Hate Crimes against Muslims in the U.S.
INTRODUCTION
- Define the social problem
The hate crime first appeared in 1985: John Konirs Barbara Quesnel and Mario Biaggi published "Hate Crime Statistics Act". In 1989, John Leo “Hate politics” published an article. Interestingly, one of the first papers (1991) was devoted to violence against gays and lesbians. In the early 90s of the last century, the term "Hate crime" legalist acquired legal status, including legislative acts. It is a special legal qualification of a special kind of crimes against the person committed a criminal under the influence of hatred towards persons of other race, nationality, religion, ethnic origin, political opinion, gender or sexual orientation (Griffin, et al., 2010).
However, since the second half of last twentieth century such crimes have become a kind of acute social problems. Besides it, there are at least two explanations: Firstly, with the development of civilization, liberalization and humanization of interpersonal relations of developed countries population has become particularly sensitive to all manifestations of xenophobia and harassment on the grounds of national, racial or religious hatred. In addition to it, as based on homophobia, hostility to any whatsoever categories of the population (the poor, the homeless, the disabled, prostitutes, and so on). Sometimes ridiculed "political correctness" people of Western civilization, the inadmissibility of "call" someone else was an alcoholic (better to say: "John has a problem with alcohol"), a drug addict ("Katherine drug problem"), criminal ("There is a problem with Smith Law ") is actually a manifestation of a truly human tolerance, worthy of respect (Griffin, et al., 2010).
This legal qualification exists in some states in the US, some states of Western and Central Europe. In many cases, the qualification of the crime as a "hate crime" toughens criminal punishment appointed guilty. Increased penalties can be expressed in term of greater deprivation of liberty, in the appointment of a life sentence. In some states, the United States, where it is not abolished the death penalty; tougher penalties can be expressed in the appointment of the perpetrator of the death penalty. In other cases, the qualification of the crime as a hate crime cannot change the severity of the punishment, and wearing only a moral and political or legalistic character. In the other states in the US, as well as the other Western and Central European countries formal legal qualification of a crime as a "hate crime" laws is missing and accused of crimes of this kind as a judge for ordinary crimes (e.g., ordinary murder). However, prevailing upon the jurisprudence in these countries traditionally takes into account the motivation of hatred at the murderer, which usually implies a more severe punishment, even in the absence of formal legal qualification of the crime as hate crimes. (Griffin, et al., 2010)
In some countries in Western and Central Europe and some US states to the category of persons, crimes against which fall into the category of Hate crimes attributed also people of other sexual orientation, the other sex, persons with disabilities and members of subcultures.
3) Significance of the research paper
These crimes have profound consequences not only for the direct victims, but also for groups that victims identified themselves. Hate crimes undermines social cohesion and social stability. Therefore, resolute response to them is very important to ensure safety of both individuals and entire communities (Rabrenovic, 2007).
4) Research question
Are crimes based on religious, ethnic, racial or sexual hatred, relatively uncommon in the United States?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently published a report crime statistics based on religious hatred, which shows that Americans hate Muslims. Of the 1340 victims of crime caused by religiously motivated violence, 11.6% of crimes were committed against Muslims. Poll on American Jews conducted by PEW and published in October 2013, shows that 72% of the Jews believe that Muslims in America are exposed too much greater persecution. After the attack of Islamic terrorists on the United States September 11, 2001, there was a fear that American Muslims have become victims of prejudice and be subject to retaliation because of their ethnicity and religion (FBI, 2013).
The 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act marked the first major statute of the United States for the eradication of discrimination, including the implementation of the right to vote, based on race, ethnic origin, sex, national origin and religion in all sectors of society.
The United States remains vigilant in its efforts to commissioning in place policy, funding and other resources needed to the ideals of the Civil Rights Act (Frost, 2008). The United States spent sentencing reform to address some of the factors contributes disproportionately to high levels of deprivation of liberty African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. In the same vein, and a new initiative of President Obama's "brother's keeper I "is intended to expand the opportunities for young people by addressing, among other things, racial differences in the justice system and to create opportunities in our society (Rabrenovic, 2007). Civil society has made an important contribution to the efforts United States to combat discrimination and promote equal opportunities, taking part in the survey record of accomplishment of the United States in accordance with International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Rabrenovic, 2007).
Studying and trying to solve the problems the United States faces, government call on all States Parties to assess their situation and reaffirm their commitment to progress in the implementation of the obligations the field of tolerance, including by reversing alarm bursts racism, xenophobia and discriminatory practices (Frost, 2008).
Hate crimes is a crime of the message. They are different from other crimes that the offender shall address the members of the group that their presence is undesirable. Probably the most successful express the essence of American law Heberman Clyde, columnist for the New York Times: The laws on the actually punish criminal thoughts as criminal actions - incitement, beatings, vandalism, murder contrary to the law (Coker, 2011).
In turn, the famous French philosopher Jacques Derrida concluded that modern democratic societies are democratic as long as based on the principle of "tolerant coexistence." That is, as long as the "sense of hospitality" is based not only on the definition of "other" (racial, ethnic, and religious, viewpoints), and on the recognition of "the other", absolutely and in all equal "their". Derrida reminds us that, despite their differences, all people especially members of the same society should have equal rights and duties before the society (Lee, et al., 2007).
However, statistics show that in the US Hate crimes committed infrequently. The vast majority of them are acts of vandalism and intimidation. Murder and severe beatings on similar grounds in the United States are extremely rare. Only a third of cases, hate crimes committed against property (for example, against the buildings occupied by organizations representing the interests of certain ethnic communities or churches, adherents of certain religions used) such acts of violence marked by murder, rape (Rabrenovic, 2007).
However, organizations representing the interests of minorities, often argue that official statistics do not account for all the crimes committed, and the real picture is much worse (Lee, et al., 2007). The fact that the victims of such crimes for different reasons sometimes refuse to report the incident to law enforcement agencies (for example, according to a study conducted by the University of California \ University of California, Davis, only a third of gay and lesbian victims seek help from law enforcement agencies) (Rabrenovic, 2007).
It is interesting that, according to Donald Green \ Donald P. Green, a political scientist at Yale University \ Yale University, the frequency and brutality Hate crimes have practically no influence economic conditions (Coker, 2011). However, the Hate crimes are becoming more frequent when in ethnically homogeneous areas (cities, enclaves) first appear minorities. The faster these changes occur, the more committed the crimes, and the level of violence increases disproportionately. Green believes that Hate crimes are a response to social change in society - minorities are accused of attempting to local customs and traditions (May, et al., 2006).
THEORY
Hate crimes, first, the essence of a social construct (as well as crime, drug addiction, prostitution and other social phenomena that have no ontological grounds and "natural" boundaries). Hate crime as a social and legal construct does not exist as such in nature, sui generis, per se (May, et al., 2006). It is "normal" violence committed but because of certain enumerated in the law motives. Further, in part a consequence of the above, this concept is not yet well established, have different understandings of the various legislators and scholars. According theorists hate crimes is primarily crimes arising from prejudice, prejudice (bias, prejudice) against persons of another race, nation, color, religion, sexual, and orientation. It is a crime motivated by prejudice. Theorists believe that hate crime is a social construct. It is a new term, unusual, (self-defining). Invented in the late '80s for the expression of criminal acts motivated by prejudice, focused more on the psychology of crime than criminal actions (Coker, 2011). The simplest definition of hate crime: a criminal act that is motivated, at least, a group of the victims; Violence directed against groups of people who are generally not approved by the majority of society who experience discrimination in various spheres of activity; Hate crime includes acts of violence and intimidation are usually sent for already stigmatized and marginalized groups (Rabrenovic, 2007).
Depending on the criminal law and the law of doctrinal judgments differ crimes Hate motivated by racial, national, ethnic hatred or enmity; motivated by religious hostility or hatred; in relation to sexual and other minorities. On the last of these species, homophobia will focus in more detail, because, oddly enough, it becomes of fundamental importance and relevance to modern world (May, et al., 2006). There should be clearly delimited hate crime by type of crime, articulated in literature about people chasing someone. Potential and actual victims of stokers can be once close friends (ex-wife, ex-husband, children, parents, former, and friends), Co-workers, colleagues by profession, fellow practitioners (Englander, 2007).
The information for this crime case study was found on CNN, and this crime falls under the category of hate crime. This is a hate crime 'possibility' in killing of Iraqi woman. According to the California police, beaten to death by a native of Iraq could become a victim of a hate crime. Killer 32-year-old Shaima Al-Awadi and she was left a note telling her that she is a terrorist and she must go back home. According to a police lieutenant El Cajon Koita Mark (Mark Coit), family members of Al-Awadi said that this month was found near the house another note with threats. However, they did not report it to the police, finding a note usual prank (Duke, 2012). At the very beginning of the investigation near the spot where lay dead, a note was found threatening. Relatives of the victims said that earlier this month, found a similar note, but did not report it to the authorities. We consider all aspects and possible versions of the crime, but the evidence suggests that this was an isolated incident (Duke, 2012).
Investigators have not yet made any arrests and had not told whether they had found any traces leading to the attacker. The attack stunned members of the local Muslim community, said Hanif Mohebi (Hanif Mohebi), based in San Diego, the director of the local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Council on American-Islamic Relations). It is the largest Islamic organization in America civil liberties. Mohebi already talked to family members. "They are still in shock and scared to death. They are trying to make sense of what happened," - he said. According to him, all of California and the entire country express its support for the family of the murdered.
After the September 11, attacks reported several incidents of Islamophobia in the background in a number of American cities, where people were attacked and mosques. However, as noted by Mohebi, most recently in the district showed no signs of rising tensions and incidents similar to this attack. According to him, here a few years ago were brutally beaten by a taxi driver, but other serious attacks on Muslims in recent times, he could not remember. American community is alarmed by this, but before you do something, we want to know all the facts. Now, our community is shocked to the core. We hope that the police department in the near future to attract these people to justice (Duke, 2012).
Family Al-Awadi only recently moved from Michigan to the house on the outskirts of El Cajon. Family friend Surah Al-Zaidi (Sura Alzaidy) said a local newspaper that the attack is likely to happen after the husband Shaimov Al-Awadi Kassim Al Hamidi (Kassim Al Hamidi) took the younger children to school. Al-Zaidi told the newspaper that Al-Awadi was "polite and modest muhadzhiboy" (women wearing the traditional Muslim headscarf-hijab). Al Hamidi and Al-Awadi moved from Iraq to the United States around 1993, as reported by the local press. Al Hamidi worked in San Diego advisor on culture, teaching soldiers preparing to be sent to the Middle East (Duke, 2012).
"In the past there has been a hate crime, but nothing like I have not seen. In the end, it turns out that there are very few people who do so because of their ignorance. In general, the neighbors have a positive attitude to our community. This murder was a painful moment for race relations in the United States after the assassination of the self-appointed guardian of voluntary order of black youths. Last month, 28-year-old George Zimmerman (George Zimmerman) caught and shot an unarmed Trayvon Martin (Trayvon Martin) for 17 years. It happened in Sanford, Florida. This murder has generated a national debate about gun laws and race relations. Been calls for the judge Zimmerman hate crime.
CONCLUSION
Objectively, intolerance, xenophobia, hatred, envy, and, consequently, the hate crime - is a natural, necessary and inevitable result of the excessive gap level and lifestyle super-rich minority included and needy and impoverished majority population. There is a mountain of literature and regulations on the prevention of crime in general, violence in particular. However, this is too serious and difficult task, to name a list of "events" that can reduce the number and the level of hate crimes.
There are probably two main areas of prevention to grow out from knowledge of the factors that determine the prevalence of hate crimes and the first one is the direction to optimization of socio-economic conditions of existence of the majority of the population. It is not just about improving the living standards of the poor, the needy and impoverished population, but also the availability of all types of vocational education, including higher education, ensuring the conditions of upward mobility (which is hardly feasible with the "power vertical" caste ruling "elite"), accessibility and effectiveness of medical care and so on. The second direction is constant, at all levels and by all institutions (family, educational institutions, the media and others) the development of tolerance to all the others in culture, race, language, religion, way of life. In terms familiar to the US totalitarian consciousness of the majority of the population acquires a special role word and deed head of state. Instead of searching for an American national idea, people should refer to the so-called universal values, well known to the civilized world.
References
Duke, A. (2012, March 26). Hate crime “possibility” in killing of Iraqi woman in her California home, police say. CNN, p. 1. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/25/justice/california-immigrant-death/
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