hhusted

Hate Crimes in the City

I don't know about anyone else, but I think hate crimes are very deplorable. Hate itself is bad for anyone. Why should someone hate another person just because the other person is of another race, religion, ethnic background, culture, etc.

Whether you believe in God or not, the fact is we all were created by God and so are his children. He loves us all equally. So who are we do decide who to hate or not.

Of course I do not like things people do. But as my girlfriend told me recently that we should hate the sin and not the sinner.

I am glad the cops arrested the juveniles responsible for the attacks. In case you are wondering what I am referring to go to these two websites:

http://www.ny1.com/5-manhattan-news-content/top_stories/116699/three-juveniles-charged-with-string-of-manhattan-bias-attacks

http://www.ny1.com/9-staten-island-news-content/top_stories/116657/four-teens-charged-with-alleged-staten-island-bias-attack

It literally brings tears to my eyes when I see such things happen.

Have anyone seen a hate crime, heard of one, had been a victim, had family members who were victims, or had friends who were victims of a hate crime?

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ajadedidealist Apr 16, 2010

It's horrendous that we live in a culture of fear (whether of "immigrants taking our jobs" or "muslim terrorists," to name some - unfair! - stereotypes) that makes people act the way they do out of terror of the unknown. I'm certainly not excusing the perpetrators - hate crimes are deplorable - but it really does rise out of a whole culture of fear and mistrust. I thought we were supposed to be the melting pot. As my boyfriend says, "you can't have a melting pot without heat" - perhaps it's inevitable - but still I wish we could all appreciate our commonality as New Yorkers, and as human beings, if nothing else.

BroadwayBK Apr 16, 2010

I keep seeing stories of kids beating up Mexican immigrants - that seems to be the current trend in "hate crime" violence. It's awful.

hhusted Apr 16, 2010

@ajadedidealist: In a sense, we can't have commonality since there are so many different cultures here. But we are all human beings and should act like one. @BroadwayBK: Kids learn that stuff by watching others. They see an authority figure do it and think it is right, so they repeat it.

BroadwayBK Apr 18, 2010

Um. I don't think kids only learn things by watching. Kids are humans with working brains and pick up things just about anywhere these days.

ajadedidealist Apr 19, 2010

But still - it comes out of a culture and climate of racism - I think that's a fair assumption to make!

NeverSleeps Apr 19, 2010

Right. People who act out in such ways generally come from environments where they see such things all the time. But there are always exceptions.

BroadwayBK Apr 20, 2010

Kids can also learn from other kids. Just because kids are acting crazy doesn't mean it's because they saw their parents beating up some poor immigrant, too.

BroadwayBK Apr 20, 2010

In fact, I actually think kids influence each other far more than they are influenced by authority figures - kids of a certain age, anyway.

uptowngirl Apr 27, 2010

@Well said BroadwayBK kids are more often than not influenced by their peers to act in a certain way.

hhusted Apr 27, 2010

@BroadwayBK and @Uptowngirl: It really works both ways. Other kids and parents have an influence on kids. In fact, everything and everybody that surrounds the child is an influence.

landee Apr 28, 2010

Hate crimes are awful! It's almost pointless to act in such a childish manor and for it to be 2010 and people are still committing hate crimes, its just silly.

hhusted Apr 28, 2010

@Landee: I know. Educating children is one way around it, but as long as you have kids associating with undesirables, hate will continue to spread. This is sad but it happens. You can control what your kids do when they are home, but when they leave your site, you have no control. You just hope for the best.

landee Apr 28, 2010

@hhusted My son is 2 and a half and i knowi wll definitley be teaching him about the bad that comes out of doing something as such. I grew up knowing that to even use the word hate is very bad. So to committ a hate crime is so much worse. I take it seriously and i know my son will grow up to know we dont do that.

JenMac Apr 28, 2010

Isn't referring to people as "undesirables" kind of where hate activities start?

Uraniumfish Apr 28, 2010

@JenMac Yow. Quite a good point...

NeverSleeps Apr 28, 2010

Yeah. That word made me cringe when I read it, too.

uptowngirl Apr 28, 2010

@Everyone I just read this article and was quite horrified by it http://www.chandlerswatch.com/2010/04/24/are-we-not-better-than-this-callous-new-yorkers-ignore-dying-man-on-street/ I think all of us on this forum would have at least called 911? Or do NYkers also follow a policy of not to get involved when a crime is involved? In my erstwhile home city of Mumbai accident and other victims are often ignored by passers by who just dont want to deal with the harassment by the police. Is it the same in NY?

JenMac Apr 29, 2010

Oh my god. @uptowngirl: that is horrific. I can't imagine just walking past that. So incredibly sad; he may have lived. And, where was the lady that he saved? Did she just walk off?

BroadwayBK Apr 29, 2010

@uptowngirl That story makes me sad. It makes me sadder that it doesn't really surprise me.

uptowngirl May 01, 2010

@JenMac I dont know what happened to the lady.. the report doesnt say anything about her ..but the story is horrible.. I didnt think NYC was that uncaring and callous..

ajadedidealist May 01, 2010

That sounds horrendous! I used to think NYC was a city that, beneath the brittle exterior, had a great "We're all in this together" NY-bonding type bond...