When is a hate-crime not a hate-crime?

When is a hate-crime not a hate-crime? 
Answer: when the powers-that-be say it isn't. 

One problem with hate-crime laws is that they're more
the result of bad ideology than good criminology, and
nothing illustrates this point better than the current
spate of church burnings in Alabama.

As you may know, five churches were burned in rapid
succession in the early morning hours of February 3,
followed by four more overnight. Yet, while I had
encountered much reportage on this story prior to
writing this piece, I had yet to hear any government
official or media figure hazard the guess that these
acts could constitute a hate-crime. So I did a Google
news search.

I entered the terms "church fires" and "hate-crime"
and, lo and behold, a search engine capable of
plumbing the very depths of the Internet found a
staggering twenty-two results (as of 2/7). More
significantly, all the articles cited only one or the
other of a mere two sources that mentioned hate-crime
in relation to this arson-targeting of churches.

Twenty-one of the articles mentioned an FBI agent,
Charles Regan, who said, "We're looking to make sure
this is not a hate crime and that we do everything
that we need to do." Now, I realize that this was more
likely just a manner of speaking than a Freudian Slip,
but it seems to me that, when the crime involves a
favored group, the powers-that-be look to make sure
that it is a hate-crime. And with great zeal too, I
might add.

Could you imagine the reaction if nine synagogues or
mosques had been thus burned? The monolithic
mainstream media would have elevated the story to
prominence and exhausted themselves pontificating
about how dreadful these hate-crimes were. And the
posturing by public officials, oh, the posturing, it
would be intense enough to induce backache. 

[This ia an excerpts from a News With Views article,
modified from the form printed by The Berean Call]

            Jonsquill Ministries

P. O. Box 752

Buchanan, Georgia 30113

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