Hate Crime

There seems to me, going by the number of reports in recent years, of an ever increasing number of thuggish assaults in Dublin city, including murder. These crimes are no doubt perpetrated by the lower social classes on the whole.

Given the account given by the victim, I have no doubt that this was an attack motivated by homophobia. But I have to ask again, why didn't either the Guards or the victim give a description of the assailant/s. Don't they want to catch them? Especially odd of the victim who went into great detail of the attach never once offered a description of the assailant. So either he was advised not to, or he did and the press chose not to report it.

If the powers that be don't get a grip on policing there's going to be a lot more homophobic attacks and general attacks as well.

Actually I don't think the problem can be fixed by policing, it's state policy on the perpetually unemployed that is at the root of the problem, i.e the lower social classes who are running amok all over Dublin city with impunity.

You'll need a hell of a lot more to impact this kind of behaviour than altering sex education classes. This isn't something that can be solved with idealistic Twitter LGBT ideologies. A heavy hand is needed as they're running amok.

Yes, this attack was aimed at these guys because they were homosexual. But many of these attacks are because a person is seen as 'different' and is targetted for such. The scrotes didn't go out looking for someone gay, they just love bullying anyone who looks at all different to them.

If it had been some long haired young emo kids or metal heads the same thing would have happened. Or a black kid. Or an Asian kid. Or some tourists. The **** are just out to cause trouble.

And I totally don't get the argument. The same people talk about homophobic and transphobic bullying at school, so the kids know full well of the existence of people with those characteristics without lessons about them at all.

These are the kinds of lessons that are needed in primary school imo.

I'm conflicted about it myself. I think the term 'hate crime' is too subjective and emotional to be enshrined into law.

On the other hand though, something drastic needs to be done to stop people being targeted for being different.

Not being able to be affectionate to your partner in public out of fear of being attacked or simply being afraid to be who you are as a person walking down the street is definitely something which should be acknowledged.

It's definitely a fear that I wouldn't have myself in my day to day life as I'm not part of a minority group.

I suppose my own issue with it is the subjectivity part. It's just too vague.

In theory it's a great idea, making targeting someone for who they are a certain type of crime is a good thing.

However, how do we set the parameters for it? Does it apply to everyone or just protected groups? How do we prove it was a 'hate' motivated attack and not just an opportunistic attack on a person who happens to be from a minority group?

I do love the idea of hearing of loads of scrotes suddenly in court for 'hate crime' charges, but at the same time, is it something that might lose the run of itself with the current climate surrounding gender identity for example? (ie - not referring to someone using their preferred pronoun being considered a hate crime?)

Lots to think about really.

It isn't a crime at all and the government has not stated any intention to make it so.