Viet-Justice

I’m all for putting people in prison for violent crime, but we already have laws on the books that deal with violent crime without getting into whether the victim is a racial minority or gay or something else. The President’s expected veto is a welcome act.

“State and local criminal laws already provide criminal penalties for the violence addressed by the new federal crime defined in section 7 of H.R. 1592, and many of these laws carry stricter penalties (including mandatory minimums and the death penalty) than the proposed language in H.R. 1592,” the statement said.

The above statement is a good point. The 50 states have their own laws and I am greatly dismayed that our Federal legislators are wasting time reinventing the wheel. In addition, only Federal authorities can enforce Federal law. I do not see the FBI going out to arrest people for violating laws such as this. It’s difficult enough getting your local police to help, especially when they’re out blowing things up like Boston PD.

Surprising minority advocates are supporting the idea of the veto.

Matt Barber, policy director for cultural issues with Concerned Women for America, was quick to praise the statement.

The bill would penalize someone who commits an act of violence against a homosexual more so than any other person. Assault is assault and murder is murder. We need to stop trying to invent new forms of hate crime and enforce the laws that are already on the books. I also believe that good self defense training can act as a deterrent. Most people are not going to commit assault if they know the potential of getting injured or shot themselves.