Hate Crimes and Why the Government Should Protect Gays
By Andy Heath
I still shudder from time to time when I think about Matthew Shepard and how he died such a cruel death at the hands of homophobic people. I remember at ETSU when there was a candlelight vigil after his death. I did not attend because I was not out of the closet at the time, but I have to admit I wish I had gone because hate crimes should not be acceptable to anyone - gay or straight.
I have said before that gay people have a lot to offer humanity and I still believe that is true. We have the time and the money to give so much of ourselves to humanity and to make the world a better place. Though as a community we have not yet realized our potential, I believe the time is coming when we will do so. The fact that we have so much to offer is the main reason that we need the government to protect us from those that would kill us. We also need the government to protect us because we are currently one of the most hated and marginalized minorities in this country. For those reasons, the government should protect us from our tormentors and those that would harm and kill us.
As a group, I believe we are a peace loving people. We want to get along in society and work alongside straight people in a harmonious way. We cannot do that, however, if those that would kill us are not punished at a reasonable level for their hatred. We must punished crimes that are motivated by this hatred above the level that we would punish crimes that are not. If we do not punish those that kill us for no other reason than irrational hatred, then our government is not doing its job.
