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Last week, a July beating where the attacker allegedly told his victim, "We don't like faggots on Barker Street," was deemed a hate crime by the Staten Island DA's office. Chief ADA Dan Master said the victim "was targeted because of his perceived sexual orientation," and charged 24-year-old James Champagne with third-degree assault as a hate crime, a felony, and second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor.
This week, the NAACP entered the fray (Champagne is black); the Staten Island Advance reported president of the NAACP's Staten Island chapter, Ed Josey, as saying, "We're not saying that word should be used, but in a fight, [saying it] doesn't necessarily make it a hate crime." Some of Champagne's relatives and friends are also openly gay. But the NY Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project told the Advance just because someone has "out" friends and family "doesn't mean a person is incapable of bias against strangers."
The SI DA's office stands by the hate crime charges given the information so far. Last year, when a black man was beaten by white youths who allegedly used racial epithets), the SI DA's office charged the alleged attacker with hate crimes. Also, a 2005 Howard Beach beating was deemed a hate crime because the attacker used the n-word; the mother of the suspect (who was later convicted) had said, "Every kid in the neighborhood uses it. It doesn't mean the same thing anymore. They all say it all day long, no matter what race." The Advance has an editorial agreeing with Josey and here's the ACLU's explanation of why it opposes colleges' restrictions of hate speech.
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"We're not saying that word should be used, but in a fight, [saying it] doesn't necessarily make it a hate crime.
That can be true, but not in this case. Throw him in solitary. thx
the NAACP should pick their battles more carefully.
Is voting for a black democrat a hate crime?.
"We don't like faggots on Barker Street." This wasn't a comment like, "I'll kick your ass, faggot," Champagne was clearly targeting the victim because he perceived the victim to be gay. The NAACP is being hypocritical, at best.
Also, why is Gothamist willing to print the word faggot but adopts the twee use of "n-word" for nigger? Quoting someone or speaking about the word in a news story is not the same as using it as an epithet. You seem to be yielding to the NAACP's argument: nigger is somehow worse than faggot and, by extension, violence against people because they are black is somehow worse than anti-gay violence.
Use both words, when appropriate (my preference), or use neither.
Maybe because "niggers" would most likely kick your ass on the street whereas "faggots" would most likely lick your ass?
ooooh, edgy!
It was harassment, and it was wrong. Nobody likes being treated like shit or made to feel unwelcome but it seems to me they're taking this too far. If he had actually been threatened it would be totally different ballgame.
Don't hate crime laws violate my 1st amendment rights?
Oh I see thanks NAACP. If he would have killed him for being gay is that a crime or are blacks exempt from every law?
It's the ACLU versus the LBGA with Some NAACP thrown in.
Why on earth would the NAACP insert themselves into this matter, just to make themselves look like idiots? When is the last time a white group, or a group for people interested in wooden spoons from China for that matter, inserted themselves into a racially charged crime in an attempt to mitigate the use of the n-word? Ugh.
Usually, this stuff stays on the loading dock. Keepin' it classy in S.I.
hate crime legislation is unconstitutional, and patently stupid.
If the perpetrators had stopped at simple name calling, yes, you could consider it harassment. However, since the "f" word was used, while the victims were being physically assaulted, I think it's safe to assume that we've gone beyond simple harassment.
I find the NAACP's trying to make the incident of no real importance sends a message that these actions, now, or in the future, will be winked at.
Any epithet used against another human being to denigrate them is hateful, but to follow that epithet with physical violence is a de facto crime of hate.
1st amendment protects your free speech against the government. Will you people ever learn this? Seems like every time something comes up about the use of words involved in something hateful people try to run to the 1st amendment. Where were you when they covered that in the 9th grade civics class?
I will grant you that, however, that right ends when it violates another person's Constition guaranteed rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Along with the right to freedom of speach comes the responsibility of using it wisely, and responsibly.