Hate: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury (Meriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary)
The following news brief appeared in the Milwaukee Journal on Friday, January 05, 2007.
Women say hit-and-run was intentional hate crime
Milwaukee police are asking for help finding a man who struck three women with a car in a hit-and-run the victims say was an intentional hate crime.
Angela Emanuele, Gaby Caraballo and another friend were leaving a tavern in the 800 block of S. 2nd St. early Saturday when they walked in the path of a man backing a car out of a parking space.
The man shouted derogatory terms for homosexual women at them, Emanuele said.
After a brief exchange the women said they walked on - but the man made a U-turn on 2nd St., accelerated and hit them intentionally. Caraballo suffered a 12-inch cut to her knee that required surgery and two black eyes, while Emanuele suffered a broken nose and broken left shoulder.
In Wisconsin a crime is determined to be a hate crime if it falls under statute 939.645(1)(b) ……. and it’s not really a crime in itself….it’s called an enhancer because it enhances the penalty if there’s a conviction for the actual crime….say attempted homicide; which I’m thinking should be charged in the above.
FBI statistics show that in 2005 Milwaukee reported 2 hate crime incidents based on sexual orientation, and none in 2004. The figures for last year haven’t been released yet. I don’t know…..the numbers seem low.
My reaction when I read the article in the Journal included a sense of dread and a burning in the pit of my stomach. In my mind, this is an attack on ALL of us. And no matter how much I’d like to believe this stuff just doesn’t happen anymore, at least not where I live……..
..........it does.
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5 comments:
Seymour, I know what you mean. Although I always hope the world has changed, I know there are still people out there who hate us just for who we are, and that makes my heart so sad.
News stories like this are so sad. Whenever I hear this kind of news I wonder, How can you hate someone you do not even know so much that you are willing to hurt them? I want to believe the world is changing, but its not fast enough.
kids ... the world is changing ... and it should be started by stopping to say them and us ... this one guy who seemed to have had a terrible day, that made him this angry he could attack totally strangers is not them anymore ... times are changing, and he belongs to a minority ... and thankfully his minority is shrinking ... maybe that is why he is so angry ... but anyway, don't forget HE belongs to a minority
Sad to hear a story like that.
Nice words Nico.
Hope you have a great week Seymour
Stories like these make me lose faith in the human race. But I do agree with Nico - the times are changing! It's important to try and remain positive.. I know I'll try.
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