By way of introduction, here is an excerpt from my latest Faith Watch column in the Freethinker: Meanwhile, Scotland’s long-delayed and authoritarian Hate Crime Act will come into force on (appropriately) 1 April, with ‘non-crime hate incidents’ also being recorded. Thankfully, a Police Scotland
Really good points that I don't think I've heard put before... What I find most bizarre about it is the naive belief that the police will actually be able to do this, practically speaking. They can't even solve *real* crimes... e.g., the BBC report that 80% of burglaries go unsolved: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66304969. And that is one of the more optimistic estimates I found. Interesting that, faced with these stats, they think policing speech something worth focusing on. Fighting inequality (*raises fist*) is much more glamorous than the rather dull job of investigating a boring old robbery I suppose.
To be clear, most hate crime statutes do not make hate speech, thought or behavior a crime. Rather, they add charges and punishment for committing what otherwise would be a crime with the demonstrated intent of racism and the like. So beat up someone because you are angry with them is one charge. Do it while screaming racial epithets or the like shows an added intent that will increase the penalties. I don’t know how it’s worded in Scotland, but they’ve been around in the USA for at least 30 years. The linked video stuck me as simply a caution against letting one’s feelings of hate spin out into a such a crime.
Really good points that I don't think I've heard put before... What I find most bizarre about it is the naive belief that the police will actually be able to do this, practically speaking. They can't even solve *real* crimes... e.g., the BBC report that 80% of burglaries go unsolved: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66304969. And that is one of the more optimistic estimates I found. Interesting that, faced with these stats, they think policing speech something worth focusing on. Fighting inequality (*raises fist*) is much more glamorous than the rather dull job of investigating a boring old robbery I suppose.
To be clear, most hate crime statutes do not make hate speech, thought or behavior a crime. Rather, they add charges and punishment for committing what otherwise would be a crime with the demonstrated intent of racism and the like. So beat up someone because you are angry with them is one charge. Do it while screaming racial epithets or the like shows an added intent that will increase the penalties. I don’t know how it’s worded in Scotland, but they’ve been around in the USA for at least 30 years. The linked video stuck me as simply a caution against letting one’s feelings of hate spin out into a such a crime.