The Problem of Hate Crimes

The Akron Beacon Journal of Ohio touted a story about a "teen mob" attack on a family.

It came after a family night of celebrating America and freedom with a fireworks show at Firestone Stadium. Marshall, his family and two friends were gathered outside a friend's home in South Akron.

Out of nowhere, the story continued, the mob "confronted" the family and started shouting racially-loaded statements at the Marshall, for no apparent reason.

The Marshalls...say the crowd of teens who attacked them and two friends June 27 on Girard Street numbered close to 50.

'My thing is,'' Marshall said, ''I didn't want this, but I was in fear for my wife, my kids and my friends. I felt I had to stay out there to protect them, because those guys were just jumping, swinging fists and everything.

''I'm lucky. They didn't break my ribs or bruise my ribs. I thank God, they concentrated on my thick head because I do have one. They were trying to take my head off my spine, basically.''

Marshall was the most seriously injured. He suffered a concussion and multiple bruises to his head and eye. He said he spent five nights in the critical care unit at Akron General Medical Center.

''This was almost like being a terrorist act,'' Marshall said. ''And we allow this to go on in our neighborhoods?''

A wandering gang of nearly fifty teenagers assaulted these 6 people, two of whom were young teenagers, taunting the family with racist speech. The response from the Akron police department?

Right now, the case is not being classified as a racial hate crime.

Here is the problem with hate crime legislation. It requires an immeasurable level of judgment for someone to come to the conclusion a crime is motivated by racial hate. It requires investigating and criminalizing thought. And, it allows for far too much political and societal pressure to slant law enforcement decisions.

You see, Marshall and his friends are white; the attackers are all African-American. It wasn't White Power slogans that the attackers were chanting; rather Black Power;

Out of nowhere, the six were attacked by dozens of teenage boys, who shouted ''This is our world'' and ''This is a black world''...

Do you think for a second, were this a swarm of white kids assaulting a half-dozen black kids, all the while screaming This is our world or This is a white world that the Akron police department would say "they aren't ready to call it a hate crime."

Maybe, Marshall and his friends started screaming racists rants at the black kids first. We have only his side of the story. Would Marshall be guilty of a hate crime?

There is too much need for judgment and, yes, prejudice for racial hate crimes to be fair or effective. Call off the Thought Police and slam these kids in jail for assault, causing mayhem, public disturbance, or whatever else you can.

But, don't pretend you are doing anyone any favors by prosecuting ideas and opinions -- no matter how stupid and ignorant those ideas are.