UF student Tasered after questioning John Kerry

Honest question, Tony.
With all your talk about symbols, how do you feel about someone burning an American flag?

 

I'm glad we have you here to define words for us, tony, brilliant legal scholar that you are. We get it. The poor white kids are assholes, but did nothing wrong and shouldn't be punished.

That's what this whole thing is about: They weren't punished for something that would have been a minimum expulsion and possible arrest anywhere but in the Deep South.

Yes, the "Jena 6" should have been arrested for assault, because they committed assault. But to let the racist white assholes skate while the black kids get radically overcharged is an injustice, plain and simple.

 

Is burning a cross "thought police territory"? If so, sign me up for the thought police.

 

Tony, how would you deal with this, from the Federal Prosecutor, Pedophile thread?

A federal prosecutor flew to metro Detroit with a Dora the Explorer doll, hoop earrings and petroleum jelly for a 5-year-old he planned to have sex with, police say.

No crime, right? Hell, he was only thinking about it.

 

I think people who burn the American flag are anti-American and assholes. But the law right now says they don't get arrested, so I don't think they should get arrested.

 

As the laws are on the books, he committed the crime by making a deal over the internet and crossing state lines. Those are crimes, but he hasn't been charged with raping the 5-year-old because he didn't. Do you think he should be charged with that, too?

 

But would you like for it to be against the law?
After all, it's just a symbol, right?

 

Well he is charged with attempted rape though there was no 5-year-old. As he should be.

I go back to the cross burning example. How is this whole noose thing any different than a cross burning? The intent is very clear in both.

 

Hate crimes are felonies in most states, right?

What's the law in Louisiana?

 

The question isn't what we wish the laws were, the question is what are the laws? Do I like people who burn the flag? No. I wish they'd move to their favorite country Cuba.

 

As I said before, hate crime laws are for the most part penalty enhancers. And like I said, three times zero is still zero. But it's still bullshit. The action itself is the crime, not the emotion.

 

If we're talking action then, I can't help but wonder why the actions of the white kids who beat up the black classmate at a party in Jena (which included smashing beer bottles over his head) were charged with misdemeanors, while the black kids get second degree murder charges. Similar actions, not exactly similar punishment.