Well, here's a mindfuck
Philly.com reports that attacks on LGBT people aren't considered hate crimes in Pennsylvania. What a surprise in that state.
Of course, the way we categorize crimes specifically against marginalized populations is a mistake. What's happening here isn't that their suffering is greater, or the attack is more cruel, but that it's done with the intention of intimidating others in that population. It's more like racketeering.
Still, how the actual fuck are queer people not included in this?
Many people have called last week's brutal attack on two gay men in Center City a hate crime, but it can't be prosecuted as one under Pennsylvania law.
That gap in Pennsylvania's ethnic intimidation statute -- the law used to prosecute hate crimes -- has prompted calls for changes to the law and a federal hate-crime investigation.
Pennsylvania law defines ethnic-intimidation offenses as crimes motivated by "malicious intention toward the race, color, religion or national origin" of a person or group.
That means attacks based on sexual orientation aren't considered hate crimes.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Pa_law_Center_City_assault_on_gay_men_not_a_hate_crime.html#8Ptr1R6mCbqqOvlR.99
Of course, the way we categorize crimes specifically against marginalized populations is a mistake. What's happening here isn't that their suffering is greater, or the attack is more cruel, but that it's done with the intention of intimidating others in that population. It's more like racketeering.
Still, how the actual fuck are queer people not included in this?
Many people have called last week's brutal attack on two gay men in Center City a hate crime, but it can't be prosecuted as one under Pennsylvania law.
That gap in Pennsylvania's ethnic intimidation statute -- the law used to prosecute hate crimes -- has prompted calls for changes to the law and a federal hate-crime investigation.
Pennsylvania law defines ethnic-intimidation offenses as crimes motivated by "malicious intention toward the race, color, religion or national origin" of a person or group.
That means attacks based on sexual orientation aren't considered hate crimes.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Pa_law_Center_City_assault_on_gay_men_not_a_hate_crime.html#8Ptr1R6mCbqqOvlR.99