I was wondering what you guys thought of Naveed Haq.
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Pretty much what Pete said. It's a horrible tragedy for everyone involved. Everyone.
As far as I know, the Seattle Jewish Federation is still keeping the new location of their headquarters a secret. It's sad they they feel that they have to do this and it's sad that they are probably correct in this feeling. It's sad that Haq's parents have to deal with this. It's sad that the victims now have this incident as a focal point in their lives. It's sad that Mr. Haq was suffering from seemingly untreated mental illness and he seized upon the Seattle Jewish Federation as the embodiment of whatever amorphous evil he perceived them to be. It's sad that this hatred is out there, propagated by other individuals, and ready for people like this to seize upon. It's sad that the situation in the middle east is what it is, causing ripples of hatred that spread across the world like a waves from a stone in a still pond. It's sad that these waves sometimes crash in the minds of sick and stupid individuals and inspire sick, stupid, and pointless acts.
It just plain sad.
It is very awful. I was just wondering if you thought he was insane at the time.
His trial isn't so much if he's guilty or not. They know he did it. But, if he was insane at the time.
So it's jail for life or mental institution for probably life.
Edit:
Side note: Do you think they need the added charge of "Hate Crime"
Isn't all murder a hate crime? I don't think anyone kills in a fit of love...
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It is very awful. I was just wondering if you thought he was insane at the time.
His trial isn't so much if he's guilty or not. They know he did it. But, if he was insane at the time.
So it's jail for life or mental institution for probably life.
Edit:
Side note: Do you think they need the added charge of "Hate Crime"
Isn't all murder a hate crime? I don't think anyone kills in a fit of love...
Yes, he's mentally ill. That was firmly established. They avoided the death penalty because of it.
Side Note: Yes, hate crime seemed appropriate. He was targeting a specific group of people.
I don't believe that all murder is a hate crime. Some murder is cold and calculated. Sometimes it's done simply for enough cash.
I do think that hate crime is a mental illness to one degree or another, whether it be murder, assault, or simply spray painting a wall. Someone who hates a set of people or idea so much that they act out needs to get some help.
Side note: Do you think they need the added charge of "Hate Crime" Isn't all murder a hate crime? I don't think anyone kills in a fit of love...
There are a lot of things I know a little about, and a few things I know a lot about. Hate crime legislation is one of the latter subjects, as I wrote a whole lot about them when I was an investigative reporter and government official in Chicago.
Hate crime laws are designed to put additional penalties on any level of crime. They care entirely about intent, and are one of two main criminal designations to do so (murder/manslaughter is the other). A hate crime charge can make a misdemeanor into a felony, and make a felony into a much more potent felony. In cases where the physical damage is minor but the psychological damage is major, such as the burning of a cross on a lawn, the hate crime can be the most punishing aspect of the charge.
Importantly, the hate crime can be proven even if the main charge is not, so you can be innocent of murder and still go to jail for the hate crime. So it's not at all trivial that Haq gets this charge, even though the murder charge sounds a lot worse.
I hope that helps.
Mike