Hateful acts need to be classified as terror acts

Racism unfortunately exists. But there is an untold problem about addressing racism with laws. I believe setting up a group (such as race, gender, LGBTQ, etc.) with more protections and rights than other groups sets up increased antagonism towards that group.

Many hate laws that are put into place to protect minority groups are well intentioned. But how much good have they really done?

While none of us can really understand what others go through, everyone understands--at least to some degree--fear. Terrorists want to stoke fear. Their acts are those of hate.

I think anti-racism and hate laws should be reworked to be anti-terror laws. That way they apply to anyone performing any action that causes feelings of fear all the way up to extreme terror in any other person.

Acts of racism are acts of terror and anti-terror laws would apply.

Homophobic hate crimes would be acts of terror and anti-terror laws would apply.

Hate crimes against any member of any faith would also be subject to anti-terror laws.

And an angry mixed race mob of "protesters" who are vandalizing, damaging, and destroying property and making others fearful would also be performing acts of terror and would be subject to being prosecuted under anti-terror laws.

And that is why classifying all acts of hate as terrorist acts won't be accepted by Democrats and liberals, and even some Republicans. They want the blacks to be treated differently, to get different protections and rights. They want LGBTQ to be treated differently. They want Americans to be divided and labeled into groups who are dependent on politicians to protect them through various laws. And I think there are many far-left liberals who want to do away with the religious rights and liberties they don't agree with because they perceive religion as a threat.

Certainly more needs to be done to give everyone equal opportunity under the law. But the laws have ended up giving, in many cases, preferential treatment to minority groups. Right now I'm thinking of education and employment organizations that will go out of their way to make sure they have their quota of women and minorities. I think it's great women and minorities get opportunities, but are they getting those opportunities as a token gesture, because they are part of some protected group, or are they getting the opportunities based on the merits of what they can do and what they offer? 

However, for this post my focus is generally on the laws criminalizing hateful behavior.

I think if people started to see and understand all hateful actions as being terroristic in nature, then more people would be accepting of criminalizing it equally, no matter who commits it or who the act is towards. And, I think more people could start to really understand the fear and terror that certain groups feel. 

Re-classifying hateful acts as terror may also make people think twice about performing them, if they know the act could cause them to be labeled as a terrorist. Terrorist acts are against all of us. When the tragedy of something big, like the 9-11 terrorist attacks, or smaller but equally tragic, such as a school shooting, I think all Americans feel the pain. They unite and rally behind each other. 

"Racist" acts are perceived as being against a particular race. Similarly any hate-directed action towards a person or group of people, because of whatever "protected" group they may belong to, does nothing to unite Americans as a whole nor does it promote equality and fairness for all people, no matter their race, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, or whatever other "protected" class they might fall under. 

Before I go on, I will generally refer to all the laws that identify one or more classes of the population as having special or unique protections, considerations, and/or have additional penalties, fees, legal or retaliatory action, enforcement, etc. as special protection laws. These laws are made for special protected classes of the population, such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, etc. Often these laws include enhanced penalties, enforcement, etc. against those who violate these laws.

The simple fact that certain groups of the population are classified under the law as protected means the laws are not equal, fair, and applicable to everyone in the same way. These laws set up one or more groups of people as having special protections and considerations that sets them apart from others. We cannot be one Nation, where all are equal and "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness", if we have separate laws for different classes of the population. 

And the idea that Americans are "classed" into different groups, and labeled as part of that group, does not imply equal treatment for all. It sets up those classes of people to be treated differently. It causes others to become overly sensitive, usually out of fear, to not trespass against members of special classes of the population because those special protection laws will result in a worse offense than if the same action had been performed against a non-protected class. 

People will argue that we need anti-hate laws to protect these groups of people. We need anti-hate laws that protect all people, which is why they need to be re-classified as anti-terror laws that are applicable to all people, regardless of whatever group they may belong to. 

Where we have a problem is in the enforcement of law. There are certainly some in law enforcement who unfairly single out a race or ethnicity more than others. But, especially after all the anti-racism and end police brutality protests and riots, there are law enforcement officers who are scared to apply the rule of law equally because they don't want to be labelled as racist. There are those in law enforcement won't enforce the rule of law and establish order because they don't have the support of their city mayor and government, which results in innocents not getting the protection they deserve under the law because of the disregard for law by so-called "protesters.". How is any of that fair and equal treatment under the law? Enforcement of law equally and fairly is where we have the problem and it is often the culture in the law enforcement organization that needs changing. 

Outside of law enforcement, parents need to be teaching their children to be respectful, inclusive, and accepting of others. Children learn and take clues from their parents and families. Love of others, instead of hate, should be taught in the home. And teachers in schools can also be teaching and exemplifying the respect and acceptance of others and their differences.

The various laws protecting different classes of the population can also cause people and organizations to give preferential treatment and consideration for those protected classes. And while supporters of these special laws applaud the special treatment their protected classes receive, this special treatment can also cause resentment among many in the general population who see and experience the unintended (or maybe they are intended) results of the laws protecting certain classes of the population. Supporters of the special protection laws and many in those protected classes will claim that those people who see the special protection laws as unfair must be "racist", biased, bigoted, prejudiced, homophobic, hateful, or whatever other negative label they can subjectively apply. 

And subjectivity is another problem. "Racism" is no longer applied objectively, through a commonly accepted definition. It has become subjective in its meaning and only those of certain skin colors, and those who completely support special protection laws, can accurately apply and identify racism. White people, including those who don't fully support the platforms of certain racial equality groups, like Black Lives Matter, are not allowed to use the terms racist or racism, unless it is for some white action against black or other skin color, without igniting the wrath of those who know what racism is.

According to many of those of skin colors other than white, and those white folks who fully support special protection laws, white people are inherently racist and don't understand what racism is. It doesn't even matter if a white woman grew up in poverty, in a single parent home, as a minority in a predominantly Hispanic town, and experienced biased treatment against her and her family because of their skin color, they can't believe she understands racism or prejudiced treatment. Of course, most wouldn't even bother trying to understand her because in their mind she's white and can't understand.

It is true that a white person cannot fully understand what a black person goes through. But a man can't understand the challenges of being a woman. A straight person can't understand those in the LGBTQ community. Few of us can understand the internal struggles others live with daily, whether it's to fit in, to be accepted, or simply to have someone try to understand. We may be able to relate, to gain some empathy, but it takes effort to really understand and most people don't make the effort.

Those who support special protection laws think others come from a place of ignorance just because other people do not see things the same way they do. These supporters seem to think everyone should think and believe the same way they do, and if they don't they're wrong and ignorant. Where is the real ignorance? 

Ignorance is the lack of knowledge or information. You cannot gain an understanding if you are ignorant. When someone fails to even try to gain an understanding, by increasing their knowledge and information about another person or group of people, then that person, the one who fails to try to understand, is coming from a place of ignorance. And, if that person digs in their heels and refuses to open their mind to the fact that others can think and feel differently, and have completely different opinions, and that is okay, then they are allowing their ignorance to blind them.

Within a family the children can all grow up and become vastly different, even with the same parents, upbringing, and experiences. But that doesn't make one better or worse than the other. It means we are all different.

But just because there are differences doesn't mean we cannot relate to others or try to understand them. There are more similarities than differences. We all want to be accepted. We want to be loved. We want to be happy and to find joy in life. Most people even want others to be happy. We want our families to be safe and protected. We fear. We hope.We belief. We need to be more compassionate of others. We need to do more to understand and reach out to help others. 

There is so much that is the same, but many politicians and special interest groups want to focus on the differences. They insist on focusing on, and driving a wedge between, those differences, and build walls that separate us and classify us into different groups. While they speak of equality and fairness they insist on special treatment, exceptions, consideration, and preferences for differences. Some will even use the differences to justify how the differences make a group deserving of the special protection laws. Different laws for different groups is where people begin to believe they must be better or more deserving in some way. It also perpetuates the feeling of entitlement and deserving of more than others.

We tread very dangerous ground when we believe we are somehow better (or worse) than another person or group of people. This is commonly seen when people attack others from what they believe is a moral high ground or superior understanding. They label others who don't see or understand things the same way as ignorant, biased, prejudiced, bigoted, racist, etc. just because there is a difference that cannot respect or accept. 

If we cannot accept and appreciate differences, whether it's in skin color, beliefs, opinions, etc. then we are in danger of becoming arrogant and prideful, and we will begin to disdain others. This becomes distaste, disgust, disrespect, scorn, derision, which grows into contempt, hate, and anger. Division, rather than unity, increases. 

But the real danger, which can quickly come from any of these feelings or attitudes, is when anger ignites into physical conflict. This conflict has the potential to tear the country apart and/or strip us of our liberties and rights as new laws, regulations, mandates, and/or orders are imposed upon us and enforced by those in political power, who are more than anxious to take advantage of the discord by taking control.

Interestingly, and even ironically, supporters of special protection laws also believe in the principle of the Rule of Law. The World Justice Project defines the Rule of Law as having four universal principles. (https://worldjusticeproject.org/about-us/overview/what-rule-law) 

"The rule of law is a durable system of laws, institutions, norms, and community commitment that delivers:

1. "Accountability: The government as well as private actors are accountable under the law.
2. "Just Laws: The laws are clear, publicized, and stable; are applied evenly; and protect fundamental rights, including the security of persons and contract, property, and human rights.
3. "Open Government: The processes by which the laws are enacted, administered, and enforced are accessible, fair, and efficient.
4. "Accessible Justice: Justice is delivered timely by competent, ethical, and independent representatives and neutrals who are accessible, have adequate resources, and reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.

"These four universal principles constitute a working definition of the rule of law. They were developed in accordance with internationally accepted standards and norms, and were tested and refined in consultation with a wide variety of experts worldwide."

So how can any of the many special protection laws be consistent with the Rule of Law when the whole purpose of these laws is to give certain classifications of the population special protections and/or considerations and enacting increased penalties, punishment, enforcement actions, etc. against those who violate these special protection laws?

From my understanding, special protection laws are not "applied evenly" and their enactment, administration, and enforcement are not fair to the whole population. 

If we really want liberty, equality and fairness for all then the laws need to be the same for everyone. The Rule of Law is what establishes order and protects the rights and freedoms of all. There are no special classes when all are equal. And, if all are equal then laws that protect special classes of the population in different way than the rest of the population are perpetuated inequality. We still need laws to protect people from hateful acts but these laws should focus on the terrorist-nature of those acts.