Blacksheep Speaks

Hate Crime

What is hate crime? Are the wrong people defining it? And will YOU be the next to go to jail for what used to be considered your constitutional right of self-expression?

Helter Skelter. The Oklahoma Bombings. Lynchings. What is now being defined as "hate crime" has been around for a long, long time. Unfortunately, these days, you don't even have to actually commit a crime to be in trouble. You simply have to voice something that someone else interprets as criminal intent. And what is being defined as "criminal intent" is becoming more ludicrous by the day.

Let's get one thing straight. The phrase "hate crime" is a redundancy, not a new definition. Any violent crime is, by definition, a "hate crime". No one pulls a gun and shoots someone out of love. They generally don't do it out of indifference, either. There are still a plethora of rather depraved individuals in this world fully willing and ready to kill another individual because of something stupid. In fact, ALL murders tend to be over something stupid. At the time of this writing, no smart reason for depriving another human being of life has occurred to me. So, why are we redefining racial murders, beatings, etc. as "hate crime"? Murder is murder, no matter what the reason. In fact, ANY crime is a crime. It doesn't matter WHY someone committed a violent act; the fact that they did it is punishable by law. In states that carry the death penalty, there is no harder sentence. So....why all the talk about making things harder on "hate criminals"? How much harder does it get than the death penalty....?

Don't get me wrong....I don't condone racism in any form. I simply fail to see the difference between a man killing another man for being a different race and a man killing a store clerk as he robs it. They are both murder. Both were done out of something resembling hate. Neither victim did anything to deserve what happened. Our law system is screwed up enough without adding a new name to an offense that was always there anyhow.

Commentary

Does anyone remember when our country was strong? When our politicians were considered moral leaders, and Christian morality was a GOOD thing in the eyes of the masses? What it felt like to live a life that truly WAS free?

A lot of time and print space has been given lately to the idea that we as a nation now need to apologize for everything that ever happened here. What a crock. I challenge you to find even ONE United States citizen who is now alive that fought for the Confederate Army, or who was enslaved by the Confederate states. I do realize that damage was done, and that racism in some sectors is alive to this day. However, that racism travels in all directions. Personally, I don't have anything against anyone, be they black, white, yellow, brown, purple, or green. I have noticed an interesting trend, though. Not many years ago, a movie came out titled "White Men Can't Jump". Now, I will admit that I didn't see this movie. However, I would like to point out that, irregardless of the film's content, if the title had been "Black Men Can't Tango", or "Yellow Men Can't Knit", there would have been lawsuits coming out the old wazoo in a nanosecond.

Now, in the past couple years, I had occasion to spend a great deal of time in close confines with members of both the black and white races, as well as a truly sweet little Puerto Rican lady. It was truly amazing to me. I am white, and I was raised in an all white community. Imagine my shock when I heard white people telling me that black people smell "musty". Well....I didn't smell anything. If anything, my roommate smelled better than I did.....her deoderant was scented. Then, to my immediate bafflement, I was told by friends of my roommate that WHITE people smell "funny"......uh.....you get the picture. I immediately sniffed everyone I knew and determined that all people who said either about the other must have a dead mouse stuck up their nose. The only thing that TRULY stunk around there was the racial intollerance.

Now, I am told that I must, as a white American, be forced to apologize to the African-Americans for slavery, the Japanese for World War II, and probably for Eve biting the apple as well (I AM female, after all.) In essence, I am to apologize for being a white American. I refuse. I was not present during the Civil War; however, my ancestors were located in the northern states. At least 2 that I know of died fighting for the north. I was not in World War II either, but my father was. And I abhor the idea that I should apologize for his not holding up a flag to give them a good target when Pearl Harbor was bombed. In effect, I absolutely WILL NOT apologize for actions of people other than myself. I am, however, very, very sorry when I see the direction our nation's leaders have chosen to take us. After reading the papers lately, I hope I am not as alone as I feel.....

Flag Burning and Freedom of Speech

What does flag burning have to do with freedom of speech? Well.....I dunno. It's not speech. It IS destruction of a national symbol meant to stand for freedom. Now....if a man screams at me that he hates the flag, that it stands for something he doesn't like, and that I can go do physically improbable things to myself if I don't like it, well, I will be REALLY pissed off. I will probably suggest that he find a nation flying a flag he respects and retire there. But I will NOT sue him over it or claim that he has no right to express his opinion, just as I have done here. However, if that same man actually takes that flag and BURNS it, he has effectively insulted the United States, everything it stands for, and every person who doesn't see it his way. He has committed an act. By definition, committing an act is not the same thing as speaking or writing about it. It is illegal to kill our national bird. It SHOULD be illegal to burn our national flag. Now, I have heard the argument that flag burning should not be considered a criminal act if the person having the little fit of pyromania purchased the flag himself. Well...we get a little shaky here, don't we? Let's examine this. If I buy a car, license it, and drive it, I am committing a normal, legal act. However, if I drive that car over, say, the local boy scout troup, I have committed a crime, even if I did not in fact intend to mow down the little cherubs. Or, take something a little less damaging.....say I run a stop sign and get caught. Do I scream that I was "excercizing my freedom of speech by protesting the validity of the need to stop at that particular corner"? Of course not. I paste a sickly smile on my face, take the ticket, and enthusiastically voice foul, unprintable words all the way home. I do NOT burn the cop's ticket book in protest. Yet....this is the reasoning I have heard used by people given to random acts of flag torching. Is it just me, or is something not right here?

Let's look at a partial list of things that the new definition of "freedom of speech" has given us in recent years: Pornography out in the open, where the kiddies can see it.....uncensored. People shouting "b**ch", "sh*t", "b*st*rd", and "wh*re" during late prime time. At least one major-league ball player knee-deep in trouble for expressing an opinion containing racial slurs....which, come to think of it, is material for a whole 'nother article (*note to self*). Anything to do with the Bible pulled from schools and state buildings, because it apparently isn't allowed to count as "freedom of speech".....boy, are WE in trouble.

Censorship

Censorship as a whole is a bad idea. The reasoning behind the concept is flawed. The idea that certain material, whether it be a television program, book, or song can actually make someone do/be/become something different from what they are is ridiculous. One thing that government can NOT legislate away from us is our ability to reason things out for ourselves. We have freedom of choice. Censorship does not recognize this. In effect, censors are telling us that we are not intelligent enough to deduce what is good/right from what is bad/wrong. They seem to have decided to "protect" us from what they apparently conceive as our inherant, rampaging stupidity. Using this measurement, it can be logically deduced that anyone who owns a gun is a potential murderer, and if they own an acid rock cd as well, then Heaven help us and be sure your doors are locked. By the same token, logically speaking, if you own a dictionary, you must be an intellectual; if you happen also to have a set of encyclopedia or a set of learning tapes, you must be a GENIUS. (Hey, wait.....I own both. Come to think of it, this reasoning has it's merits!) .....Oh, dear....it just occurred to me.....if a person owns a gun....AND a rock tape....AND a dictionary....AND an encyclopedia....well, I guess we better just go ask the price of coffins, because we don't stand a chance.

These days, we have every right to say what is on our minds...as long as it doesn't offend anyone. At least, no one who is a minority. Or a politician. Or a police officer/doctor/lawyer/civil servant. I realize that some younger readers aren't going to remember this, but there was once a time when most people understood the concept of free speech. Someone famous (and these days, less quoted) once said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". Some of us still agree with that. Which brings us to....believe it or not.....flag burning. (continued next post)

Freedom

Like most United States citizens, I didn't really notice when my freedoms started to disappear. I have a husband who actually opens doors for me and calls me "sweetheart" (the dreaded "S" word!!!) ....and I don't mind at all. I have heard other women grumble things about this, ranging from remarks about my "lack of self assertion" (which my readers would probably dispute) to statements that I am "setting American Womanhood back a century". Uhhh.....excuse me, but I am offended by this. Where is my freedom to enjoy being treated like a respected, loved wife? I have a confession to make....when I worked in an office many years ago, on several occasions male workers complimented me on my appearance....and I appreciated it (*gasp*). These days, what was once considered a compliment could land a man in court. I find this to be a sad commentary on the condition of our society.

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Racial Descrimination 2007

I am not a bigot. I don't give a damn what color you are. I have no intention of telling you what color I am either. It isn't relevent. People of ANY color ought to have a problem with THIS story:

There is a case heading to the supreme court right now that involves a white teacher that was being harrassed by her black students. The school board would do nothing, claiming that the teacher ought to be aware that these actions were part of the students' culture, and that if she didn't like it she should be teaching elsewhere.

THINK about that. In one gesture that school board both turned a deaf ear to a bunch of unruly brats assaulting a teacher and destroying her property.....AND insulted every black person in the United States. SINCE WHEN is it part of the black culture to swear, abuse and harrass? If that WERE true, it says blacks have no higher intelligence than to act like criminals. Does anyone actually BELIEVE that?

Poll Watching

Anyone ever wonder about all those polls you hear about on the news, political and otherwise? I do. I realize that there are a thousand statisticians out there ready to argue with me on this point, but all those polls CANNOT be accurate. Typically, the poll takers question a specific number of people (usually 1000) and proclaim a "two percent margin of error". Two percent of what? You would have more than a two percent margin of error if you polled ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE POPULATION, because people LIE.

Think about it. There are more than one thousand cities and towns in the United States, so they can't even be getting an even spread. And if they WERE going to ask just ONE person from YOUR community (not you), can you think of even ONE person who thinks EXACTLY like you do and could therefore answer for you?

And that just covers opinion polls. What about "exit polls" on election day? They are SO notorious for being accurate......You DO remeber President Wilkey and President Dewey, Right?

Intro

Hello. It has been quite a while since the last time I decided to inflict my opinions on the world at large. Apparently it is long overdue, given all the stupid crap happening in the world these days. When children are no longer safe from the dangers of chicken fingers in our public schools, it is time to scream out! In this column, we will be examining religion, politics, news items, and life in general, and we will be shown EXACTLY, beyond the shadow of a doubt, why you should see everything my way.

Cheers!