklahomans should have fewer civil rights protections than people in the rest of the country? The existing hate crimes law already deals with crimes against people because of their race or religion. The newly added part extends the same protections to gays and the disabled. Who exactly would be deciding which aspects of speech, assembly, and especially belief are not directly related to a crime? I am guessing the senator is thinking of a Muslim who is attacked and then trying to claim that a local preacher's anti-Islamic sermon egged-on the attacker. Or a gay man who is beaten trying to claim an anti-gay rally enticed people to attack him. But what if the ATTACKER tries to claim that he got all riled up by what a preacher said and just couldn't control himself? Or what if an angry atheist attacks an evangelical Christian because he is told he his going to Hell and just "loses it"? My guess is that Sen. Russell would be screaming "anti-Christian hatred!" and would want that to be considered in punishing the crime. Hate is hate, whether you think "sin" is involved or not. You cannot use hate to justify violating someone. That is why the hate crime law is good. It protects the dignity of EVERYONE, but the protection of speech is in the law already. I get the feeling Sen. Russell is just trying to get people all worked up about nothing, so he can play to their prejudices and get re-elected.